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Should I buy R&C Rift Apart or Returnal as my first ps5 game?
- Thread starter Shaz12567
- Start date
Returnal. But I'm biased because I loved Returnal and thought Ratchet was an overpriced bore of a game.
Do not buy Returnal based on recommendations without having played it somewhere else first. The core gameplay/audio/visuals are great, but you may end up hating the rogue-like structure and feel like you wasted your money. I know people recommend the games they personally like, but the design here is very polarizing.
And no, if you like Hades it does not mean you will like Returnal. Hades has a well thought out god mode that can help you out if needed, but Returnal is ruthless, and runs can be very long if you're trying to play carefully.
R&C is OK, it's a decent, character action game with nice graphics, but nothing amazing. It's a safe recommendation if you keep expectations in check.
And no, if you like Hades it does not mean you will like Returnal. Hades has a well thought out god mode that can help you out if needed, but Returnal is ruthless, and runs can be very long if you're trying to play carefully.
R&C is OK, it's a decent, character action game with nice graphics, but nothing amazing. It's a safe recommendation if you keep expectations in check.
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Especially the first two. First had no weapon upgrades IIRC, and the second game had Level 1 and Level 2 upgrades but I don't think anything after that, and upgradable weapons drastically change how I play (no point for me to use older weapons if newer ones are simply better).
UYA is more what I expect from a R&C game, but even there, using the most "modern" control scheme they have feels much different than PS3 onward. Tools of Destruction really begins what I think is the "feel" of R&C games since it became more cinematic, with better cut scenes, and tried to have more emotion to it, whereas something like UYA is just slapstick funny.
Not really dissing the old games, but I certainly feel the difference when playing them again.
The level design is way more linear with very little backtracking in modern entries, the music and overall tone is completely different from earlier entries, the writing and nature of the stories are super different, and the older games had a lot of content in terms of the number of planets, arena challenges, skillpoints, and other things.
It's a bummer that so many people outside of series fans never really notice the improvements and regressions made with each entry, but it is what it is I guess.
Ironically enough, Tools of Destruction is when I felt they really began to lose the "feel" of Ratchet & Clank in terms of everything outside of gameplay and graphics.
You probably shouldn't start with Returnal. Rift Apart apparently isn't the best of the R&C games, but I had a blast, and it's a great showcase for the new hardware. Story is interesting enough, with great characters, and a gorgeous set of worlds to explore.
And the funny thing is that's really what I feel R&C is, now, since it's been so long since the original ones. Playing them again recently, I actually like the change, although I wasn't as big of a fan way back when. For me, the originals feel like a PS2 game, as in developers still didn't know exactly what they were doing quite yet with cutscenes, so sometimes the pace or pauses just felt a bit off.
UYA was criticized at the time for creating less single-player content and utilizing some of that dev time on multi instead, and while I understand that, I think it really didn't need to be longer. UYA can sometimes be a little too gun-heavy since you have the arena at Annihilation Nation, you have the Rangers missions, sometimes in a large sandbox, and you have the regular worlds, not to mention playing as Giant Clank and that shooting gallery. Its one criticism from me would be that a little extra platforming would have helped enormously with that issue.
Kind of ironic that it's the R&C that I feel can feel like too much sometimes considering the number of different scenarios the game has (Annihilation Nation arena, Rangers missions, regular gameplay on planets, Clank parts, Giant Clank, the simulation on Starship Phoenix, Captain Qwark Vid-comics, multiplayer).
Returnal does both of those things better than Ratchet imo, but I know a roguelite isn't for everybody.
Even beside the RPG aspects, the first games had no free aiming, it was introduced later on as an optional feature but level and encounter design was still built around the old aiming scheme. FFA/Nexus were the first two games that had to be played with free aiming. In the first games you would just aim on the horizontal axis in a way that really reminded me of the old DOOM games. The previous R&C games also had a more arcade-y feel due to that, which is something that I miss to be honest, even though I'm happy the series moved forward in that aspect as it could feel "dated".
