One of the main staples to any Ratchet and Clank game are the weapons, and Rift Apart doesn't shy away from that in any regard. Ratchet and Rivet have access to loads of unique and crazy weaponry that it is almost impossible to keep tabs on which ones seem the most valuable and worthy of your time and resources to upgrade.
Luckily, a handful of weapons stand above the rest early on in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and, when upgraded, can help alleviate some of the more challenging early game areas. Every weapon in Rift Apart can be worth using, but only a select few should get considered for upgrading -- especially since it requires rare resources.
Blast Pistol - Great First Gun
The Blast Pistol will be the first weapon players get their hands on and will be their go-to option for the first few hours of the game. While the Blast Pistol is the game's starting weapon, it does a surprising amount of damage when upgraded.
When fully upgraded, the Blast Pistol will have an incredibly fast rate of fire, a much tighter spread, faster projectile speed, and greater ammo capacity. All of which combine to make it one of the more deadly early-game weapons in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The Blast Pistol will shred through practically any enemy in the early outings and is particularly strong in close-range engagements.
Shatterbomb - Good For Large Enemy Groups
The Shatterbomb is, more or less, the second weapon players will obtain in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The Shatterbomb is essentially a grenade-style weapon that has the player throw it at the opposition and watch it take care of the threat from a distance.
When the Shatterbomb gets fully upgraded, the user can confidently eliminate multiple enemies with one single Shatterbomb and have plenty more to spare for the rest of them. A fully upgraded Shatterbomb will grant the bombs a larger blast radius, higher damage output, and even a second detonation allowing it to finish off any enemy that survived the first blast. Throwing these bombs around recklessly is fun and viable which is nice!
Ricochet - Watch The Bullets Bounce
One of the more unique early-game weapons in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is the Ricochet gun! Players will launch a projectile at an enemy and then punish the enemy further by rapidly pulling the trigger to keep bouncing the shot off the enemy, dealing loads of damage.
What makes the Ricochet gun a great choice to upgrade in the early game is its potential to deal large amounts of damage in rapid succession. Upgrading this weapon allows players to hit multiple targets with the ricocheting projectile and deal additional damage if they have perfect timing on each subsequent bounce.
Topiary Sprinkler - Crowd Control
While the Topiary Sprinkler doesn't damage enemies, it serves a much more vital role in combat than many of the other unique weapons obtainable in the front half of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The Topiary Sprinkler will turn any enemy caught in its spray of water into various shrubs and flowers, freezing them in place. This allows the player to get in close and punish them with their melee weapon or another weapon.
Upgrading the Topiary Sprinkler will allow the player to deploy two sprinklers at once and carry more ammo. Additionally, the Topiary Sprinkler will also increase the drop rate of healing Nanotech on defeated enemies affected by the weapon's properties. When in topiary form, the player deals extra damage, making this weapon shine on the more tanky foes. The Topiary Sprinkler is one of the most fun weapons to use in the game and remains excellent until the end of the game.
Negatron Collider - Insane Damage Capacity
The Negatron Collider is a devastating laser beam that can wipe out multiple enemies at once, so as long as the weapon is upgraded and the baddies are close to one another. However, even without any upgrades, the Negatron Collider still has the highest damage output than any other starting weapon in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, making it necessary for the early game boss encounters.
Upgrading the Negatron Collider turns it from an already great weapon to an unstoppable one. At least in the early game. When upgraded, this weapon can vaporize incoming enemy projectiles and even deal additional damage when hitting multiple enemies. Additionally, like most weapons in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, you can increase the weapon's ammo capacity and fire rate.
Lightning Rod - Hunts Down Foes When Upgraded
Despite being an early game weapon, the Lightning Rod is also a threat to any opposition in the late game and can deal mass amounts of damage to multiple enemies.
Upgrading the Lightning Rod will increase the weapons range and the number of enemies that can be shocked at the same time. Furthermore, when the Lightning Rod gets upgraded, it will track down its targets more efficiently and even electrocute foes more consistently.
Mr. Fungi - A Fun Guy
Even though Mr. Fungi rarely outright kills enemies, he offers substantial support and will help the player overcome encounters with waves of baddies. While Mr. Fungi probably won't kill the regular enemies, any critter-like enemy is likely a one-shot kill for Mr. Fungi!
When fully upgraded, players will be able to send out two Mr. Fungi at once, making it even more helpful in swarm-like encounters. Mr. Fungi will also leave behind a toxic cloud when it leaves, damaging any enemy caught inside it.