Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Review
Charting the Uncharted
by Jeff Gates
reviewed on PS3
Drake’s Correction
I’m being a bit harsh with my honesty, but it is in the hope that a few people will read this and take a similar stance against the repetitive. I am not suggesting that Naughty Dog dramatically alter everything - obviously it’s the same franchise, so change would be nominal - but improving on the bright spots a bit and adding more realistic platforming would be nice. Frankly, the fact that I could not walk right off the side of a thin board while traversing it disappointed me.
Things get better though, because Uncharted 3’s multiplayer might be its best attribute outside of the visuals and voice-acting. I love stern over-the-top military shooters just as much as anyone, but this type of multiplayer is really a blast. It’s more about arcade fun than kill/death ratios and that’s a serious strong suit in my opinion. I get so bogged down sometimes by the multiplayer of games like Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty, but with Uncharted 3 I just enjoy myself. Sure I still die a lot, but the frustration of dying five times in a row can quickly be eased with a nice dropkick to another player’s face.
This shining star in Uncharted 3’s gameplay, the fast-paced run and gun style of play, is prevalent in both offline and online modes. Darting around firing from enemy to enemy and finishing each one off with a punch or a kick is where this game puts a sinister smile on my face. Yeah, you can hide behind cover and take things slow, but it’s much more fun to chase the opponent, shoot him a few times, then karate chop the gun from his hand and catch it to make it your own. If the single-player was more focused on this fast-paced action this game would be tremendous.
Comradery
After about two or three hours of single-player I decided to play some co-op split-screen with a roommate and it was the most fun I think I had in the entire game. The addition of co-op was a smart move and one I commend any developer for doing. Whether its online or split-screen, co-op is so much fun in just about any game and Uncharted 3 is no exception.
The best of the co-op is five story-based missions that take place in single-player campaign locales. The objectives are basic and nothing revolutionary, but it’s the comradery between players that make it so enjoyable. While the co-op lacks the beauty and storytelling of the single-player it more than makes up for it with top notch fun.
Charting the Uncharted
Uncharted 3 has a lot of things going for it. I don’t want to seem like I didn’t like this game, I was just let down a bit. I was engaged and on the edge of my seat throughout most of this adventure, and that’s what it’s all about. There are a lot of times where I shouted “What the HELL?!?!” because of either Nathan’s insanely impossible leaping abilities or the ridiculous action sequences that make no sense, but here’s the best part: I freaking loved that!
I am dragged back to the movie analogy here. Our favorite goofy over-the-top action films are so beloved because of their impracticalness, not in spite of it. When a human kills 40 aliens while nursing a broken arm we don’t question it, we jump up and bask in the sheer ‘badassery.’ The same happens when Drake leaps 50 feet to a two-inch handhold and swan dives onto an enemy only to stand right back up and keep on murdering countless foes. It’s action; it’s meant to be stupid fun and provide copious ludicrous enjoyment. Let’s be honest, when you use a supply drop as a means to escape a crashing cargo plane and land in the middle of a beautiful desert, are you going to be thinking about receptiveness? No, you’ll be thinking about how the hell you are going to escape the desert and how great Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is.
8.5
fun score
Pros
Strong story with characters you’ll truly care about. Multiplayer and co-op shine. Graphically stunning.
Cons
This formula is getting stale. The Lackluster gameplay hurts the tremendous moments this game has.
