Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a single-player action platformer and third-person shooter game. The story begins when Ratchet and his robotic companion Clank attend a celebration honoring their past heroics. During the event, Doctor Nefarious steals a device called the Dimensionator, which tears open rifts between dimensions. As the multiverse begins to fracture, Ratchet and Clank are separated, and Ratchet encounters Rivet, a resistance fighter from another dimension. The objective becomes repairing the dimensional collapse, stopping Nefarious, and finding a way for the separated heroes to reunite.

Gameplay alternates between controlling Ratchet and Rivet, with both characters sharing access to the same arsenal of weapons and upgrades. Combat emphasizes variety, with players able to carry a large selection of weapons at once. Guns range from traditional blasters to more eccentric designs, such as weapons that transform enemies into shrubs or summon construction hammers. Each weapon can be upgraded through use, increasing damage, rate of fire, and secondary effects. Additional improvements are purchased with raritanium, a collectible resource found during exploration.

Traversal combines platforming, mobility gadgets, and dimensional mechanics. Both Ratchet and Rivet can double jump, wall run, grapple to points with a tether, and use magnetic boots for specialized surfaces. Rift Tether points allow players to instantly pull themselves across large distances, while dimensional rifts shift the environment around them to new locations mid-combat or mid-platforming. Levels are structured as semi-linear hubs with both critical paths and optional side areas.

Progression is tied to bolts, the series’ currency, which are used to purchase new weapons at vendors. Gold bolts and other collectibles unlock cheats, cosmetic changes, and upgrades. Armor pieces scattered throughout the game provide statistical benefits when assembled into sets, offering resistances to certain enemy attacks or elemental effects. Weapons gain levels through consistent use. Puzzle sequences occur when controlling Clank, requiring players to manipulate multiple duplicates of himself across obstacle courses by adjusting environmental modifiers. There are also Glitch sequences where a small spider-like robot fights viruses inside corrupted systems. These interludes provide variety while granting rewards for completion.

Platform-specific differences exist between releases, with the console versions using advanced haptic feedback and instant-loading transitions for rift mechanics, while the PC version includes expanded graphics settings and support for additional hardware. Both versions maintain the same narrative and core mechanics.