Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart arrived on PC in 2023, bringing one of PlayStation 5’s visual showcase titles to a platform where its graphical ambition could be pushed even further. The game follows series veterans Ratchet and Clank alongside new character Rivet, a Lombax from an alternate dimension, as they battle the villainous Dr. Nefarious across multiple dimensions. The dimension-hopping mechanic, which allows near-instant transitions between completely different environments, was designed to demonstrate the speed of modern storage hardware, and it remains an impressive technical achievement.
Community reception on PC has been enthusiastic, with the visual quality and weapon variety drawing particular praise. The port is well-optimized and offers extensive graphical options, including ray tracing features that make the game one of the best visual showcases available on the platform. Players consistently cite the weapon arsenal as the game’s greatest strength, with each weapon offering a unique, creative twist on combat that keeps encounters engaging throughout the relatively short runtime. Criticism focuses on the difficulty level, which skews easy for experienced players, and a story that hits safe, familiar notes.
An Arsenal of Inventive Chaos
The weapon design in Rift Apart is Insomniac at their most creative. Each weapon has a distinct mechanical identity that goes beyond damage types. The Topiary Sprinkler turns enemies into shrubs. Mr. Fungi summons a mushroom companion who taunts and fights enemies. The Ricochet bounces projectiles between targets with increasing damage. The Lightning Rod creates an electrical tether that chains between foes. The sheer variety encourages constant weapon switching, and the upgrade system rewards using each weapon by unlocking new capabilities as you level them up.
The visual presentation sets a standard that few games on any platform have matched. Particle effects, lighting, character animation, and environmental detail create a world that looks like a Pixar film running in real-time. The ray-traced reflections and ambient occlusion add a layer of visual richness that makes environments feel solid and tangible. On capable PC hardware, Rift Apart is a genuine argument for what modern rendering technology can achieve.
Rivet’s addition to the cast brings genuine value. She’s not simply a female Ratchet. Her backstory, her personality, and her relationship with a different version of Clank give her an identity that enriches the narrative. Playing as Rivet for roughly half the game provides a perspective shift that prevents the experience from feeling like a straightforward sequel.
The dimension-hopping sequences remain technically impressive on PC. Tearing through rifts into completely different environments with minimal loading creates setpiece moments that showcase both the game’s visual engine and its level design creativity. These transitions are seamlessly integrated into both traversal and combat, with pocket dimensions providing brief diversions that break up the main campaign.
The DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, if playing with a PlayStation controller on PC, add a tactile dimension to weapon use that enhances the experience. Each weapon feels different to fire not just visually but physically, and this sensory feedback elevates the already excellent weapon design.
A Beautiful Game in a Comfort Zone
The difficulty level on standard settings is too low for experienced action game players. Enemies rarely pose a significant threat, health and ammo are plentiful, and the death penalty is minimal. The game provides higher difficulty options, but even on the hardest available settings, it doesn’t challenge skilled players the way the best action games do. The accessibility is welcome for younger or more casual players, but the lack of meaningful pushback can make combat feel more like a toy box than a test of skill.
The story follows a predictable arc without taking meaningful narrative risks. The dimension-hopping premise opens possibilities for surprising storytelling, but the game largely plays it safe with a villain whose motivations are straightforward, character arcs that resolve predictably, and emotional beats that are competent but rarely surprising. It’s a perfectly serviceable adventure story, but it doesn’t reach for the narrative ambition that its dimensional concept could support.
The runtime is short by current standards, with a main campaign that can be completed in roughly ten to twelve hours and collectible hunting adding a few more. For a full-price release, the value equation depends on whether you prioritize quality of experience or hours of content. The game doesn’t wear out its welcome, which is admirable, but some players feel they’re paying for spectacle more than substance.
Platforming, traditionally a core component of the franchise, takes a back seat to combat. The traversal and platforming sections that exist are polished but undemanding, and the game rarely asks for precision or creative problem-solving in its platforming challenges. Players who come to Ratchet & Clank primarily for platforming will find the balance shifted toward action.
A Next-Gen Spectacle That Delivers on Its Promise
Rift Apart is the kind of game that exists to demonstrate what modern hardware can do, and it fulfills that purpose brilliantly. The weapons are creative and fun, the visual presentation is extraordinary, and the dimension-hopping mechanic delivers genuine wow moments. It doesn’t push the franchise forward narratively or challenge players mechanically, but as a showcase for the joy of creative destruction in a beautiful world, it’s hard to find a better option.
Should You Play Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart?
If you want a visually stunning action game that’s pure fun from start to finish, Rift Apart delivers. The weapon variety alone makes it worth experiencing, and the visual quality makes it a showcase for your hardware. Families and younger gamers will find the accessibility welcoming. Wait for a sale if the shorter runtime gives you pause, and increase the difficulty if you want any pushback from the combat. Skip it if you need challenge and narrative depth from your action games, or if you can’t justify the price for a ten-hour experience.
The Verdict on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a gorgeous, creative, and consistently entertaining action game that does what it does with exceptional polish. The weapons are the franchise’s best, the visual presentation is among the finest in gaming, and the addition of Rivet adds welcome dimension to the series. The easy difficulty, safe narrative, and short runtime prevent it from reaching the heights of the genre’s best, but the experience while it lasts is joyful in a way that few games manage. It’s a game that makes you smile, and that counts for more than it might sound.