A new developer trailer for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart shows off the various capabilities of the PlayStation 5, its DualSense controller, and how the next-gen experience allows for brand new graphical and gameplay possibilities. It's been four years since the release of the PS4's Ratchet & Clank, a complete reimagining of the original 2002 platformer than started the series, and developer Insomniac Games is back with a new adventure starring Ratchet the Lombax and his irrepressible robot sidekick, Clank.

The next title in the series, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, is being developed exclusively for the PlayStation 5. The debut trailer for the title was shown at the PlayStation 5 reveal event, showing off the incredible next-gen visuals players can expect from the titular "future of gaming." Even in a presentation full of noteworthy titles, the new Ratchet & Clank stood out as a high-quality showpiece for the possibilities opened up by next-gen hardware.

In a video released to the PlayStation YouTube channel, Insomniac Games Creative Director Marcus Smith explained the myriad ways through which Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart benefits from the innovations of the PlayStation 5 hardware, from how the new SSD works to reduce loading times to absolute zero to how the various guns play with the immersive haptic feedback of the new DualSense controller.


Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart involves the titular protagonists traveling across dimensions, instantaneously loading in to and out of unique areas without so much as a split-second loading screen. This is only possible through the Solid State Drive of the PlayStation 5, a custom piece of hardware that allows games to retrieve data faster than ever before. Many video game enthusiasts are skeptical of the technology, but its use in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart proves the viability of the ambitious tech. The video also shines a light on the haptic feedback of the new DualSense controller. This next-generation rumble technology allows the triggers to push back against the player's actions, and Ratchet & Clank features different types of feedback based on the which weapons are being used.

This generation, it's not just about better graphics, but that's certainly evident in the astounding visuals on display in the footage above. For the PlayStation 5 generation, SSDs are being presented as a total "game changer," so to speak. If other games take advantage of the technology in the same way as Ratchet & Clank will, it could be indeed revolutionary for the console industry. Meanwhile, the haptic feedback provided by the DualSense controller makes big promises, but players will need to test the feature for themselves before a final determination can be made on whether it's an integral part of the PlayStation 5 experience or just a gimmick. Either way, audiences shouldn't have to wait too long to find out, since Sony continues to hold fast to its promise of delivering the PlayStation 5 to store shelves before the end of 2020. Beyond that, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart does not yet have a release window.