This colorful action-adventure is the epitome of console-exclusive software: released for the PlayStation 5 in 2021, it stars a pair of popular Sony mascot characters and the PlayStation 5 hardware's unique capabilities, In particular, they embark on a journey to show off the fast-loading SSD. All of which makes it a little odd to review on PC in 2023.

Let's start with something simple. Even if you're not familiar with the Ratchet & Clank series (which avid players of the PC version almost certainly won't be), "Rift Apart" is an accessible introduction. Set in a bright, cartoonish sci-fi galaxy, Ratchet, a hairy alien space hero, and his robot sidekick, Clank, struggle to solve an interdimensional crisis caused by a former enemy. There is a great deal of history here, but it's all easy to understand, as old fans will find tons of references, and the two play almost like retired veterans after their many adventures in the series' 20-year-long game. Crank wants to help Ratchet find his lost friends, Ratchet is anxious to do so, and they both want to save the universe.

This interdimensional crisis is a good enough excuse to introduce another multiverse-hopping storyline and Rivette and Kit. These two are essentially female versions of the main characters, but they are realistic and compelling enough in their own right, and as entirely new heroes, they make it easier for newcomers to get into the game. As the story progresses, you alternate between playing Ratchet and Rivette, who all share the same abilities and equipment, but have very different worldviews.

The action is pure cinematic adventure. In between the usual third-person shooters and light platforming, you're thrown into extravagant set pieces, gorgeous boss fights, lovingly crafted cutscenes, and a bit of exploration and puzzle solving to spice things up In the short 10-15 hours, none of the ideas are boring. [For users playing on PS5 in 2021, this film was easy to recommend. With its polished big-budget visuals and buttery-smooth performance, it was a theme park ride that showcased Sony's hardware prowess and a solid, if bubbly, exclusive title. on PC in 2023" Well... My feelings are a bit more mixed.

Take away the elephant in the room: in recent years, Sony's interest in the PC seems to be growing, and a number of high-profile titles have been ported over, but not all have gone smoothly. Most recently, the PC port of "The Last of Us" was so poorly received that it had to be given a 50% review score for one of the most acclaimed console games of all time. The good news is that Rift Apart will not repeat that disaster.

With my RTX 3080 graphics card and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X processor, the game runs mostly at a smooth 60+ FPS at maximum settings, dropping to around 45 FPS, especially in high-density areas. the PS5's SSD is a PS4 hard drive The original intent was to show off the fact that it is faster than the PS4's, but there were a few noticeable loading pauses in sequences where the game moved at high speed between dimensions, but they were not long enough to spoil the spectacle. In fact, despite the speed at which one moves between different levels and planets, there were few noticeable load times throughout the game. What was particularly impressive was that switching the installation from SSD to hard drive made little difference in loading and performance.

There are a variety of graphics and display settings that can be adjusted to your liking, including a FOV slider and adjustable weather effects, and you can also choose how to upscale the game. A wide variety of control options allow the user to adjust the game's action feel, and there are also settings for speedrunners to remove certain pauses and slow-motion elements to shave a few precious seconds off their time. This is as robust and fully featured a port as one would expect from one of the world's largest game publishers.

And while it doesn't run as smoothly as the PS5, "Rift Apart" remains a great way to push the hardware. The visual spectacle is the game's greatest strength, combining technical virtuosity with a brilliant and exuberant art style to create scenes and vistas as impressive as anything from two years ago. Particle effects are abundant, backgrounds are always vibrant, dimensional portals whisk you from cyberpunk city to storm-damaged pirate ship in an instant, and cut scenes rival many blockbuster animated films.

The game excels at both big and small details. It's no surprise that giant robots and towering dinosaurs rush into scenes, but at the same time, great attention is paid to the subtle movements and facial expressions of the characters. While the story doesn't explore complex emotional depths, you will certainly empathize with the central characters more than you might expect from hairy-faced aliens or lunchbox-sized robots.

All combat is brilliant visual chaos. Basic shooting is very simple, with no cover and very generous aiming, so you can just run around and blast away at will, without much tactical thought required. Adding color are a variety of wild and wacky weapons. Even the most basic options, such as a shotgun the size of a ratchet that sprays double electricity, or a grenade that explodes into pink crystal shards. Additional surreal elements include guns that fire rocket drills that burrow under enemies, sprinklers that turn enemies into topiaries, and a summonable mushroom man that aids in combat.

While none of these are more strategic than pointing and clicking at enemies, the creativity and visual flair of each weapon keeps the combat from becoming stale. Each gun levels up as you use it, unlocking new nodes in the upgrade tree. For example, it's unfortunate that the first major milestone for a weapon that literally blasts enemies into pixelated selves only makes it a little easier to lose health when you die, but investing enough in your favorite gun has a noticeable impact on combat.

The game's platforming and exploration also offer nearly equivalent equipment. You can start with a two-step jump, a grappling hook, and magnetic boots, and soon you have airdashes, wall-running, and rocket boots that allow you to blast off at top speed. All of these are put to good use in various escape and chase scenes over the course of the story, inevitably resulting in things exploding around you and tearing through dimensions. Where they really come into their own, however, is when you interrupt your exploration to go looking for side content.

Each planet in the game is a small hub. Some planets are no more than areas passed through as part of the story, while others are like mini open worlds that can be explored at will (on one planet you can even fly around on the back of an alien dragon). There are also several major side quests to go back and complete that are just as cinematic as the main story. The collection is packed with collectibles, including raritanium, new outfits, and "golden bolts" that can do everything from changing the skin on melee weapons to changing the look of currency and camera filters.

Getting through all that Rift Apart has to offer is a gentle but satisfying experience. There are no difficult enemies to defeat and no complicated collectibles to find. It's a truly engaging game, both as a weekend of cinematic adventure and as a game of comfortably completing tasks.

The problem is that in addition to completing the main story, collecting everything, doing every side quest, and fully upgrading every gun, it only took me about 15 hours total. If you only focus on the critical path, it would be 10 hours or less. There is a new game+ mode that allows you to further level up your weapon upgrades, but while I enjoyed Rift Apart, it certainly doesn't have enough depth to warrant a quick replay.

While brevity is never a bad thing in gaming, it's hard to escape the feeling that Rift Apart is a console showcase that feels far less important on the PC, and even though it was released six months after the PS5's launch, all the features of a launch game It is equipped and designed to reveal the capabilities of the hardware at a time when there are not many other options available. You'd have to be very obtuse not to take pleasure from that colorful Galaxy, and at a price of £50/$60, it's hard to escape the fact that if you put that money into a PC, you'll get a much bigger, meatier experience.