Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart will see PlayStation’s most iconic duo return in 2021 for more over-the-top explosive action. Here’s everything we know about the highly-anticipated PS5 exclusive sequel.
Contents
After a successful reboot of the franchise on PS4 in 2016, Insomniac Games are finally giving Ratchet and Clank fans what they’ve been waiting for with a proper sequel for the highly-weaponized duo called Rift Apart, and it’s fair to say that hype is in overdrive.
This will be the first original entry into the series since the PS3’s acclaimed Into The Nexus in 2013, and with the promise of new weapons and story developments – as well as the mighty power of the PS5 console behind it – there’s plenty to get excited about.
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart release date
In February 2021, Sony officially announced that Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart would be coming to PlayStation 5’s store and retail stores everywhere on June 11, 2021.
Interestingly, its release date comes exactly one year to the day after it was officially announced, as it was originally revealed during the PS5 announcement broadcast.
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart Digital Deluxe Edition
A special edition of the game will also be available for those who buy the game on the PlayStation Store.
Titled the Digital Deluxe Edition, this version comes with a copy of the game, five armor sets, a Photo Mode sticker pack, 20 Raritanium (the in-game upgrade materials), a copy of the soundtrack, and a digital artbook.
The Digital Deluxe Edition is set to cost players $79.99, compared to the Standard/Launch Edition’s $69.99, meaning players will only have to spend $10 extra to get all the aforementioned bonuses.
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart pre-order bonuses
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart will also have some bonuses if you pre-order. According to PlayStation, players will be able to get the Carbonox Armor and the Pixelizer Weapon if they throw down some money for the game early.
These bonuses will be distributed either in the form of the physical Launch Edition, which is guaranteed by pre-ordering, or through the digital-only Standard Edition.
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart trailers
Fans were given their first look at Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart with an announcement trailer that released in June 2020. In just over two minutes of footage, Insomniac sent expectations for the game rocketing sky high.
- Read More: 9 most exciting PS5 games coming in 2021
The trailer sets up the fast-paced intergalactic premise of the sequel, as the duo are seen racing between worlds at rocket speed with Ratchet explaining that the “dimensions are collapsing on one another”. It ends with the reveal of a mysterious female Lombax.
Announcement trailer
Three months later in August 2020, an extended gameplay demo for Rift Apart was shared online. It offers fans seven minutes of uninterrupted footage, which appears to be taken from an early stage of the game.
While the gameplay demo doesn’t give away much we didn’t already know, it does show off Ratchet’s Rift Tether glove in action and gives us a better look at the interdimensional rift jumping that lies at the heart of the game.
Extended gameplay demo
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
The gameplay demo also does a great job of showing off just how incredible the graphics look on the PS5, including some very impressive ray-tracing effects. Seriously, it’s one of the best-looking titles we’ve seen on the console so far.
Rivet gameplay trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p_gg9UW9k4
Featuring a fantastic look at the new character, Rivet, we’ve also got some incredible looks at gameplay, cinematics, and the vibrant world of Ratchet and Clank.
PlayStation State of Play demo
On April 29, 2021, PlayStation released a brand-new State of Play showcase, which showed off an extended gameplay demo of Rift Apart. It features gameplay from both Ratchet and Rivet’s perspectives, while also showing off the impressive dimension hopping feature once again.
What is Rift Apart about?
Ratchet and Clank’s next big adventure is a canonical continuation of 2013’s Into The Nexus. It follows our titular heroes as they go dimension-hopping to take on an evil robotic emperor from another reality as he attempts to exterminate all organic life across the universe. Sounds exciting, right?
Perhaps even more intriguing, though, is the addition of a new female Lombax resistance fighter. Rivet still remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, but players will be able to take control of her in the game, suggesting she’ll play an important part in the story.
Gameplay
Rift Apart is a third-person shoot ’em up game that largely follows the same format as previous entries in the Ratchet and Clank series: Players will mow down enemies with overpowered guns while collecting bolts, upgrading weapons, and using fancy gadgets to complete levels.
- Read More: Resident Evil release date
There’s a real emphasis on speedy gameplay this time around, largely thanks to the PS5’s impressive SSD which “sends you hurtling across the galaxy at hyper-speed” with no loading screens to sit through as you travel between both new and familiar planets.
Ratchet will come with a new feature called the Rift Tether, a glove gadget that allows him to grab hold of dimensional rifts, open them up, and jump through them to teleport. This can be utilized to cross large gaps or launch a surprise attack on enemies.
Insomniac have teased that Rift Apart will take full advantage of the PS5’s capabilities, with the prospect of “visually dazzling” intergalactic action and DualSense features that will bring the in-game action to life.
New weapons and gadgets
It’s been promised that Ratchet and Clank will come equipped with a series of “outrageous” new weapons in their arsenal to help them in their mission, which will be music to the ears of longtime fans.
Weapons revealed so far are the Shatterbomb, which is an explosive weapon similar to the Fusion Grenade; the Topiary Sprinkler, which is a glove that can plant small gun turrets that target and fire blasts of water at enemies, turning them into topiary that can be blown up; and the Burst Pistol.
Even better, Insomniac has confirmed that Rift Apart will make the most of the DualSense’s adaptive triggers, meaning each weapon will feel different. For example, a new double-barrel shotgun called The Enforcer will use tension to let players shoot either one or both barrels.
That’s everything we know about Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart right now. Make sure you check back regularly as we’ll update this page when new details get announced.
