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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves PS3 Review - www.impulsegamer.com -

Gameplay 9.9
Graphics 10
Sound 9.5
Value 9.7
Distributor: Sony
Classification:
M15+
Review Date:
October 2009
Reviewer:
Howard Bourke

9.8


Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

The original Uncharted game was quite a groundbreaking title on the PlayStation 3 and followed the outrageous and adventurous exploits of Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who unfortunately bit off a little more than he could chew.

The game also paid homage to the world of movies such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure and featured some impressive gaming moments from flawless gameplay to a graphical world that was filled with lush eye candy.

Yes my friends, Uncharted was probably one of the best games of 2008 and thankfully our smart-alecky hero is back in another thrilling instalment, entitled Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that truly makes this an interactive movie experience on your PS3 in pure unadulterated high definition.

Features:

  • An expanded cast of characters who reflect different facets of Drake’s character, including Chloe Frazer, Drake’s current partner and new romantic interest.

  • Varied and exotic locations – from lush, green swamps and dense urban environments, all the way to the ice and snow of the Himalayas. Open design allows players to take an aggressive or stealthy approach to combat.

  • Free-flowing “traversal gunplay” adds a unique vertical element to familiar cover-based third-person shooting mechanics, allowing the player to engage in combat from any position in the environment – even while climbing and hanging.

  • Introduction of new traversal and free-climbing mechanics allow Drake to navigate through the environments more fluidly and naturally. Gunplay and combat enhancements, including an expanded melee system, and a variety of enemy types with advanced AI routines.

  • High-quality cinematic presentation of scenes, characters and dialogue, all rendered within the Naughty Dog Engine 2.0.

  • Dramatic in-game events that make the player an active participant in the cinematic experience.

  • Full character interaction with dynamic geometry.

  • Uses Naughty Dog Engine 2.0 purpose-built for the PLAYSTATION 3; uses PS3’s technology to hit a turning point in technology innovation by recreating reality and capturing human emotion.

  • No visible loading – a Naughty Dog hallmark – returns along with technology improvements in major game systems such as lighting, shadows, ambient occlusion, animation technology and physics, among many others.

Continuing from the original premise, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves reunites Nathan Drake with some familiar faces and new ones as he follows in the footsteps of Marco Polo. Of course, it's all about fortune and glory for Drake and he's attempting to discover the whereabouts of the fabled Shangri-La and more specifically a priceless gem called the Cintamani Stone.

Although the story is quite heavy on adventure, the characterization is brilliant as you follow Drake on a rollercoaster journey that contains drama, romance, comedy and action. Although the gameplay is flawless, the characters lend themselves quite well to the story and you actually begin to care about them.

As with the original, it contains some great gaming moments (reminiscent of our friend Indiana), such falling bridges, explosions and everything you would expect to see in a professional Hollywood action adventure movie. Definitely too many WOW moments to count and from the early opening scene, you immediately know that you are in for a hell of a treat.

The best part of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is that somehow the developers have made this sequel even better than the original and all the slight inconsistencies form the original game have been fixed.

At its core, the game is a third person adventure game (more specifically a shooter) with a healthy dose of combat, puzzles and exploration. It's also one of those games that makes it difficult to put down and before you know it, the game will unfortunately be finished but what a ride.

The control system is perfect in Uncharted 2 and is extremely well mapped on the DualShock controller. Whether your fighting enemies, navigating on precariously dangerous ledges or watching some wonderful cinematics, here's very little that is frustrating about this game. The combat in the game is thoroughly fun and allows you to approach the game from a stealth perspective or going all out with guns blazing, it's very satisfying.

Needless to say, the single-player mode is quite a fun experience and you'll always be on your toes as you attempt to solve the variety of puzzles in the game and try to figure out just what the hell is going on. Like the best box of chocolate you have ate, eventually it will come to end but wait, there's more.

Unlike the original game, the sequel contains a fun multiplayer mode that include classics from Deathmatch to King of the Hill which actually works quite well with the 3D world of Nathan Drake. There's even a survival mode that is quite reminiscent of the Horde Mode in Gears of War 2 and add in a variety of other fun bits and even leader boards and we're hoping that the multiplayer aspect of this game will get more popular.

The graphics are brilliant for this game and the attention to detail is amazing. From the highly detailed gaming environments to the impressively animated characters in the game and extraordinary special effects, this is what gaming is about. We were also impressed by the realistic facials of the characters that doesn't seem fake and really helps you relate to them.

Add in a variety of animations as the characters interact with the environment and some brilliant texture details and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a perfect on a Blu-ray disc.

Needless to say, this is probably the best looking game on any console at the moment. Prophetic words but true! The voice acting in the game is first class and this is really assisted by the smart arsed humour of Drake which only makes him more endearing to the gamer.

Add in realistic sound effects such as bullets flying or the background ambience and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves sounds lush through our surround sound setup as does the Hollywood style of action music.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a flawless experience on the PS3 that we really cannot fault and is what modern gaming is all about. Rather than reinvent the wheel, it gives the gamer a classical gaming experience with a 21st century feel and play. Sure there are a few frustrating moments in the game but in what game isn't?

The control system works quite well on the PS3 even in light of some of the challenges you face but the experience of completing this game is definitely going to stay with the gamer for a considerable amount of time. Move over Batman, for there's a new king in the world of gaming and developers Naughty Dog should be commended for such a entertaining game.

Highly Recommended!





 

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