Insomniac Games isn't skimping on its plans for DualSense support when it comes to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart; in fact, the studio teased that the PlayStation 5 controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers will be used to their fullest extent. Sony and Insomniac unveiled the title last summer during the PS5's first big event, with an announcement trailer showcasing the power of the new system.
Most notably, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart counts among one of the few major releases from Sony's first-party developer this year that will launch exclusively on PS5. It should come as no surprise, either. The hallmark feature for this Ratchet & Clank adventure centers around hopping from one plane of existence to the next using seamless traversal via dimensional rifts. Based on the Rift Apart gameplay shown, thus far, such dimension-jumping antics would not have been possible on PlayStation 4's nearly eight-year-old hardware.
What the studio has in store for DualSense would have additionally proven impossible on last-gen technology. Speaking with GamesRadar, Game Director Mike Daly said each of Rift Apart's weapons will boast custom functions for the adaptive triggers, which were designed to affect the "pull of the trigger itself." Insomniac is also using the DualSense's haptics to further diversify the feel of weapons. According to Daly, haptic feedback will "give every impact unique and physical sensations that further allow weapons to express their personality." He additionally noted that haptics and the DualSense controller's speakers are being married in interesting ways, which would not otherwise be an option with regular rumble features. Daly told GamesRadar,
"Weapons are always at the forefront of the Ratchet experience, and the DualSense gives us powerful new tools to take each weapon's unique personality even further. We combine haptics with the controller speaker to make the physical aspect of firing a weapon feel distinctly textured and believable. The expressiveness of the controller is very valuable here, as our weapons all look and feel very different from one another, so it wouldn't be nearly as convincing if all of them had a similar basic rumble."
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart sounds as though it's primed to become the franchise's most inventive installment yet. Since the series debut on the PlayStation 2, the crew at Insomniac has continued to raise the bar with innovative weapons and gameplay features. Apparently, Rift Apart will be no exception.
One major question still lingers, however. When will Rift Apart hit store shelves? Insomniac previously suggested a launch window release, yet that span of time is already closing. Perhaps launch date information will go live with just a few months to spare before release? It's the approach Sony employed with Returnal's recent announcement; that very same strategy also worked for God of War (2018), whose April ship date was revealed in late January of 2018.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is scheduled to come to the PlayStation 5 on an unspecified date this year.
Source: GamesRadar