The first Ratchet & Clank game in the classic platforming and shooting action since A Crack in Time (way way back in 2009). We have had three years of more experimental Ratchet & Clank games in the form of All 4 One (co-op) and Full Frontal Assault (tower defense). Nexus acts as an epilogue to the Future Trilogy (that started with Tools of Destruction), continuing the story from there. However, even if you haven't played those games before, don't let it stop you as the story is really easy to get into and you don't need to know exactly what happened in the previous two games. Nexus' story is fully self-contained and can be enjoyed on its own. Graphics has come a long way on the PS3 and Nexus doesn't look as pretty when compared to contemporary games. It does not have the wow factor that Tools of Destruction had. Don't get me wrong, Nexus still looks great but the starting level looks low-res and fuzzy. Once you get into the second level, the environment detailing goes back to being impressive. Overall, objects aren't as sharp and the coloring can seem weird at times. It was mentioned when the game was first announced that Nexus takes on a more haunted, otherworldly feel and you can see that in the planets you get to traverse.
You will literally travel through huge abandoned cities with spirits flying above you. The music adds to the atmosphere with its hollow eerie sounds. There are a few new additions to Ratchet's moves, a few of them being gravity based. There are platforming sections in which you can now launch from one magnetized pad to another. Another new move is creating gravity streams between two predetermined points, this adds in a puzzle element (albeit a simple and easy one). The jetpack makes a return but instead of effectively a replacement for the heli backpack, you can fly freely in certain sections which is really fun and is a great addition. The highlight of the game comes in Planet Kragg, the second last planet, it was fantastic in terms of the freedom and exploration that you could do. While it can be easily be completely scoured within the hour, finding all those little pieces you've missed, defeating giant monsters (akin to the horn hunting to sell to the bounty hunter in Tools of Destruction) and generally flying wherever you like made the time fly by. If you've played previous R&C games then you'll be at home here as the core gameplay has not changed. You still equip crazy weapons, shooting in third person view. You will get Ratchet constantly jumping around, dodging fire and returning the favor with pistols, bombs and other projectiles.
With that said, I did find the battle areas to be smaller and harder to strafe and jump around than before. These areas felt more cramped which means the enemy density is higher. There are also a few minor tweaks to the button combinations which will take a short while to get used to (notably, throwing Ratchet's wrench is not R2 + Square anymore). Clank's minigame this time around is a 2D platformer in which you decide which way gravity will apply to. Using the right stick, you can make gravity pull on Clank from the left, right, top or bottom. It's simple yet fun and the levels are short and sweet, never becoming frustrating or unwanted. Most of the weapons are ones that we have seen before in previous games, from the awesome Mr Zurkon to the Winteriser which turns enemies into snowmen. One of the new additions is the Nightmare Box which acts as a decoy, scare enemies and also attacks them. To be honest, this weapon is overpowered and can break the game because apart from the final boss, you can use this weapon to make every single battle a breeze. The upgrade system from Tools of Destruction makes a comeback, in addition to bolts, you can find and collect raritanium which you use on an unlock tree for each weapon (adding extra ammo, boosting attack power or adding extra weapon abilities).
The upgrade system combined with the leveling up system of not only Ratchet's health but each individual weapon makes an addicting combination in which you continually strive to defeat more enemies and unlock the next surprise. As Nexus is a short game, weapon levels are capped at a lower number but can still go to a maximum of 6. I have constantly been mentioning that Nexus is a short game but just how short? You can finish the game in roughly 5-6 hours the first time around, this is including some exploration time. Unlike A Crack in Time which was burst to the brim with additional side planets to go to, Nexus only features five planets, one of which is a challenge arena. Never fear though as these planets are still huge and is a joy to explore. Each planet packs in collectible items such as Gold Bolts and RYNO VII holoplans, there isn't a ridiculous amount of collectibles which is good news, it's just enough to make them fun to get. Nexus has an easy Platinum trophy but also a reduced trophy set, with only 23 trophies in total. Nexus has quick pacing. Once you finish up the "tutorial" section, it never lets up both in terms of gameplay and storytelling. You're rapidly introduced to new abilities and the story takes off. It was a good decision to not pad the game out to make it 8-12 hours long as the quick pacing makes it a blast to play and keeps you going forward.
The story tells of a pair of twins who want to create an interdimensional hole for some monsters to travel through. Needless to say, that is not a good idea at all. While the twins seem like pure evil when they are introduced, you will learn of their reasons and warm up to them. There is a bit of criticism in terms of the ending but both in terms of story and in the final boss battle, it is predictable although definitely not something bad or horrible. It was still a lot of fun to play through. Even on Legend difficulty (the hardest one that you can start on), Nexus is an easy game. You'll most likely die either because you accidentally fell off the platform or you didn't see an enemy and they blasted you. The checkpoints are not as generous as they were in the past, you will often have to defeat the waves of enemies again if you die. I believe some reviewers were too harsh for Ratchet & Clank: Nexus, sure, it was shorter than your average R&C game, the graphics doesn't seem to be as polished and the gameplay remained tried and true. However, it was a fantastic piece of software to play through and the developers had added enough changes to still keep the gameplay refreshing and a joy to play. I had a lot of fun with Nexus. This is one of the best action platformers that you can currently get with plenty of charm of fun. Plus, if you haven't bought Quest for Booty, all copies (currently) include that game for free.
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