"Part of the reason we wanted to add dimensionality as a theme is, it's wide open. This is one of the few franchises that can get away with doing anything. We can basically do whatever we want. And being able to transport players nearly instantaneously, which is a huge, new feature of the PlayStation 5, that was something that we were aiming to do and really capitalise on. And I will say, even hearing about how fast it was, I was blown away when we saw how fast it actually was."
DualSense
"What you don't get to see, of course, is that you can also feel this [rift] coming [with the PS5 DualSense controller] – like, the energy of a portal is sort of its own unique sensation. You get a sense of the distance of it, because the haptics add so much sort of texture to that experience," adds game director Mike Daly. "And the same goes for 3D spatial audio. Basically, you know, all the other new channels of feedback we have, reinforce this notion that you are passing through this portal."
"The fact that we can layer haptics as a new channel of feedback over everything, all parts of core gameplay stand up," explains Daly. "For example, for traversal, now you get this extra layer of feedback when you attach to a grind rail or switch, or if there's a huge car incoming. You get that extra layer of feedback when you swing on a swing shot. You can sort of feel his acceleration, and the wind blowing past. It just gives you an enhanced sense of velocity that you don't fully realise just from the visuals and the audio. So it enhances traversal, and it greatly enhances weapons. It enhances the UI – just all parts of it feel a little bit better than they ever have before, just thanks to this new, ever-present thing."
Story
"And with Rift Apart, we're trying to tell a story that involved seeing another version of these characters, who have never really become the heroes that they could be. So we immediately started talking about this duality of multiple dimensions. And then, of course, we already had this device from the franchise that does what we need it to do. So we've spun a yard that incorporates the Dimensionator."
"And, it helps a lot that the Dimensionator adds so much to Ratchet's story" adds Daly, "because it gives us a lot of intriguing clips to drive that character forward and let him grow."
"I will say that in the dimension that Ratchet is from and that we are used to, that very well could be a rule of Lombax physiology," laughs Smith when I ask him about it, although he says the team isn't ready to start talking about the intricacies of her character or how she'll play just yet.
Weapons
"We had been brainstorming tonnes and tonnes of super-fun, exciting ideas that got thrown at the wall. We decided, right there, that we need to make five sequels, [just] so that we can make all these weapons. But we ultimately have to pick one, and the Topiary Sprinkler stood out," says Daly. "My favourite part about the weapon is that now that we have all this extra power and fidelity of 4K graphics on the PS5, you can make it actually feel like topiary sculptures, because topiaries have these tiny, little, detailed leaves that aren't just a flat mesh."
Inside Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart PS5 support, biggest new features, and the mysterious new female Lombax
Insomniac talks heroes, villains, weapons, and the all-important PS5 hardware
