There are plenty of great games out there for all the console owners, but titles that can simply be labeled “masterpiece” are few and far between. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has burst onto the gaming scene as one of the most anticipated and critically acclaimed games of the 2009 holiday season.
Uncharted 2 picks up a year or two after the events of Drake’s Fortune. Having not had the pleasure of playing the first Uncharted, it was easy to pick up the controller and begin the expedition. The charismatic Nathan Drake returns from what seems like an extended period of “laying low”, and runs into fellow thieves from his past. A simple job turns into a whirlwind adventure that whisks Drakes across the globe. Anything more would spoil a story that must be experienced.
The key feature here is that you are no longer trekking through the jungles on a single tropical island. As the story plays out, Nathan will be traversing through a half dozen different locales which only benefits the game’s pacing. I always felt I was moving forward towards an ultimate goal, not just zig zagging across the same landscape. Nathan and his friends had to get to the mountain pass, to find and explore that temple, to make it to that village, etc. Everything flowed, and contributed to the bigger story arc.
The fantastic story in Uncharted 2 could only have been possible with strong, likeable characters. Nathan Drake, who to me comes across as a carbon copy of actor Nathan Fillion, is one of the most enjoyable game personalities I’ve known. Sure I love the bad asses like Marcus Fenix as much as the next guy, but there’s something very appealing when you’re playing as an everyday guy. Interaction between the characters seemed real, as well as reactions to the crazy situations they’re being thrust into.
“Best visuals ever” is a phrase fans and critics seem to throw around every five minutes this console generation. Uncharted 2 is an absolute feast for your eyes. Is it perfection, no, but it’s pretty darn close and as of right now it sets the new bar for console graphics.
In all honesty, when I first put in the disc, I was impressed but didn’t think I was witnessing a graphically leap above something like Resident Evil 5. But once I reached the jungles of Borneo, my jaw went slack and remained there for most of the game. The massive environments are likely the most detailed and gorgeous you’ve ever seen. Textures and lighting are nothing but insane and each chapter seems to out class the previous. The visuals alone warrant picking up this game as a Playstation 3 showcase.
However I did come across some odd environmental omissions. I say omissions because I don’t believe these were isolated glitches in the visuals. It may seem trivial to some, but when a game looks this spectacular, gamers want to see how good the details look; bullet holes, water, smoke, fire, glass etc. On more than one occasion I emptied full clips into a perfectly rendered vehicle and didn’t so much as crack the windshield, or shoot at a tropical bird standing two feet away from my AK-47 and have it squawk and nothing more. Or why do some bodies or objects not splash when thrown into the water? Minor details from someone who likes to explore everything, and yes I agree they’re picky gripes.
The visuals are complemented by an amazing score, voice cast as well as sound effects. Watching some of the bonus videos, developer Naughty Dog performed an immense amount of field recording, to maintain that sense of realism, and it shows. The subtle sounds in the background help draw you into this world.
Game play is a hybrid of the best sort. Uncharted 2 is a third person shooter, a cover and stealth game, and an adventure platformer. Although you will be required to perform the same basic actions from chapter to chapter, your experience is never dull. From sneaking up on your enemies, to scaling cliffs, to urban combat and solving puzzles, Uncharted 2 immerses you in the game. “Active Cinematic Experience” is what the developer calls their approach to Uncharted 2. Once you start, you never really leave the game. All the cinematic cut scenes are using the in game rendering engine, meaning players will go from game play to cinematic and back in the blink of an eye. Whole levels will change around you or be destroyed while you’re playing. The player is never removed from the action.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a must buy, pure and simple, and I haven’t even dug into the multiplayer yet. It’s not very often that a game comes along where you can’t put down the controller until the credits roll. A title that shows polish in every aspect of its design is a rare gem. Sure I can be picky with a few missing visual details or repetitive enemies, but none detract from how good, and how fun this game is. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is probably the best game I’ve played in 2009, and Hollywood could take a lesson from what the team at Naughty Dog created here.
Loccus
9.4/10
