Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is the Best Console Showcase Title Since Wii Sports
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is one of the best showcase titles for a console that I have played. The last title that effectively utilized a console’s feature set this well, Wii Sports, was so good that it single-handily sold millions of Nintendo Wii Consoles. While Rift Apart isn’t a huge radical step forward for games, it utilizes the unique hardware capabilities of the PlayStation 5 in a way that makes me excited for what future developers will be able to do with the PlayStation 5. One of the best parts about this game is that even if you haven’t played a single title in the series, now 19 years long, Rift Apart’s story is written so newcomers can enjoy this dimension-spanning adventure. I had only played partly through the first title in the series previous to this game, but I found myself often snorting and giggling throughout this game’s extremely witty writing.
What makes Rift Apart stand out is its use of the PlayStation 5’s rapid storage SSD, which means this game able to load new environments within seconds. The game contextualizes the rapidly changing environments by having the two protagonists of the story, Ratchet and Rivet, flung into portals and spitting them out into new dimensions. While most of the portal sequences are scripted, it was breathtaking the first time I experienced Ratchet being flung into a portal from the cyberpunk Nefarious City and emerge out into the lush jungle of Sarvasso.
However, there are some interactive gameplay mechanics that utilize the PlayStation 5’s rapid storage SSD. In one level, the game has the protagonists switch to parallel dimensions by hitting various crystals throughout the map. Whenever the character hits the crystal a whole new map filled with new textures and lighting is loaded under a second. Players must solve puzzles by utilizing the ability to swap between dimensions on the fly. It’s really cool to see the swap happen in real-time.
The other piece of hardware that is used effectively is the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. The DualSense has received countless praise ever since the launch of the PlayStation 5 back in November, but Rift Apart takes advantage of the controller in ways that affect gameplay. The rumble feels precise, and each weapon has unique sound effects that come blasting out of the controller.
However, my favorite aspect is how it utilizes the Dualsense’s adaptive triggers. For example, one of the shotgun-like weapons in the game, “The Executioner,” works by pulling the trigger halfways, and the weapon will fire a single shot, but if you pull the trigger all the way, the weapon will unleash electric shotgun hell against your foes. Seeing the DualSense utilized in interesting unique ways in Rift Apart makes me excited for how future PlayStation 5 titles will utilize its impressive controller.
I also want to point out the impressive use of the PlayStation 5’s 3D audio technology. I’ve been using Sony’s official Pulse 3D headset as my daily driver for PlayStation 5 games, and sounds come out clear and crisp while I’m able to tell apart a vast soundscape of different sounds coming from different sources. I’ve been pretty impressed.
Rift Apart has been able to deliver on the marketing points that Sony has pushed for the PlayStation 5. They’ve pushed the system’s audio capabilities, graphical capabilities, which by the way Rift Apart’s graphics are stunning, and its SSD capabilities. Insomniac Games has become a key studio for Sony, now releasing its third PS5 title seven months after the console's launch. It’s evident that Insomniac has learned how to use the PlayStation 5’s capabilities and has shown to the public what the PlayStation 5 can do. I can’t wait to see what other developers, both Triple-A and Indie, do with the console after the launch of this title.