Geoff Keighley’s gamescom: Opening Night Live ended with a big showcase, an uncut live Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart gameplay segment to showcase the power of the PlayStation 5. The gameplay featured was from areas and scenes we saw during the PS5 Future of Play reveal of the game, but this time we got a steady stream of uncut gameplay that went a long way in demonstrating what’s possible with the custom PS5 SSD. In an interview following the gameplay demo, Insomniac also revealed Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is headed for a “launch window” PS5 release, though they wouldn’t elaborate on what that means. Get a look at the 7 and a half minutes of raw PS5 Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart gameplay below:
The gameplay gives us a great look at Ratchet and Clank warping instantly through a few different worlds seamlessly with zero loading at all. We also get to see the rift grab mechanic, where Ratchet seems to bring the world to him. It’s some of the more subtle details that need to be pointed out, however. Ray tracing is in full effect here, with stunning lighting and reflections. The floor in one of the buildings and Clank’s own shiny form shouldn’t escape notice. Ratchet’s fur is also finely detailed, and many scenes have a ton of stuff all going on at once, with plenty of visual effects to boot. Consensus seems to agree that this is the most compelling next-gen presentation we’ve seen from any company so far.
Ratchet and Clank banter throughout the segment about Nefarious and what his evil plans may be. Whatever they are, it seems like the very fabric of reality is in more danger than it ever has been. While we get a look at three or four weapons in action, we don’t actually get to feel how the DualSense differentiates them using haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. In the follow-up interview, Insomniac once again reiterated the use of the DualSense controller to change how games feel to play, but that’s a feature we won’t get to experience until we can go hands-on with the PS5 and DualSense controllers ourselves. The demo ends in the same way the reveal did, with Ratchet and Clank getting separated and the mysterious purple female Lombax meeting our shiny robo-hero.
With Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart now headed for a PS5 launch window release, many are speculating how far out from launch it could release. Our estimation would put it in Q1 2021, but some think it could even be as far out as mid-year, depending on how Insomniac and Sony want to define that launch window period. Ratchet and Clank isn’t the only game Insomniac has to shepherd the PS5 at launch. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will accompany the PS5 release as an actual launch title available on day one. Sony still has yet to reveal a release date for the console, but the expectation is November. Signups are now open to register for PS5 preorders, and interested buyers will need to be invited to reserve the console purchase.
What’d you think of the Ratchet and Clank gameplay footage? Is it everything you were hoping for with next-gen? What do you think “launch window” means for release? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
