Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a great entry point to the long-running series, but it also offers long-term fans a lot of less obvious options in order to enhance their playthroughs of the game. Some of these are present in previous games, but others take advantage of brand new features added to Rift Apart such as the dash.
Most of the points in this list aren't brought up by the game itself, and instead rely on experienced players discovering them through either remembering options in older titles or simply experimenting with Rift Apart's gameplay in order to figure them out.
10 Turn Mid-Air Using The Phantom Dash
The Phantom Dash is one of the new features added to Rift Apart, giving players the ability to dodge and pass through enemy attacks. What some players may not know is that the dash isn't fixed in a specific direction, meaning players can use it to move in any direction even after they activate it.
This makes the move a lot more useful in platforming segments, as it can be used to move around corners or tight turns, something which comes into play when collecting a few of the Gold Bolt collectibles. It's also a good ability to take advantage of in combat, with players being able to move towards specific enemies using it.
9 Rearrange The Weapon Wheel
The weapon wheel is everpresent in the Ratchet & Clank series and allows players quick access to their full arsenal of weapons. What isn't explained, though, is that the default arrangement of weapons can be altered within the menus, giving players the ability to change the order in which the items appear.
Players can customize the wheel however they want by simply heading to the weapons tab and pressing 'X' over the item they wish to swap with another. This is a great way for players to always have access to their favorite weapons. Alternatively placing all the lower-level weapons on the first page makes them easier to use, and consequently, level up.
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One of the coolest features that people might not realize is present in Rift Apart is that they don't need to equip armor in order to gain its passive buffs. As a result, you can wear whatever armor you want with no consequences on gameplay; this also makes collecting all the games different armor sets well worth doing.
This is explained the first time you receive a piece of armor, but it's never mentioned again and most players will likely miss this piece of information. Buffs are also applied even if the full set of armor hasn't been collected yet, so don't stress too much if a certain piece of armor is particularly evasive.
7 Unlock The RYNO 8
Collecting all the Spybots in Rift Apart rewards you with the incredibly powerful RYNO 8 weapon, which is able to spawn items from other dimensions and deals devastating damage to enemies. It's a bit of a hassle to unlock, but considering it is one of, if not the best weapon in the game, it's well worth doing.
Players aren't told what collecting the Spybots does, so some might miss out on using what is one of the most enjoyable weapons in the game. It's an ever-present weapon in the series and has remained one of the deadliest weapons in Ratchet's arsenal across each game.
6 Pin Items On The Map
Pressing the touchpad in Rift Apart brings up the world map, complete with various icons marking items such as the ship, completed pocket dimensions, and collectibles. Using the pin feature on the map will provide a helpful pointer in the direction of the selected object, making it much easier to locate missing collectibles.
This takes away some of the organic discovery that comes with simply exploring the world, but for those players looking to clean up the last few items on a planet, it's a great time-saving tip. It will also provide you with the ability to know the vertical position of the collectible in question too, making the collection process a breeze.
5 Combining Weapon Types In Combat
With the variety of weapons available to players, the best way to approach combat is by combining numerous guns in order to make defeating enemies easier. Before unloading on enemies using weapons such as the Burst Pistol and Enforcer, players should look to deploy support options like Mr. Fungi and the Topiary Sprinkler. This allows players to even the odds when facing larger groups of enemies by immobilizing or dealing massive damage to them.
This also means you can get experience for more weapons, which in the long term works to make them more powerful so that they can deal more damage to stronger enemies you'll meet later on in Rift Apart.
4 Grind Bolts In The Arena
Bolts are incredibly valuable in Rift Apart, allowing players to buy new weapons, as well as replenishing ammo supplies. As a result, ensuring that they have a healthy supply of them is crucial, and the arena is a great way to grind bolts out. The first time you take on each challenge, you'll earn a lot of bolts.
They're less plentiful on replayed attempts, but it's still a great method of earning bolts at any point in the game. Plus the arena is incredibly fun, so it's a win-win really.
3 Using Rifts In Combat
Rifts aren't just a gimmick in Rift Apart, they're also incredibly useful in combat encounters. Using rifts is a great way to move around the battlefield and for players to reorganize their weapons and avoid being surrounded by enemies.
Enemies can't deal damage as soon as the rift animation is started too, so it's a good way to avoid a whole bunch of damage if things are getting a bit too intense. It also gives you the chance to get the jump on enemies as they reconfigure themselves to where you are now located.
2 Use The Wrench / Hammer
Ratchet & Clank games are well known for their giant arsenals of creative weapons, and Rift Apart is no different. This leads to the ol' reliable wrench being ignored, despite it being a very useful tool. Both Ratchet and Rivet can throw their corresponding melee weapons, allowing them to hit enemies at a distance, but it also means players can collect bolts that are out of reach.
This method can also be used to destroy all the crate types, and it can wipe out a bunch of the weaker enemies in the game. Most people aren't aware of this extra feature of the melee weapons, despite its usefulness.
1 Unlock The Map-O-Matic
The Map-o-Matic is an amazing item to pick up for players looking to find all of Rift Apart's collectibles. It can be found by completing the side mission on Ardolis, and it shows every collectible on each world, aside from the Craiggerbears.
The Map-o-Matic is unlocked fairly late in the campaign, but it's great for players who may have missed the odd Golden Bolt or Raritanium across the game's numerous worlds. It's also great for New Game+, as it will be unlocked from the start and can be used throughout the second playthrough of Rift Apart.