If you’re a Playstation 3 owner than you’ve probably heard of Uncharted 2. The hype behind Naughty Dog’s latest outing has been simply astounding, but now the final product is out and we get to see if it live up to all our expectations.
Gameplay
It’s been awhile since a game has done so much right and Nathan Drake is just the guy to remind us what great gaming can be. Yet again he’s on one of his quests for treasure and he’ll be leading the way through gunfights, and last second escapes that will have you picking your jaw up off of the floor. Despite an early level that has some problems, you’ll quickly find yourself glued to your television, clenching your controller and loving every second of this story that keeps you immersed from start to finish. It’s hard to tell if it’s when you jump out of a crumbling building or barely escape a chopper on a moving train, but when you play Uncharted 2, you know you’re experiencing something special. Every weapon you handle has a distinct feel to it, meaning you may have a few favorites, but that’s not due to a lack of options. Climbing, jumping, cover and takedowns all work together to give you a cinematic experience that really lets you feel like you’re part of a movie. Get ready for a superbly presented story and solid gameplay that will have you awake way past your bedtime because you just can’t put it down.
Difficulty
Uncharted 2 has the wonderful option of being as difficult as you want it to be. If you’re not an expert at games, or simply want to enjoy the show, the “very easy” option is for you. If you want a challenge, then there’s “hard” mode. Despite the level of difficulty chosen, most of the challenges in the game are going to involve puzzle solving. This doesn’t mean enemies are easy, as you’ll discover in later levels when you’re forced to plan out an attack and with a little luck, you should be able to survive just fine.
Graphics
Environments, characters, and objects all work together in Uncharted to create a truly awe-inspiring experience. These aren’t soulless 3D models that you are unable to connect with. The characters feel like real people and when you’re not knee deep in action, I hope you take a few seconds to look around and realize what you’re seeing is truly gorgeous.
Sound
A big part of the experience is listening to your surroundings. Hearing characters banter back and forth while working through levels really makes you care whether they live or die, and during the moments people aren’t talking, you’re treated to an exhilarating score that always fits the situation. The actual voice acting is top notch, and was recorded as the actors were physically acting out the scenes. This touch gives the game a movie like feeling you’ll notice the entire game. Every sound has been given a high level of care, be it the rattle of a machine gun turret, the voice acting, the score, or just the cold mountain breeze. Every game should look to Uncharted 2 as an example of how it’s done right.
Replayability
You will be coming back to Uncharted 2. This isn’t a game you will buy, then plow through the campaign and never touch again. There’s in-game cut scenes you can re-watch, unlockables that include 50 minutes of behind the scenes extras, tons of concept art, unlockable tweaks, weapons, clothing, modes, and I haven’t even talked about the multiplayer mode yet. This is all just for the campaign! On the multiplayer side of things, Naughty Dog has really done a lot of work to create an experience that will have us coming back for months. Every game type you can think of is included; deathmatch, objective based games like capture the flag and king of the hill, co-operative campaign playthroughs, and even the co-op arena, similar to hoard mode in Gears of War 2, or firefight in Halo 3: ODST. There’s also a casual or ranked mode, so if you’re looking to hit the top of the leaderboard, then make sure you’re playing ranked games. One other multiplayer mode that needs to be mentioned is machinima mode. It’s very similar to Halo 3’s theater mode, and offers a great set of tools for machinima makers, the most powerful of which is a green-screen mode. Also, there is a playback feature so you can re-live your moments of glory.
Verdict: Buy it!
Uncharted 2 gives Playstation 3 owners a game to be proud of, and non-owners a reason to buy the console. Like Halo for the original X-Box, Uncharted 2 is reason enough to buy a Playstation 3. It’s that good. For just a second, lets pretend you didn’t see this coming. We definitely recommend you buy it.
Source: ScrewAttack
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Posted by: Destin
Posted on: October 13, 2009
Destin has a penchant for video games and sarcasm. He's written for ScrewAttack, Destructoid, and GoNintendo, but has also produced episodes of the Video Game Vault series for Gametrailers, and created, produced, and edited every episode of The Armory on IGN. To put it mildly, he knows his shit. 
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