Ratchet & Clank Are To Rift Apart On The PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 has finally been officially revealed [22], along with several announcement trailers for upcoming video game instalments for the system, from Spider-Man: Miles Morales to Sackboy: A Big Adventure [6] [7] [21] [24]. The trailer I have chosen to analyse is the one for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart [29]. Since 2002, a courageous lombax who would wield his wrench and an adorable robot who would always have his back...and be on it have won the hearts of many PlayStation players for voyaging through empowering gameplay and humourous moments [30] [32]. I still love the movie based on the successful re-imagining of how the duo first met from 2016 [26], despite how negatively received it was and how it was a box-office bomb [5] [28]. After many PlayStation players shed tears of joy as they watched the showcase for the PlayStation 5 [6] [7], I am more than thrilled to analyse the announcement trailer and gameplay trailer for a brand new Ratchet and Clank game and explain some theories with you all [13] [23], even as someone who has previously discussed what to expect in an anime series based on the franchise due to its popularity in Japan [10] [41] [42].

I am delighted to see yet another addition to the Ratchet and Clank franchise [30]. [23]

The duo will strive through different dimensions [23] [29]?! No way! I can tell that Dr. Nefarious is responsible for the dimensions colliding chaotically as it turns out that he has already ruled one of them. After all, he and Chairman Drek were the crooks behind the foul deed of destroying other planets to build only one in the re-imagining [34]. The variety of different dimensions the adventurous lombax and the well-mannered robot soar through in the trailer for Rift Apart include:

•        A city that looks very similar to Aleero City [23]
•        A canyon consisting of species that resemble dragons [23]
•        Another city set in the night [23]
•        A stormy ocean travelled across by pirates on their ships [23]

The premise ultimately leads to my theory that it could take place at some point before the events of PlayStation Move Heroes, the crossover spin-off that also started Jak, Daxter, Sly Cooper and Bentley and was released in 2011, but not very well received [25]. The reason for my theory is that the premise of PlayStation Move Heroes features all three duos being sent to another planet from their universes [14], similar to how Rift Apart will be about Ratchet and Clank trying to save multiple dimensions [23].

The idea of the galactic duo travelling through different dimensions sounds quite refreshing [23]. Do not get distracted by the pretty purple auras! [29]

Let us look a little deeper into the premise of Rift Apart. I can tell that it will take place at some point after the events of the re-imagining of the first game and the movie based on it [23] [26] [34]. As for the title of the instalment, the term “Rift Apart” is a sign of the duo being tragically separated during their quest, not some sexual innuendo like “Up Your Arsenal” or “Quest For Booty” [30]. Quite unfortunately, Clank looks up and states that they were “too late” away from Ratchet’s presence at some point in the trailer [23]. This sudden conflict is quite similar to how Elsa and Anna got eventually separated once again at some point in Frozen II and how Clank was taken by the Zoni in the ending of Tools of Destruction [12] [15]. Nonetheless, there will be strong hope that the furry mechanic and the pint-sized gentlebot will reunite like how they did in Ratchet and Clank: A Crank in Time [35]. A good title for a new instalment of the franchise must fit a primary aspect of the premise. For example, the “galaxy” in Super Mario Galaxy fits the premise of Mario roaming in various galaxies [18].

Let us not forget about Clank’s solo gameplay [32] [35]. That has to return in Rift Apart to fit the premise and title, right? [23]

The graphics and gameplay, along with sharp dialogue appear to be very faithful to what made the re-imagining of the first game that was simply amazing back in 2016 [13] [34]. The battling between the duo and their enemies looks chaotic as shown in some footage that heavily resembles the gameplay in Aleero City from the fantastic re-imagining [26] [34]. There seems to be a weapon called the “Rift Tether” that Ratchet can use to swiftly bring Clank and himself to where shattered orange rifts are seen [13], which is a sign of the game offering something new to make the experience fresh. Other weapons include:

•       The Shatterbomb [13] [29]
•        The Topiary Sprinkler [13] [29]
•        The Enforcer [13] [29]

The witty dialogue from the protagonists, which is essential for maintaining the charm of the Ratchet and Clank formula is also there to balance the chaos and a bit of humour as a sign that the franchise will still be the futuristic video game equivalent of Danger Mouse [11] [13] [30] [36]. Just by witnessing an outstanding example in the gameplay trailer, I knew the developers and writers at Insomniac Games can provide such exceptional aspects for a new Ratchet and Clank game for the first half of the 2020s.

