Which Ratchet & Clank Games To Play Before Rift Apart

Ratchet & Clank is one of the longest-running PlayStation series out there, but the series has been quiet for the last few years as Insomniac Games works on other projects. The dynamic duo is set to return, however, with the PS5 exclusive Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

Rift Apart is one of the most impressive PS5 games Sony has shown off yet, and it looks like Ratchet and Clank are going to have plenty of new guns and tools to play with. At the moment, however, it’s not exactly certain where Rift Apart takes place in the series’ timeline.

For anyone unfamiliar with Ratchet & Clank, or hoping to be properly caught up, there are a few games that would be helpful. Here’s which Ratchet & Clank games to play before Rift Apart.

Fans Should Play the Original Trilogy or Ratchet & Clank Remake

In 2016 Insomniac and Sony released the Ratchet & Clank film, and a PS4 remake of the first game in the series. The original game had Chairman Alonzo Drek as the main antagonist, but the remake has both Drek and Dr. Nefarious, the big recurring villain of the series. There are story changes made in the remake that introduces areas or characters sooner, and it can serve as a good introduction for fans looking to jump into Rift Apart. The big thing is learning about Dr. Nefarious, as dialogue in Rift Apart’s gameplay indicates that the iconic villain is the one causing the universe to rip apart.

The very first Ratchet & Clank honestly isn’t worth going back to as it hasn’t aged all that well. The remake hits all of the story beats of the original game but is the most refined Ratchet & Clank experience yet. Past that, the original trilogy provides a great overview of the Ratchet & Clank universe. Dr. Nefarious was originally introduced in the third game, Up Your Arsenal, along with the Thug-4-Less who can also be spotted in the Rift Apart trailer. The main planet seen in Rift Apart, so far, is Kerwan, which is also a major location in the original trilogy. The first three games will introduce fans to everything they absolutely need to know for Rift Apart, but there will probably be even more to gain by playing further into the series.

The Other Ratchet & Clank Games Are Good, But Not Necessary

Playing the PS3 Ratchet & Clank games will certainly provide more context into the characters and universe, but it’s not necessary. Dr. Nefarious returns once again in A Crack in Time, and players can even learn a bit more about the Lombax race, which could be useful with the mysterious new female Lombax character in Rift Apart. Another interesting tidbit is that the dimensional rifts in the new game have almost the exact same purple hue that the Netherverse had in Into the Nexus, meaning there could potentially be a link there as well. At the bare minimum, the original trilogy should be played, but if anyone wants to go even further into the series that’s perfectly fine too.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartreleases in 2021 for PS5.

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