Third-person shooter Ratchet & Clank was first developed by Insomniac Games and released in 2002 on the Playstation 2 console. The game was a critical and commercial hit that has spawned multiple sequels and a 2016 film.
2021’s Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, was the first release since the 2016 game that was timed to match the release of the film. And this week, Rift Apart was nominated for the Games Awards Game of the Year.
The game was a huge seller, moving over 1 million copies. It was also the best-selling game the month of its release.
One of the interesting aspects of Rift Apart was that it was developed exclusively for the Playstation 5, the first of the Ratchet & Clank games to hold that distinction.
In creating the world of Ratchet & Clank this time around, Insomniac worked from a cartoonish color palette that is so deeply ingrained in the development of the game. Every single location offers a dizzying array of ray tracing elements that bring the title to life with careful tones that bring the universe to life.
This game looks so great in real life that it matches the cinematic effects we’ve often reserved for the likes of Pixar animated movies. No previous Ratchet & Clank game has come close to achieving the visual appeal of this game, even if previous games’ graphics were pretty great in their own respect.
While the series has long shared a common storytelling formula, this time around, the developers were able to deliver storytelling that was not only entertaining but also varied among the game’s various locations.
Throw in the instant-loading that is utilized while changing dimensions and the game is groundbreaking in its own right.
Throw in some excellent pacing for the game and we’re left with a fun story that feels like it has unfolded organically throughout the 10 hours of gameplay needed to finish the title.
But don’t just take our word for it. Reviewers have been gloating about the game’s playability since its release.
In a glowing review for Polygon, Ryan Gilliam noted that the PS5 exclusivity was a smart play. He wrote:
“Rift Apart is one of the first few games that’s exclusive to the PlayStation 5, resting comfortably behind titles like Astro’s Playroom, Demon’s Souls, and Returnal. More than just being a fun Ratchet & Clank game, Rift Apart also showcases the power of this expensive new machine that’s taking up a lot of shelf space in your home, if you managed to purchase one.”
If you’ve yet to play Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, be sure to check out this clip from IGN.
Game Informer’s Andrew Reiner noted that it was the incredible graphics that really made the game soar.
“The level of detail in Rift Apart is through the roof in jaw-dropping ways,” Reiner wrote.
“Don’t be surprised if you stop dead in your tracks to inspect the detail on the most trivial of things. I marveled at the wool on a sheep, and audibly said ‘wow’ when I saw the sheer scale of a Godzilla-sized robot that looms over one of the levels,” he added.
Metacritic notes that the gameplay of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is also hugely helped by the use of Playstation’s controls, “The DualSense wireless controller brings combat to life, with haptic feedback and the adaptive triggers adding powerful sensations that increase immersion in combat.”
In addition to being nominated for Game of the Year, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, has also been nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Audio Design, Best Action-Adventure Game, Best Game Direction, and Innovation in Accessibility.
