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TechJunkeez PS3 Editor | October 2009
I just cannot express how good this game is and I just can’t get
rid of this huge obligation I feel to deliver a description of how awesome this
title is. No matter how I use my writing skills I’m not going be able to fully
express this game and give it justice. Developer Naughty Dog has followed up the
first Uncharted game with a sequel that stays true to the original but builds up so
much on it to a degree where perfect seems somewhat of an understatement.
The story follows the same treasure hunter, Nathan Drake, that some of
you have become familiar with from the first game. This time around you’re
looking for Marco Polo’s treasure and to make the story worth making a
game out of, there is a bad guy with an army also trying to get his hands on the
treasure. As you continue on solving puzzles and fighting off bad guys throughout,
you’ll meet characters that you’ve already come to know about from the first
game and you’ll also meet new characters, including a sexy brit that spices up
the "character relationships" part of the story.
The title
is offers a much improved experience from the first game
If you didn’t download the demo that was offered on PlayStation
Store or watched any videos of the game on the internet you won’t understand
just how good this game looks. This is the PS3 at its highest peak ever reached
in terms of graphics. I’ll talk about the environments first… they are just
breathtaking. Naughty Dog perfected background scenes and atmospheres to a point
where you’ll stop in the thick of action and just be in awe of the scenery.
Trees, grass, buildings, road signs, cars and just about everything else you can
see on your screen is so detailed and nicely done that you feel everything is
almost jumping out of the screen. Physics is done neatly and something
exceptionally worth mentioning is the character animations. Drake’s movements
are remarkably realistic especially when jumps and leaps are performed in platforming sections of the gameplay.
Simply
breathtaking
Uncharted 2 is heavily based on story, and as you all know a good
story must be told through good cutscenes. The cutscenes are fantastic and
subtle, detailed movements by characters make them seem like real people in real
situations. Face expressions are also on board. Eyebrow movements, cheeky
smiles and frowns all help in conveying character feelings like sarcasm, love,
hate, fear, etc…
Cutscenes
are very well done, both graphically and in terms of dialogue
Gameplay is almost identical to the first game save for a few
changes. You’ll shoot bad guys, have hand-to-hand combat sequences, platform
across sections of levels and solve puzzles. The shooting system is very easy to use
and friendly, headshots are easy to land and satisfying just like the first
release. You also have a wide range of weapons, from light handguns to machine guns and rocket
launchers. Hand-to-hand combat is helpful when enemies pop out and surprise you.
A new addition to gameplay is stealth. You’ll use stealth to sneak up behind
guards and enemies to take them out silently in some missions, although this new addition doesn’t
have an effect on the overall Uncharted experience that we all have come to know and love,
but it’s a welcome addition nevertheless to shake things up a bit.
The game still throws you in heavily action packed sequences and
you’re always excited about what’s coming up next. Some scenes feel as if they
were up to standards with Hollywood production movies. The famous train scene
that everyone is talking about holds so much excellence and excitement that just
shows how much Naughty Dog put hard work and attention to detail in this game.
Gun
battles are exciting and fun. You can see here the details of bullets shattering
the wall which displays how much work has been put into graphics
Just like Drake’s fortune, Among Thieves offers phenomenal voice
acting. If you played the first game you’d know how Drake keeps on muttering
stuff throughout the game when grenades are thrown, headshots are landed or when
he’s just overwhelmed by something. This makes Drake even more likable and
you’ll feel more connected with him while playing. Voice acting is also spectacular
in cutscenes, characters are sometimes humorous or sarcastic and the dialogues
are very well written.
Arguably the biggest addition this time around is multiplayer. You
get to play certain maps with a few objectives with two other friends which
offers great fun, you can also engage in survival mode which involves taking a
stand and surviving wave after wave of enemies with your buddies. Other than
that, you get the usual multiplayer modes such as death match, capture the flag
and elimination.
What a
masterpiece!
Naughty Dog couldn’t possibly have done any better. This game is
just so terrific, it can only be described as a perfect all rounder. I just cannot express
how highly recommended this game is to anyone who owns a PlayStation 3. Arguably
the
best game of all time. Well Done.
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