Ratchet & Clank:
Rift Apart

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021) is a running, jumping and shooting game that lets the heroic duo jump between parallel worlds. Play is similar to other Ratchet & Clank games, retaining the dodging, gunplay, bold collection and upgrading weapons. Here though, the action spans the multiverse and is matched by ever more imaginative weapons for you to use.

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It's an action-adventure romp through diverse stages where you shoot enemies and solve some simple puzzles to open doors and access lifts. There is a range of wonderfully eclectic weapons and gadgets to help you traverse obstacles to get to your mission objectives. This combines with your new ability to switch between different areas, planets and worlds to offer a fresh take on the usual heroic action.

Along the way, you meet your equivalent characters in another reality: Rivet and her robot sidekick, Kit. This not only expands the playable roster but takes the game into more emotional territory in a storyline about Kit's anger that stems from her anxiety and shyness. Over the course of the game, we help Kit let other people in (and find less destructive ways of expressing her emotions).

The game makes novel use of the PlayStation 5 Dualsense controller. Firing guns has a tactile feel as the controller triggers a change in tension as you fire. You can also feel different notches as you pull them to decide between different types of attack.

The result is a bombastic blockbuster movie of a game. It not only offers children and parents a great game to play together but an exciting experience that is the perfect alternative to older rated adventures.

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Our examiner, Ellen Robertson, first checked Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 4 months ago.