A stylish adventurer from the makers of Crash Bandicoot
This 3rd person shooter from Naughty Dog Software was a stand out title for the PS3 back in its early days. It’s showing it’s age a little now but is still beautiful and is definitely worth playing if for some reason you haven’t done so already or maybe as a refresher before playing the highly anticipated 3rd sequel.
Here you play as Nathan Drake who’s on the hunt for some long lost treasure of Sir Francis Drake his ancient ancestor. At first glance the game could be compared to Tomb Raider, however Uncharted is more about shooting pirates than puzzles and is a very different game at its core. Of course the game does have its fair share of puzzles although these are all pretty straightforward and anybody with half a brain should have no problem completing them.
Combat is extremely satisfying with a well implemented cover system and taking down your foes with short bursts of fire as you jump from rocks to pillars and hanging off ledges is where the game really shines. As well as the gun play there is a melee system where you will be prompted by what buttons to press should you be close enough to the enemy.
The graphics are still a pleasure to look at now four years after release with beautiful sun soaked vistas, fantastic water and great looking foliage all making for a photo realistic South American setting. This as well as fluid and realistic character animations are all testament to how much work went into making the game.
Uncharted is as linear as a one way street and you will always know where your going, even the climbing sections are all clearly marked by obvious handholds and if you do happen to get stuck or are just taking a breather to look at some of the gorgeous South American scenery you will be prompted by in-game clues to help you along your way.
On Harder difficulty’s the game does feel a bit cheap in places by just throwing more and more enemies at you making for one or two particularly frustrating moments where sheer luck rather than skill seems to be the only way through.
Closing comments
If your looking for an intelligent game with all sorts of things to do and some challenging puzzles then don’t buy this. Uncharted is an extremely straight forward affair albeit one with plenty of style and panache. With story and pacing that will make you want to keep moving forward to see whats next, as a whole this treasure hunt through South America is a joy to play and beautiful to look at.
