After the disappointing Q-FORCE and ALL 4 ONE, it’s fair to say that fans of the RATCHET AND CLANK game series were overjoyed by the announcement of the next instalment, INTO THE NEXUS – even though it’s not as long as previous games, it returns the comedic planet-hopping series to its more popular and ‘traditional’ platform style.

The game, now retitled RATCHET AND CLANK: NEXUS, has been given a 13th November release date. On the Playstation EU blog, Insomniac Games’ James Stevenson has talked about wrapping up the series’ run on Playstation 3:

“Some of you have asked us why we made a shorter Ratchet game. The truth is, we relished this ability to tie a bow on the PS3 era of Ratchet with a shorter title. All of us love the Ratchet universe – and after 12 years developing the series, it feels like a very close friend.

We have a lot of stories to tell, some longer, some shorter. This one felt just right. It’s a very polished self-contained return to the Ratchet adventures of yore. It’s impactful, too; filled with planet-hopping, gunsblazing, joke-cracking Ratchet & Clank, and events happen here that will change Ratchet forever. Think of it as a small epic.”

NEXUS will see everyone’s favourite Lombax/robot duo transporting villains Vendra and Neftin Prog to jail when they become stranded in the spookiest sector of the universe they’ve ever travelled to. We’ll also see the return of beloved characters Captain Qwark, Talwyn, Cronk and Zephyr, as well as the Thugs-4-Less mercenaries from 2003’s LOCKED AND LOADED. Check out the newly released cover art:

Insomniac have also announced a pre-order bonus, Ratchet’s shiny new Pyronox armour – “This lightweight durable suit is for the fashion-conscious adventurer. Besides granting a 5% damage-reduction, it also all-but guarantees “Best-Dressed” awards at high-school reunions.”

Hopefully set to live up to Ratchet’s first Playstation 3 adventures, the brilliant RATCHET AND CLANK: FUTURE trilogy, we can’t wait to travel into this NEXUS…

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