Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart PS5 review: the long-awaited next-gen slap?

It arrived a few days ago now at Lemon Squeezer, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is clearly one of the most anticipated “next-gen” games of the year. No cross-gen here (like Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7 or God of War…), but a new episode designed and cut for Sony’s new PS5. Beyond the technology showcase promised by the developers for a few weeks, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart also had to be flawless in substance. And after having completed the game at 100% a few days ago, we have to admit that the contract is brilliantly fulfilled.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the test!

Formalized last year, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart finally arrives on PS5. Born on PS2, the saga remains an emblematic license for Sony, and a real guarantee of quality for the players (apart from one or two episodes a little “apart”). With this new opus, Insomniac Games promises to embark players on a great multi-dimensional adventure, in the company of Ratchet and Clank obviously, but also of Rivet, a brand new Lombax. All these beautiful people will have to cross the dimensions and thwart the traps of Dr. Nefarious, but not only …

Obviously, we will not spoil you any scriptwriting element of this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, but no fear at this level. The story is solid, the progression is very pleasant, with various planets to visit, and the integration of Rivet is done admirably. Added to this are punchy dialogues, colorful environments crammed with detail, omnipresent humor, cut-scenes worthy of a (good) Pixar feature film, and some astonishing twists in this quest to repair enormous chaos. intergalactic.

Of course, we will find here many characters from previous episodes, and those who have been able to approach the canonical opus of the saga will not be more delighted to be able to observe certain secondary characters in a whole new light. Despite everything, nothing prevents you from embarking on this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart without having played a previous opus. You will inevitably miss a few references, but nothing that can prevent you from enjoying the adventure.

Well… is he next-gen or not then this Ratchet?

So obviously, THE question we ask ourselves about this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is whether he is a worthy representative of the next-gen or not. No need to prolong the suspense, yes, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a monumental next-gen slap. The game offers three performance modes, but like Spider-Man Miles Morales, it is possible to opt for a 60 fps / ray-tracing mode, in addition to a 30 fps Fidelity mode with ray-tracing and resolution. thoroughly, and a Performances mode (which I do not necessarily recommend for the moment). The whole moves with just insolent fluidity, the animations are to die for and the display is just mind-blowing for peepers.

It’s simple, you always have your finger ready to press the Share button on the controller to capture a screenshot and / or launch the game’s Photo mode. Note that the screenshots that appear in this article have all been captured by us, via this same Share button.

Obviously, “” requires, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart does not display any apparent loading time, and those who enjoy analyzing every corner of their screen will get their money’s worth, as the developers have refined every detail of the environments, animations, weapons… Sometimes, we have to do with an incredible sound and light festival, with the added bonus of a masterful staging, especially when arriving on the different planets, of a prodigious class. To put it simply, you are going to take it in the face, and you will be asking for more.

On the gameplay side, no bad surprises with this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, since we find the maneuverability specific to the series, with always the same system of changing weapons (via a circular menu), boxes to break for recover bolts, hidden gold bolts, plans to afford new combinations … The good news is that the developers have integrated many original sequences here, especially on the backs of various creatures, not to mention sessions of hacking (with a cute little robotic spider) and reflection phases with Clank. Note that the latter can quite be passed if you do not want to take the lead (and I admit that I happily skipped the last ones besides).

The game allows you to travel on various planets which obviously all have their own specificities. Overall, the different levels are all very successful (except perhaps one, whose inspiration is a little less flamboyant …), always with a main objective obviously, but also sometimes rather interesting side quests. As always, remember to search every corner, to break all the crates, you will inevitably be rewarded …

The other good surprise of this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is its excellent use of DualSense. Indeed, without reaching the perfection of an Astro’s Playroom, the game signed Insomniac Games intelligently takes advantage of the functionality of the PS5 controller. The loudspeaker is discreetly and brilliantly used, as are the haptic feedbacks, but also the triggers, with (as in Returnal) several levels of pressure depending on the weapon. We have already said, and we repeat, the DualSense is real “” on this new generation of PlayStation, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a new excellent ambassador.

Perfect Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart? Not necessarily…

It is undeniable, no matter which performance mode you choose, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a real visual slap at all times, a deluge of special effects and other breathtaking panoramas. Same observation on the audio side, with an impeccable sound design, top dubbing, not to mention a successful staging and new brilliantly integrated characters. However, it is difficult to deny a construction that is all in all very “classic”, since this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, however “” it may be, does not in any way revolutionize the initial formula (and “” will say some).

Likewise, the teleportation phases, so widely highlighted in the various trailers of the game, ultimately have nothing really transcendent … or even useful to tell the truth. Quite frankly, we were more amazed by other gameplay mechanics, more “classic”, but otherwise more exhilarating (visually and / or on the feeling side), than these rapid movements more flashy than anything else, which we end up doing without. Special mention, however, to the real-time dimension changes, which are really breathtaking for once.

Arsenal side, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is generous, very generous … too generous even. Indeed, weapons have always been a key part of the saga, but we have to admit that there are a little too many of them here. Certainly, that makes choice, and “”, but out of the twenty weapons available, we will actually use only four or five at most. Obviously, we find the evolutionary side of Lombax here, as well as the weapons, which can evolve up to level 5, and be improved via the Raritarium recovered in the levels.

A “” mode is also part of the game, with here the possibility of upgrading weapons to higher levels (in Omega mode). Regarding the lifespan, it took us a little over a dozen hours to complete the game 100% in Normal mode (not counting the New Game + therefore).

Finally, if Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart brings a new gameplay duality, with Rivet, it is a bit of a shame to note that the latter is actually a clone of Ratchet. The range of movements is 100% modeled on that of the Lombax born on PS2, and even if the two characters will live a separate adventure, they will share exactly the same weapons, the same XP levels, the same ammunition, the same skills … So much so that with armor on your back and a helmet on your head, it will sometimes be just impossible (or almost) to know if you are leading Ratchet or Rivet. But between us, we quibble a bit …

Our opinion on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PS5

Although it is based on a very classic formula, this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart manages to grab the player with its incredible technical realization, an equally successful sound design, but also a very dynamic staging and a plurality of situations that prevent the slightest weariness from taking hold. Rivet’s integration is just narrowly admirable, and it’s a real treat to follow the new multi-dimensional adventures of these two Lombaxes. Added to this is a very successful humor, but also some more “serious” sequences, not to mention a gameplay always so enjoyable, so many elements that simply allow you to have a wonderful time with this Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Of course, not everything is perfect, but what a pleasure to be able to enjoy a game of such visual richness, brilliantly designed and intelligently written, which provides palpable pleasure from the first to the last second. Very high art, quite simply.