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You should really get your hands on a PS3 to play the rest of the series. R&C 1, 2, and 3 are available in 1080p as a collection, and you can download Deadlocked (skippable game, but it’s there) on the PS Store still. Then there are the Future games, in order: Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty (skippable game), A Crack in Time, and Into the Nexus. There’s also some side games like Secret Agent Clank and Size Matters (PSP and PS2) and All 4 One, but those aren’t part of the main series so they’re skippable as well. PS4 also has the notable re-imagining of the first game (based on the movie based on the game) and it’s actually a really compelling title, but not worth getting a PS4 over. I just happen to have a PS4 for other games. Rift Apart has me wanting a PS5, because I think these titles are best enjoyed with a home media center, but having it available on PC (and Steam Deck, apparently!) is really incredible and exciting.
I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for a good deal - I’d love to play those ps3 titles! Do their stories build up on each other in any meaningful way?
Yes they do! The story follows a thread from RC1-3, Deadlocked, and the Future games all the way up through Rift Apart. They re-hashed the story of the first game in the PS4 remake, but it hits all the same story beats.