Since the original Ratchet and Clank game was remade for the PS4, long time fans have been eagerly awaiting the next adventure for the lone Lombax and his trusty robotic sidekick. After years of waiting, fans can finally look forward to the long-awaited sequel to the PS3 conclusion to the Ratchet and Clank Futures series, A Crack In Time, with A Rift Apart coming to the PS5 in 2021.
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While the series has a long history of making improvements on what came before, such as the lock-strafe controls introduced in Ratchet: Deadlocked that made combat much more fluid, this doesn't mean that every change will be welcome to fans, as the games have had some missteps before.
10 Want: Weird Weapons
Arguably the sole reason why players enjoy the Ratchet and Clank series is because of the many weird and wonderful weapons that Ratchet can wield against the forces of evil. Classics like the Suck Cannon, Morph-o-Ray, and the more recent Sheepinator make what could have devolved into mindless shooting much more enjoyable. While variations on standard weapons have been shown with the Shatter Bomb and Burst Pistol, footage of the Topiary Sprinkler, which seems to freeze enemies in place using some sort of reticulation system, indicates that there may be even more bizarre weapons to be revealed for A Rift Apart.
9 Don't Want: Boring Gadgets
One of the biggest things that held some Ratchet and Clank games back was the overreliance on specific gadgets to complete environmental puzzles. One particularly annoying gadget was the Hydrodisplacer from the original game, which was used far too often and in too many instances, despite the fact that there were several other underutilized gadgets in the game. Hopefully, A Rift Apart doesn't follow this trend and makes sure that the available gadgets are just as fun to use as the weapons.
8 Want: Captain Qwark
He may have started out as a villain and spends the majority of his time ruining the well-laid plans of the other heroes, but it's hard to hate Captain Qwark. As the series has progressed, the self-proclaimed hero of the people has appeared more and more frequently, though in less villainous roles with the exception of the Ratchet and Clank remake.
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Hopefully, Captain Qwark will return to accidentally make Ratchet and Clank's job more difficult while also providing some great humorous moments in the story, unlike his role in Deadlocked, where he didn't appear at all until the game was already over.
7 Don't Want: The Hologuise
The only thing worse than boring gadgets are overly annoying ones. While the Hologuise made for a fun side distraction, the slow movement speed, inability to go on the offensive while it's activated, and the fact that Ratchet would automatically die in the original Ratchet and Clank if he was caught made any segment where its use was required a chore. While the gadget did get somewhat of an upgrade in the remake, it was still one of the worst gadgets in the series and drags the game down significantly when the player is required to use it.
6 Want: More Information On Lombaxes
One of the biggest revelations to come out of the Ratchet and Clank Futures series was that, despite what many people believed, the Lombaxes weren't all dead, but were banished to another universe thanks to the Dimensionator. Since the Dimensionator is going to make a return in A Rift Apart, this time in the hands of Dr. Nefarious, it's safe to say that now is as good a time as any to give Ratchet the chance to actually meet his family, as Azimuth wasn't exactly a shining example of what a Lombax represents.
5 Don't Want: A Retread of Old Story Beats
Just because the series is returning to the overall story that began with the original game all the way back on the PS2, this doesn't mean that A Rift Apart needs to retread through old story beats that have been covered time and time again. While Captain Qwark is always amusing, it's getting a little tired to see him constantly side with the main villain in order to survive under the guise of being a double agent.
4 Want: Old Characters To Return
While the Futures series does follow on from the original PS2 games, it also left behind several characters that had made an impact in the original titles that should make a return in A Rift Apart. While the omniscient plumber is in just about every game in the series, classic allies like Skid McMarx and Angela Cross haven't been seen in quite a while, the latter being especially desirable considering she is the only other Lombax seen aside from Ratchet and Azimuth.
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The nature of A Rift Apart could also see the return of old enemies like Gleeman Vox and Chairman Drek, though this seems unlikely without some form of time travel.
3 Don't Want: Focus On Dr. Nefarious
It seems as though nearly every modern Ratchet and Clank game focuses on Dr. Nefarious over all other villains. Even in Tools of Destruction, Nefarious was plotting in the background to take control of the Zoni and their time manipulation abilities, though he didn't physically appear until A Crack In Time. It is confirmed that Dr. Nefarious is at least present in A Rift Apart, though hopefully, his involvement in the story allows a different villain to shine this time around.
2 Want: The R.Y.N.O
A Rift Apart wouldn't be a Ratchet and Clank game without the inclusion of the R.Y.N.O rocket launcher series. While it was noticeably absent in Deadlocked, replaced by the equally destructive Harbinger, it was sorely missed and quickly brought back in Tools of Destruction. The most recent iteration, the R.Y.N.O VII available in Into the Nexus, shows that there is still potential for even more variations on the R.Y.N.O series and players are likely to see the R.Y.N.O VIII in A Rift Apart, hopefully in a usable form.
1 Don't Want: Useless Weapons
While Ratchet and Clank may be known for the large variety of strange and fun weapons, there are also several duds across the series. Mediocre weapons like the Pyrocitor and Taunter from the original game were fun for a few seconds, though their usefulness was lacking compared to just about every other weapon. The series has gotten better at making sure Ratchet's arsenal is all usable to some degree, but there is also still room for some lackluster weapons.