There seems to be a familiar element of self-empowerment from using a variety of different weapons for the final outcome of Rift Apart [13]. [29]

Looks like there will be a new ally who will assist Clank as a white lombax [23]. Could this mean that Ratchet will finally reunite with his species [35]? I can tell that the new adventurer is a female due to her feminine voice, along with how her tail looks very different compared to Ratchet’s tail. Oddly enough, Angela Cross, the female lombax who appeared in Going Commando had smaller ears and no tail at all [27] [33]. I suppose the character designers at Insomniac Games wanted to establish some different sexual dimorphism in the alternative timeline that was established in the re-imagining [27]. Nevertheless, the new character in Rift Apart could be a subspecies or different breed of the lombax race. Remember how the Nintendogs games for the Nintendo DS consisted of one fairly small variety of different dog breeds each [17] [19]? On the other bomb glove, my third theory about the new character is that she could be transsexual or transgender, similar to how many Catherine crusaders suspected that Rin was transsexual or transgender a year before the release of Catherine: Full Body in Japan [8] [9] [39] [40]. No matter which of the three theories will be the truth, will the new ally be likeable?

This new character also has a robotic right arm, meaning she must have lost her previous right arm during a tragic event [23]. Since female lombaxes were originally supposed to lack tails and have smaller ears [27], could she be a different lombax breed or transgender? [29]

The franchise’s logo appears to have been updated for the galactic duo’s next big steps for the PlayStation 5 [13] [23] [29]. I have nothing against changing a franchise’s logo as there is always room for improvement. The same small grey bolt by Clank’s same with the light blue “&” from the re-imagining’s logo is still there for the familiar stylising from the previous logo [16]. The font of the new logo is faintly wider and its 3D effect is greatly reduced, making it more bold and readable [29]. However, it is a shame that the previous symbolism, which was the “C” in Ratchet’s name resembling the end of a wrench and the “C” in Clank’s name resembling a bolt since the first game from 2002 has been replaced with simply the shape of a bolt in each “C” [16] [29]. But ultimately, quite similar to how the logo for the introduction of the proposed reboot of Angela Anaconda can be beneficial for dyslexic viewers with different detail and more readability [4] [37] [38], the new Ratchet and Clank logo can be approved by many consumers for providing the same redeeming qualities.

The previous logo for the masterpiece from 2016 [34]. [16]

The new logo for a new Ratchet and Clank game. [29]

The official design of the PlayStation 5 and its unexpected digital edition are beautifully futuristic [7] [22], which could make either of them and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart a match made in Nerd Heaven, even though we do not know if the game will be available digitally or not. I yearn to find out how the new female lombax copes in a dimension temporarily ruled by Nefarious. I would also like to witness a brand new instalment of the Spyro franchise that is heavily inspired from his reignited trilogy and a new Crash Bandicoot game that could be classified as the official “Crash Bandicoot 4” that is possibly under inspiration from his N-Sane trilogy for the PlayStation’s new era [1] [2] [3]. I also do no doubt that those adorable robots will cute plenty of PlayStation players out in Astro’s Playroom while plenty of survivors of the Resident Evil franchise cautiously play Resident Evil 8: Village under advised discretion in a new era of the PlayStation [20] [31]. The official release date of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart may not have been announced yet, but here is to a new galactic adventure for a noble community of Ratchet’s rangers and Clank’s comrades soon [23] [29].

Look at these beauties! It was worth the wait. [22]

“Ready for our next adventure, pal?” [29]

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