Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart brings its signature blend of frenetic action, inventive weapons, and cartoon flair to the PlayStation 5 with immense style. But beyond the beautifully rendered worlds and dimension-hopping storyline, there are a host of hidden mechanics, tricks, and optimizations that the game never quite spells out for you. Here are 13 essential tips that will give you a serious edge as you blast your way across the Omniverse.
1. Bolts Are More Important Than Ever
In Rift Apart, bolts remain the main currency—and they’re vital. If you can’t afford to buy a new weapon when it becomes available at Ms. Zurkon’s shop, you’ll risk being severely underpowered, especially on higher difficulties. Always smash every single box, and after every battle, comb the battlefield thoroughly. Bolts don’t automatically fly to you, so if you’re not collecting them manually, you’re literally leaving money on the floor.
Hunting down crates off the main path can result in sizable bonuses too. Early in the game, it’s worth veering off-course to look for stockpiled crates and hidden pockets of wealth. The grind is real—but it pays off.
2. Use the Bolt Replacement Cheat Early
By default, bolts are small, metallic, and easily lost in grass or debris. But once you collect just two gold bolts, you’ll unlock the Bolt Replacement cheat. The first two gold bolts are found in Nefarious City: one during the Phantom chase sequence, and another across a gap accessible once you’ve unlocked the Phantom Dash.
Once activated, the cheat allows you to change the appearance of bolts into vibrant alternatives—like bright blue orbs. These stand out far better, making it much easier to gather every last one. And don’t worry about enabling cheats: unlike the 2016 reboot, cheats in Rift Apart don’t restrict XP gain, story progression, or trophies.
3. Don’t Fear the Cheats—They’re Built to Help
The game’s cheat system is shockingly generous. At 23 and 24 gold bolts respectively, you’ll unlock infinite health and infinite ammo. These aren’t just fun gimmicks—they’re vital tools, especially near the end of the game when you’re trying to max out weapons to V5 or prepare for Challenge Mode.
Challenge Mode—Rift Apart’s take on New Game Plus—introduces a bolt multiplier that stacks as you defeat enemies. Normally, the multiplier resets when you take damage, but with infinite health active, it never breaks. This lets you farm bolts at an exponential rate and makes expensive Omega weapons (like the Omega Peacemaker) far more attainable.
4. Difficulty Settings Are Purely Optional
Some games punish you for dropping the difficulty. Rift Apart doesn’t. There are no difficulty-based trophies, no content restrictions, and no condescending gimmicks like chicken hats. Feel free to play how you like. You can even change difficulty on the fly without having to reload a checkpoint.
If you’re struggling or just want to power through to get collectibles or level weapons, dial the difficulty down and enjoy the ride. It’s your dimension to explore, after all.
5. Skip Glitch and Clank Puzzles If You’re Not Feeling Them
Some players love Clank’s time-bending puzzle sequences or the Glitch hacking mini-games. Others… not so much. Thankfully, you can pause the game and hit “Skip Puzzle” to bypass them completely. This is especially useful in second playthroughs, where you’re focused on completion and not so much on tinkering with speed orbs.
Even better? Skipping doesn’t void rewards. You still get all the items, bolts, or progress you’d earn from finishing the sequence yourself.
6. Weapon XP Is Earned Per Hit, Not Per Kill
Unlike earlier Ratchet games, where a weapon’s XP scaled with kills, Rift Apart rewards you just for hitting enemies. This means even weak weapons can be leveled up by repeatedly tagging durable foes. If you’re trying to bring a gun up to level 5, don’t wait until enemies are weak—start spraying as early as possible.
Just remember: once a weapon hits level 5, it no longer gains XP. Be sure to rotate your arsenal and work on your other gear so nothing lags behind.
7. Phantom Dash Momentum Hack
Phantom Dashing is essential for mobility and combat survival, but there’s a slight momentum loss as the dash ends. This can slow you down in tight fights. A simple trick: jump before dashing. You’ll retain momentum and keep your flow going, which is especially handy during high-octane boss fights or traversal segments.
8. Rethink the Melee Throw
Rift Apart makes melee tossing slightly clunkier than past titles, but it can still be a useful tool. Cold Snap enemies, for instance, are often one-hit kills with a follow-up wrench toss, and you can even use it to collect bolts from a distance.
You can rebind the melee throw to a d-pad shortcut under accessibility options for quick access. However, it’s worth noting that melee kills don’t yield XP. So if you’re farming, maybe stick to guns.
9. Use Contrast Settings to Highlight Key Objects
If you ever find yourself squinting for collectibles, enable the contrast filters under accessibility. These allow you to recolor objects like gold bolts, crates, or mission targets. Map it to your d-pad for quick toggling, and you’ll never miss a shiny again.
10. Let the Map Help You
As you explore, your map automatically marks areas in pink to indicate explored zones. If you’ve passed near collectibles—like raritanium caches or spybots—they’ll show up on your map, even if you didn’t see them.
Later in the game, you’ll unlock the Mapp-O-Matic. It’s a game changer, instantly revealing all collectibles and hidden raritanium. If you’re a completionist, don’t leave without it.
11. Save Raritanium for Challenge Mode Upgrades
Challenge Mode introduces new mod slots for every weapon’s Omega variant, and upgrading those requires raritanium. Before you beat the game, try to stash away at least 20–30 raritanium. You can earn that quickly by completing the “Twice as Nice” arena challenge a couple of times—or once, if you’re wearing the Praetorian armor set.
12. Don’t Miss the Two New Weapons in Challenge Mode
Beyond Omega versions of your existing arsenal, Challenge Mode also adds two brand-new weapons. These exclusive additions continue the game’s tradition of inventive, often hilarious firearms, and they too have upgrade trees.
Don’t overlook them. They’re part of what makes your second run feel fresh.
13. The Pixelizer Easter Egg Is Pure Magic
Finally, a fun bonus tip. If you have the Pixelizer—available early for pre-orders or in Challenge Mode—and you level it to 5, charge it up and hold it to your ear. That’s it. Just do it. It might be the most charming secret tucked inside the entire game.
With these tips in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to handle anything Rift Apart throws your way—whether you’re dodging warbots, tracking down collectibles, or just listening to your weapons sing. The game is packed with surprises, and now, you’re ready to find them all.
Happy rifting!
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