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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Leading Platformers into the Next Level [No Spoilers]

Did you enjoy R&C: Rift Apart?


  • Total voters
    122

Bo_Hazem

Banned
After ~24 hours, playing at the highest difficulty, I completed everything and collected all meaningful stuff (except 7/9 for CraiggerBears that only give you a golden trophy). The game is what I expect simplistic nowadays platformers to be after decades of stagnant game design with barebone storytelling that make even children cringe.

Let's break it down:

Story and Characters:

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Screenshot from the video trailer. In-game looks cleaner

Ratchet, Clank, and Rivet aren't the only main characters, won't be saying more to avoid spoilers. Even villains are very interesting with unique characters, with some surprises along the way. The new additions made the story denser with some plot twists, it's really like a movie. I sincerely think that the story itself can serve for a very good animated film, although I would rather have them make another story that doesn't spoil the game.

Gameplay:

OvfJoys.jpg

Credit: Heisenberg007 Heisenberg007

So much has been added to the game. Every weapon feels unique and different, some are pretty funny as well. Animations are very smooth, shooting is solid and controls are tight. The feedback you get from the DualSense is pretty satisfying due to being sound-based vibrations that make them very accurate. There are some mini games that include platforming like pocket dimensions that reward you with armor/suit pieces, puzzle solving that are very nice and add even more diversity with Clank, and the Glitch that feel like arcade shooters.

Platforming feels great with your usual double-jumps, wall-running, grappling, rocket boots, pipe-sliding, and more that some need a combination to reach/avoid things. Flying dragon is also a nice addition!

3839960-review_ratchetclankriftapart_20210608.00_05_35_21.still014.jpg

Gamespot

Graphics:

This is so far the most impressive looking cartoonish game! It literally feels like a playable animated film with all those effects like minor film grain, lens imperfections (both can be turned off) and anamorphic flares. So many micro-details on screen like dust in some stages.

Although many still prefer Fidelity mode for the highest possible IQ, you won't be disappointed if you prefer Performance RT. I chose Performance RT the whole game and it's relatively sharp and better than most other so-called native 4K games, while it hovers mostly around 1512p according to John, DF.

Here is direct feed screenshots I made during gameplay, not photo mode, as these direct feeds aren't hurt by youtube compression:

Fidelity:

Fidelity-4-K-gameplay.png


Performance RT:

Performance-RT-Gameplay.png


Another Performance RT gameplay screenshot:

Performance-RT-Gameplay-2.png


Jaggies and aliasing are extremely rare in this game overall.

Collectables:

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Credit: Con-Z-epT Con-Z-epT

Glad that most collectables are meaningful, whether it's armor pieces, Raritanium crystals for weapon upgrades, and the infobots that grant you the teased, unique weapon:




The only useless collectable is the CraiggerBears that only give you a gold trophy. It's also worth noting that all puffs and nerfs are there when you collect the whole armor and can choose whatever look you want without losing anything, even using the default look.

Verdict:

After ~24 hours of pure enjoyment and zero boring moments of gameplay, eye-melting graphics, very well-made storytelling:

Positives:

- Solid, and diverse gameplay.
- Well-tailored storytelling with amazing characters.
- State-of-the-art graphics.
- Great implementation of Haptic Feedbacks and Adaptive Triggers on the DualSense.
- Introduced characters add so much to the game and story, with nice surprises and twists. No stretching or dragging.

- Mini-games add nice, satisfying diversity into the gameplay.
- Good collectables.

- Amazing and diverse arsenal of weapons, with 20 total.
- Nice 3D audio implementation.


Negatives:

- Difficulty at the highest setting isn't challenging enough (Although you get Challenge mode for NG+).


This was in easy 10/10

This game makes other platformers look so outdated and stagnant, setting the standards pretty high for the genre. So far no game out there gets close to this complete package of high production value, although there are many games that are great in one part or two. This is one reason why Crash was so addicting back in the day and couldn't bother to buy the new 4th instalment, but that's just me.

This game gonna win some GOTY awards, if not the GOTY itself!

Photo-mode2.png

Photo mode.

51243451800_71b4fd249a_o.png

Credit: Con-Z-epT Con-Z-epT

HkLF755.jpg

Credit: Heisenberg007 Heisenberg007
 
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Bo_Hazem

Banned
I’ve been having a blast with this game over the weekend. I love the new traversal mechanics and how good the weapons feel. Graphics are a site to behold and Rivet is a fantastic addition to the series. Insomniac delivers one more time.

