Title: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Developer: Naughty Dog ESRB Rating: T Platforms: PlayStation 3
It's cold. You open your eyes to the burning shambles of a creaking train car, and desperately wonder where you are; How you came to be here, alone, soaked in your own blood with a bullet wound in your side. You glance out the window and realize in a single, terrifying moment that you are dangling thousands of feet in the air, suspended only by the moaning trusses connecting you to the teetering train car above you. You stumble to the outside of the frigid car only to find you must climb up the dilapidated, slippery surface before the entirety of your surroundings go crashing to the chasm below. You heave and climb until you reach the teetering car above you just as it begins it's fast descent down the icy cliff. You run towards the door at the back of the car, you take a leap of faith through the bitter, blizzard-like wind...
And that's just the tutorial.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a truly immersive cinematic experience that enraptures the player from start to finish. You are taken along for a ride as Nathan Drake and his ever-changing companions traverse the globe from the swamps of Borneo, to the snowy peaks of the Himilayas, to the crumbling warzones of Nepal. From start to finish, Uncharted 2 is a masterful example of what games should be - and what will hopefully be the precedent for other titles making their way to our homes in the future.
Presentation: 9.5 Uncharted 2 is undeniably one of, if not the most visually impressive game to make it's way to consoles this generation. Naughty Dog's use of specific lighting and camera angles certainly captured the mood and was used wisely, though I would have preferred an option to set camera speeds, especially in "Aim" mode. At times the free camera felt sluggish during actual gameplay, which at times cost me dearly as I was in the dead center of an intense shoot-out or traversing a sheer rock face on crumbling bricks. However, during pre-rendered cutscenes and in-game cinematics, the camera was used with great effect to encompass the player in the intensity of the scene - one of the prime examples being chased by a military jeep hot on your heels through the narrow streets of Nepal. An already intense and terrifying situation was amplified by the angle of the camera providing a perfect view of your approaching opponent, which was a fantastic experience for me, the gamer, as I felt raw emotions from what otherwise might have been a generic run-and-gun sequence. Outside of gameplay, I felt the main menu screen could have been refined to look less cluttered, but the overall design to mimic Drake's journal was a nice touch.
Graphics: 9.8
Visually, Uncharted 2 is beyond anything I could have hoped for from a console title. The level of sheer detail in every aspect of the environments is incredible, and the idea that it could even be rendering in real-time before you is mind boggling. It's obvious that Naughty Dog spent much of it's time on environment design and creation, as each new location is unique and utterly beautiful - even the war-torn cities and dank swamps. However, I found that many objects and some of the facial animations did not quite live up to that high point that the environments did as the game progressed. There were times where I found myself wondering how an object could be so bland and unfinished while being surrounded by other wonderful, beautiful things, even in pre-rendered cutscenes. During one of the game's introductory cutscenes where Drake, Flynn, and Chloe are discussing their new job on a tropical island, I found that many of the surrounding objects - beer bottles, maps, rings, etc. - looked largely unfinished and seemed very out of place with the highly detailed surroundings and characters. Their 'untextured' appearance really stood out like a sore thumb in the otherwise detailed surroundings, which somewhat took away from the beauty of the scene itself. However, these instances were few and far between, and were hardly a major issue. Minor anti-aliasing issues are also present throughout various cutscenes of the game, but is also largely unnoticeable.
Sound: 9.0
While the custom scores and sound effects for the game are impressive, it's not something I would note as "revolutionary", or even really very noticeable. The same few tracks are used continually throughout the various locations and generally set the mood well, but occasionally they will become repetitive to a noticeable degree. Aside from the many specially-recorded sound effects and customized scores, the voice acting for each character is fantastic. Combined with the realism and detail of the model animations, the characters truly come to life and unique individuals with different quirks and distinct vocals. The great voice acting coupled with genuinely witty dialogue creates a very enjoyable atmosphere to help you along on various co-operative missions with several of Drake's companions throughout the game.
Gameplay: 10 Uncharted 2 is a genuinely fun game to play. Through the implementation of astounding visuals coupled with well-written dialogue and a unique cover system, Naughty Dog has created a game that not only offers an arsenal of choices to the gamer, but also makes you part of the action. Though the levels themselves are largely very linear, it is masked well behind the large repertoire of weapon choices, the option for stealth gameplay, and the multiple ways of handling a situation that is entirely up to the player and their preferences. If you're the sneaky type who would prefer to do away with their enemies quickly and quietly, you'll find a nice niche for yourself in the Uncharted world. Perhaps you prefer a more head-on, brutal approach? The game will suit you just as well. Perhaps a little of both? You'll have a great time mixing things up, which surprisingly holds firm even in the tougher sections of the game which will inevitably cause you to roll-back for a few retries now and then. Unlike it's predecessor, Uncharted 2 makes re-playing any given situation a new, fun experience instead of a chore. The platforming sections also prove to be rather entertaining, whether you're ascending to mind-boggling heights on a sheer, icy rock face or scaling buildings to forge your own path.
Lasting Appeal: 10
As previously mentioned, Uncharted 2 offers many different ways to approach each situation throughout the game. This essentially helps to create a brand new experience each time the game is played, all based upon the actions and decisions of the gamer themselves. The varying difficulty levels available at the start of each game also adds to the experience, as you can choose to challenge yourself with the face-melting "Crushing Mode", or lay back and test your skills in the "Normal" or "Easy" arena to prepare yourself for the ever-popular Multiplayer Online. It's a wonderful cinematic experience that you'll want to play again and again.
Though I have yet to truly delve into the various multiplayer online modes, I can tell you that thus far, it's very addictive and rewarding. What could be better than stealth-pulling your friends down a pit or tossing a nice little grenade their way as they duck for cover? Deathmatch has proved to be very entertaining, and is by far the most popular mode available online. There are also co-operative modes such as "Capture the Treasure" (Capture the Flag, for you slow ones out there), and Co-Op Objective mode that I have yet to try out. At the end of each round you will receive a sum of "cash", which will aid you in increasing your Multiplayer Level and go towards your purchases in the Store, which contains special Behind The Scenes videos from Naughty Dog, Online Boosters (similar to perks in Call of Duty 4), and other little goodies to enhance the experiences both online and in the single player campaign.
