Platted That! is a series from Handsome Phantom that gives you a quick review of getting the platinum trophy for a game. Platinum runs are a great way to get a little extra life out of a game you’ve had for years, or to feel that extra sense of accomplishment for a game you just picked up.

A little while back we gave you the skinny on the PS4 remaster of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, so naturally we had to do Uncharted 2: Among Thieves as well.

Among Thieves is an excellent game. The action adventure genre is a staple of gaming and Hollywood, and Uncharted 2 feels like the offspring of both. The cinematic action and the simple yet satisfying gameplay creates an experience that’s easy to recommend. Even searching for the well-hidden 101 collectibles didn’t affect this game’s excellent pacing, fitted as it is with large battles and massive puzzle set pieces. It’s a definite improvement on the first game.

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Drake’s Fortune and Among Thieves have nearly identical trophy lists so for myself (and anyone else who plans to platinum both games) the second title is going to feel like a walk in the park. The first trophy that needs work will be beating the game on “Crushing” difficulty, the hardest setting available on your first go-round. This setting didn’t seem to be nearly as difficult as it was in the original Uncharted, but most encounters, especially against more powerful, larger enemy forces in the late game will take a couple tries to finish. The exception here is the final battle of the game. I won’t go into details to avoid spoilers, but you face off against a big son-of-a-gun with a double barrel shotgun who just does not want to go quietly into that good night. This encounter takes patience on “Crushing.” For me it was the only truly challenging fight in the game, made a little frustrating since it was the only thing standing between me and the end.

The three speed run trophies in Among Thieves will no doubt be some of the last ones to pop. These are a little more demanding than they were in Uncharted, and might take a few tries to complete. If that’s the case, you could spend as much as twenty to thirty minutes per speed run to complete the required time. This was the case for me, though this was also when I completed most of the combat/kill related trophies that I missed in the main campaign, making trophy clean up feel less grindy.

That’s really the deal with Uncharted 2’s platinum – it doesn’t feel nearly as grindy or as repetitive as Uncharted or most platinums. Naughty Dog brought a better awareness of their gameplay to level design that puts the player in situations that organically use all the mechanics. For example, a level in the mid game has Drake hanging from a signpost, forced to shoot and throw grenades at enemies rushing him from the surrounding rooftops. During this segment, I got the trophies for “Hangman” and “Grenade Hangman,” which were two I had to kill farm for after the main campaign of the first game. The emphasis also allowed me to get the “Master Ninja” trophy organically (without kill farming). This stealth kills related trophy required the most time from me in Uncharted, and the better integration into the gameplay of Uncharted 2 made this a breeze.

Recommendation: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the easiest and entertaining platinum runs I’ve had. The whole process took about ten hours. I’ve noticed a few gun-shy folks who remember the challenging experience of Uncharted 1’s “Crushing” difficulty, and can’t stress enough how much easier it is in Uncharted 2. If you put the work into Drake’s Fortune, a platinum trophy is waiting for you in Among Thieves. Be ready though for the tough boss fight at the end, and keep a handy guide like this one at IGN for getting those hard-to-find collectibles. If you’re still waiting to play these games, now is a great time! Digital copies can be purchased at full price on the PlayStation Store for $19.99, and your friendly neighborhood GameStop has some used copies a little cheaper that still deserve to be loved. As for myself, I’ll be returning soon with Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.

But we want to know what you think! How do you think Uncharted 1 and 2 stack up? Did you find it hard to hate Flynn because of his accent? Team Chloe or Team Elena? What’s on your platinum to-do list? Why does Nathan Drake comment on everyone’s ass (including Sully’s) while they’re climbing ladders? Let Handsome Phantom know your thoughts and you could get a shout out on Adventure Mode!