Summary

  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, originally a PlayStation 5 exclusive, is coming to PC on July 26, 2023, opening up accessibility to lower-spec PC setups.
  • The PC version of Rift Apart can technically run without an SSD, although the loading speed when jumping between dimensions may be longer compared to playing on PS5.
  • PC players will have the option to achieve higher levels of ray tracing with "Amazing" and "Ultimate" modes, offering improved visuals and different resolution and frame rate options.

After over 2 years as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is due to come to PC on July 26, 2023. Upon its original console launch, the game was touted as only being playable on Sony's current-gen device which is why it didn't come to PS4 like many of the other PlayStation exclusives such as God of War Ragnarök and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

A huge reason for this was the fact the PS5 used an SSD drive rather than the PS4's HHD, allowing for faster loading times (with them being nearly non-existent in some titles). A huge part of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's gameplay was heavily dependent on this, as players could open rifts between dimensions on the fly during levels and immediately be transported to a completely different land.

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart Trailer Rail Grind

Insomniac and Nixxes released the PC specs for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and it came as a surprise that the game can technically run without an SSD. While most of the higher-level specs required an SSD, the Minimum mode can technically run on 75 GB of HDD space. ittedly the minimum specs are a huge step down from some of the other ways of playing the game, running 720p @ 30FPS with Very Low graphics settings, but the fact that the game is accessible to lower-spec PC setups like this is a pleasant surprise for those who have yet to upgrade.

Considering how the original marketing for the game did highlight its use of an SSD, it's unclear exactly how much the fluidity of the gameplay will be impacted. Insomniac and Nixxes have clearly found ways to make the rifts work on an HDD, but the loading speed when jumping between dimensions will probably be longer. Of course, there is the possibility that the studios have incorporated new loading screens or features to still make it feel seamless, as games such as God of War - which famously had no loading screens - had done in the past on PS4 hardware.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Can Achieve Higher Levels Of Ray Tracing On PC

An example of a dimension in Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart using PC's higher Ray Tracing specs

On PS5 there were three modes to choose from. The Fidelity mode offered 4K with ray tracing but capped the game at 30 FPS, a Performance mode that turned off ray tracing, reduced scene density, and pared back hair strand count to run at 1080p 60FPS, and the slightly superior Performance RT mode, which took the compromises made for the Performance mode, but attempted to reintegrate ray tracing to the game.

As is often the case when console games are ported to PC, there is the option to achieve far superior visuals with the increased power of modern PC builds. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be no different, as it improves upon the PS5's offering with "Amazing" and "Ultimate" Ray Tracing modes on PC. The "Amazing" mode runs 1440p at 60FPS or 4K at 30FPS, and "Ultimate" offers a full 4K experience at 60FPS.

Considering how Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was clearly made with the PS5's hardware in mind, it will be interesting to see how Nixxes has optimized it for different PC specs. Nixxes' previous ports of Insomniac's two Marvel's Spider-Man titles were praised for their improvements, however, so hopefully this level of quality will continue with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

Source: Insomniac Games/Twitter