Rivet and other characters add so much to the story and game! Really feels tight! I really enjoyed every second of this game, no boring moments. Puzzles were great as well with Clank, I love them!
 
Great to see everyone else is having a blast as much I am.

Been playing this over the weekend and it’s been fantastic. I have been playing it on fidelity mode and the visuals have been captivating. I am definitely going to platinum this.

If you have a PS5 and you’re on the fence, just go for it. The environments, the characters, the gameplay are all really enjoyable.
 

Bo_Hazem

Banned
Great to see everyone else is having a blast as much I am.

Been playing this over the weekend and it’s been fantastic. I have been playing it on fidelity mode and the visuals have been captivating. I am definitely going to platinum this.

If you have a PS5 and you’re on the fence, just go for it. The environments, the characters, the gameplay are all really enjoyable.

I was pretty worried about the 60fps mode but Insomniac did a wonderful job delivering the best possible for both Fidelity and Performance RT while I find Performance (No RT) in a weird spot.

The image quality in Performance RT is still pristine while Fidelity mode wins with the extreme sharpness of distant objects, but the difference is very subtle.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
The problem with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is that it is almost to good. :messenger_winking:

I love the game. It is just super entertaining and fun to play.
I have a business trip this week and can't play again until Sunday. Damn!

Definitely a must play for every PS5 owner.

Good thread!
 

Methos#1975

Member
It's a decent platformer gameplay wise with stellar graphics, but as far as platformers go I still find Super Mario 3D World to be the best I've played in a long time. Let's be honest, it's the graphics that are hyping this game so much. Not the gameplay.
 

Dr Bass

Member
It's a decent platformer gameplay wise with stellar graphics, but as far as platformers go I still find Super Mario 3D World to be the best I've played in a long time. Let's be honest, it's the graphics that are hyping this game so much. Not the gameplay.
It’s a different style of game from Mario. It’s not even a platformer, it’s an action game. And the gameplay is very good IMO, with the over the top weapons, hectic battles, and needing to choose the right weapons for the right moments. And with the weapon leveling and upgrades there is just enough depth there to incentivize doing the side missions.

Bottom line this is a great game. It almost felt like Returnal lite at times with some of the boss fights and game mechanics. I’m not done with it yet but it feels like I’m close. I agree with Bo. It feels like an easy 10 at this point. Which, FOR ME, makes three 10 games already from the PS5 (not hard to guess which three I think).

Fantastic stuff.
 
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Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
It’s a different style of game from Mario. It’s not even a platformer, it’s an action game. And the gameplay is very good IMO, with the over the top weapons, hectic battles, and needing to choose the right weapons for the right moments. And with the weapon leveling and upgrades there is just enough depth there to incentivize doing the side missions.

Bottom line this is a great game. It almost felt like Returnal lite at times with some of the boss fights and game mechanics. I’m not done with it yet but it feels like I’m close. I agree with Bo. It feels like an easy 10 at this point. Which, FOR ME, makes three 10 games already from the PS5 (not hard to guess which three I think).

Fantastic stuff.
The three games would be: Godfall, Destruction All Stars, and TemTem. Right? /s
 

Methos#1975

Member
It’s a different style of game from Mario. It’s not even a platformer, it’s an action game. And the gameplay is very good IMO, with the over the top weapons, hectic battles, and needing to choose the right weapons for the right moments. And with the weapon leveling and upgrades there is just enough depth there to incentivize doing the side missions.

Bottom line this is a great game. It almost felt like Returnal lite at times with some of the boss fights and game mechanics. I’m not done with it yet but it feels like I’m close. I agree with Bo. It feels like an easy 10 at this point. Which, FOR ME, makes three 10 games already from the PS5 (not hard to guess which three I think).

Fantastic stuff.
I bought Returnal and played it once, haven't touched it again lol
 
GOTY?

If GFX is everything- YES

If gameplay is everything - NO

Seems like many enjoy the gameplay. If it's as bad as you say it wouldn't have such a high metacritic.


I know games like Ryse are not given a free pass due to its visuals. It was heavily criticized at the time because it didn't offer good gameplay. Games like Ratchet combine good gameplay with good visuals. Other games like Gears do the same.

Just some O OneTruth bombs for you to thing about. And please don't be bitter mich over this game.
 
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Lethal01

Member
Seems like many enjoy the gameplay. If it's as bad as you say it wouldn't have such a high metacritic.


I know games like Ryse are not given a free pass due to its visuals. It was heavily criticized at the time because it didn't offer good gameplay. Games like Ratchet combine good gameplay with good visuals. Other games like Gears do the same.

