Filled with spectacular gunfights and memorable setpieces, Uncharted 2 is an epic action adventure that you won't forget
Contains: Strong Violence, Moderate Language, Intense Action and Adventure
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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a third-person action adventure sequel that tracks modern-day fortune hunter Nathan Drake on his latest history-influenced quest.
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STORY - 5/5
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An artefact found in one of Marco Polo's lost ships leads fortune hunter Nathan Drake to the Himalayas on the trail of the Cintamani Stone. But he isn't the only one searching for it. Hunted by an army of wild mercenaries led by a merciless Serbian war criminal, Nathan and his allies must risk everything to unravel history's darkest secret…
It's an engrossing story guided along nicely by a compelling script that includes just about everything you'd want in an action adventure plot - Intrigue, twists and turns, amusing dialogue, and historic references relevant to the non-fictional background it's loosely based upon. The cutscenes are almost movie-like and carry the plot along sublimely. They are engaging cinematics that draw attention to the character-driven side of the narrative, and fully immerse you with the high quality of how very watchable they are.
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CHARACTERS - 5/5
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Nathan Drake is a casual treasure hunter who you'll come to feel deeply emotionally, physically and mentally involved with in his efforts to thwart threats. His witty remarks, good nature, and heroic 'never-say-die' attitude make him instantly likeable, and if you already played Drake's Fortune, you'll already know just how dedicated he is to seeing even the most unlikeliest of battles through to the bitter end. His will is stronger than you'll see in any other game, and he is persistent and resilient at giving up on someone or something in danger - an asset few fictional video game characters possess so convincingly. You'll care for the protagonist, and this striking connection you make with him and all the other good-sided characters is something that fuses you to the story and grips you tight without ever giving you the chance to be hesitant and let that grip lessen. And the bad guys are loathsome enough (particularly the cruel antagonist) so that you dislike the thought and possibility of defeat, and makes you feel the compassion in Drake's heart as in your very own and everyone else joining you on the epic adventure. Returning characters are a pleasure to see and hear, and newly introduced ones are interesting to see sink in seamlessly to Drake's ongoing quest, giving enough diversity and personality to appreciate each person caught up in the archaeological treasure hunt that, before long, turns into a world-saving, personal mission against power-hungry villains intent on dominating the globe.
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GAMEPLAY - 5/5
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After beginning with an intense passage of gameplay that offers a little bit of everything that's to come while cleanly cutting back to the present and slowly developing the origin of the story, you are soon able to realise the magnitude of awesomeness awaiting you. It's a slow starter that gets you into the basics and displays the stealth element of gameplay, but like a good story-driven game, a build-up of pace that follows suite to the story it runs parallel with is ideal to indicating this fact vigorously, and Uncharted 2 achieves this intention delightfully.
You'll need to resort to taking cover fairly often when shooting sparks up and stealthy takedowns are no longer an option, and the ignite of explosive action delivers satisfying shooting mechanics with a range of powerful guns that all feel just right in your sweaty grasp. Aside from taking cover and shooting (and recovering from epic scenes) you'll have to climb around the environment to proceed via platforming. It's very impressive how the game takes an ordinary setting with common objects and makes them into clever pathways around certain obstructions, and they'll be numerous, precarious objects for interactivity during platforming sections that will be unable to support your weight or be rotten through age, and this keeps you attached to the sudden change of pace and forces you to be aware of where you tread or what you try to grab hold of next, because sometimes your reactions are needed in order to prevent an avoidable death. In fact, you'll become familiar (in a good way) with the close outlook of death looming over each sequence of gameplay, especially during some of the memorable portions of gameplay that use cinematics to highlight a scene aswell from the traditional third-person perspective to watch it play out with gratifying results. Deliberately pitting you right at death's door is what makes the suspense and subsequent survival of the event even more dramatic, and time and time again Uncharted 2 succeeds at providing a close shave during the perilous circumstances, aswell as successfully raising the hair on the back of your neck as you live to tell the tale once more. Memorable sequences of gameplay come thick and fast, thrusting obstacles of all sizes into your path, making for exhilarating, thrilling and downright awesome set pieces that cut it very fine to surviving and at the same time provide edge-of-your-seat moments that will leave you breathless and emotionally exhausted when Drake and his companions finally pull through a difficult spot. Even when you're on the verge of death, your controller will vibrate 'beats' in appropriate unison to Drake's heart, making you even more desperate to prevent him from dying, and incensed should you unfortunately fail to do so.
