Sunday 15 Nov 2009

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune raised the bar when it was released back in 2007, showcasing not only the capabilities of the then new PlayStation 3 but heralding in a new form of cinematic gameplay. Not only was the game engaging and environment beautifully realized, but we got introduced to the ever charming Nathan Drake, the Indiana Jones of the videogame industry. Given the overwhelming success of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, expectations were high to see what Naughty Dog could come up with for a sequel. Could they raise the bar yet again and delight gamers with a similar yet fresh experience? Absolutely, they have exceeded all expectations and once again given the rest of the industry something to aspire to.

The action is intense from the get go with Nathan’s life in peril as he awakens in the carnage of a train wreck, which is hanging precariously off the side of a snow capped mountain. Now don’t get me wrong the action is fantastic but what really makes this title shine, other than the super high resolution graphics of course, is the character dynamics. Nathan alone could carry the story yet it is his interactions with the gorgeously rendered Chloe Frazer and Elena Fisher that gives it the edge. The inclusion of Elena as Nathan’s former love interest sets up an interesting chemistry, leading to some classic moments along the way. There is always the hint of tension between Chloe and Elena and you’re kept guessing how it’s all going to turn out in the end.

Seemless. Playing through the game you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve been teleported into a movie and are playing the lead character. Once you load Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and are into the actual gameplay your experience is not interrupted by loading screens. Yes, there are missions and save points with dialogues in between but they never jar you out of the experience. It all just seamlessly flows from one area to another and you almost take it for granted. The cut scenes are all in-game and are so well blended into the missions that at times you’ll be caught out staring at the screen not realizing that the dialogue has finished and the controls are back in your hands for you to save the world.

It would be an injustice not to mention the graphical detail oozing out of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The PlayStation 3 has always been touted as the ultimate console to deliver high definition gaming on and Naughty Dog have certainly delivery the most beautiful title I have had the pleasure of playing to date. I don’t know if Naughty Dog have mastered this black art or if there is still more to come in the future, but I hope other developers take note and we see more titles with similar attention to quality and attention to detail surfacing in the near future.

I was blown away by the little details they took the time and care to include such as snow encrusted eyebrows, lizards and birds to mention but a few. The rest of the effects you could almost take for granted but whilst you are playing take some time to admire the lush foliage, swirling snowflakes, dappled sunlight, rippling water, swaying trees and filtered shadows. Everywhere you look from the stunning vistas high in the mountains to the chaos in the city streets there must have been hundreds of hours invested in these “nice to have” features that breathe life into the environment.

In Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune you could melee an enemy but in all honesty it was a bit clunky and if there was more than one enemy the other guys would shoot you dead in no time. To my delight this mechanic has been seriously overhauled in the sequel with Nathan sporting a number of impressive takedown moves. Even more fantastically they are super simple to execute so you don’t need to be a Tekken or Street Fighter master to be able to brawl instead of shoot. Now I am not talking Solid Snake sneaking on your belly type stuff but most times you can go in guns blazing or use the quiet approach.

There is an excellent cover system that allows you to attach yourself to walls and then pop up when the time is right. This sneaking combined with some takedown moves allows you to pick off the guards one at a time. For instance hanging from a ledge and then pulling the unsuspecting guard down into the abyss…a personal favourite. I appreciated the number of different moves as sometimes it was a simple choke hold whilst other times smashing the guys head into a wall, yeah! Certain stages early on in the game require you to use the stealth approach thereafter the decision is up to you. Personally I am more the guns blazing kind of player and provided that you find cover and let your health recover this works well too.

The control system is intuitive and really I could not find fault with it. It is simple to swap weapons with the D-pad, melee with square or triangle, get cover with circle, blind fire and more without becoming cumbersome. Effective use is made of the shoulder buttons to aim and fire, with the triggers being used to toss lethal grenades and reload your weapon. Of course no game is complete without a sniper rifle and you’ll be pleased with the beast of a weapon you’ll take down some baddies with. It is particularly gratifying when you shoot one of the explosive barrels and takedown multiple enemies with the explosion.

The enemy AI is decent with some rushing and some flanking going on, but like most games you’ll want to get online to test your skills against the best and worst humanity has to offer. You’ll be tested by the enemy snipers somewhat but more so by the tenacious gents with riot shields. These enemies are best taken down with grenades or rockets, unless you can manage to shoot them in the feet. If you get into trouble just take cover and let your health recover for a few seconds. This doesn’t even have to be boring as you can still blind fire for cover whilst you healing. Just don’t camp in one place for too long or you’ll be sure to gain the attention of some gents who want to see the inside of your skull.

Every now and again you get a game where the single player campaign and multiplayer online are equally impressive. Such is the case with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves where neither has suffered at the expense of the other and both are amazing. The online multiplayer options are plentiful, allowing you all the expected control to play online with your friends or choose the type of map you want to play. The maps are just as stunning as the campaign levels and the play is fluid even when things get intense.

My one frustration is with the long delays between matches whilst the matchmaking system is pairing you up against other players. It just seems to take far too long to locate other players and get you into a game, which should not be the case given the number of players constantly online playing. Lag is another concern but probably limited to my experience as a South African on a shaped ADSL setup. I could just be a terrible online player but nevertheless I often experienced pauses when I could not move and would be killed before the connection resumed. Unfortunately I didn’t get the opportunity to attempt a game with other SA players to see if the situation improved. Nevertheless this game is going to see tons of online action for many months to come.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves delivers on all levels offering fantastic gameplay, stunning visuals, emotive music and some classic dialogue to keep you laughing through the carnage. Not once was I stuck trying to figure out what to do next or figure out should I go left or right, do I need to back track or any of that nonsense. Even if you do get stuck there is an in-game hint system so press the D-pad to get you back on track. You get to play the reluctant good guy and take on evil to protect mankind from imminent destruction. In addition to the campaign, which you can and will replay multiple times if not only to find the 100 treasures or try it again on one of the 5 difficulty levels, there is the online multiplayer which is a worldwide success. If you got the chance to play the online multiplayer beta you will have bought the game on that experience alone. So trust me there is plenty of content to warrant grabbing a copy of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, which is certainly my current favourite for game of the year.

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Contributor:	Wayne

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