UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (PS3)
The studio executives responsible for converting classic video games to the movie screen are a bunch of clueless, morally bankrupt, b*stards. Bastards made of piss. Foul smelling acid piss that would melt your face off in an instant if they so happened to be pissing on your face. Which they are, every time you shell out cash for one of their movies! With making a shitload of money the sole object of such an endeavour, rather than actually putting in the effort to make a half-decent film, said executives have gleefully raped and pillaged their way though our collective gaming memories, reducing much loved characters and titles to a shambolic mess of their former incarnations. Angelina Jolie's take on Lara Croft? A CGI-swamped piece of awfulness. Paul W. S. Anderson's Resident Evil musings? Utter w@nk. JCVD's Street Fighter? Pitiful! These executives should be placed on a bonfire alongside the charlatans that think incessant remakes and sequels are what humanity really needs. Quickly, light a match so we can burn all these feckers and their money before Half-Life is bastardised all to hell...
Luckily, the reverse is not always the case in the gaming world (so long as you can ignore the swathes of film conversion cash-cows that are nearly always unrelentingly sh!t; N64 GoldenEye 007 – exception to the rule, obviously). Indeed, it’s where game designers have instead borrowed heavily from the style and themes of movie genres and pasted such content into an original story arc and game dynamic that frequently derives success in the modern gaming. Dead Space is very much Ridley Scott’s Alien, yet features its own wonderful creature design and engaging plot to add to the creeping, nerve-shredding tension. Red Dead Redemption is any Clint Eastwood or Sergio Leone western cliché you care to think about, which really is no bad thing. And Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is, quite simply, what Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull should really have looked like!
Okay, so lead character Nathan Drake may not have a trusty fedora and bullwhip, a PhD in archaeology, or be on the run constantly from Nazis, but what he does have is the hunt for an actual ancient relic as opposed to some b*llocks alien artefact (zing)! Nathan does share Indy’s common traits of being a smug, swarve git that gets all the girls though. He also shares a rather handy knack for getting himself into various states of mild peril. Take the cliffhanger opening at the start of Uncharted 2 for instance. Bleeding heavily from a bullet wound to the stomach and dangling by a thread as the creaking, derailed train he clings to stares down into the abyss below; it’s a magnificent start to any game, let alone movie. Immediately the player is engaged. What the hell has happened here? How has Drake found himself in such a dire situation? And after taking control to assist Nathan from surviving near certain death, you’re sure going to have fun finding out. So starts a kick-ass adventure that begins in a Turkish prison, takes in exotic locations such as Borneo, a bombed out Nepal, and the mountains of Tibet as Nathan attempts to locate Marco Polo’s lost fleet and the legendary Cintamani Stone before nefarious evil-doers can get to it first. Not so he can put it a museum, of course, but so he can sell it to the highest bidder. Okay, so not very much like Indy in that case.
At first it may seem like Uncharted 2 is a bit of a Tomb Raider clone, yet it outdoes the Lara Croft vehicle on all fronts (apart from the obvious frontage), whilst managing to bring it’s own gameplay mechanics to the fold. Nathan has some handy circus skills available that allow him to free-climb buildings, mountains, the north face of the Uxbridge Road - you name it he can climb it - but this is all done so much more elegantly than in Tomb Raider. Add to this some diverse, intuitive (rather than illogical) puzzles and you have a perfect platform jumper. The addition of a third-person shooting dynamic would normally jar against the running and jumping aspects (see Tomb Raider), but here it works incredibly well. Borrowing a cover system reminiscent of Gears of War is a smart addition, but the real winner is the fluid motion and control in targeting enemies and blowing the crap out of them. It’s swift, easy and, remarkably, more reminiscent of a mouse and keyboard than any PS3 controller.
At first it may seem like Uncharted 2 is a bit of a Tomb Raider clone, yet it outdoes the Lara Croft vehicle on all fronts (apart from the obvious frontage), whilst managing to bring it’s own gameplay mechanics to the fold. Nathan has some handy circus skills available that allow him to free-climb buildings, mountains, the north face of the Uxbridge Road - you name it he can climb it - but this is all done so much more elegantly than in Tomb Raider. Add to this some diverse, intuitive (rather than illogical) puzzles and you have a perfect platform jumper. The addition of a third-person shooting dynamic would normally jar against the running and jumping aspects (see Tomb Raider), but here it works incredibly well. Borrowing a cover system reminiscent of Gears of War is a smart addition, but the real winner is the fluid motion and control in targeting enemies and blowing the crap out of them. It’s swift, easy and, remarkably, more reminiscent of a mouse and keyboard than any PS3 controller.