The majority of your quest involves cover-based shooting and platforming, but clever puzzles are thoughtfully placed to mix up the pace and give you a chance to think, and more importantly, to get your breath back after the typical adrenaline rush you previously experienced in some action-driven set piece. With the use of Drake's journal which provides clues towards the puzzles' solutions, you'll be able to assess the environment and then glance at your journal (which is presented exceptionally well) in order to complete the puzzle lingering nearby. Another element of gameplay that is implemented neatly into the grand order of things is melee. Melee combat isn't forced into gameplay, but it's a strongly made aspect that gives you the unique opportunity to fight bare fisted and see Drake's array of improvised fighting techniques when enemies come too close to comfort and are easier to dispatch without awkwardly trying to line up your aiming reticule with the target who has strayed too close and complacently away from his allies. It looks and feels fantastic, and is simple enough despite just pressing a single button repeatedly to attack, and then a second to dodge an incoming, flailing fist before counterattacking with the first button and witnessing a cool, over-the-top takedown captured in slow motion.
Minimal load times ensure you are completely immersed for long stretches of time, and in-between gameplay sequences it only pauses to begin the next movie-like cinematic. It's fair to say Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is something special. The gameplay is quite simple outstanding, providing thrills frequently, and epic set pieces that are injected into the standard shooting and platforming extremely well. It's enough to send chills up your back, and maintain your complete attention for the duration of the adventure that delivers some puzzle solving and exploration too, whilst keeping you fully immersed with Nathan Drake's courageous efforts to see his quest through right to the climax.
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GRAPHICS - 5/5
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Each beautiful locale you visit on your treasure hunt is stunningly detailed. From the lush jungles you pass by via locomotive in one of the best segments of the adventure, to the snowy, frozen mountains of the Himalayas, and then to a crumbling city strewn with debris and wreckage from hostile, destructive activities, you'll be in awe and be overwhelmed at the high level of detail gone into creating every environment, and they are sights well worth admiring for long periods of time before deciding to resume your objective. Uncharted 2 is without a doubt one of the best looking games of all time, and undoubtedly the most impressive visually on the Playstation 3, and even the physicality of weather conditions is stunning on the eye. From the detailed trail you leave behind when trudging through snow, which also smears your clothes should you roll or go knee deep, to the realistic particles of water which ripples and splashes authentically and visually gives your clothing a wet looks should you go for a swim, the elements that are implemented into the experience from the weather are mightily impressive, while the framerate never drops for a second in some of the most hectic and explosive of action-packed scenarios with stunts and shooting galore.
Nuanced and realistic animations when landing a jump, misjudging a landing and hanging on for dear life during platforming are just some of the noticeable traits Drake exhibits to prove he isn't a superhero, he isn't experienced at climbing, and isn't physically unbreakable, and they are so believable that it's staggering and utterly impressive even when it's something as subtle as reaching for a weapon behind his back or walking up a flight of stairs.
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SOUND - 5/5
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The orchestral score captures the fortune seeking, treasure hunting theme that was founded in Drake's Fortune, delivering a sense of tribal input for the instruments used that coincides neatly with the treasures hidden around the environments. It's delicate, and always evident in the background of exploration, and disperses immediately to let the dramatic, action-orientated music to take its place once shooting ignites, and the epicness of the action is glimpsed arriving in the very near future. Just as mesmerising is the voice acting. The cutscenes are amazing, but more so knowing that motion capture is used by the voice actors to make each scene more life-like, and more movie-like. Their performances are captured by wearing specialised motion capture suits so that it is identical within an in-game cutscene, and the voice work by each actor is outstanding, and truly enhances the story into epic status. Nolan North, who plays Nathan Drake, even adds a few quips and a bit of his own personality to the character he plays, and this is great to see that Drake is influenced by other fortune hunters - fictional or non-fictional from the other games or movies, and even history. The action-packed stunts and fiery explosions combined with solid sound effects fuel the sound design even more, and everything about the audio department is nigh on perfect, with voice acting being a definite highlight of the entire game.
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CONTROLS - 5/5
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The controls are assigned to your controller perfectly, and it'll become instinct soon enough to take cover with circle, aim and shoot with L1 and R1, and reload effortlessly with a tap of R2. Even some of the trickier actions such as picking up and throwing a propane tank and then shooting it in midair is something that feels so right so not to become an issue, and creating a grenade arc and then propelling that explosive towards your foes is a pleasure to do every time you reacquire some extra ammo from a dead enemy and decide to launch one again. The controls are tight and responsive, giving you complete control over every action, and giving Drake the realistic movement behaviour you'd expect from a normal kind of guy given the circumstances. Drake is physically adept and is able to jump, climb, and scale narrow ledges and wall-faces to get between points, and you're given such tight control over his movements that you feel precisely in control of his fate when you leap across chasms, abseil sheer drops or swing on an old rope holding your life in the balance.
