Quick Note: If you're not a fan of the series there's nothing
here for you. But if you enjoy the games or want to enjoy a great 3D
platformer with a solid combat system, pick this game up immediately.
Since
the original released in 2002, I've been playing Ratchet and Clank. I
love 3D platformers, and Ratchet and Clank has always been enjoyable,
with strong combat focused on unique weapons and a deceptively
interesting lore. One of my fondest gaming memories has to be playing
Going Commando in high school on mute while blaring the 311 Greatest
Hits CD, and to this day I have to play the series with some form of rap
rock or beach music in the back ground. Needless to say, I'm a fan. And
despite the experimental nature of the past two games in the franchise,
Into the Nexus is the perfect cap for the duo before we all turn in our
PS3's for the next generation.
Into the
Nexus is a more traditional Ratchet and Clank that takes place after A
Crack in Time. The game picks up with the pair helping Zephyr and Cronk
export the dangerous criminal Vendra Prog to her prison in the Vartax
Detention Center when her brother Neftin Prog assaults the transport
ship. After narrowly escaping, the dynamic duo finds themselves in a
haunted quadrant of the galaxy. The tone for the game is slightly darker
than past iterations, delving into horror tropes to keep you on your
toes. This change in pace is quite refreshing and helps to differentiate
the game from it's larger and better recognized predecessors. Despite
this unique twist on the typical Ratchet and Clank story telling, the
storyline is by far the weak point of Into the Nexus, ending with a
whimper rather than a bang.
The best
part about Into the Nexus, though, is it's return to form of the older
games. Ratchet and Clank gather weapons as they explore worlds and beat
baddies into submission. Combat is as tight as ever, and new weapons
like the Nightmare Box and higher difficulty settings like the Legendary
setting keep the game refreshing from start to finish. I especially
like the new touches with upgrades, revolving around both combat
experience as well as a grid system that uses raritanium and requires
you to surround special grid pieces to unlock special abilities for each
weapon. Each weapon still has a final upgrade, which changes it's form
and adds a special ability to help improve the weapon even further. I
especially love the introduction of the Zurkon Family as Mr. Zurkon's
final upgrade ("Mr. Zurkon doesn't need bolts. His only currency, is
pain.").
Other older inclusions have been brought back as
well, such as the Jet Pack attachment, which adds aerial combat into the
mix for some great, off the walls shoot outs. Arena battles also make a
return with some interesting challenges to tackle, both inside and out
of battle. There's even a level that requires collecting a specific item
(horns in this iteration) by exploring an open landscape and battling
hundreds of creatures, just like the older PS2 games. These were some of
my favorite time wasters in the original trilogy and it's nice to see
them come back, especially since it's a more condensed experience than
in the past. This game has basically taken all the best aspects of the
franchise and fused them into a smaller, bite sized but potent game, and
I love everything about that.
To make up
for it's short length, there is a challenge mode to play through the
game again with everything from your first run carried over. This also
comes with a bolt multiplier that slowly builds up to x10 as long as you
don't take a hit from your foes. There's also an added Platinum round
to the Arena battles for those with a brave heart and enemies are
generally tougher overall. Omega weapons also become available to buy,
allowing you to upgrade your arsenal to ridiculously powerful
proportions. There's nothing more satisfying than aiming the RHYNO at a
boss and tearing it to pieces in three seconds flat.
Despite
the shorter length and the lackluster ending, Into the Nexus is
everything I want in Ratchet and Clank: it's fun, tight combat and
platforming with enough refreshing touches that I want to come back
again and again. Even after obtaining the Platinum, I feel like I will
be back again for some more of the galaxy's most famous duo. I highly
recommend Into the Nexus for fans of the series or anyone who enjoys a
good 3D platformer.
9.5 out of 10
Here Are Some Links:
The Game Home Page
The IGN Review
The Wiki Page
The Metacritic Page
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