I’ve been playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on my PS3 for the past few days and let me just say that this game deserves all the accolades and praises that it’s been getting from all the magazines and video game critics. I’ve been so engrossed in the game to the point like it feels like you’re part of an epic movie as opposed to just playing a “character”. The developers really took it to a whole new level with this one!
The plot is fairly simple at first. You play Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter/explorer. He’s like a modern day Indiana Jones but is more agile and flexible. Kinda like a male Tomb Raider of sorts. I’m sure this guy will be a good husband for Lara Croft, haha! Anyway, in Uncharted 2, Drake is pulled in a crazy roller coster adventure as he sets out to look for the legendary paradise of Shembala. Marco Polo left clues and Drake is able to pick up on this and goes on the right trail. However, an international warlord is also interested in the same thing which puts Drake on a collision course with armies of mercenaries and criminals.
First, let me just say that the graphics, animation, and visual effects of Uncharted 2 is stunning! This is one of the few games that can actually scale up to 1080P on your HD TV. Most of the PS3 games were built only up to 720 but Uncharted goes up to the maximum allowable resolution. The environment that your character moves in is also so detailed. It was obvious that the developers put it a lot of effort to make the gameplay experience smooth and seamless.
Still on the topic of graphics and animation, one of my favorite parts of the game is when you do stealth and melee attacks. They go into some sort of slow motion sequence wherein you can really get a feel of the combat. There are a lot of ways to take out enemies in this game – including shoving them off cliffs, knocking them out with punches, or going world wrestling entertainment mode on ‘em. I particularly like how you take down soldiers with riot shields. You shoot at ‘em till they get knocked down, then run towards them and Drake will jump, use the shield as a springboard, land behind the soldier, and choke the life out of him. Flawless!
The plot and character development is also topnotch. The characters will draw out strong emotions from you because of the superb voice acting and the insanely good graphics. The script for this can really be likened to a Hollywood blockbuster film. The drama, conflict, betrayal, and cheese of all the moments in-game will really suck you into the Uncharted 2 virtual world. In fact it is so compelling that I’m hoping that they make Uncharted 3 a movie, haha! I’m sure it will make big bucks especially if they give more time for more people and gamers to get their hands on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
Some Problems Encountered
Of course it wouldn’t be a complete review if I didn’t talk about the issues I have with the game. I only have 3. First is the linear gameplay. It’s really just like being part of a movie and you just need to carry out the task at hand. It’s not a completely free world where you get to do what you want to do. Another problem is that it’s so hard to play FPS style with a PS3 controller, haha. Maybe I just need more time to get used to it.
Lastly, there were 2 instances in the game where I got stuck. Not because I was stumped, but because my character accidentally entered a black space (hole in the wall graphics kind of bug). It was a good thing that I had a grenade with me so I just killed myself to restart everything.
Final Review: 9.5/10!
I strongly and highly recommend this title to everyone who has a PS3. While it’s a completely different experience from Dragon Age: Origins, it’s still one of the top caliber games that you’ll find out there. Each moment inside Uncharted 2 is very memorable because it will always keep you at the edge of your seat. If I were to give this game a rating, I’d definitely give it a 9.5/10.
