The opening moments of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart riff on the fact that there hasn’t been a brand new Ratchet and Clank adventure in nearly a decade. The Lombax and his robot pal are attending a parade as the guests of honor, and Ratchet remarks that he doesn’t know why there’s a parade focused on them; they haven’t really done anything in forever. It’s a nice wink, nod, and grin at the player. As a longtime Ratchet and Clank fan, I appreciated Insomniac almost speaking directly to me, as if to say “we got you.”
A marked celebration of Ratchet and Clank history, the parade sequence also acts as the game’s tutorial. Rift Apart makes a concerted effort never to leave behind those new to the series, but it also doesn’t shy away from references, both overt and subtle, to the duo’s many past adventures. And what better way to accomplish this than to rip holes in the very fabric of reality and offer up alternate dimension versions of some of the characters, planets, and enemies we already know and love" And in another dimension?one where Nefarious wins and is crowned empower?there’s a purple-hued female Lombax. Rivet is a key member of the resistance fighting against Emperor Nefarious’ brutal rule. She has a strong distrust of robots, so when Clank ends up in her dimension, broken and needing help, it almost gives us a new version of the classic Ratchet and Clank origin story from nearly 20 years ago....