Uncharted: Drake's GOTY

By: Johnny_Rzeznik Mood: Quad Damage (awesome) Date: 11/24/2007 15:03:51 Music: None

I don't think any game ever conveyed a movie-like experience like this. I know some people used to think the MGS games were the best ever at this, and I would've agreed, back then.  Uncharted really is that Hot Summer Blockbuster Action Movie.  It has an ultra-smooth beginning directly into some action, and the game just doesn't stop.  But it's not all shooting the pirates (and others).

The action even carries over into the platforming element. It's not a "wide open climb anywhere" type experience, it's a "OMG, I can't believe I jump from here to there, barely holding on by 3 fingers while my body slammed against that ledge" - literally. And literally as in the animation. Nate's animations are second to none.  This is the best animating game I've seen, ever.  Nate will more often than not, strike a new pose each time he takes cover.  It's not just "against wall cover 1" pose over and over. Also during this time, he reacts to bullets cracking off the cover, flinching when it happens. And this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the animation goes, check it out yourself. He's not a trained warrior, he's a scrapper, and you feel like you should give him a pep talk each time you take cover, tell him he can do this.  But you don't have to, he does it himself!

This game's audio is no doubt, what many movies should strive for. In mono, stereo, 5.1, 5.1DTS, 5.1LPCM, or my fav, 7.1PCM, Nate while hearing individual bullets whizzing by, ducking and reacting to these shots just narrowly missing, then rolling/jumping/diving into cover will say stuff like "Okay, Here We Go, Crap-Crap-Crap-Crap-Crap-Crap, Why me" makes him seem much more personable.  Then, in between the baddies talking smack to you, Nate will blurt out "You like that? Who's the man? That's going to leave a mark? Wow, I did that?".  This all while hearing wickedly believable gun sounds, monkeys and toucans chiming in, along with one of the best musical scores ever done by a legit movie musical score writer.

Speaking of writing, the story just keeps you coming back for more. Or more like, "I can do with 1 less hour of sleep what's going to happen next?". Amy Hemming really banged this one out. For sake of those reading this that may play, I'm not going to discuss the story and how it plays out.

Gameplay wise, it's Naughty Dog. Top-class here. Ultra-responsive and slick in and out of cover.  Running and jumping the animations blend really slick to convey your inputs. Cover is straight up Kill.Switch, as Evan Wells even said so. For those not familiar with that here, it's like Gears.  You can jump into, around, over and shoot from cover by peaking and aiming or blind firing. You can move from cover to cover as well.  Outside of the variety of weapons you have, you have your fists.  When you get up and personal, Nate will pound people with fists swinging wildly, drop kick someone wrestling style, or jump on their back and snap their neck all via a timed button sequence.  Some but not many QTE's are present in the game as well.

Finally, and not lastly, Graphics. Bar raised. This is the most overall impressive looking game to date on consoles.  Like the art-style or not, there's no denying the tech at work here. Self shadowing, perfect lighting, objects casting their own shadows, shadows being cast on stuff below through the trees that wave in the breeze. Nate's clothes will actually get wet based on how deep you get, in which, the clothes dry before your eyes over time. The textures are insane, the most detailed, sharpest textures you'll see in a console game. Whoever said a PS3 can't do textures, your crow is ready.  Streaming it in (a-la UE type fashion) sometimes shows of texture-pop in, but it doesn't happen nearly as often as others using UE, and the pay off is incredible.  There's so much more here to talk about, but I don't want to make "that big" of a blog.

Overall, IMHO Uncharted is the best Looking and Sounding game this gen to date.  More importantly, it's the most fun I've had with a game this gen.  The game gives you enough reason to comeback for more than as well.  You can blaze through this in maybe 8hrs, but don't, take your time and enjoy it.  Nathan Drake may end up as your favorite videogame character as well.

If you own a PS3, and you don't buy this game, you're short changing yourself, and you're part of the problem.  The game's AAA, and a "must-have" system seller.