• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Why ratchet and clank rift apart is disappointing (for a long time series fan)

Umbasaborne

Banned
Ive loved this series ever since i played going commando on my ps2. The ps3 games, especially crack in time are some of my favorite games of all time. I was really dissapointed by the 2016 remake. A gorgeous game that lacked almost all the heart that made the series shine in the first place, with characters whose depth and motivation was stripped away in favor of depth that would not get to confusing or upsetting to little ones. While i enjoyed the 2016 remake for what it does well, its a shallow echo of what ratchet and clank once was. Sadly rift apart felt like it followed 2016’s overly simplified cues rather than the the depth of gameplay, and characters featured in the older titles. This video does a better job of expressing how i feel.



Now i still enjoyed rift apart enough to get the platinum. But like 2016, it felt like an undeniably shallow experience.
 

Rivet

Member
He has a point. I kinda agree. The game is a bit too easy and too shallow. Characters are a bit underdeveloped. Maybe they didn't have enough time, it's a near release game on a new console, those games generally suffer a bit due to being rushed out of the door. Technically it looks incredible though.

I hope the next installment will acknowledge those flaws.
 
Last edited:

Kuranghi

Member
Aye.

The TL;DR/DW is: older Ratchet games had more unique, interesting characters and feeling in the level/worlds design. So if you loved Rift Apart then play Ratchet PS3 trilogy and Ratchet 2 asap since they are way better overall. If you bounce off the "old feeling" of Ratchet 2 then even just PS3 trilogy (Or even just Crack in Time if really pushed for time), but overall I think Ratchet 2 is the best one in terms of fun.
 
Thats why I still havent bought it. It doesnt take a scientist to see from gameplay videos that a 80euro 10 hour PS5 game isn't really that special besides being a graphical and technological showcase. Sony fanboys will ofc love it and buy it, but I need my games with a bit more umpfh and longevity to them if I am to dish out so much money. Personal opinion and most will argue against it, but the perfect amount of content is 25hours for any high quality game that is not an rpg.
 
I’ve only played the last two R&C games. I need to check the older ones out. I have a feeling I’m really missing out.
 

kuncol02

Banned
Ive loved this series ever since i played going commando on my ps2. The ps3 games, especially crack in time are some of my favorite games of all time. I was really dissapointed by the 2016 remake. A gorgeous game that lacked almost all the heart that made the series shine in the first place, with characters whose depth and motivation was stripped away in favor of depth that would not get to confusing or upsetting to little ones. While i enjoyed the 2016 remake for what it does well, its a shallow echo of what ratchet and clank once was. Sadly rift apart felt like it followed 2016’s overly simplified cues rather than the the depth of gameplay, and characters featured in the older titles. This video does a better job of expressing how i feel.



Now i still enjoyed rift apart enough to get the platinum. But like 2016, it felt like an undeniably shallow experience.

Ratchet lost it's writer after Into the Nexus and you can see that even in 2016 remake.
 

SLB1904

Banned
I do agree that the gameplay and graphics are great. The guns feel really good, but stuff like the lack of platforming, oversimplified clank puzzles, and characters whose depth is only knee deep ultimatley made it a lesser experience for me personally
To be fair I'm not really fan of hard puzzles or deep mechanically, always want simplified puzzles in these games. But I get why people like them
 

Markio128

Member
It’s an old-school tp platforming/shooter that has all the bells and whistles. If you expected more than that, then more fool you. Whilst I love games with lots of depth as well, just like with films, I also enjoy popcorn games that are just daft, loud and fun. And I certainly wouldn’t be expecting/wanting any hidden depth in a popcorn flick.
 

Neolombax

Member
I agree. I personally felt the ratchet and clank remake (2016) was better than rift apart. Rift apart is a well made game, but compared within its series, it falls short. Feels like the overall pacing of the game was rushed. The story developed rapidly while characters werent being fully fleshed out. Also, i am quite disappointed in the weapons. This was supposed to be the absolute highlight of the ratchet and clank games. Here the upgrades especially when the weapon evolves, felt very safe and uninventive. Even the RYNO was pretty meh to be honest. I just couldnt understand the glowing reviews.
 

