PlayStation NZ and Insomniac Games were kind enough to invite FutureFive NZ to see a video preview for the upcoming PS5 exclusive called Ratchet - Clank: Rift Apart.
We were treated to a video preview showcasing two levels from the new game. One level comprised of the very beginning of the game, while the other showcased a later level involving Rivet who is the new female Lombax character.
The other part of the preview allowed us to hear some behind the scenes stories from Insomniac Games and their experience making the game. It goes without saying a lot of hard work was put into this new game.
Anyway, the first thing you will notice about Ratchet - Clank: Rift Apart is its impressive looking graphics. The gameplay graphics are seamlessly integrated with the cinematics as it truly feels like you are watching a Hollywood CGI movie.
I remember being impressed playing Ratchet - Clank 2016 on PS4, but the PS5 packs more power and makes the game look even better than before. The PS5 tech has been used to full effect and it will change the way you feel about platform games.
Aside from using the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback of the DualSense controller, entirely new areas and levels are loaded instantaneously. Ratchet and Rivet might be traversing in the city in one level, but then they can be sucked into a portal to be transported into a new location entirely!
Another thing I noticed about the gameplay is there are some fun new weapons that the main characters can use. One weapon I think is called Mr Fungi and it spawns a little mushroom that shoots projectiles at enemies. Another fun weapon freezes enemies by trapping them inside a pile of plants.
The power of the PS5 console also allowed the developers to pack more characters on the screen than they could before. In this game, you can see a lot of crowd members running away as you blast around multiple enemies in the inner city areas.
One feature about the game that will appeal to gamers is that this game will have a lot of accessibility options. If you have some kind of disability, Insomniac Games have added some options so visually impaired people can play the game.
One of the features of the accessibility options is that you can slow down the gameplay. This will make it easier for those that might have trouble playing faster paced platform games before.
As for the aforementioned character of Rivet, Insomniac Games did not want to spoil too many details about her. The development team did say they wanted the character to stand out on her own as opposed to her just being a female version of Ratchet. They also wanted to make sure she's appealing so fans would accept her in the franchise.
Insomniac Games were also very interested in the musical score sounding like a Marvel film. They were lucky enough to bring in Mark Mothersbaugh to do the music for the game. Some people will know him best as the composer of Thor: Ragnarok.
These are all the details that we were able to get from the video preview for Ratchet - Clank: Rift Apart. The game will be out on June 11th, 2021 and it's a PS5 exclusive.
