Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

The PS3 doesn’t get much love from gamers. Maybe it’s the hefty initial price tag or the lackluster online capabilities, but sadly the PS3 doesn’t get the props it deserves. Technically, the system is by far the most sophisticated and advanced console currently on the market. What makes the PS3 really kick ass though are the system’s exclusive games. The latest offering, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, offers insane story, presentation, gameplay, and production values that would put even the best hollywood blockbusters to shame.   If Uncharted 2 is any indication of the potential of video games, entertainment as we now know it is in for a dramatic overhaul.

GRAPHICS (10/10)

Flat out- this is the most gorgeous console game I have ever seen. On top of all that, the game runs smoothly without any glitching or freezing. Nathan Drake, the game’s protagonist, traverses the ends of the earth with each landscape looking more breathtaking than the previous one. Everything from the snow covered Himalayan mountains to the lush green jungles just glisten with detail.  It is safe to say that the game’s environments are just as integral to the story as the characters. Simply put, this game’s graphics are a true testament to the PS3’s capabilities. The game runs in a native 720p, which can be upscaled all the way to 1080p.

The character models look incredible. Usually when characters faces are shown up close in games, they become a bit distorted or have an almost “Simpson”ized quality to them. Not with this game. All the characters look, move, and behave like they are real people. Everything from the facial expressions to the clothing details are all perfectly rendered here. This is one of those few games that is almost as fun to watch as it is to play, and the graphics are a huge reason why.

We’ve all seen beautiful graphics in other games, but not only do UC2’s have more detail, they also utilize a broad color palette. Not only is this one of the most graphically detailed games, it’s also one of the brightest and most colorful I’ve seen in a while. The graphics are truly eye-popping. If I had to nit pick the graphics, I would say that theonly problem is that they are practically too good. It’s very difficult to play any other game after playing this one, as the graphical inadequacies of whatever other game you are playing will really stick out even more to you. If it seems like I’m hyping up the graphics, believe me, my descriptions don’t even do them justice.

SOUND (9/10)

If I had to nitpick, I would say that some of the sound effects aren’t quite upto par with the level of the other aspects of the game. This is most evident with gunshots. The guns in this game have a bit of a toned down effect and lack the audio firepower of say a Call of Duty game. As a result, some of the firefights seems a bit less intense than they could be with richer sound.  Regardless, the game still sounds good, but with the shooting effects from other games being so much more intense I expected a bit more “bang” for my buck in this department.

Aside from the shooting sound effects, everything else is definitely top notch. The voice acting is the best I’ve heard in any game- period. The characters are all amazingly voiced and their dialogue helps to move the story along while at the same time revealing what amazing characters they truly are. This game has quotable lines galore. There are so many great quotes I’d be hard pressed to think of my favorite. Simply put, the voice acting is on par, if not better, than most of the movies to have come out in theaters in recent years.

STORY (9/10)

Like nearly everything else in this game, the story is also well thought out with a special attention to detail. The plot is like a non-stop roller coaster ride with various twists and turns along the way. Just when I thought I was able to predict what was going on with the story, it would throw me in a completely different direction.  I could easily see the plot from this game being ported directly to a movie. I think most of the story elements will transition well to a film. 

There were a few parts of the story that I didn’t really like, but as a whole, the story works extremely well. While some parts may seem a bit far fetched, they all seem consistent with the universe and the characters that are established in this game.  This game really captures that fun adventurous spirit from the best Indiana Jones films. The blend of comedy and action adventure is damn perfect. It makes me wonder why George Lucas didn’t get these guys to write the script for the latest Indy movie. I guarantee it would’ve been way more entertaining than what we wound up with. The bottom line is, the story is just another amazing component of this masterful game.

GAMEPLAY (10/10)

The gameplay is damn near perfect. While there are some minor camera issues when you have close combat in really tight corners, it was very minimal and not enough to really take away from the gaming experience. When you look at the game, it doesn’t really bring any new elements to the table in terms of gameplay. What it does do however, is it takes familiar mechanics we’ve seen before, perfects them, and blends them together into this amazing hybrid of a game that is firing on all cylinders.

The game takes some of the best platforming elements from games like ‘Prince of Persia’ and combines them with the cover and shoot gunplay of ‘Gears of War’. If those two games met, got drunk and had a baby together, Uncharted 2 is a good indication of what the kid would be like. Even though it borrows elements found in these other games, what is so great about UC2 is that it makes these elements its own. Rather than simply recycling the play mechanics of other games, it incorporates them into the game in a way that is unique. While you can compare the cover system and 3PS shooting style to Gears, the way the game plays and moves is unique only to UC2. So while describing it, they may sound similar, when you play the actual game you soon see that it is an entirely different animal in execution.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things about UC2 is its use of “physics within physics.” So you can be fighting and shooting it out with enemies moving in and out of cover, while the entire time you are on top of a moving train that on the verge of veering out of control. There are just so many little details to describe that it is difficult to put into words what is unfolding through the gameplay. The action sequences set up in the game will put most hollywood blockbusters to shame. They are just that intense.

MULTIPLAYER (9/10)

I’ve been waiting for a solid multiplayer experience on the PS3 for a long time. Killzone 2 had decent multiplayer, but it just seems that whatever online offerings the PS3 has come up with so far just pale in comparison to what can be found on the green monster that is Xbox 360. Uncharted 2 seems to have finally gotten it right. The game’s multiplayer is as solid as it gets. The action is fast paced and the platforming elements seem to add a new dimension to how you play online shooters. You can’t just walk around a corner and be ready to rush someone since they can be hanging from a ledge waiting to shoot at you or throw you over. The ability to climb and hang from nearly everything in the game adds a vertical component to the mix that I haven’t experienced in any other game.

 Shooters these days are a dime a dozen. UC2 manages to add something new and refreshing to the genre. The addition of the veritcal element combined with some solid hit detection and well balanced gunplay make for one of the most engaging online experiences this year. While I love FPS like Halo and COD, UC2 is breathing new life into a genre that has become all too repetitive.  As this is their first experiment with multiplayer, I’m excited to see what improvements a 3rd installment will bring.

OVERALL (9.5/10)

I can’t give this game a perfect 10, but it is really really really damn close. This game is one of the best single player experiences I have ever had. It’s definitely in my top 5 of all time, which is saying a lot since there are some pretty mind blowing games out there that didnt make that cut.  All in all, this is one of the best buys for your gaming dollar that you will ever come across. Uncharted 2 has so many extras and replay incentives to keep you glued to the single player. Then you have the multiplayer, which  is its own bag of addiction entirely.  Games like this make me want to do a triple axle out of joy from having a PS3. This is the game that could be a system seller for Sony and definitely pull them out of the rut they seem to be in. It would be a shame if this game goes anything less than double platinum. The production values and overall quality alone are leaps and bounds above anything else out right now. For those of you with PS3s, go out and grab this game immediately. For those who don’t have one yet, this may be the game to convince you to pick one up. It is that good.