Ratchet & Clank Fall into the Nexus from 12th November

With all of the excitement surrounding the PlayStation 4, you could be forgiven for forgetting that Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus is even in production. Fortunately, you’ll have a few days to play through the adventure before the next generation console arrives, as Sony has confirmed that the mini sequel will float free on 12th November in North America and 15th November in Europe. You’ll be able to pick up a retail copy from physical stores, as well as a digital version from the PlayStation Network. It will cost you $29.99/€29.99.

Pitched as a condensed A Crack in Time, community lead James Stevenson delved into the design philosophy behind the game on the PlayStation Blog. “We relished this ability to tie a bow on the PlayStation 3 era of Ratchet with a shorter title,” he explained. “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, guns blazing, joke-cracking, and events happen here that will change Ratchet forever. Think of it as a small epic.”

If you pre-order the game from participating retailers, you’ll score exclusive access to the Pyronox Armour, which is inspired by Gadgetron’s popular Infernox Armour. “This lightweight durable suit is for the fashion-conscious adventurer,” added Stevenson. “Besides granting a five per cent damage-reduction, it also all-but guarantees ‘Best-Dressed’ awards at high-school reunions.” Those of you in North America will be able to obtain even more goodies by ordering at Amazon.com, with approximately $30 worth of PlayStation Home content up for grabs.

With all of the promotional information out of the way, though, you may be hungry for a little more insight into how Ratchet & Clank games actually get made. Fortunately, the Burbank-based developer has got you covered from that angle too, with the awesome archive footage embedded below. It’s going to be interesting to see whether this marks the end for PlayStation’s most popular platforming double-act. With a movie around the corner, we’re hopeful that the franchise will make the jump to the PS4. The studio clearly has half an eye on other projects, though...