Yet there’s more. Uncharted 2 also has room to entertain a stealth option allowing Nathan to creep up on enemies and partake in some instant takedowns or one-on-one punch ups. It’s not Batman: Arkham Asylum’s combat system by a long stretch and the stealth function is much more limited, but it certainly adds to the gameplay variety of the package. There’s nothing quite like sneaking around the side of a building, jumping to a lamppost, hiding behind the attached advertising hording and dropping a grenade or two on the unsuspecting enemies below. Of course with so many game styles involved there’s always the chance that developers Naughty Dog might just over-egg it with the game mechanics. Just look at the wretched car-crash that comprises the god-awful Metal Gear Solid for instance! Uncharted 2, however, is exceptionally well balanced throughout. Just at the point where constant shoot-outs in the streets of Nepal might become slightly tedious, the game switches tact, leading to a lengthy puzzle section where dodging traps and reaching lofty places requires some expert leaping and, just before that starts getting a little dull, the balls-out wall to wall carnage resumes. The pace and variation in the gameplay is simply a joy. And that’s without mentioning the major set-pieces that occur frequently…
There really is nothing quite like a huge tank crashing through a Tibetan village in chase of the player to set the pulse racing. It’s a frantic, exhilarating sequence of legging it through claustrophobic alley-ways and ducking for cover on the roofs of bombed out stone buildings, with an unrelenting mechanical monster hot on your tail throughout. Terrific stuff! As is the gunship missile attack that fells the building occupied by the player at one point, which is simply pant-wettingly awesome. Not too be outdone, hanging off the side of train carriages whilst pulling enemies to their doom isn’t bad either (although you will ask yourself how many smegging carriages does this blooming train have at one point).
There really is nothing quite like a huge tank crashing through a Tibetan village in chase of the player to set the pulse racing. It’s a frantic, exhilarating sequence of legging it through claustrophobic alley-ways and ducking for cover on the roofs of bombed out stone buildings, with an unrelenting mechanical monster hot on your tail throughout. Terrific stuff! As is the gunship missile attack that fells the building occupied by the player at one point, which is simply pant-wettingly awesome. Not too be outdone, hanging off the side of train carriages whilst pulling enemies to their doom isn’t bad either (although you will ask yourself how many smegging carriages does this blooming train have at one point).
There are simply stonking sequences after stonking sequences throughout Uncharted 2, yet the reason they stand out is not due to the sheer implausible Indy-esque audacity of each scenario, but the palpable cinematic visuals which accompany the game. Uncharted 2 is absolutely stunning to look at even when so much is going on. The detail is exquisite, everything moves unbelievably smoothly and the varying landscapes and backdrops are simply gorgeous to view. The train section is amazing, spicing up what is otherwise a fairly generic gaming sequence into something fresh and invigorating. The production values just add a further breath-taking element to every gun-fight, every takedown, every leap; you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching an Indy film (not Crystal Skull, of course) rather than playing what might otherwise have been a fairly standard arcade adventure game. That’s how telling the visuals are. The PS3’s capabilities are really pushed to the limit and boy, does it make Uncharted 2 all the better for it.
Indeed, Uncharted 2’s cinematic credentials are perfect elsewhere as well. Acting throughout is quality with a terrific voice-cast assembled. Nolan North is charismatic and dryly witty as Nathan, exactly what’s required for the central player character. His sardonic banter throughout with Chloe, Flynn and Elena makes the game, genuinely entertaining and engaging. The script is also reassuringly self-aware. Nathan’s comment of ‘looks like we need to go up’ when he’s spent most of the game climbing stuff raises a wry smile, particularly when Elena responds that she would rather gouge out her eyes with a spoon than do any more fecking climbing (or words to that affect). Most importantly though, the cut-scenes, usually a right sticking point in games of this type, drive the story forward in a meaningful way, rather than being as bothersome as a horny dog attempting to dry-hump your leg. They’re generally concise, to the point and mean you can get back to gallivanting across the globe in search of treasure before you can say suck on this, Snake!
Indeed, Uncharted 2’s cinematic credentials are perfect elsewhere as well. Acting throughout is quality with a terrific voice-cast assembled. Nolan North is charismatic and dryly witty as Nathan, exactly what’s required for the central player character. His sardonic banter throughout with Chloe, Flynn and Elena makes the game, genuinely entertaining and engaging. The script is also reassuringly self-aware. Nathan’s comment of ‘looks like we need to go up’ when he’s spent most of the game climbing stuff raises a wry smile, particularly when Elena responds that she would rather gouge out her eyes with a spoon than do any more fecking climbing (or words to that affect). Most importantly though, the cut-scenes, usually a right sticking point in games of this type, drive the story forward in a meaningful way, rather than being as bothersome as a horny dog attempting to dry-hump your leg. They’re generally concise, to the point and mean you can get back to gallivanting across the globe in search of treasure before you can say suck on this, Snake!
