Graphic Nature – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

The life of a fortune hunter can be pretty exciting. I mean come one the idea of getting rich quick because some old explore hid their treasure to only leave clues you can figure out has to be exciting, right? Well for Nathan Drake that excitement usually ends up with constant gun fights with other fortune hunters and mercenaries. Luckily for us Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is chock full of that with a little treasure scattered along.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Playstation 3
1 Player/ Online Play
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Price: $59.99

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves continues the story of Nathan Drake. This time around he is talked into going after the long lost treasure the Cintamani stone which was said to be something Marco Polo was after. We follow Drake through Central Asia as he tries to stop a war criminal from reaching the Cintamani stone and the great power that comes with it.

Pros

The Story – The Uncharted series has a way of making certain historical legends exciting. You are honestly excited to see how the characters are intertwined with the treasure they are after and all the little pieces uncovered about past expeditions to find it. Through out the game you find yourself caring about some of the characters and even questioning the actions of others. Let alone the fact that you learn things about the legendary treasure you never would have taken the time out of your day to. I give Naughty Dog a lot of credit for making such an exciting game, but also teaching people of all age’s new things.

The Graphics – The first Uncharted game was visually stunning. You take time to stop playing the game and just look around at the vast landscapes. There is so much detail and color that you honestly might cry because of how beautiful the scenery is. Uncharted 2 is even more stunning especially with the help from the updated Naughty Dog engine.

Even the character detail has greatly improved since the first game. From facial expressions to overall character design you can tell a lot of time went into designing this game. Also, one of the most impressive things is that when your character swims or rolls in a puddle you will notice that their clothes have become wet and watch them dry off right before your eyes.

Multiplayer – This is something new to the franchise. Naughty Dog was looking to expand the users experience with the game and they have done so. You can spend hours upon hours playing. Uncharted 2 features two different types of multiplayer. First is the co-op side that allows three players to take over the roles of Nathan, Sully and Chloe. You and your teammates must work together to complete objectives and survive through missions.

The second type of multiplayer is the traditional type with features Deathmatch, Plunder, Elimination and Chain Reaction. Deathmatch pits two teams (Heroes vs. Villains) of five against each other to see who can reach 50 points first. Plunder is basically capturing the flag except with treasure. Elimination is deathmatch with no respawning and best 3 out of 5. Finally Chain Reaction is capture the flag except you must do so in order.

No More Sixaxis! – Uncharted 2 doesn’t feature the six-axis controls from the first game. That means no moving the controller up and down to arc your grenade throws and moving it left and right to balance on beams. Yes, that made the game more difficult, but it also got really annoying especially when you were in the middle of a gun fight and need a perfect grenade throw.

The Game Play – The only time you are not in control of your character is during the cut scenes. Other then that you are sneaking, running, gunning, and parkouring your way through the entire game. Those four elements are what make Uncharted 2 so much fun to play and even a little frustrating. They also play a vital role in completing it. You have to use all of your abilities to solve some puzzles that will unlock secret doors that will lead you that much closer to that treasure.

Cons

THERE ARE NONE!

Overall, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the most entertaining, fun, and graphically stunning games I have ever played. You will spend hours finishing the main story and then hours playing multiplayer. Naught Dog did an amazing job at making you want to revisit this game again and again. If you own a Playstation 3 then you must own this game no ifs, ands, or buts. Uncharted 2 has just become the par for video game development.

5 out 5 Stars