Everyone in the States is playing with the Playstation 4 and I’m sitting here writing reviews for Playstation 3 games. But that’s not such a bad thing considering how Sony is still heavily invested in its current gen machine, forking out exclusives which are simply fantastic. This quarter we already had Beyond: Two Souls, and now it’s the time for the return of the awesome duo, Ratchet and Clank, just before Gran Turismo 6 makes its way to the shelves in a few days. Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus is Insomniac’s first proper Ratchet and Clank Adventure title, following their decision to develop games for platforms other than the Playstation (which didn’t go as well as they planned). I for one was really looking forward to jump into the Ratchet and Clank Future world once again, and with so many innovations introduced in this title I couldn’t keep my pants on
Audio and Video: As any other installment in the franchize, the visuals of the game look spectacularly good. The textures are flawless, the environments are vast and look great, and the lighting is spot on. Matching these visuals is great sound quality; the voice acting is as awesome as ever, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the DTS surround sound is superb and pristine in every aspect.
Gameplay Mechanics: The equation is still pretty much the same as the rest of the titles in the main adventure series. You have the Puzzle and platforming elements which are great and challenging as always, you have the great arsenal which comes with an improved inventory and upgrade system, and you also have the funny dialogue and Easter eggs which are awesome (I’m saying awesome too many times but I DON’T CARE). This time around Insomniac introduce zero gravity environments which are simply fantastic and also add a new dynamic to the game. Ratchet and Clank also get a new travel tool called the grav tether which is a basically allows you to travel through selected environments in zero grav streams. As always Clank is an integral part of the game, and this time Insomniac introduce cool new clank side scrolling mini games which are simply addictive as hell and very well made!
Personal Experience: I must admit that I was a bit worried that Insomniac would fudge this up, seeing as their agenda has changed since releasing the predecessor of this game (A Crack in Time). I needed this title to be good cause I had to wash off the bad taste left behind by Batman Arkham Origins, which sucked a bag of Dix (changing the spelling makes it ok). But thankfully Into the Nexus is a fantastic title with a great story, with a witty and zany dialog and starring the most charming characters Sony have. Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus is an amazing game and a homage to the Playstation 3 platform, which just like the Ratchet and Clank series, was filled with great moments and was a fantastic experience all together.
Overall Rating: 9/10
Written By: Matthew Cesareo
