Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Ending Explained

That loveable Lombax is back. Proving four heads are better than one, there are some new faces in Insomniac Games' Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart that are poised to become franchise favourites. Picking up as a sequel to 2013's Into the Nexus, Rift Apart follows our titular duo as they journey into the multiverse to tackle Dr. (sorry, Emperor) Nefarious and his villainous scheme to rule all galaxies. 

With Ratchet and Clank separated, a female Lombax called Rivet takes that bucket of bolts along for the ride, while Ratchet meets the reformed Warbot KT-7461 - aka Kit. The various factions come together with a few familiar friends and foes from the franchise's past, where Rift Apart delivers what's being held as one of the best-looking PlayStation 5 games yet.

If you want to know how things round off and whether Rift Apart sets us up for another Ratchet & Clank game, DLC, or even spinoff, here's the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ending explained.

Warning: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart spoilers ahead

What happens in the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ending?

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After Rivet manages to break Ratchet, Clank, and the rest of the Resistance forces out of jail, a crack team of heroes go after Emperor Nefarious. The all-powerful Emperor decides to take over Ratchet and Clank's home dimension before setting his sights on the rest. Rivet goes it alone to take on the Emperor but is quickly joined by a reformed Kit who learns she might work best as part of a team.

As Kit keeps Nefarious' Warbot army at bay, players take control of Rivet and chip away at his armour with a well-stocked arsenal of enemies. With the Dimensionator overclocking, it destabilises all dimensions and things become trippier than ever. However, with a final blow from her hammer, Rivet bests Nefarious. Ratchet and Clank then join the fight to open a final dimension. Even though Emperor Nefarious still thinks he has the upper hand, he's dragged to the briny deep on the planet Ardolis by a giant squid-like alien.

It looks like Emperor Nefarious is done for, but if the series has taught us anything, Nefarious(es) have a habit of making it out of these sort of scrapes to plan another dastardly scheme. With the dimensions sealed and everything tied off with a neat bow, Rivet and Kit head off to become heroes in their own dimension. Ratchet suggests a "pit stop" on the way home - teasing that we'll finally visit the Lombax dimension in the inevitable Rift Apart sequel. 

Does the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ending set up a sequel?

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Despite the story coming to a natural end here, it would be foolish to discount a Rift Apart sequel. If the ending didn't cue up a dimension hop to the mythical land of the Lombaxes, the post-credits confirm it. For those who need a refresher on their R&C history, the villainous Percival Tachyon tried to eradicate Ratchet and Rivet's species, then forced the Lombaxes to flee into an alternate dimension. They've been there ever since, meaning Ratchet is (usually) alone out here.

Rift Apart's post-credits give players an update on what the characters get up to next. Dr. Nefarious seems to have given up his evil ways, while Rivet and Kit are seen toppling statues of Emperor Nefarious in their own dimension. The biggest tease comes from Ratchet and fan-favourite Talwyn Apogee studying a map of the dimensions and zooming in on the Lombax archives. It doesn't take a genius to figure out this will probably be the crux of the sequel.

If you aren't convinced the next game will take Ratchet, Clank, and the rest to the dimension of exiled Lombaxes, let's also remember the audio logs that can be found on the planet Savali. If you look hard enough, there are 12 audio logs from a Lombax called Mags. They allegedly created the Dimensionator and travelled the galactic map. Some think this is Ratchet's father, but considering the logs were found in Rivet's dimension, it's probably a relative of hers.

Just like Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time teased more from Crash 5, the critical and commercial success of Rift Apart will almost certainly lead to a reinvigorated Ratchet fan base. There could be a continuation with a possible DLC or Rivet and Kit spinoff, but either way, we're sure to see these female-first friends again.

Insomniac has a lot on its plate with hopes for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, so if there is a Rift Apart sequel, expect it to be a long way off yet. Still, look out for more fun and frolics from everyone's favourite video game duo - sorry, Mario and Luigi.