Just some O OneTruth bombs for you to thing about. And please don't be bitter mich over this game.

As bad as he says? All I saw him say is that it's not game of the year in terms of gameplay which is pretty fair.
It's a good platformer but it's not like it's as good as Mario or something.
 
As bad as he says? All I saw him say is that it's not game of the year in terms of gameplay which is pretty fair.
It's a good platformer but it's not like it's as good as Mario or something.

Actually he said it's only GOTY if you're 15 and that it looks like shit compared to Avatar.

It's difficult to take him seriously after he said that.
 
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Something really funny happened saturday afternoon with the game. So my brother and I are both trying to plat it and play the hell out of it, and he only lets my nephew & niece play games on the weekends..No bullshit within 5 mins of loading it up they both said "Its too much going on, on screen" and that they didnt like it.

He looked at me and laughed and said "Perfect I don't have to share this sh*t, all mine" and booted up Fortnite for them :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I love the hell out of this game, no complaints from me or my bro lol

Quick question is there an option to disable the appearance of your equipped armor/gear like in some other games? Cause I really would like to finish my playthrough wearing the default gear, if I DID have to make a complaint its that I don't really like how any of the gear looks
 
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TexMex

Member
8/10 from me. Loved the game. But I don’t think it takes Ratchet and Clank to the next level, let alone platformers in general.

probably my third favorite in the franchise. It isn’t even close to a Crack in Time for me, and I SLIGHTLY prefer the 2016 PS4 “remake.”

Everything you expect is here tho. Visuals are absolutely lights out. Controls and gunplay are flawless.
 
Nice review! While there are bits of text that I don't really understand, there's great effort put into covering many aspects of the game, providing quality screenshots and also consideration towards people who are averse to spoilers.

However there are no details on audio besides that one point in the Pros & Cons section, lol. Still, I like that you talked about the haptics; good vibrations should always be talked about.
 

Ogbert

Member
Looks incredible and the adaptive trigger implementation is great, but there’s not enough content here.

They should have added way, way more in the way of arena challenges to help grind out upgrades for the guns. The side content is completely superficial. It’s a really small game.

Still, finishing up my second play through now, and it’s undeniably a lot of fun.
 
Great game. Not my favorite PS5 exclusive (that would be Demon's Souls, followed by Returnal), but it was fun and gorgeous.

Ratchet and Clank humor has always been mediocre to me though.
 

Ogbert

Member
Is your predisposition to hyperbola morbid or deliberate?
Why would it be morbid or deliberate? Those two are not opposites. Do you mean accidental or on purpose?

Anyway, perhaps I shouldn’t have said ‘really’. I’ll stick with small.

Nine stages, one of which is basically a hub.

I don’t think there’s enough content for £70.
 

GymWolf

Member
I think my biggest problem with the game is how easy it is even on the hardest difficulty mode.

The child game excuse is bullshit because we know who really play these games, and if you have 5, not 2, not 3, fucking 5 difficulty levels you have to made the 5th one almost impossible like dmc, doom or wolfenstein, not a fucking cakewalk.

Also the clank\glitch sequences...scrap this shit and add a new planet to play with ratchet\rivet instead, they are dreadfully boring and easy (but cute)
 
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Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
Why would it be morbid or deliberate? Those two are not opposites. Do you mean accidental or on purpose?

Anyway, perhaps I shouldn’t have said ‘really’. I’ll stick with small.

Nine stages, one of which is basically a hub.

I don’t think there’s enough content for £70.
Do they need to be opposites? I don't think so.

The price might be to high for some but that doesn't make it a small game.

I was just wondering since first you said platforming in the game is pretty much non existent and now, that the game is really small.
 

sainraja

Member
Something really funny happened saturday afternoon with the game. So my brother and I are both trying to plat it and play the hell out of it, and he only lets my nephew & niece play games on the weekends..No bullshit within 5 mins of loading it up they both said "Its too much going on, on screen" and that they didnt like it.

He looked at me and laughed and said "Perfect I don't have to share this sh*t, all mine" and booted up Fortnite for them :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I love the hell out of this game, no complaints from me or my bro lol

Quick question is there an option to disable the appearance of your equipped armor/gear like in some other games? Cause I really would like to finish my playthrough wearing the default gear, if I DID have to make a complaint its that I don't really like how any of the gear looks
Yes, you can turn off the gear/armor (the advantages that each offer will remain, if I understood the help text); just toggle it off by pressing over the armor that is equipped and it should revert to the defautl.
 
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