If there is anything to criticise then Uncharted 2 is a little slow to get going. So much so, that you may end up picking up another title in the interim before returning to Nathan and company some months later. The controls can also be a little fiddly, especially when attempting to take cover, resulting in some stupidly annoying deaths. And, in some ways, the finale is ever-so slightly disappointing (but doesn’t that always seem to be the case?).
Yet these are small fry concerns when considering the quite fantastic accomplishment Naughty Dog have delivered. They’ve managed to merge the cinematic style of the movies with some of the best gameplay yet seen on the PS3, creating a near-perfect form of future entertainment. Anyone with a PS3 should own this. Anyone without a PS3 should go and buy one so they can own this. Chuck your copy of The Crystal Skull on the fire with those b*stard executives so we can celebrate in unison and pray that Nathan Drake’s memory isn’t sullied in the future by an ill-conceived big screen outing. Time to hang-up the fedora and bullwhip Indy. Nathan Drake is the new treasure-hunter on the block.
Yet these are small fry concerns when considering the quite fantastic accomplishment Naughty Dog have delivered. They’ve managed to merge the cinematic style of the movies with some of the best gameplay yet seen on the PS3, creating a near-perfect form of future entertainment. Anyone with a PS3 should own this. Anyone without a PS3 should go and buy one so they can own this. Chuck your copy of The Crystal Skull on the fire with those b*stard executives so we can celebrate in unison and pray that Nathan Drake’s memory isn’t sullied in the future by an ill-conceived big screen outing. Time to hang-up the fedora and bullwhip Indy. Nathan Drake is the new treasure-hunter on the block.
PIXEL SECONDS: UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (PS3)
With Uncharted’s debut amassing a quiet but considerable following in the period following its 2007 release, interest in the series had grown to such a degree that, by the time Among Thieves succeeded it in 2009, Naughty Dog had a genuine gaming blockbuster on their hands. Uncharted 2 hits all the right notes with its lavish, globe-trotting story, piling on memorable scene after memorable scene in a remarkable show of technical mastery and showmanship. It throws everything bar the kitchen sink at the player in a dizzy mix of epic action sequences, elaborate but enjoyable puzzles and labyrinthine platforming the scale of which is simply breathtaking. It looks phenomenal, plays with unerring smoothness, and in many ways remains a flagship example of what the PlayStation 3 was capable of. Stunning presentation is backed by a strong, likeable roll-call of characters, as well as fun in-game dialogues and witticisms that sit easily amongst the world they inhabit. The cinematic soundtrack is world-class, a perfect accompaniment to an incredibly exciting adventure, so much so that, whilst the platforming element remains just a touch leery around the edges, you’ll barely have time to notice. Additional difficulty settings, smart (though extremely tough) online co-op and a glut of collectables prove the icing on the cake. It’s the Indiana Jones game we’ve always wanted, right down to an amazing train-top chase. [9] – Tom Clare © 2020
With Uncharted’s debut amassing a quiet but considerable following in the period following its 2007 release, interest in the series had grown to such a degree that, by the time Among Thieves succeeded it in 2009, Naughty Dog had a genuine gaming blockbuster on their hands. Uncharted 2 hits all the right notes with its lavish, globe-trotting story, piling on memorable scene after memorable scene in a remarkable show of technical mastery and showmanship. It throws everything bar the kitchen sink at the player in a dizzy mix of epic action sequences, elaborate but enjoyable puzzles and labyrinthine platforming the scale of which is simply breathtaking. It looks phenomenal, plays with unerring smoothness, and in many ways remains a flagship example of what the PlayStation 3 was capable of. Stunning presentation is backed by a strong, likeable roll-call of characters, as well as fun in-game dialogues and witticisms that sit easily amongst the world they inhabit. The cinematic soundtrack is world-class, a perfect accompaniment to an incredibly exciting adventure, so much so that, whilst the platforming element remains just a touch leery around the edges, you’ll barely have time to notice. Additional difficulty settings, smart (though extremely tough) online co-op and a glut of collectables prove the icing on the cake. It’s the Indiana Jones game we’ve always wanted, right down to an amazing train-top chase. [9] – Tom Clare © 2020