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Uncharted 2 is, without a doubt, phenomenal. Developer Naughty Dog's unparalleled technical prowess and artistry make Nathan Drake's latest adventure a thrilling yarn that fully embraces the spirit of an adventure-serial—something that was desperately missing from the original.
For anyone who's even slightly familiar with Naughty Dog's pedigree, and has played Drake's Fortune or even just seen footage from its sequel, these statements should come as no surprise. Among Thieves is easily the game of the year, and probably one of the best games ever made—and this in a year where we've already seen Arkham Asylum and Demon's Souls. It's that good.
So to say that Among Thieves is a must-buy, regardless of whether or not you already own a PS3, is a given. In fact, I could end this review right now without even going into any real details; the only vital information you need is that the game delivers an adventure experience that is, for all intents and purposes, peerless.
When Drake's Fortune landed on the PS3 a few years ago, everyone was wowed by it. "Tomb Raider killer", the reviews called it. But as great as the script, characters and dialogue were in Nate's first outing, the game's design had more in common with a linear cover shooter, albeit one in an adventure game's clothing. Needless to say, this was a little disappointing for someone expecting some healthy competition for Ms. Croft. Not that this made the game bad—far from it, in fact—only that, for whatever reason, its design fell mostly outside those action/adventure parameters.
What sets Among Thieves apart is that it improves the original Uncharted's gameplay formula by leaps and bounds. The game still unfolds in a fairly linear fashion, but the open level design demands more exploration than before. Furthermore, in Drake's Fortune, players endured long segments of shooting waves of enemies, only now and then getting to do some light platforming. While there's no shortage of gunplay in Among Thieves, the action is tighter and more varied. Expect a much more organic gameplay experience, with enemies cutting off your retreat in armored military vehicles, plenty of chases and even some showdowns pitting Nate against Hind gunships and tanks, to name a few.
One of the great things about Among Thieves is that you never know exactly where the game is going next. One minute Nate might be fleeing from a Hind gunship through buildings in the Nepalese countryside; the next, he could be fighting his way to the front of a hijacked train, or even performing some well-implemented stealth takedowns on a group of unsuspecting enemies. The game's breathtaking set pieces create a cinematic flow that complements Among Thieves' top-notch script while making the game a blast to experience. Additionally, the refined puzzles and ancient devices Nate encounters in his travels—among which are some of the best set pieces of the game in their own right—allow for much less hand-holding when it comes to overall exploration and level progression. All this stakes Uncharted's claim as the videogame heir-apparent to Indiana Jones. Among Thieves even has its fair share of Last Crusade-type situations, replete with double crosses and a race to find a lost treasure once sought by Marco Polo.
The progression of any game series (or Hollywood film franchise) will undoubtedly prove that with sequels, bigger is believed to be better. More features, bigger environments, more moves, more locales, a better script and more excitement—exponential growth and improvement is always in demand. Among Thieves is no exception—it starts off with a (literal) cliffhanger, for one—but in this case, it works. Even so, improvements to the game's narrative and cinematic style are to be expected. The unlooked-for perk is the improvement in the way Drake explores his world. This transforms the game from a simple cover shooter into the full-on action/adventure game it was destined to be.
When the inevitable third Uncharted game hits the market in another two years (we hope), Among Thieves will most likely have proven to be a second stage evolution for the series. Although Uncharted seems determined to straddle the line between action and adventure, things seem to be heading in an overall direction that's more exotic than before.
Mark my words: once you pick this one up, you will not be able to put it down. And now that Nathan Drake has basically taken up the adventure gaming mantle, well, the sky's the limit. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble he gets himself into next.
Fun Factor: In a word: platinum. You will love this game.
Game Length: Ten or twelve hours, depending on if you use the game's included hint system (my advice: don't).
Difficulty: Challenging, but not impossible. Among Thieves is nothing if not expertly balanced.
On the Negative Side: Uh, the stealth in Chapter 2 can be a little tricky to pull off if you don't take care of things quickly. Oh, and the game eventually ends.
Bang for your Buck: I'll say it again: Uncharted 2 is a must-buy, and a definite system seller, particularly for anyone who thinks the PS3 isn't capable of matching, say, the graphical power of the 360 (just wait till you see the snow). The single-player is enthralling and the multiplayer is a hell of a lot of fun, too. And once the credits roll, you'll immediately want to start playing it again.
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