It's just so weird. Like, is there any other series that gets criticized as often as R&C for being the "same old thing"? And even then, I think that not many series have witnessed the changes that Insomniac made to the R&C games during the years, I really can't understand this. It's like everyone collectively forgot how R&C played 20 years ago, and I also think that at this point it's some sort of meme.
I've honestly ever heard Rift Apart and Far Cry criticized as much for "being more of the same" a lot of other franchises seem to get away with it. It's weird
Really research Returnal. It's an Era favorite, but trust me, it's not for everyone, not even Souls players. It's tough, unforgiving, and most certainly will test your patients. Don't simply go by the recommendations here.
If that's something you are into, check it out because it's good. I don't think it's GoTY like many, but it's really damn good; one of the top releases of 2021.
Ratchet is super accessible and has a solid foundation. If you've played any Ratchet game, then you know what you are getting. Beautiful game with exceptional gameplay, like Returnal. Both use the DualSense well, but I'd lean Returnal for the best implementation.
If that's something you are into, check it out because it's good. I don't think it's GoTY like many, but it's really damn good; one of the top releases of 2021.
Ratchet is super accessible and has a solid foundation. If you've played any Ratchet game, then you know what you are getting. Beautiful game with exceptional gameplay, like Returnal. Both use the DualSense well, but I'd lean Returnal for the best implementation.
Definitely go with Ratchet then. It's a visual splendor and I think you'll enjoy the story in it if you have tried some of the other Ratchet games.
Between the two my personal preference is Returnal even though I've been a big Ratchet fan since the beginning. If you've never played a Ratchet game before, then both are true "next-gen" experiences worth playing ASAP IMO
If you think you're open to the idea of playing one, then Returnal is the one to play if those are your priorities.
Ratchet is fun, the story is a bit light but the characters are all endearing and the worlds are fun to explore.
If you think you're open to the idea of playing one, then Returnal is the one to play if those are your priorities.
Ratchet is fun, the story is a bit light but the characters are all endearing and the worlds are fun to explore.
I agree that it does them, but Ratchet does them in a more traditional, digestible, and accessible way.
(I'd still recommend Returnal over Ratchet any day, but not without knowing more about the person I was recommending it to.)
Hades is one of my favorite games. Returnal did not click for me at all, and is IMO a far inferior and less rewarding experience. Just throwing that out there.
The PS2 games just feel like they have more of a unique identity to me, which is why I associate Ratchet and Clank with that.
The music is more pronounced and identifiable with recurring motifs rather than something that strictly falls to the background and is drowned out by dialogue in the modern entries. The humor hit for me more often and was oftentimes pretty pointed satire whereas in later entries jokes are just there to be there and are pretty throwaway in most of their execution. Characters like Qwark and Nefarious, which keep coming back, still have their best moments in the original games in my opinion. The stories themselves in the PS2 entries are inherently more unique than the "chosen one" plots of the Future series (although I think we did get some good character moments out of it despite that). And the four PS2 entries are still the most content complete entries in the series outside of A Crack in Time and maybe Tools of Destruction.
Honestly, I wish we could get a mainline entry as packed as at least UYA was. We can't even get that nowadays. The thing that was nice about having so many optional arena challenges and the like in prior entries was that it allowed them to create really difficult content for series vets to play through, but not have it be mandatory. Kind of like how 3D Mario saves a lot of the challenging objectives for the post-game. It's something they really nailed by UYA and Deadlocked, so it's partially why the lower amount of content in recent games did bother me.
Rift Apart continuing the trend of a small arena as well as UYA still having double the planets of 2016 and Rift Apart respectively without even being the most content rich entry on PS2 just brings the issue to the forefront of my mind.
Yeah, it's weird. I feel like the differences are pretty noticeable to me. I guess if you're ignoring the new weapons, level design, etc, you can say Ratchet's mobility and movement options has stayed pretty stagnant until recently.
