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Uncharted 3 unleashes what the PlayStation 3 system can really do. It is, in a word, a masterpiece.

User Rating: 10 | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception PS3

By yalamanchi | Review Date: September 16, 2012

The phrase "Sic Parvis Magna" or "Greatness from small beginnings" as said by Sir Francis Drake sometimes invigorates me. It tells me that it doesn't matter what one is, or where he is from in order to achieve greatness. I first came across this quote whilst playing the game Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The game is truly singular in its own way. With a solid storyline, the game has managed to successfully rivet me to my console for more than three straight hours at times. It starts off with a deal resulting in a clash between our beloved adrenaline junkies (Nate and Sully) and a bunch of heavy British henchmen, who work for Katherine Marlowe (an irascible, obnoxious old woman), an old acquaintance of Sully. The prologue ends with one of them shooting both of our heroes squarely in their chests; and Marlowe finally getting what she had been seeking for since what seemed to me like the dawn of time itself – the pendant of Drake, which Nate possessed since he was a teen. Chapter 2 is a flashback in time and is set in Colombia, and we get to play young Nate, follow closely Sully (who looks pretty much the same as he does now) and steal his wallet which contains a key to a case containing Drake's pendant in a museum. This is where Nate and Sully first interact with each other, soon after which their bonds of friendship are forged. The introduction was truly epic; the fight sequences in the bar were fun to play and watch; the voice acting was amazing and the interspersed witty dialogues of the characters made it very enjoyable.
The one major commendable attribute that the game possesses is the infallible physics engine, and the extremely crisp graphics engine, the likes of which one is only going to find in the previous Uncharted games. The graphics engine is what makes Uncharted, Uncharted. It imparts to the game an appearance of vigorous life and freshness. The environments of the game are replete with the tiniest but crucial details. Take, for instance the unforgettable chapter in which Nate tries to find his way across a Middle Eastern desert. The finesse of the game that the developers have so meticulously constructed does not go unapprobated. The very existence of this chapter is applause in disguise for all the hard work they have put in, for it is impossible for anyone who plays this chapter to not be awed by its accurate representation of nature and its beauty. The manner in which the sand dunes move around over the desert plains, the gait of an enervated Nate and his delusions of oases have been presented in a manner so adroit that it still makes me want to salute the developers.
The physics engine is evidently quite complex. The ninety degree shifts of the environments during the capsizing of the luxury ship, the wavering of the yachts on unstable waters during turbulent weather conditions, the collapsing of bridge as it's foundations totter have all been portrayed as though each one of them really did occur in some corner of the world some time ago, and the player gets to relive them from the comfort of his living room.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Uncharted 3 unleashes what the PlayStation 3 system can really do. It is, in a word, a masterpiece.

Uncharted 3 improves on a variety of aspects, and is as polished as gold in nearly every regard.

What's not to love?