Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

by David 'Hades' Becker [ Monday, 12th of October 2009 - 07:39 PM ]

Now we've all heard and seen the hype for this game. It was selected as Best of Show at E3 this year and is already slated to capture best game of the year. Does it stand up to these claims and look like it will win? Well let me tell you my thoughts here.

Controls:

The controls on this game are just about perfect. Every button and trigger is mapped just right so there are no awkward holdings of a controller or worry about missing an action due to poor placement. There is a slight learning curve at the beginning, well the first five chapters of beginning, but once you get all the tutorial stuff out of the way, it all becomes second nature. I felt like I had it all down once they finally showed how to run and gun from chasing vehicles and enemies. So pretty much the intro to the fifth chapter. From there, only a few minor hiccups to deal with as controls go.

The main issue I found with the controls here mainly came up when the camera angle was forced in a different angle. For instance there are a few scenes in the game where you are sprinting away from an enemy or vehicle and you are running to the camera, holding down on the stick. Then the shot changes and you are running away, and now you are supposed to be holding up on the stick. Changes that don't compensate easily for the transition, thus leading to Nate running the opposite way and slowing you down in the run while you re-adjust. When on Hard and Crushing mode, this can mean life and death.

The only other issue I had during my play through was a bit of the climbing. Sometimes pressing a direction would force Nate to jump down instead of move up a level and vice versa. Not too much of a hindrance, but a little annoying when on the run and being shot at or when timing needs to be perfect.

But besides those issues, the controls were spot on.

Graphics:

Now this is one of the areas everyone anticipated to be the shining gold star of the game. Let me tell you, those anticipations are met with this offering. The visuals are off the charts (pun intended) for this game. If you thought what was previously shown for video was pre-rendered or supped up for promotions, they were totally not. In fact, I would say that seeing them on my HDTV, they actually looked even better. Worlds better, and not just because they were displayed larger either.

To go one further, the motion capture and engine made certain scenes look like actual film quality. I'm not talking CGI film either. Someone walked in during the opening of chapter two and actually asked what movie I was watching. Then they were surprised when I said these are just the in-game graphics for the game. Then again when there was an obvious cut scene for the game, the same person asked me if it was an FVM or game graphics again. Something that was answered when the scene ended and I was moving the same character he thought was fully rendered.

Audio:

Just like the graphics, this is yet another shining point of the game. From the sound effects to the voice overs to the in-game music, Uncharted 2 did not fail to impress. This wasn't even one of the things people were over-psyched for to boot, but the audio added to the overall experience and complimented the visuals perfectly.

The music of the game was very epic and something you would expect to hear in a feature film. It would get louder and faster when there was a lot of action or the scene required it to help emphasize the urgency of things or danger. Then when there were tender and softer moments, the audio cues would shift to fit. I am hard pressed to even think of a time that the music of the game didn't blend in perfectly at all. This is true even in the scenes where it is suppose to be just background noise.

One more thing before I move on, the voice over work. It is easily one thing that can harm a game like this more than help. It, just like the music of the game, was completely well done. There were no hiccups or poor dialogue for the game at all. Even when you would think they are being overly corny with a joke or phrase, it completely fits in with the scene or the character saying it. That's something that you don't get in a lot of games. Resident Evil and Final Fantasy, I'm talking to you.

Gameplay:

At first glace one would look at this game as another Tomb Raider style of game. Run, Gun, and A LOT of climbing, which when you look at it, it very much is so. I spent 3.56 of my 15.78 hours playing the game climbing. About the same amount was spent in cover, firing at people. So, about half of the game was spent in cover or climbing. That is to be expected right? But where did the other half of the game go? Well, somewhere in between the mixture of puzzle solving and the other little "mini-games" built into the overall game.

By mini-game, I'm talking all the other little things that are needed to progress; this includes reading through Nate's journal to figure a few things out, sliding down the side of a falling platform while trying to free an ally from a freaking looking enemy and partaking in the full-on Metal Gear stealth missions through a museum to steal an artifact. Even petting Yaks in a small village will earn you a small medal. Nothing ridiculously out of place for the game, but a nice little side game to keep things fresh and new while playing everything out.

Fun Factor:

All of those above modes for the game make this a very fun game to play, and replay. While playing, I don't think there was a time I was playing where I had to set the controller down due to boredom. Pretty much I only stopped when I needed to take care of personal care requirements so I could keep playing the game. This experience draws you in and makes you want to see what is going to come next. If not for the story, then all the little extras Naughty Dog slipped into the title or to gain all the medals of the game. Medals to buy extra multiplayer and single player items.

Overview/Final Words:

In the end, Uncharted 2 meets and exceeds all of the expectations and hype Sony and Naughty Dog had placed out there. This has to be the most visually breathtaking, aurally stunning, and impressively entertaining game to hit the PS3 thus far. Some games might beat it out in one area or another, but nothing can challenge the entire package. In fact, I will even say the multiplayer is fun as well, and you all know how much I despise online multiplayer. Or at least I'd think so by now.

I will say that it does have a very Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones feel, as I mention above, but that is just the genre of the game. Although I will say it does follow after National Treasure more when you look at it. Not that they ripped it off, but it's just a good comparison. In fact, if Naughty Dog keeps pumping out Uncharted games like this, I can see a revitalization of the genre in all forms of media. The minds they have there are akin to genius.

Uncharted 2 is totally a must buy for anyone that has a PS3. It completely will end the gripe that there are no "good games" on the PS3, if you had that gripe in the first place. If you didn't it will give you a new appreciation for what designers can produce for the PS3 when they put real work towards it. All other games from here on have a very high bar of standards now because of Uncharted 2.