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ATMOSPHERE - 5/5
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There is credibility to draw from every element within each environment, and the territory you find yourself in, whether deep in the mountains or within the heart of a jungle, is atmospheric to some definite proportion that is subtle but effective at establishing convenience relevant to your objective. There is slight ambient sounds audible when gunfire ceases in the trees of the Borneo forests, and in the dilapidated city of Nepal the silence only amplifies the death and destruction to be heard in the background as the villains ravage the location in search of the precious artefact Drake is also searching desperately for. And then, when the actions amps up to an unbelievable degree and to almost ridiculous proportions, you are thrust into a tense atmosphere that demands willpower to pull through, and the atmosphere generated in these sections of the game is nothing short of epic.
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ENEMY AI - 3/5
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They throw grenades accurately at random intervals, forcing you to think quickly and observe your surroundings immediately for a safe escape, constantly keeping you on your toes and the level of challenge reasonably fair without inducing frustration which could potentially hamper the enjoyment. The tougher enemies pose a considerable threat, wielding powerful weapons while slowly closing in your position without hesitating to put themselves in harms way, and making your situation difficult to easily succeed, while the normal soldiers take cover effectively, poke out of cover carefully, and even blind fire if unsure of the possibility of getting a another chance if they expose their skull above the wall they're taking brief refuge behind (Afterall, if giving the chance you'll gleefully and brutally place a few bullets when you see an opportunity to do so). Though at times, the intelligence levels of your numerous foes is questionable, and too many times they'll not cleverly realise the current threat of the situation they're in, and apparently aren't adept at recognising every part of the environment to take advantage when you decide to push forwards aggressively without hesitance. Basically, they aren't smart or quick thinkers when trapped in corners. But despite the noticeable flaws during gunplay and stealth, together they are very good at applying the pressure and prove a thorn in your backside when in large quantities.
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LENGTH - 3/5
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Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a perfectly paced story-driven action adventure that will last about 9 hours to arrive at the exciting climax, and it mixes puzzles, stealth, dramatic scenes, and on-foot shooting gameplay into it's time frame exceedingly well without ever feeling boring or leaving you detached (to be honest it never gives you the chance).
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REPLAY VALUE - 5/5
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Well hidden treasures including a special rare relic encourage exploration once the action has calmed, and collecting these treasures, along with completing certain feats within the game, is tracked by the awarding of medals, which gives you in-game money to use to unlock extra content on the disc available from the main menu, including concept art, game movies, and game cheats such as guns with infinite ammunition. A large portion of the in-game medals are used to award trophies, and so you are given plenty to aim for aside from the obvious goal to see Drake succeed.
And you can almost bet your money that Drake will pull it off somehow, even though the odds are stacked dangerously against him, and the villains are armed and plentiful, his willpower is unrivalled by any other video game character at this moment of time. The entire cast of characters are fantastic, and the story's historic premise is improved hugely because of the acting talents behind the fictional characters faces, making an interesting story deeply absorbing in no time because you feel and care for the people involved. It feels like a movie. A movie which you are, in some respects, controlling, and in command of the fates of the characters caught up in the conflict between good and evil. Injecting jolts of adrenaline to course through your body is a common tactic during gameplay and cutscenes, and the scale of the action is thrilling and climatic, giving you plenty of instances to be shocked at how awesome the scripted sequences really are, and defining Uncharted 2 to be a rollercoaster of non-stop energy from beginning to end. As Nathan Drake, you are plunged into an ordeal that feels alive thanks to the phenomenal graphics and detailed level design, and the explosive stunts, theatrical cinematics and spectacular action will leave you in a stunned and thrilled state unlike anything you've felt before in a video game. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an exhilarating action adventure that defines the genre and simply must be experienced, for it is a quality masterpiece that you may never forget.
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OVERALL SUMMARY - 9.5/10
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Good Points: Phenomenal graphics and gorgeously detailed environments, Character and story-driven action adventure epic filled with spectacular gunfights and explosive stunts, Engaging cinematics provide an admirable amount of humour and drama, Memorable gameplay sequences make you emotionally connected to the cast of wonderfully diverse characters, Perfectly paced narrative that includes clever puzzles and platforming aswell as stealth and melee combat and even exploration, Overall sound design is outstanding complete with solid voice acting and dramatic music.
Bad Points: Enemies could be smarter.