Insomniac Games basically flexed on everyone when they launched Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart. It wasn't just another sequel. Honestly, it was a technical manifesto for the PlayStation 5. Most people remember it for the "portal" hopping, but if you look closer, there is so much more going on under the hood that makes it a masterclass in modern game design.
It’s been out for a while now, and even with newer titles hitting the shelves, this game still holds up as the benchmark for what "next-gen" is supposed to feel like. It didn't just iterate; it redefined how we think about loading screens—or the lack thereof.
The SSD Magic That Changed Everything
When Marcus Smith, the Creative Director at Insomniac, first talked about the power of the PS5’s SSD, a lot of people thought it was just marketing fluff. It wasn't. Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart uses that storage speed to do things that were literally impossible on the PS4.
Think about the Blizar Prime level.
You hit a crystal and the entire world changes instantly. You aren't just swapping textures. You're swapping entire level geometries, enemy placements, and lighting rigs in less than a second. On older hardware, you would have been stuck in a 30-second elevator ride or a slow crawl through a convenient crevice in the wall while the game struggled to dump the old assets and load the new ones.
The seamlessness is the point.
It keeps the "flow state" alive. You’re never taken out of the experience. It makes the game feel less like a series of levels and more like a continuous, high-octane Saturday morning cartoon that you happen to be controlling.
Why Rivet Was More Than a Pallete Swap
Introducing a new protagonist in a long-running franchise is usually a recipe for disaster. Fans are protective. They like their Ratchet. But Rivet worked because she wasn't just "Girl Ratchet."
Insomniac gave her a distinct emotional weight. Her loneliness and her history with the Resistance in her own dimension felt earned. Voice actor Jennifer Hale (the legendary Commander Shepard herself) brought a rugged, slightly more cynical edge to the character that contrasted beautifully with Ratchet’s more seasoned—but still optimistic—vibe.
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It’s a dual-narrative that actually serves a purpose. You see how different circumstances shaped two individuals of the same species. It’s some of the best writing the series has ever seen, period.
The Visual Fidelity Peak
Let's talk about the fur. It sounds silly, but the way light interacts with Ratchet’s ears or how the rain slickens Rivet’s fur on Nefarious City is borderline ridiculous.
The game uses Ray Tracing to create realistic reflections in every puddle and metallic surface. It’s one of the few games where I actually recommend playing in the Performance RT mode. You get 60 frames per second and the ray-traced reflections. It’s the sweet spot.
If you’re still playing on a standard 1080p screen, you’re missing out. The HDR implementation in Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart is vibrant. The neon lights of the markets and the explosive particle effects from the Topiary Sprinkler weapon create a visual chaos that never feels messy. It’s organized brilliance.
The Arsenal: More Than Just Guns
The series has always been known for its wild weapons. That’s the DNA.
But the DualSense controller changed the game here.
Take the Shatterbomb. If you pull the trigger halfway, you see a trajectory line. Pull it all the way, and you fire. The resistance in the trigger—the haptic feedback—makes the weapons feel tactile. You don't just see the explosion; you feel the "thud" in your palms.
The Negatron Collider is another great example. The trigger vibrates with the charging energy before the beam actually fires. It makes the gun feel alive, like it’s vibrating in your hand. This isn't just a gimmick; it’s an evolution of sensory feedback that makes the combat loop incredibly addictive.
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Beyond the PlayStation 5
When the PC port finally arrived, handled by Nixxes, it opened up a whole new conversation.
The port was a miracle.
It proved that with DirectStorage, high-end PCs could replicate that "portal-hopping" speed. It also introduced some features that even the PS5 version lacked, like support for ultra-wide monitors and more aggressive ray-tracing settings.
However, it also highlighted how much the game relied on specific hardware architecture. Early tests on slower HDDs showed the game literally stuttering to a halt during dimension jumps. It was a clear signal to the industry: the era of the mechanical hard drive is dead for AAA gaming.
What Most People Miss About the Story
While everyone focuses on the multiverse stuff, the core of Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart is actually about the fear of failure.
Ratchet is terrified of finding the other Lombaxes. He’s scared he won't measure up to them or that they won't like him. Rivet is dealing with the trauma of losing her arm and being a lone rebel for years. Even Dr. Nefarious is dealing with the existential crisis of being a "loser" in every reality until he finds the one where he actually won.
It’s surprisingly deep for a game about a space cat and a tin-can robot.
The nuance is in the quiet moments. The conversations between Kit and Ratchet are some of the most touching in the series. Kit’s social anxiety and her fear of her own power make her one of the most relatable characters Insomniac has ever created.
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Looking Forward: The Insomniac Legacy
Insomniac is currently the most productive studio in the PlayStation lineup. Between Spider-Man and Wolverine, they’ve stayed busy. But Rift Apart feels like their most "pure" game. It doesn't have the open-world fatigue that some modern titles suffer from. It’s a tight, focused, 12-to-15-hour experience that values your time.
That is rare.
In an era of 100-hour "live service" grinds, having a polished, cinematic platformer that just wants you to have fun is refreshing.
The tech they built for this game isn't going to waste, either. You can see the DNA of the portal-hopping in the fast-travel mechanics of Spider-Man 2. The way the city loads instantly in that game is a direct descendant of the work done for Ratchet.
Actionable Insights for New Players
If you are just picking this up, keep these things in mind to get the most out of it:
- Prioritize the Performance RT Mode: It gives you the best of both worlds—smooth 60fps gameplay and the high-end lighting effects that make the game look truly "next-gen."
- Experiment with the Weapons: Don't just stick to the Burst Pistol. Use the Topiary Sprinkler to freeze enemies and then follow up with the Headhunter for massive damage. The synergy between weapons is where the fun is.
- Explore the Optional Planets: Ardolis and Sargasso have side objectives that reward you with armor sets. These aren't just cosmetic; they provide permanent stat buffs even if you aren't wearing them.
- Listen to the Controller: Keep the controller speaker on. The way it chirps and hums adds a layer of immersion that is surprisingly effective.
- Check the Accessibility Settings: Insomniac is a leader in this field. If certain platforming sections are too fast, or if the visual effects are too much, there are incredibly granular settings to tweak the experience to your needs.
The game is a technical marvel, but more importantly, it has a heart. Whether you're a series veteran or a newcomer, it’s a journey that reminds you why we play video games in the first place. It’s about wonder, speed, and the occasional massive explosion.