Ratchet Clank: A Rift Apart - Finally, A Game Worthy of Being Called Next Generation - Nerdthusiast Review

Finally, a game that feels "next-gen"!

How many console generations have you been through from the beginning? Personally, I have been through many. The excitement of getting a new piece of hardware opening it up and seeing what new things it can offer you. These machines are supposed to show you things that justify your purchase and for this newest generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles it has been very lackluster in my opinion. Many of the titles being released on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 also appear on the previous generation consoles and it shows. In fact, I can count on one hand how many things have felt "next-gen" to me. The speed of both Xbox and PlayStations SSDs, & the PS5 DualSense Controller for starters. What about the most important thing to the health of any video game console... THE GAMES! 

Finally, Insomniac has given us early adopters of next-gen hardware something to point to and say, "this is why I came aboard day one". Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart is the best game I have played on PS5 so far. The only thing that has even come close has been the free pack in on PS5 from team Asobi, the stellar Astro's Playroom. Which ironically is also another 3D platformer (granted Ratchet is also a 3rd Person Shooter).

Why is this "next-gen"?

This is the best looking game I have played between the new Xbox consoles and PS5. If you want to see what I am talking about and have a 4K TV you should choose "Fidelity Mode" when starting the game. This will put the game at 30 FPS, but will give you 4K graphics with Ray Tracing. This is the best looking the game gets and you should totally experience this first. After awhile, I was longing for a better frame-rate as this is typically what I choose when having a choice. Luckily, Insomniac created a 3rd mode outside of Fidelity and Performance called PerformanceRT. In this mode you lose 4K visuals, but keep ray tracing and allows for 60 frames per second. This is the mode I stuck with for 70% of the game. The game still looked very good and everything simply runs smoother at 60 frames which was a solid compromise. Oh and that sweet sweet SSD Sony talked so much about before launch, I truly believe this game shows it off best. Whether you are pulling yourself into a demential rift or simply pressing start. Everything in the game loads fast (with the exception of one long elevator ride). It is truly satisfying to not have enough time to glance at your phone during this game. 

Why is it a great game?

As I have said before, gameplay matters most and just like with previous Ratchet games,  THIS ONE DELIVERS! The game is fun to play. The unique guns and weapons are entertaining to use. The light RPG elements of upgrading your weapons and armor is straight forward and rewarding to do. All of the characters are likable. The story is solid, but will not blow your mind.  This is also a welcomed family friendly title where the vast majority of games coming out of PlayStation Studios are rated M (mature) or T (teen). If someone younger is playing (or you are playing with them) there are good life lessons for them to learn within the story. 

Issues?

The only real issue I had with this game was getting stuck within the environment. This happened multiple times (even after recent patches) and I would have to reload checkpoints.

Trophies

This is a very easy platinum to achieve. The only one that was kind of annoying is the Void Reactor trophy which requires you to upgrade your weapon and catch and fire back shots from enemies 10 times. Everything else is a piece of cake. 

Summary

If you own a PS5, you should own Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart