Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PC, PS5
Tested on: PC
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PC) – Review
It’s been slightly over two years since we gave Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart a perfect score on the site. The game truly showed what the PS5 was capable of, and we were constantly impressed by the overall performance, the atmosphere, the graphics, and just how amazingly entertaining the gameplay was. With Sony porting most of their recent exclusives to PC, it was only a matter of time before PC gamers were able to play Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. As always with these reviews of ports, we will discuss how relevant the release is and if it was worth the wait. If you want to read our original lengthy review, be sure to click here.
As expected, the game has remained pretty much unchanged. Dr. Nefarious is still up to no good, and now that includes him wreaking havoc in different dimensions. The Evil Doctor got his hands on the Dimensionator, a portal gun for interdimensional travel, which he will use to conquer the multiverse. Ratchet and Clank, but also newcomers Rivet and Kit, will stand up against Dr. Nefarious as well as Emperor Nefarious. The story is still extremely entertaining, and even if you’re playing it for the second time, it’s still a lot of fun.
Graphically, the game still looks amazing, even on some older systems. Everything runs smoothly and even now the game feels ‘next-gen’. It’s a joy exploring the different areas, and the game still managed to impress us with how fluid the animations are. We did notice that loading times can be a bit longer compared to the PlayStation 5 version, making certain transitions somewhat less smooth. This is of course only on older systems.
Rift Apart also supports a lot of different language options, including a lot of different dubs. This makes the game very accessible to younger children as well, or people who just enjoy playing the game in their native tongue. Keep in mind, the language of the game may change depending on your system settings, as our game reverted to Dutch on a different system, simply because of the Steam client settings.
The gameplay remains as interesting as ever, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself in heated battles while upgrading your weapons and unlocking new ones. The overall gameplay loop is satisfying, and Rift Apart does invite players to explore the different planets and worlds in order to find many hidden collectibles.
As more and more games are getting that esteemed Steam Deck Verified checkmark, we found ourselves compelled to try it out for ourselves. Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart runs smoothly on Valve’s Steam Deck. We thoroughly enjoyed playing this title on the go, even if it’s extremely draining for the handheld’s battery. You’ll be able to play the game for roughly an hour and fifteen minutes with a single charge. We dialed back the Refresh Rate back to 40Hz to truly experience the game in the best way possible. The game will then run at a steady 40FPS. We were also amazed by how good the game looks on the small screen, but also in docked mode the Steam Deck showed us what it was capable of. We were truly impressed.
Conclusion
We are simply happy that PC and Steam Deck players can now experience the highly charming adventures of Ratchet & Clank in their latest outing. The game is pretty much perfect across the board, and it’s also extremely accessible for newcomers to the franchise. Longtime fans who haven’t picked it up yet might still get the best experience on PlayStation 5 if they don’t own a strong gaming rig. However, those who don’t own Sony’s next-gen device cannot go wrong with the PC version either. If you’re looking for an action-packed adventure game, be sure to check this one out. We would have perhaps wanted to see it released at a slightly lower price.
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