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Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart: What we know about the game so far

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.Image source, Insomnia

The PlayStation 5 has been out for half a year, and for those who have actually been able to get their hands on the console, there's only a small number of next-gen games available to enjoy.

So for many PS5 owners, the expectation is high for the console's latest exclusive title, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.

Rift Apart was announced in June last year and will arrive exclusively for PlayStation on 11 June - and the game has been designed to take advantage of the PS5's capabilities as a next-gen machine.

So what can we expect?

Let us know in the comments if you're excited for the game and whether you've been able to play on a PS5 and what you think.

1. What is Ratchet and Clank?

Image source, Insomnia

It's been eight years since the last Ratchet and Clank game, but the dynamic duo are back in action in Rift Apart, which is the sixteenth instalment in the series.

In the game, players can travel through lots of different worlds playing as Ratchet the mechanic, and his robot friend Clank, using lots of gadgets to take down an evil space emperor Nefarious.

The game will use some of the new technology from the console, including something that is being used in pretty much all PS5 titles, the haptic triggers, which allow players to "feel" different sensations while using the trigger buttons on the controller.

2. Load times

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WATCH: Games to look out for on the next-gen PlayStation

There are lots of planets, places and alternate dimensions to explore and the game promises to show off just how fast the PS5 loading times can be.

"Every time you jump into a new dimension the game is actually loading a new area," says gaming expert Elle Osili-Wood who explained that the load times are so short that jumping from one area to another should look completely seamless.

Some of the planets and locations may be familiar if you've played previous Ratchet and Clank games, while there are others that are entirely new.

Every time you jump into a new dimension the game is actually loading a new area.

— Elle Osili-Wood, Gaming expert

3. Trophy time

Image source, Sony

If collecting as many trophies as possible is your thing, then Ratchet and Clank definitely gives gamers an opportunity to hoard awards until they reach that all-important platinum trophy.

The company behind the game, Insomniac, shared some early trophy information for Rift Apart over on their Twitter account. As ever, the trophy descriptions hint to the kind of things you can do and achieve while playing.

The "Does This Make My Tail Look Big?" trophy asks you to wear armour on Ratchet's head, body, and leg. "Fully Stacked" means you need to get all weapons in the game and "Nooks and Crannies" involves collecting five Gold Bolts, so hidden items are a big part of the game too.

Another trophy titled: "Glitch, Uh, Finds a Way" will require players to 'Complete all Glitch Challenges', though what that means exactly - and how many challenges it involves - remains to be seen.

4. Accessibility options

Image source, Insomnia

Developing games that are playable and inclusive for people from a wide variety of backgrounds is critical to our mission at Insomniac Games.

— Insomniac Games

Insomniac Games has detailed Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's list of options and accessibility settings.

For example, for players that have difficulty pulling triggers or rapidly bashing or tapping buttons, there's a hold option which means you just have to push a button down to carry out an action such as firing a weapon.

Players can also use different shaders to things like hazards, collectibles, or even the playable heroes themselves. The shader options, alongside contrast settings, can help visually-impaired or low-vision gamers to experience things they might otherwise struggle to see.

5. Soundtrack

Image source, Marvel
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The game will feature music from the same composer as Thor: Ragnarok

As a next-gen title we know the game should look good, but it should sound good too.

Rift Apart features original music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh who also wrote the music for the Marvel film, Thor: Ragnarok.

It's thought the music in the game will have a futuristic sound.

6. Size

Image source, Sony
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PS5 games can now be stored on an external hard drive or USB device

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is set to be the biggest entry in the series. However, unlike lots of PS5 games which are absolutely massive, that does not mean that the game is going to take up a lot of hard drive space.

Initially reported as 42.2GB, it turns out that the actual download size is a much smaller 33.6GB. Which means you hopefully won't have to delete other games to make room for it.