[ JC-Exclusive Review ] Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves

Available On : PS3 only
Note: I only review the single player campaign of the game because i felt that the multiplayer mode is just a bonus to this game.



Intro:
I have to admit that action-adventure games are my favourite type and since playing the first Uncharted, i have been anticipating another game which can match the level of excitement of the game. This game has been hyped after those amazing trailers and gameplays in E3 2009 conference, but does it really delivers?


Story:
The story unfolds when main character Nathan Drake,a fortune hunter, receives invitation from his friend Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer for a job offer to steal a Mongolian oil lamp in the Istanbul Museum. Nate accepts the offer as he learns that it may also reveals secret behind Marco Polo's lost fleet. Nate soon after discovers that the lamps leads to the ships that was transporting the legendary Cintamani Stone from Shamballah. The story is very well told and comparable to many Hollywood movies. Simply brilliant.

Nate, found your treasure ?

Graphics:
The first Uncharted has already put so many current generation of game to shame and i have to really praise the developer Naughty Dog in this category. And when they claim they maximize the usage of the PS3 for this game, you gotta really believe it. The architecture, the movements of characters, facial expression, lightning, texture and the environment : top notch. Its just so incredible that you may want to stop at a certain point looking at the top view of the city, the mountains and the snow ( i particularly like the snow very much). What is another incredible thing is that even at moving at high speed, the environment are still so solid and beautiful. No matter its during cutscenes or gameplay, the graphics are still unbeatable at the moment and top in the business.


Snow baby!

Sound:
Lets start with the music first. The opening and the main theme is the same as the previous Uncharted, which is pleasant and suits the overall treasure hunting theme. The background musics during battles also makes it more exciting and sort of giving you the theatrical feel in movies. The voice actors are also at the movie's standard. Nathan Drake (voiced by Nolan North), Elena (Emily Rose) and Chloe (Claudia Black), Lazarevic (Graham McTavish) and Flynn (Steve Valentine) and a few more which sets an example to other games on how voice acting can be this influential to games.


Elena is hot! Emily Rose is hot too. Holy crap!

Gameplay:
This game is a mixture of 3rd person shooter and action adventure. Shooting is in Gears Of War style where player will get to hide behind objects such as walls are vehicles to avoid damages and be able to shoot normally or blind shooting. The players are allow to carry two weapons at a time, one being single hand weapon such as pistols and micro machine guns and the other weapon will be two handed such as AK-47 and sniper rifles. They are also melee attacks where players are to press the square button to attack and triangle to avoid. As the story goes stronger enemies such as the heavy armored are very difficult to be killed by melee. Stealth attacks also being implemented here where player can kill the enemy without being noticed from the back. Aside shooting, players will have to climb and move from places to places and also solving puzzles along the way. Although the places that you are allowed to climb are determined but they are well executed. Puzzles this time are pretty large in scale, but overall its still not challenging enough.


Stop and stare...and shoot.

Final Verdict:
I took about 11 hours to complete the game in Normal Mode. And its one hell/holy sh*t/crazy of a journey. Amazing storyline, graphics, gameplay, voice acting and action packed, this will certainly be one of the best games in years. ITS THAT GOOD.
Note: This also became my second favourite game of all time (behind God Of War series).


Hell Yeah!

Ratings

Story :10 - Very well told, engaging story. (Godlike)

Graphic : 10 - Unbeatable graphics.Top in the industry. (Godlike)

Sound : 10 - Excellent voice acting and sounds. (Godlike)

Gameplay : 9.8- Action packed.Puzzles a little lesser and less challenging.(Incredible)

OVERALL : 9.9 (Near Perfect - Without any surprise, definitely Game of The Year 2009)