Do You Need to Play Ratchet and Clank (2016) Before Playing Rift Apart?

Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is finally out, and our two space-faring sci-fi heroes are back to save the multiverse! But with Rift Apart being a sequel to the previous game, people understandably will want to know: do you need to play another Ratchet and Clank game before playing Rift Apart?

Read More: Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart Complete Walkthrough

Do You Need to Play Ratchet and Clank (2016) Before Rift Apart?

No, you do not need to play Ratchet and Clank (2016) before playing Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart! The two stories are largely separate, with only minor references connecting them. Not only are they distinct stories, the tutorial catches you up with some important details in a recap sequence, so you should go in knowing everything you need to.

The only caveat is that there are certain characters who specifically don’t get much explanation. It shouldn’t impede your ability to understand the story, but character humour and minor references may go over your head if you don’t know the exact history at play.

What You Need to Know Going Into Rift Apart

Spoilers for the general plot of Ratchet and Clank (2016), but if you need to know the important aspects of that story for Rift Apart, here’s the general summary:

• The whole series takes place in a sci-fi universe with all manner of strange aliens, technology, and robots.
• The hero, Ratchet, is a Lombax — a cat-like species of alien and seemingly the last of his kind, as the other Lombaxes were exiled across dimensions by a villain they helped defeat years ago. The exact details of this are a little unclear, what with the 2016 game being a soft reboot of the franchise.
• Ratchet met Clank, a malfunctioning warrior robot who was more altruistic than violent, and the two of them teamed up to defeat the Blargs, a warrior species who built Clank and were determined to take over the galaxy.
• Ratchet and Clank are now viewed as galactic heroes, having defeated other villains and saved numerous innocents along the way.
• In previous games, a device called the Dimensionator has been used for crossing universes and Dimensions, both by heroes and villains. Last we saw it, it had been damaged beyond use, though Clank had held onto it for unknown reasons.

That should cover everything you need to know about Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart before going in! Of course, you should check out this guide on the very first boss you’ll be fighting, or find out how to get all the game’s collectibles just here!

This article was updated on the 3rd of December 2021 by Kelsey Raynor.