There are only two months left in 2021. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, gaming has provided a solace for those seeking to escape from the real world for a few moments to live out their wildest fantasies. Video games only seem to get bigger and better with each passing year, becoming more complex as technology improves. This year has been no exception, with a bevy of standout titles like Returnal, Metroid Dread and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
Serving as one of the PlayStation 5's premier exclusives, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was a stunning spectacle, packed with action and laugh-out-loud humor the series is known for. It scored well with critics and fans alike, sold a great deal of copies, and added to an impressive lineup of PlayStation 5 exclusives. When looking at all of the major titles in 2021, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart can easily stand tall among the pack. However, it released back in June, leading to a time gap that may cause some lapses in memory when gaming awards season rolls around.
Stiff Competition in 2021
A healthy assortment of games from a variety of genres released in 2021. Whether players are interested in puzzle, action, or shooter games, a solid number of releases came out. Naturally, only a few can truly stand above the rest, and 2021 had its share of winners. Deathloop impressed many in the industry, garnering near-perfect reviews across multiple publications. Metroid Dread also rocked the world, proving to be a strong return for one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises.
Something both of these games share is that they both released in the past two months: Deathloop on September 7, and Metroid Dread on October 8. This is important to note, as it marks a pattern within the industry and a usual window that bigger releases aim for. These dates place the games closer to the holiday season, when people are getting ready to shop for gifts. Additionally, it means they are fresh in the minds of critics when Game of the Year awards roll in.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was well reviewed, but June was a long time ago in today's fast-paced world. It may have faded from memory, especially when other great titles have come out in the months since, such as Far Cry 6 and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. A similar outcome is often seen in the film industry, as Oscar buzz usually surrounds movies that release toward the end of the year, even if there were stellar movies earlier on.
Rift Apart is One of the PS5's Best
The one thing working in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's favor is that it is a highlight on the PlayStation 5. Sony's new console isn't even a year old at the time of this writing, and while there are a lot of games available, its library still has plenty of room to grow. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart has taken advantage of this opening to position itself as one of the must-have exclusive for the system. This is especially evident by how much it pushed the PS5's unique SSD hardware.
The dazzling graphics on display and huge setpieces make Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart one of the first truly next-gen gaming experiences. For that reason alone, it may be able to stick long enough for awards season to roll around. Another factor working in Ratchet's favor is that a fellow PlayStation icon actually cleaned up during awards season just a few years ago. God of War (2018) released in April of that year, and despite steep competition it still managed to come out on top. Maybe Ratchet will follow in Kratos' footsteps and secure another win for Sony during awards season.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is available on PS5.