The gameplay is similar to other games in the Ratchet & Clank series but more focused on Gravity. The game features new weapons and gadgets as well as some returning ones, including the Fusion Grenade and The Warmonger. The game introduces new weapons as well, such as The Winterizer, which creates a tornado freezing enemies and turns them into snowmen, The OmniBlaster, a fast short range weapon and a Nightmare Box, a device that scares enemies, usually in forms of clowns, an eye or a pirate leaving Ratchet all sorts of weapons to eliminate them. Skill Points, Cheats and Gold Bolts make their return. Gadgets include The Repulsor, which suspends enemies in mid-air.
The main goal is for the Nether to reach the other side of the rift through the protagonist Ratchet's dimension. Gravity is a vital entity in this game, as it is used to travel to hard to reach places. Clank also participates in 2D sections referred to The Netherverses which are mind bending puzzles, where Clank must navigate a treacherous maze while a Nether follows him.
Characters such as Zephyr, Cronk and Talwyn returned, not forgetting the half-hearted super-sized hero Captain Qwark and The Plumber. The army of enemies called Thugs-4-Less (an army from the series' second game) returns. The Intergalactic Arena (named later as Destructapalooza) also returns. Raritanium is used to upgrade weapons. The game has three difficulty settings: Cadet, Hero and Legend. A Challenge Mode is also available.