My particular favorite is the Nightmare Box, a selection of jack-in-box projectiles containing demented ghouls that terrify and distract opponents. The regular grenade launchers and shotguns have been augmented with such weapons as the Netherbeast, which launches small demons from Vendra’s dimension, and the Winterizer, which transforms enemies into snowmen while “Jingle Bells” charmingly plays over the action. An action-platformer of the most chaotic quality, Into the Nexus preserves the hectic run-and-gun combat that has kept the series alive for so long, with another arsenal of ludicrous weapons and kooky enemies upon which to use them. Ratchet & Clank‘s formula hasn’t dramatically changed over the years, and it really doesn’t need to. It’s a brief game, at only a few hours, but the story keeps up an energetic pace that ought to satisfy Lombax fans. The plot is as lighthearted as you’d expect, but peppered with darker moments, and rich in silly humor. Naturally, things go wrong fairly quickly, as Vendra escapes and plots to open a portal to a world of deadly interdimensional monsters. Into the Nexus caps off Ratchet and Clank’s PlayStation 3 adventures, as our titular space heroes imprison the evil space witch Vendra and plan to make her answer for her crimes. The Lombax and his robot buddy are in fine form, delivering a fuss-free and quick-fire romp through the galaxy that rarely lets the pulse rate drop. To my great relief, the team pulled it out of the hat with this one. While I crossed my fingers for Insomniac’s latest effort – its own swansong for this particular generation – I was worried that Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus would continue a chain of disappointment. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was a tepid squirt of disappointment, while FUSE came to represent everything wrong with the pre-packaged, focus-tested, cynically regurgitated console market. Sadly, I’ve just not been feeling the same kind of love and craftsmanship from Insomniac lately. It’s a wonderful, wonderful studio – one of those companies that seem to “get” how videogames should be made, a studio that can craft a fascinating – and often adorable – world full of vibrancy and humor. Insomniac and I have had a rough ride in recent years.
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