Coming from developer Naughty Dog and after the critically acclaimed first chapter, Uncharted: Among Thieves had some big shoes to fill and that it does, in spectacular fashion.
Presentation:
First of all, I'd like to address that this game showcases some of the best visuals I have ever seen on the PS3. Taking one quick glimpse at this game, you know you're in for an amazing adventure. Everything from the environment, to the facial animations, to the textures, to the notebook that Nate occasionally draws out, make up for a jaw-dropping graphical experience. There's this point of the game where you first discover the lost city of Shamhbala, hidden high up in the Himalayan mountains; that was the point when I literally stared in awe as the beautiful city unraveled before my eyes. Never has a game succeeded in getting me engaged so much in it just from a visual standpoint before this one. The soundtrack of this game is very fitting and has that epic feel to it, highlighting the massive scale of the locations you're exploring. Taking you to all sorts of different locations, Among Thieves has you guessing if it gets better than this.
Story:
Aside the breathtaking graphics, Uncharted had a very interesting storyline with quite a few plot twists that you might or might not see coming. The game opening sequence was by far the best I have ever played, everything about it was perfect. It puts you in the spot of an exhausted, crippled and severely wounded Nathan Drake, inside a train wreck which is hanging on the side of a snowy mountain a little before it slides into oblivion. The sequence that follows, as Drake's survival instincts kick in for a last minute breakout, is one of the most exhilarating moments in the campaign. From that moment, you know you're in for an amazing ride, the game practically gets you hooked from moment one and never lets you go. The story might seem a bit generic and filled with Hollywoodey cliches but it's so well executed that you won't even notice it. Action-packed, suspenceful, full of betrayals, secrets and just the right amount of drama and comedy, it keeps you on your toes and wondering where will Drake's journey take you next. The supporting cast is equally outstanding, showcasing some of the best voice talent you'll find in the business. The dialogues are well written and the comedic timing is spot on(which was a bit off in the first game) getting you more and more invested to see where these characters will end up. Moreover, the character development in this game is note-worthy. Nate, Elena, Sully and the others will not be the same people you met in the beginning of the game and it makes for some amazing storytelling. The love triangle between Drake and the two females (because one just isn't enough) is delivered well and instead of dragging the story back it fits well into the main plot. And you might be asking: "What's a good story without a good villain"? Well, you'll be happy to know that the main villain is every bit as amazing as the other characters in the game. The guy is ruthless, crazy, menacing and just huge. Finally, our main protagonist, Nathan Drake, is one of the most likeable video game characters I've ever played as and he is voiced by the ever-awesome Nathan Fillion. Doesn't get better than this. By the end of the game you'll find yourself thinking about the whole adventure you've been through and, trust me on this, you'll want to revisit it again and again.
Gameplay:
Gameplay-wise, Uncharted perfectly blends elements from different genres, that being 3rd person shooting, platforming, stealth, hand on hand combat and puzzle solving to name a few. The platforming part requires lots and lots of climbing, from ledges to statues, to pillars, to wrecked trains. I personally didn't mind by how much the game has you pressing X to land on that other ledge but I can see why some people would get annoyed by this. In the first game, I found myself redoing some "difficult" jumps, just because of the so-so controls, something that has been adressed and is not an issue this time around. Another thing that might frustrate newcomers are the shooting mechanics in the game, but once you get used to them you won't even notice later on. The puzzles were sometimes a bit difficult as well as rewarding, which is a big imrpovement to the first game's easier equivalents. The combat was a lot smoother than the first game, adding more options than just spamming square and triangle. Stealth combat has a much bigger impact tin this game, since now you'll be able to choose whether you want to approach the enemies slowly and stealthily and pick them off one by one or, if you prefer, wreak havoc and blow shit up to your liking. Those elements make for very fun and fast gameplay which never bores you. The only thing that annoyed me in the whole campaign were the damn heavily-armored-machine-gun-weilding-super-soldiers who needed several magazines to be put down. I mean, how many bullets do you guys need? Just f*cking die already!
Replayability:
The story is about 10-12 hours long at normal difficulty but that is not it. One of my biggest gripes about the first game is that it lacked PSN trophies. Well, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves makes up for that by implementing achievements that have you finishing the game twice, once in normal and once in crushing difficulty and searching for coins, amulets and other ancient goodies in order to get 100% completion. To find those hidden treasures you'll have to explore your surroundings quite a bit, somewhat breaking the game's rather linear story. Some may take a little longer than others to find if you are not using a guide but the sence of achievement after finding them all is worth it. Oh, did I mention that the game also has multiplayer? Yup. Even though the single player campaign itself is worth buying the game, the multiplayer is a nice touch, adding a lot of replayability to it. And it's not like they just included multiplayer for the sake of it, I actually had a lot of fun playing it. It's a fun break from all the FPS's out there, making use of the single player mechanics and having some really fun game modes. The climbing aspect I mentioned in the campaign is present, adding a lot of verticality to the game which makes for an overall unique online experience. Aside that, the multiplayer has a levelup system, killstreak boosts, costumes, weapons and other unlockables and some amazing levels to play on.
Overall:
PLAY THIS GAME. Amazing story, interesting characters, breathtaking visuals, smooth combat, great storyline and fun multiplayer are some of the things this game has going for it. This game, shows how much Naughty Dog has grown as a developer, from the Crash Bandicoot PS1 era to the PS3 era. One of the best PS3 titles out there and arguably the best 2009 gaming title.
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