True, Hades has a lot more character development, but when I wrote this post it was more about the gameplay (even that is different upon reflection with top-down perspective versus 3D), but that is why I also said edited it to state that they may enjoy Returnal if they played Hades. Still, I think OP should give it a try down the road and see what he thinks of it.
I do not agree with this. Hades makes you feel like you are progressing and not nearly as punishing and daunting as Returnal. Hades is a step above it. I finished it on PC and SX and it's an outstanding game from tight combat, great story, and making the player feel like they are progressing.
Returnal most certainly has tight combat too, but Hades is easier to get into and the progression system is better. I picked it up over the summer and I'm currently in Biome 3. I'm only pushing through because I don't want to let it sit.
Definitely Returnal. Ratchet is beautiful, but the gameplay is largely unchanged and doesn't take advantage of anything the PS5 offers.
I think some of the humor is better in the originals because it was a bit less cutesy. Like, I always get a kick out of UYA when Ratchet is with Evil Clank and sees Nefarious and the real Clank, and goes, "There's not a chance that that's the Evil Clank, right?" Or Qwark's funeral, "What a load of bull-" "Shhh!"
But I think the character connections are made better by the improved cinematics and a bit more attempt at a story. Crack in Time is one R&C game where I really felt I cared about the characters motivations, and it helps that the Clank world is such a wonder to just admire.
Funny thing is, when I list everything in UYA, it seems huge, but playing them all back to back to back, I don't really feel like it took me longer to play UYA compared to Rift Apart. In fact, I think the number of planets only tells part of the story since some of the planets are rather large open spaces, and some have a separate map in them via the crystals.
If anything, Rift Apart at least feels like a content complete R&C, whereas the 2016 one was smaller (and priced accordingly due to that). I did love UYA's arena; there's not yet been one since with dozens of challenges.
It does just as much as returnal does. More so, this is misinformation
You don't get this level of fidelity, loading, and particle effects at 60fps on ps4 and its fully ray traced. Rift Apart is a technical masterpiece and utilizes almost every available feature of the PS5
Ratchet, Returnal isn't for everyone at all and you really need to research if it's for you before diving in imo
Returnal was my favourite game last year. An absolutely unique experience unlike anything else I've ever played, with some utterly breathtaking set-pieces that will stay with me forever.
I haven't bought Ratchet and Clank because outside the stunning visuals, there's nothing I can see there that I haven't played a dozen times before. I'm sure I'll eventually get around to it, but I would strongly recommend Returnal.
I haven't bought Ratchet and Clank because outside the stunning visuals, there's nothing I can see there that I haven't played a dozen times before. I'm sure I'll eventually get around to it, but I would strongly recommend Returnal.
OP make sure you really do your research for Ratchet & Clank before you buy it. Don't just go by the recommendations here. It's not for everybody!
There is no need to mock anyone trying to help. Returnal is a new IP and warrants research. Ratchet has over 15 entries, and I stated that they know the formula if they have played any.
Returnal was the first thing I bought, and the only game I even launched for the first several weeks. I had plenty of other things to try out, but Returnal just had me so quickly and thoroughly hooked.
I'm not even sure Hades has more character development actually. The way Returnal explores Selene's grief and guilt is tremendous, it just does it in a different way than Hades' endless text windows. It's more ambiguous, but very strong in its own right. They both do a great job of integrating the narrative in the framework of a roguelite.
You're right, the only way to know for sure is to just give it a try. Some might prefer Hades, others Returnal. I'm in the latter camp. I think Returnal's combat is far better, it has actual level design with more secrets, it has better enemy and boss designs and I much prefer its haunting atmosphere. Hades is probably easier, but that seems to vary from person to person. And in some ways, Returnal offers more freedom as it allows you to skipp bosses and use shortcuts and you can always restart halfway.
I believe that type of behaviour is called Resogunnning
