Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Review

Uncharted 3 is the latest entry in the extremely popular Uncharted series. Uncharted 3's release date was in November 2011. The first was a launch title beside the PS3 and was THE definitive exclusive for early PS3 owners, and it received glowing reviews from both critics and gamers. Uncharted 2 followed in 2009, and earned even higher marks. Now, the third game has been released, and I am happy to report that it surpasses the excellence of the previous games in just about every way.

Uncharted 3: The Graphics

As with any Uncharted game, the graphics here are unbelievable. Everything looks gorgeous, and it is truly awe-inspiring to see some of the larger vistas that the game has to offer. It runs smoothly and I can not recall a single moment where the visuals were sub par. Also, this game has new subtle interactions with the environment. Drake will run his hand over a table as he passes by or pick up a bottle from the bar and smash it against an enemy during a fight. These little editions to the game don't really add that much to the game, but it definitely makes it feel more real and shows the hard work that was put into this game. Overall, this game has some of the best graphics you will see this generation.

Uncharted 3: The Gameplay

The gameplay found here is extremely similar to the previous titles. There have been no major overhauls, but rather small refinements that make already good controls even better. That said, the one area where there is significant change is the hand to hand combat system. In Uncharted 2, the melee felt clunky and just off, but Uncharted 3 fixes that problem entirely. The combat here is much more fluid and allows for more complex hand to hand fighting, as opposed to the mashing of the melee button in earlier games. Other than that, the gameplay remains largely unchanged. Climbing, shooting, and puzzles still make up the most of the game. That said, there is definitely less of an emphasis on puzzles in this game, which was slightly disappointing, but the ones that were there were enjoyable. This leads me to my only complaint with the gameplay- shooting. It's not that the mechanics are broken, but simply that it isn't as enjoyable as the rest of the game. Facing large groups of enemies in firefights grows tedious rather quickly, and developer Naughty Dog definitely could have done more to improve this area. However, overall the gameplay is still great, as climbing, melee, puzzles and small quantities of shooting are great.

Uncharted 3: The Campaign/Story

As with any game in this series, the campaign is incredible. The presentation and action scenes are on par with action movies, and some of the larger set pieces will blow you away. As far as the story here, it is also fantastic. It focuses on the relationship between Sully and Drake, and the voice actors, Richard McGonagle (Sully) and Nolan North (Drake) are both outstanding and really make you care about the Uncharted 3 characters. The campaign lasted me about 8 hours (excluding cutscenes), but there are treasures to find and the story is engaging enough to make you want to play it again and again. There isn't much else to say about the campaign, other than that you won't be disappointed as it totally lives up to and exceeds it's predecessors.

Uncharted 3: The Multiplayer

The changes to multiplayer are probably the most significant additions to the game. I was never a fan of Uncharted 2's multiplayer, but Naughty Dog has really improved it vastly here. First off, you can actually make a custom class this time around, as opposed to starting with an AK47 every time. There are more boosters to choose from, more guns, and a new inclusion to loadouts- medal kickbacks. The way these work are you earn medals through the game by achieving certain feats. Once you get a certain amount, you can spend them to activate your medal kickback. It is a really cool system that adds another layer to picking your loadout. Also, Uncharted 3 features new game modes, 3 team deathmatch, which pits 3 teams of 2 against each other, as well as an arena- style survival co-op mode, and they're both extremely fun. But my personal favorite edition is Power Plays. Power Plays are meant to help keep the games competitive if one team starts to fall way behind, and they help both sides. The losing team gets better opportunity to make the score closer, while the winning team gets extra cash/ XP for every kill during these Power Plays. It is a really ingenious system that keeps the game close and funnels the action without making it too unbalanced. All in all, the substantial additions to multiplayer make it an addicting and exciting experience that will be played for months to come.

Uncharted 3: The Conclusion

Uncharted 3 may not win game of the year due to how similar it is to Uncharted 2, but believe me- you will not play a higher quality game this year or maybe even this generation. From the gorgeous graphics to the engaging gameplay and great Uncharted 3 characters to the cinematic campaign and addictive multiplayer, this is a top notch game that exudes excellence and polish from start to finish. I could barely think of anything negative to say about this game, and it is a must own for any PS3 owner. Score

Graphics	Truly stunning. Some of the most gorgeous visuals of this genration	10
Gameplay	The shooting still needs work, but platforming, puzzle solving, and melee all work great	9
Capmaign/Story	Engaging plot, breathtaking set pieces and cinematic story telling make this the best in the series	10
Multiplayer	The biggest improvement over Uncharted 2. The additions really make this a much deeper and more fleshed out experience, but it’s still behind online juggernauts like Call of Duty.	9.5
Overall	This is a nearly flawless game from start to finish, it exudes polish and excellence. It is one of the best PS3 exclusives to date, and is a must buy for all PS3 owners.	9.5

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