Of the PlayStation 5 games revealed so far, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the clearest example of how the console's enhanced power could enhance gameplay. Among other impressive technical features, the PlayStation 5's SSD allows for (almost) seamless dimension-hopping in Rift Apart, which its developers say wouldn't have been possible on previous consoles.

Murmurs of the custom PlayStation 5 SSD's power reached their peak following system architect Mark Cerny's PS5 tech presentation in March, which detailed the console's specs ahead of its full reveal in June. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the PS5 hardware, saying the system utilizes its proprietary SSD in a way that makes it more efficient than modern PCs. For context, Sony previously claimed the SSD is 100 times faster than PS4 when it comes to reading and writing data.

Related: Which Ratchet & Clank Games To Play Before Rift Apart

The return of Insomniac's classic action-platformer franchise may seem an unlikely showcase for the SSD, but Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart's central gameplay hook shows off how instant load times can improve PS5 games - beyond the simple convenience of not having to sit through loading screens.

What The PlayStation 5's SSD Could Actually Do To Make PS5 Games Better

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart Trailer Rail Grind

Rift Apart's story revolves around a device called the Dimensionator. Gone haywire, it opens up cracks in Ratchet & Clank's reality, allowing players to hop between dimensions. In a Rift Apart developer insights video, Insomniac explained the worlds seen in these rifts are all rendered in real time, accessible almost instantaneously thanks to the SSD's "screamingly fast" loading speeds. Players' stints in each dimension are buffered by a brief fall through a purple void. This appears to essentially be a replacement for traditional loading screens, but each fall is only seconds long - although there is still a slight stutter as Ratchet goes from the scripted falling animation to controllable gameplay. Other elements of the game also speak to PS5's technical specs, such as the number of intricately animated particle effects, enemies, and NPCs viewable on screen, which appears to be a step up from most current-gen games.

The relatively seamless dimension-hopping is impressive, to be sure, but it's worth mentioning that everything of the mechanic seen so far appears to take place during heavily scripted sequences. Insomniac hasn't yet shown if players will be able to jump from world to world at will, so it's hard to tell if the SSD will affect Rift Apart's moment-to-moment gameplay in a meaningful way. Worrying also are the game's graphical options: Players can choose between a 60fps mode in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and a 4K 30fps mode, which may disappoint fans hoping next-gen consoles would lead to a 4K 60fps standard. Plus, even the most promising elements of Ratchet & Clank's PS5 SSD utilization may not see similar use elsewhere, as whether or not third-party PS5 games will even try to use the tech is another question entirely.

Next: PS5 SSD Has "Zero Chance" Of Being Utilized By Third-Party Developers

The PlayStation 5 will launch in the 2020 holiday season.