Another great entry for Nathan Drake
So, did U3 live up to my hype?....
LOVED
The Drake Chronicles: Any chance to step back into the world of Nathan Drake is a good thing. U3 continues the Drake's treasure hunting escapades, and even delves into his background. A solid effort on the narrative front.
More Like Naughty God, amiright?: There may no better showcase of the PS3's potential than Uncharted 3. The graphics are superb, the framerate is steady, the animations are top notch, and the DTS audio demands a home theater system. Studios like ND are why 1st party games are important to the industry, as they can realize a console's full potential.
A Full Plate: As with U2, the sequel offers a great multiplayer component to jump into once you've finished the campaign. ND even expanded the co-op feature, making it more enjoyable.
Party On, Dude: I've said it before, and I'll say it again; Every MP game should have a Party System. ND wisely included the feature in U2 and again in U3. There's nothing better than getting a group of friends, and jumping from game to game together.
Nolan North & Friends: Once again the voice acting is superb in U3. Nolan North has said Drake is his favorite character, and it shows. The rest of the cast puts in another admirable performance. Superb voice acting combined with impressive mo-cap makes for a movie-like experience.
HATED
A Knife to a Gun Fight: The melee combat is serviceable, but not all that enjoyable. This wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't so much of it.
Forever-Alone.jpg: Part of the narrative appeal in Uncharted 2 was the love triangle Drake got himself into. Yet, that was all but abandoned in U3, mainly because of the lifesty1e Drake lives. A disappointment for me.
Drake, The Mass Murderer: You kill a ton of dudes in U3. Not that this is any different from U2, but it take a bit of a disconnect knowing that Drake is supposed to be an "everyday" regular dude, yet he's able to kill off a ton of skilled soldiers.
CoD-ized: The MP now features perks, as first seen in the CoD series. I'm not opposed to the Perk System, but I liked the non-perk MP structure of U2 more. It's unfortunate ND decided to go this route.
CONCLUSION
Uncharted 3 is fantastic showcase of the PS3 hardware. The game looks superb, the voice acting is good enough to be in movie, the audio design will make you happy to own a home theater system, and there's a solid MP offering to keep you busy for months after you've finished the campaign. U3 is the complete package.
My complaints are more nitpicky than anything. The narrative is still solid, yet takes a step back in regards to Drake's personal life. The MP is refined, yet now features the Perk System popularized by CoD. (Whether that's a plus or minus is up to you.)