SpokkX

Member
I agree

It was a shallow experience that gameplay wise could have been done on ps2.

The game offered nothing really new of value to Ratchet - and it introduced a LOT of shitty characters and dialogue
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Massive very-long-time Ratchet and Clank fan, I think Rift Apart was great but I still agree, without watching a half an hour video about it.

I think a lot of the problem might just be us, honestly. For better or worse it's the same game we've played 6-9 times previously depending on your definition of a "proper" RnC game, for two decades. The formula really hasn't changed, they just made better ones and worse ones over time with 2 and Crack in Time seeming to be the fan favourites.

At the same time, I was hoping for something much meatier than 2016 this time and I just didn't get it. Platinum trophy felt incredibly quick with very, very little going back to planets for stuff I'd missed. I do think the puzzles in Rift Apart are some of the best in the series though - albeit a touch too easy - with Crack in Time being a clear standout.
 
Last edited:
This is a children's game, and the era when mascot platformers had some measure of adult appeal is over (Mario excepted). If it's becoming increasingly dumbed down it's because today's children have grown up with unlimited smartphone and tablet access and are developmentally retarded compared to previous generations as a result.
 

SLB1904

Banned
Your opinion doesn't matter
gifs_201.gif
 

sloppyjoe_gamer

Gold Member
This is a children's game, and the era when mascot platformers had some measure of adult appeal is over (Mario excepted). If it's becoming increasingly dumbed down it's because today's children have grown up with unlimited smartphone and tablet access and are developmentally retarded compared to previous generations as a result.

Holy shit at the lame hot takes in here :messenger_tears_of_joy: :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I'm also a big Mario fan and you seriously don't think the Mario games, especially the recent ones aren't geared towards a younger audience? Yikes....
 
Last edited:

Tschumi

Member
I've never been into this series. But it certainly looks gorgeous and the dimension swap idea is novel.
i've tried... the original trilogy on my vita, crack in time, nexus and 2016... i never got into any of them. i liked 2016 HEAPS early on but it felt too PG and i lost puff when some of the deviously hidden items/routes were too deviously hidden
 

ManaByte

Member
I Platinumed it, but I think I made a mistake playing 2016 with the 60fps update right before it because I think 2016 was more fun and memorable, especially the final boss fight. The Clank puzzles in 2016 were a lot more fun than the ones in Rift Apart as well.
 

iHaunter

Member
I really liked Rift-Apart. Was a solid experience. People are talking about long hours, I hate grinding. I'd rather have 16-20 hours of a Solid experience than grinding on end like most shitty games.
 

Lupin25

Member
If you’re a first-timer with R&C, it’s a great experience.

If you’re not and/or a hardcore gamer the formula may have run dry and you’ve outgrown the type of game this is.
 

fart town usa

Gold Member
I’ve only played the last two R&C games. I need to check the older ones out. I have a feeling I’m really missing out.
Yea, they're all good.

2 onwards are all basically the same in terms of mechanics. The remastered PS2 trilogy on PS3 is solid, first game feels archaic but 2 & 3 are brilliant. 'Future' games on PS3 are great too. A Crack in Time is my personal favorite, just such a fun, chill game to play.
 
I loved it. Got the plat. I played on a harder difficulty and to me it felt like an easier Returnal, which was a nice break from playing Returnal. If you notice, they basically have the same control scheme and even some of the bosses do similar attacks. Like the shooting, dodge with i-frames, melee, jump, etc. All the same buttons.
 
I couldn't force myself to finish it. Boring characters, story, and gameplay. Even for a game made for kids. It's pretty though.
 

ZywyPL

Banned
It's simply material fatigue IMO - the series have been present on 4 generation of consoles now plus mobile devices, with over a dozen of installments, so obviously after such a long time every game becomes stagnant, less exciting, less 'new', less creative, after all you can do the same gameplay look, characters and setting only for so long.

Plus it's a launch title on top of that and we all know those are somewhat rushed to mostly show off the new hardware.
 
