From the Vault — originally published October 24, 2009. Some links, videos or prices may be out of date.
Since this is a huge game we have two separate reviews.
Uncharted 2 Review
by brooklyn
Uncharted 2 Among Thieves is an action adventure shooter developed by Naughty Dog. For those unfamiliar just think Tomb Raider meets Indiana Jones. In Uncharted 2 You play as Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter on the search for Marco Polo’s lost treasure. For the most part you will be either engaged in a gunfight, looking for hidden treasure items, or engaged in a platforming puzzle or sorts as you try to figure out how to traverse your environment to get to the next location.
Presentation
The story line is great and the game itself is very cinematic in how the story is presented. The camera does some very cinematic pans and zooms as you play at times to relay the scale of the environments you are placed in and also adds to your immersion enhancing the experience. The plot has the usual twists but the characters are fleshed out well due to the well written dialogue, great voice acting and motion capture. As you play the game the characters will talk to each other and the dialogue is very witty which helps to entertain you during the less exciting points of the game such as moving from one locale to the next and in between gunfights. The game does extremely well to keep you hooked and I found it very hard to put the game down always wanting to see what was next. This is in part due to the fact that there are no loading screens in between chapters or areas. The game just goes forward and is interesting from beginning to end with no huge luls in action or adventure. I completed the game on the “Normal” difficulty in about eight hours. After completing the game I was ready to play through the single player mode again on a harder difficulty setting which for me is rare.I do not usually replay games.
Sights & Sounds
From a technical standpoint the game is one of the best I have seen on any game system to date. No texture pop in at all. Steady frame rates and the graphics are top notch. The visuals are vibrant and simply gorgeous. The art syle is great and the attention to detail is astounding. Stoves, birds, washing machines, bottles, all sorts of textures and objects fill the environments and it all looks right. None of the areas in the game are sterile. The games set pieces are filled with so many touches that you may find your self walking around just to take it all in. Not only that but the locales visited in the game are varied and all unique experiences that keeps things interesting throughout.
The sound design must be mentioned because this game has a great score. The music is always there to enhance the mood as it is well integrated into what is going on at any given moment during the game. All of the music fits well. The sound effects also deserve mention. Everything from wind, snow crunching under your feet, the streets, the sounds of the sewer or temple are all well done and the score is there as an added layer over the environmental sounds to create a cinematic experience. This is one of the few games that allows you to select between uncompressed audio, DTS, or Dolby Digital in the games options menu. Clearly sound was top of mind while the game was being developed and it shows. Overall the sound is superb and should be experienced in 7.1, or 5.1 surround sound.
Action
The action sequences are much improved from the first Uncharted game. The cover system is refined and I had very few instances where I went into or out of cover without intending to do so. The platforming segments are also improved as I had much fewer unintended deaths than the first Uncharted game. The guns feel more accurate and as if they have more weight to them which is nice. The inclusion of the propane tanks, shields and other combat items helps to keep things fresh. The melee system has been improved as well with added stealth takedown mechanics. You can now hang of a ledge and pull some one over it and you can also snatch someone when you are behind cover and knock them out for a stealth takedown. In terms of melee moves, depending on how you attack the enemy Drake will do one of a few takedown animation all of which are badass and very fun to watch.
Multiplayer & Co-op
With the action tools I just mentioned in place its no wonder that Naughty Dog decided to include a full fledged multiplayer mode in addition to the single player story mode. When it was first announced there were worries (myself included) that the multiplayer may take away from development time needed to create an awesome single player game. Thankfully the single player game that was produced is superb and not only that but the multiplayer in Uncharted 2 is also nothing to gloss over. It is not a tacked on half assed mode by any stretch of the imagination. The multiplayer is fun and has some really great maps that were inspired by locales from the game. The traversal mechanics and vertical layout of the maps gives Uncharted 2 multiplayer its own identity of sorts and helps to differentiate the experience from the other multiplayer games out there.
My single biggest issue with the multiplayer are the unlockable perks that are called “boosters” in the game. Someone who just begins to play the multiplayer mode WILL get owned by seasoned players who have unlocked “boosters” that increase the accuracy of their shots. I don’t see giving a disadvantage to new players that are still learning the game a good thing. It may discourage many new players from sticking with the game. I would have preferred the perks be limited to all be cosmetic unlockables for your playable characters appearance and kept all players with equal abilities so that the players skill is what determines success.
The Multiplayer mode does have a cinema feature that records all players in the match. All of your games are saved. You can replay them and upload them and send them to fiends to view. Other than the omission of a rewind feature the cinema mode has everything including the ability to control a free floating camera.
A co-op mode is also included. This mode inspired by events in the single player game is a nice bonus and very fun when played with friends. there are three main levels to be played in co-op mode. Each section has a few checkpoints and overall its a nice addition.
Verdict
In all Uncharted 2 is superb. The single player game is extremely fun to play though. Even the multiplayer is noteworthy. Everything about the game is top notch. For the price of admission you get so much content with the single player, multiplayer, and co-op features that its impossible not to recommend this game. The bar has been raised with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in just about every way. I give this game the full 5 stars because it raises the bar in terms of video game production values, the flaws are minor, the game has tremendous replay value via tons of modes, and is with out a doubt worth every penny at full price. Games of this caliber are rare.
Up next: Scatigno’s review of Uncharted 2
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