Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartis the first newRatchet & Clankgame in five years, but there once was a time when the series was practically an annual franchise. NewRatchet & Clankgames released on a frequent basis, in the process building up the series' roster of memorable characters. TheRatchet & Clankserieshas had a significant number of recurring characters over the years, including some that have become fan favorites.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartwill be bringing back various characters from previous games in the series. Besides the titular Ratchet and Clank, fans can also look forward to the return of the evil Dr. Nefarious, as well as Skidd McMarx, who appears to be going by the codename Phantom inRift Apart. It’s quite possible that there are other recurring characters from pastRatchet & Clankgames that will be inRift Apart, but Insomniac Games has kept them secret so far.
RELATED:Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart File Size Gets Even Smaller
Here are some of the other recurringRatchet & Clankcharacters that would be great to see return inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Please note that this article will have someSPOILERSforRatchet & Clankgames released beforeRift Apart.
Big Al
In the firstRatchet & Clankgame, the titular heroes meet Big Al, the owner and operator of Al’s Roboshack on planet Kerwan. Al has a massive impact on theRatchet & Clankseries, as he is the one who ultimately gives Clank his Heli-Pack upgrade - an upgrade that plays a role in nearly everyRatchet & Clankvideo game ever made. InRatchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Al joined the Captain Qwark-led Q-Force team along with Ratchet and Clank, while also introducing the duo to the Captain Qwark vid-comics games.
Thecombat-focusedRatchet: Deadlockedgamealso featured Al in a prominent rule, even teasing his potential death. Luckily for Big Al fans, he managed to survive the events ofRatchet: Deadlockedand while he hasn’t made any big appearances since, references to him and his Roboshack can be found in future games in the series. Seeing Al return inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartwould be a treat for fans while also paying homage to the impressive legacy he’s left in the series.
Captain Qwark
When it comes toRatchet & Clankrecurring characters, none are as prominent or important as Captain Qwark. Qwark was originally one of themain villains in theRatchet & Clankseries, having been the secret lackey of Chairman Drek in the firstRatchet & Clankgame as well as the primary antagonist inRatchet & Clank: Going Commando. Despite his initial villainous ways, Qwark slowly came around to being one of the good guys in futureRatchet & Clankgames, and has even served as a playable character at different points in the series.
Qwark’s heroics have gradually increased in theRatchet & Clankgames, to the point where he played an instrumental role in the heroes' victory inRatchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Also serving as the narrator for the 2016Ratchet & Clankre-imagining on the PS4, Qwark has done it all in theRatchet & Clankgames and it would be a shame if he didn’t make some kind of appearance inRift Apart.
As it stands, Qwark has already been heavily hinted at being inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart, though he has yet to be outright confirmed for the new game. If Qwark does return inRift Apart, a new person will be voicing the character, aslongtime Qwark voice actor Jim Wardwill not be reprising his role in the new game.
Cronk and Zephyr
Cronk and Zephyr are two grumpy old robots that were first introduced inRatchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Cronk and Zephyr proved to be popular enough characters from theRatchet & Clank Futuresaga to see them reappear in many subsequentRatchet & Clankgames, including theco-op focusedRatchet & Clank: All 4 One, where they served as weapon vendors. Unfortunately, Cronk and Zephyr were killed during the events ofRatchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t come back inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartsees the heroes travel to alternate dimensions where different versions of existing characters live. While it hasn’t been confirmed, it’s been heavily implied that new playable hero Rivet is an alternate-universe version of Ratchet, whereas thealternate-universe version of Skidd McMarxhas been all but confirmed as well. This would open the door for alternate versions of Cronk and Zephyr to appear inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart, assuming they haven’t died in that universe as well.
Helga von Streissenburgen
One of the first recurring characters that Ratchet and Clank meet in the series is Helga von Streissenburgen. Like Big Al, Helga has had a prominent impact on theRatchet & Clankseries as a whole, as she outfitted Ratchet with his first Swingshot and also taught the duo how to wall-jump. The Swingshot and wall-jumping have both remained prominent fixtures in theRatchet & Clankseries, having appeared in nearly every installment. Helga was left out of theRatchet & Clankre-imagining on the PS4, butRift Apartis the perfect opportunity to bring her back.
RELATED:Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart RYNO 8 Weaponizes Items From Other Games
Besides her appearance in the firstRatchet & Clankgame, Helga also appeared inRatchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, and similar-looking robots were featured as antagonists inRatchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, working alongsideDr. Nefarious.
Sasha Phyronix
TheRatchet & Clankseries has a bad habit of introducing major female characters and then leaving them by the wayside.Angela fromRatchet & Clank: Going Commandois one such example, and another is Sasha Phyronix. Once Ratchet’s love interest, Sasha played a big role in bothUp Your ArsenalandRatchet: Deadlocked. Since the events ofRatchet: Deadlocked, though Sasha hasn’t been seen or heard from in any otherRatchet & Clankgames.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartcould give fans some closure when it comes to Sasha Phyronix. Then again, with the character having been dormant for over a decade now, it may be more likely that Insomniac will leave her be for now.
Skrunch
Skrunch is a one-eyed monkey and the friend of Captain Qwark. First appearing inRatchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Skrunch would later have a bigger role inRatchet & Clank: Size Matterson the PSP, proving instrumental in defeating that game’s villain. Unfortunately for fans of Skrunch’s antics, the character hasn’t appeared in aRatchet & Clankgame sinceSize Matters, though has been referenced off-hand in various other games in the series.
RELATED:Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Day One Update Includes Some Serious Goodies
Talwyn Apogee
Essentially serving as Sasha Phyronix’s replacement, Talwyn Apogee becomes Ratchet’s love interest during the events of theRatchet & Clank Futuresaga. Apogee plays a major supporting role in all of theRatchet & Clank Futuregames, as well asInto the Nexus. She has stuck around longer than any of Ratchet’s other love interests throughout the entire series, and so it would definitely be great to see her return yet again forRift Apart.
The Plumber
In the firstRatchet & Clankgame, the duo come across a mysterious character known simply as The Plumber. The Plumber manages to find himself in some rather bizarre areas, having appeared in nearly everyRatchet & Clankgame released to date. The Plumber also had a role in theRatchet & Clankmovie. It is heavily implied that there is more to him than meets the eye, so maybe fans will get their answers onceRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartlaunches on the PlayStation 5.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartlaunches June 11, exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
MORE:Rift Apart Isn’t the First Time Ratchet and Clank Have Been Separated
