GB Gamer

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

Naughty Dog is probably best known for it’s iconic Crash Bandicoot series on the original Playstation. However, in recent years they have become one of the leaders of PS3′s new look first party lineup and the original Uncharted was one of the centerpieces of this. That game featured great visuals, solid play mechanics, an interesting plot and likeable characters. Two years later Uncharted is back with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and it’s fair to say that Naughty Dog has taken every aspect of the original, improved, refined and added new features to make one of the best games of the current console generation.

As soon as you start the game you are greeted with quite simply the best looking visuals ever seen on a console. The art direction alone is absolutely incredible, but combined with the extremely impressive technology that never seems to falter, Uncharted 2 impresses on every level in every single one of it’s huge environments. The characters themselves are impressive too, they look incredible in the cutscenes and the animation is scarily realistic.

The single player campaign itself is pretty lengthy, taking around 11 hours on the normal difficulty setting. You once again play Drake as he searches for ancient treasures and attempts to save the world from an evil dictator who is trying to revive ancient technology. Other characters from the original also return but I won’t spoil them.

There are also new members of the cast including new love interest Chloe. Her dialogue is a little clichéd at times but overall she is a welcome addition to the impressive cast of characters. Also noteworthy is the brilliant voice acting, each cutscene and even the dialogue in the levels themselves is very well acted

For those who never played the original, the gameplay in Uncharted takes a lot of inspiration from the Tomb Raider series. It combines Gears of War style shooting and cover mechanics with some platforming and puzzle solving. One of Uncharted 2′s greatest strengths is it’s pacing and the way it never makes a section last too long or throws you into repetitive sequences. It divides the game up almost perfectly between each of it’s three main playing styles and keeps you hooked throughout.

The action sequences also are stunning, from the much loved ‘running from a helicopter’ sequence that was shown at E3 to probably the best train sequence ever seen in a game, Uncharted 2 delivers what is ultimately the best single player experience so far this console generation.

Once you have finished the single player campaign you then have the new multiplayer modes that you may have already been playing in the recent demo. Unlike so many shooters these days, Uncharted 2′s multiplayer doesn’t feel like an afterthought. The play mechanics make for a genuinely fun and competitive shooter. Each of the modes play well and with regular playlist updates and a Call of Duty-esque upgrade system the multiplayer modes should keep you coming back for more. Whether it can keep your attention once the multiplayer heavy hitters come out later this year though is another question.

The final mode is the online co-op play. Up to three players can fight together through a few different levels made specifically for co-op. They are great fun but there aren’t many but hopefully Naughty Dog has some more planned as DLC.

Overall then Uncharted 2 is quite simply a must buy. From the stunning opening sequence to the end credits it delivers one of the most polished, entertaining and most fun experiences ever created on a console.

Score: 10/10