Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus is a 2013 platform video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the eighth main installment in the Ratchet & Clank series and the sequel to 2009's Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, as well as the forth and final installment in the "Future" saga.
Into the Nexus is set in the "Polaris" galaxy, which was used as the setting for the previous installments in the "Future" saga. Taking place following the conclusion of A Crack in Tie, Into the Nexus serves as an epilogue to the "Future" trilogy; series protagonist Ratchet and Clank hunt down the dangerous Porgi twins. The game's plot also centers around Ratchet as he comes to terms with his past decisions.
The game is presented from a third-person perspective, in which players primarily control Ratchet as he and Clank as they explore planets in the galaxy of Polaris. The game combines elements and mechanics of third-person shooters, platform games and puzzle solving, and features a wide array of futuristic and exotic weapons. The game introduces anti-gravity gameplay segments, as well as weapons and tools revolved around the concept.
Into the Nexus was developed following the release of several critically and commercially disappointing spin-offs. Insomniac intended to use Into the Nexus as a return to form for the franchise, and the title retains staple gameplay mechanics and features from the "Future" trilogy and classic games. As with 2008's Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, Into the Nexus was developed as a shorter game with a lower retail price.
Upon release, Into the Nexus received generally favorable reviews, with praise directed at the title's production values, gameplay, design, pacing and humor. The game's short length and general reliance on the series' aging formula were criticized, though several developers noted that the title was priced accordingly. A successor, Ratchet & Clank, which serves as a soft-reboot to the series, was released in 2016. A narrative successor, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, has been announced in 2020.