Holy shit at the lame hot takes in here :messenger_tears_of_joy: :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I'm also a big Mario fan and you seriously don't think the Mario games, especially the recent ones aren't geared towards a younger audience? Yikes....
You didn't understand what I said. They're obviously aimed at a younger audience, but they also have adult appeal. This is because Nintendo knows how to appeal to both audiences, and they always have.
 

sloppyjoe_gamer

Gold Member
You didn't understand what I said. They're obviously aimed at a younger audience, but they also have adult appeal. This is because Nintendo knows how to appeal to both audiences, and they always have.

I'm an adult in my mid 40's who has been gaming since i was 9......the Ratchet games appeal to me and many others in my age group as well. You don't speak for everybody.
 
Last edited:
Ratchet is one of my all time favourite series. Rift Apart skates by on its graphics, you can tell they put almost zero effort into the actual game - probably my least favourite of them all.

And I hate that rift gimmick. Utterly pointless for a gameplay standpoint.
 

sloppyjoe_gamer

Gold Member
Some of you have valid points, but wow.....
Cripes sake.....i can only imagine these type of threads getting worse and more often as Horizon's release date gets closer and then GT7 in March. Some of you people are WAY too transparent.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I really liked the game. The visuals are astounding, but man the game does pretty much nothing new. It is as shallow of an experience as you can get these days. The portal rift mechanic was saved to setpieces and no where near as ingenious as that Titanfall level. It's yet another safe sequel from Insomniac which is probably why they are so productive. They are good at making shallow but pretty experiences.

I think Ratchet needs to be retired. This is why i am so for killing franchises. There is nothing more you can do with a guy with a fur and a robot. They shouldve never made Ratchet or Miles and instead focused exclusively on Spiderman 2. They wouldve had 3 years to make one game instead of making two smaller games. Go balls to the wall with Spiderman 2 and even with a covid delay they wouldve had a next gen only game in 2022. An ambitious game with new ideas that puts Insomniac up there with the best of the best.

Safe and shallow games like Ratchet just exposes Insomniac as a B tier developer. It Takes Two is so much better than Ratchet, it's kinda embarrassing.
 

eNT1TY

Member
It's fucking ratchet and clank, people only cared cuz its pretty. If it were played on low settings 90% of its appeal is gone and most people wouldn't bother to trudge through the simple ass gameplay without something nice to look at.
 

wOs

Member
I'm not sure if shallow is the issue. However, as someone who loves the series and enjoyed the last two enough, for whatever reason I had no desire to play through rift apart after finishing it.

Which was sad because I couldn't wait for a true new experience. Maybe I'll play it again this year with a fresh file.

Edit: The weapons didn't do much for me this go around.
 
Last edited:

Topher

Gold Member
I enjoyed it quite a bit myself. It wasn't a particularly deep experience, but it was never meant to be. It is a light-hearted shooter/platformer. Not sure what people were expecting from a Ratchet and Clank game, frankly.
 

Silvawuff

Member
I hard disagree, this game was incredible.

I respect other people may not like it and will have differing opinions, and that's completely valid. Not everyone has to like the same game for the same reasons.
 

Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
It had zero passion. Every second felt like they just needed *something* R&C on launch to showcase the new hardware, but didn‘t give two damns about the world, level design, moment to moment gameplay, and instead gave us the very basics. The absolute bare minimum. When games are more interactive, more fun, with more character and heart 20 years ago? You fucked up.
 

jaysius

Banned
Ratchet and Clank games are all the same, it's their "design" the enemies can be killed by any weapon, sure there are some that are killed quicker by key weapons, but really it's a hack and slash with guns. It is fun, but it never reaches the heights of say a Mario game or whatever else they're trying to mimic. It's it's own thing, and that thing is a solid 7.5 series but nothing close to a 9 or 10, this has never changed. The level design is always good, but never great, the way they hide collectables is decent but not great.
 
Love the franchise, liked the game, think that they should let the franchise sit for 5-10 years while they think about where to take the franchise going forward.

The game just hasn't evolved significantly in years. My favorite installment was Crack in Time and it's just kind of been meh since.
 
Top Bottom