As the credits began to roll, I sat down my controller. "Wow" was the only word that I could immediately form. Naughty Dog has somehow improved upon the marvelous Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and crafted what is most certainly the finest game on the PlayStation 3 to date.
There is something genuinely special about this series. While it's true that the voice acting, backdrops, and soundtrack are all top-of-the-line, the sense of adventure that Uncharted allows players to experience is the secret ingredient in an already stellar recipe. The third installment in the saga of Nathan Drake is no different, as we find him traipsing around the globe, searching for the secret that Sir Francis Drake kept from Queen Elizabeth centuries ago.
Intricately detailed set pieces allow near-total immersion in the narrative, and the graphical enhancements of even the most minute details - water flow, shadow bend, etc. - breathe life into each and every area.
The story itself is, like the previous games, equal parts historical fiction and fantasy. Nathan Drake and his companions set out to discover the secret that Sir Francis Drake risked his life to hide. Chloe returned from Uncharted 2, and the addition of a few new faces keep the dialogue from getting too stale. What captivated me the most, however, was how emotionally involved the voice actors had to be in this third installment. The quips and one-liners that have become a staple are still intact, but this adventure is very personal to Drake, which voice actor Nolan North seemed to understand completely. Voice acting in a video game has huge potential to come across as forced, cheesy, or a combination of the two. You won't find any of that here. Every line is delivered with an intensity and sincerity that is unmatched by games of recent memory.
After playing through the first few chapters, I began to worry whether the typical "shoot bad guys from cover" maneuvers were going to pop up too regularly to feel exciting. As if they read my mind (after they had completed the game), combat occurs in such a large variety of locales that simply staying in one place and picking people off will get you killed more often than not. The AI has been improved significantly, with enemies flanking you, smoking you out of your hiding place, and generally just being more aggressive than in previous titles. In the time since I've beaten the Campaign, I've read on several message boards that people who completed the previous games on Normal are having fits on the same difficulty in Uncharted 3. Take that as you will.
Multiplayer, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. Game modes include regulars such as Team Deathmatch, Free-For-All, and Plunder, but also introduce a host of new ideas that players can cycle through if anything starts to get too slow. Several of the new modes revolve around Co-Op, where players team up against the AI. Story-based missions serve as an added bonus for hopping online, although from my experience they don't seem to be cohesively tied together.
It's difficult to write a lengthy review of this phenomenal title without giving away any spoilers, so I hope you loyal readers don't mind if I keep this one on the short side. Uncharted 3 is, without a doubt, one of the best games that I have ever had the pleasure to experience. If you've ever thought to yourself, "I want to be able to play a movie," this is your chance. A full cinematic experience tied together with someone the best story-telling and multidimensional characters, Uncharted 3 is the complete package.
Grade: 5 / 5 stars
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