Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

It’s been a fabulous year for Sony. Killzone 2 and InFamous were huge exclusive releases for the system, and were timed to release when Sony’s main competitor, the 360, had a wilting release of exclusives. Multi-platform games, like Batman Arkham Asylum managed competitive sales with the 360, and the PS3 topped both the 360 and the Wii in monthly sales for the first time ever. Uncharted 2 keeps up this spectacular rhythm, having released just two weeks ago.

So, why am I still reviewing it this late? Because a game like this means more than just having something awesome that you MUST play if you own a PS3. It’s even more than just a very good argument for why someone should buy a PS3 if they haven’t already.

First of all, this game really is a must play. InFamous was fantastic, but I can understand if its gritty comic style, soft-science, super hero storyline is not everyone’s cup of tea. Uncharted 2, on the other hand, is the kind of game with the kind of universally appealing story that anyone who considers themselves a gamer should not only be willing to play, but be able to thoroughly enjoy.

I’ll start with the basics: the game is gorgeous. If this isn’t pushing the PS3 to its limits, then I can’t wait to see an Uncharted 3. This game has a much brighter variety of environments than the previous installment. Whereas the original Uncharted took place largely in colonial and ancient  ruins of South America, with the only surprise environments being World War II era army bases, this one really takes Drake on something that feels like a grandiose globetrotting treasure hunt. All the environments of both games were rendered beautifully, and really were the concrete bases for the atmosphere and story of the game that made it spectacular.

Uncharted 2 starts off with a museum heist as you and an accomplice traipse around beautiful courtyards and architecture of the Istanbul museum. You eventually find yourself in Borneo, a civil war torn Nepal, snowy mountains, and all new fertile paradises that the story transitions you smoothly among  as it unfolds.

What a story too. The characters we came to know and love are well established and consistent. Even though Sully, Drake’s erstwhile companion, plays less of a role in this game, his absence is understandably consistent with the story’s theme, if not somewhat abrupt. When it’s held against the ultimate personal struggle Drake faces along with the larger conflict, it contributes beautifully.

Elena Fischer returns, separated from Drake due to dubious circumstances after the last adventure, and Drake has a new accomplice, the lovely dark haired British thief, Chloe Fraser. While there was an opportunity for Chloe to feel like just a jammed in femme fatale for the “new” Drake adventure, her character displays depth, wit, growth and importance to the story and Drake’s character that makes me sit up and hope she reappears in future installments.

The story follows the same basic premise as the first: a treasure hunt that grows in scope of the pursuit, and eventually becomes a race to prevent a mystical object from winding up in the wrong hands. This time, the revelations of the mysticism in the story are more paced and poignant with regards to Drake’s personal struggle and conflicts with the people around him. The villain is more menacing and evil rather than the previous game’s who just seemed creepy and leering by comparison. The new villain, Lazarevic is ruthless, and commands his army with strategic mastery, making this game’s sense of urgency and danger all the more legitimate.

The gameplay is almost identical to the previous Uncharted, but has been built up quite a bit in how it works and plays.  Unlike the original, enemies move with more strategy and purpose even on lower difficulties. Before, enemies would only move to flush you out and flank you on the harder difficulties. Now, even on the lowest difficulties the enemies move with that deliberate purpose.

Difficulty determines just how hard they are to actually kill (i.e. number of bullets), how smart their movements are (how well they assume and use cover), and your own resistance to their attacks. Headshots become a must in many cases because as before, you are very limited in your gun and ammo supply: one light gun, one heavy, only so much ammo for each and four grenades.

The developers did make the melee attacks much more effective. Melees use the same style as Batman Arkham Asylum: Square is attack, but should Drake need to counter, a tap of the triangle reverses so he can then launch a counter to finish the enemy off. Stealth attacks have also been improved thanks to tweaking of the enemy reactions and AI. Once the first level forces you to get the feel for them, stealth feels like a much more viable option in this game than the previous title. How often did we really get to use stealth attacks in the previous game? Somehow in the original you’d enter a room, and for no reason other than you were a certain distance in, you’d hear people yelling that you were there. In this game, if you’re careful, you can take out entire starting units in an area purely through stealth. However, it’s not calibrated to the Metal Gear Solid level of perfection. A few times I got away with moves without being spotted that were kind of unbelievable, and other times I’d be spotted, it seemed, through a wall. Luckily the cover system is just as effective and manageable as before, so dealing with the hordes of enemies and keeping yourself alive is doable.

Also, unlike the previous installment, enemies don’t seem to have that unnerving sixth sense of where Drake is. In the previous game, regardless of whether you were crouching or not, enemies would seem to know exactly where you were behind cover. This game allows you to move around and hide, should you be crouching, and flank enemies to catch them unaware. The AI’s new aggressive movements will make these kinds of strategies necessities on the Normal and higher difficulties.

Should you fail a section, the generous checkpoint system won’t have you rehashing more than is fair, and I found that should I die I was aggravated more in disappointment at myself than calling the game a cheat. One caveat, is that the cover system is a little jumpy, when you’re trying to move from cover to cover, but it’s never the kind of thing that’ll get you killed unless you panic and mash buttons too quickly since a lot of the moves are pressure and context sensitive.

In summation, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of, if not the best game I’ve played for the PS3. That’s a huge statement to make, especially considering where the PS3 library currently stands. However, this game, when I finished it, prompted me to put this status up on Facebook: “Who needs a fifth Indiana Jones movie when we have games like Uncharted 2?” I meant every word. The game’s story, animation and acting are better executed than most modern Hollywood popcorn flicks. That may not seem to be saying much considering the travesty that was Indy 4, but that doesn’t diminish the accomplishment. Uncharted 2 firmly places the medium where many people thought it never could reach. The Non-Player Controlled elements of the story and adventure are beautifully executed, and being offered the control of an original character who is just as likable, admirable and heroic as a classic icon such as Dr. Jones made it better than a film.

Drake’s character, his pluck, his courage, his adventure, his human insecurities and personal conflicts all beg for the comparison to that famous whip snapping Dr. Jones. When I caught myself thinking that, though, I realized I was thinking of Jones not because Drake felt like a knock off. Far from, in fact. I felt this way only because Drake was having as profound an effect and appeal to me as Indy had when I was kid, no

Simple conclusion: Own a PS3, Must play Uncharted 2. Go get it.

Score: 9.6/10