Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review

Few games in the history of the industry have ever come close to a completely immersive experience- one in which you are emotionally invested in the characters on screen. This has often been a draw for motion pictures, but with the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the gaming world looks to level the playing field.

Nolan North once again delivers a brilliant portrayal of wise-cracking adventurer Nathan Drake, who brings along a host of new characters and some old favorites as well. Drake's new love interest Chloe Frazier is an excellent addition to the cast with a stand-out performance from Claudia Black. The story also introduces a new villain in Zoran Lazarevic, a merciless and genocidal maniac obsessed with discovering the fabled Chintamani stone. The stone is believed to be capable of granting great power to whoever possesses it.

As the plot unfolds the player is transported from one breathtaking locale to the next. Naughty Dog has outdone themselves in bringing the world of Uncharted 2 to life. It isn't just the sweeping panoramic views of snow covered mountains, or the towering ancient trees and jungle fauna. It's in the way Drake reacts to the world around him. When Drake is hurt he stumbles with a believable gait. When he encounters the flames of a burning train car, he shields his eyes from the light.

There is literally never a dull moment in Uncharted 2. The game has the ability to leave you winded from the safety of your couch. Each set piece is more outrageous than the previous and the platforming elements are some of the most innovative I've seen in years. The rushing train sequence roughly half way through the game is an instant classic and an incredible achievement in game design. Gun play has been greatly improved and the control scheme has been reworked, allowing for faster and more fluid action on screen. The campaign is several hours longer than the original and you'll still feel a need for more. It's just that good. I was legitimately sad when it ended.

When you've completed the campaign, you unlock the "Crushing" difficulty that will provide a challenge for even the most experienced players. Additionally, there is now a fully fleshed-out multiplayer component. There are several cooperative modes as well, including one reminiscent of Gears of War 2's Horde Mode. Several team games are also available including the standard team deathmatch and Naughty Dog's version of Capture the Flag entitled "Plunder." Players earn money from getting kills as well as completing various in-game tasks such as assisting a teammate and achieving a kill streak. The multiplayer is challenging to master and comes with a steep learning curve. The matchmaking is non-existent and you will often face-off against much higher level foes. "Boosters" are the name of the game to give you an edge similar to Call of Duty 4's perk system. They are absolutely necessary in order to stay competitive with higher ranked players. Whatever you do, don't quit out of a game; Naughty Dog has implemented a merciless system to punish players who are looking for greener pastures. I was disconnected two consecutive times and was hit with a $200,000 earnings penalty and a 2 tier loss in rank. This is the equivalent of several hours worth of gameplay. Be sure you have a strong connection as the new evil system can't tell the difference between a victim of circumstance and a quitter.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a nearly flawless experience. If it weren't for the new unforgiving punishment system governing the game's multiplayer, I wouldn't have a single grievance. Uncharted 2 is a serious contender for the gaming community's various "Game of the Year" awards and is certainly in consideration for Gamerology's inaugural top honor.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.0

Uncharted 2 Single Player Gameplay!

Today we have some footage featuring various locales and gameplay from Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I literally can't wait to get my hands on this game. If you haven't done so yet, download the multiplayer demo from PSN and join in on the mayhem. I personally recommend rolling with the shotgun. Getting a one hot kill on an unsuspecting foe is ridiculously satisfying. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be released next week on October 13th.

Demo Round Up - 9/30/09

I'd like to introduce a new feature here at Gamerology called "Demo Round-Up." Most game critics will review a game in the interest of saving you money. On Demo Round-Up, we are going to sift through the weekly demo releases and tell you which are worth your time. You've heard it said that "time is money," but in this day and age, time is quickly becoming more valuable then the greenback. This week, we are going to take a look at Brutal Legend, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Wolfenstein.

Brutal Legend

Brutal Legend comes from the genius mind of Tim Schafer. He is best known for the Monkey Island series among other great titles. Despite his wealth of creativity, his games have been overlooked by the gaming community as of late- Psychonauts being his latest critical jewel that didn't find success on a large scale. Brutal Legend looks to change all that. This game is fronted by the likeness and unmistakable vocal stylings of Jack Black as he takes on the role of Eddie the Roadie. This gives the game instant mainstream appeal. The beauty is that this isn't a mainstream title. It's all about Heavy Metal, leather jackets and blowing demons' heads off with delicious power solos. Let's not forget Eddie's kick-ass belt buckle that actually has the power to summon Ormagöden, The Fire Beast, Cremator of the Sky, and Destroyer of the Ancient World. Who knew Hot Topic sold such valuable artifacts?

The demo lasts about twenty minutes and features a variety of gameplay including literal axe wielding, guitar shredding, and hot rod driving. The game's initial boss fight is also included. Suffice it to say, you'll be going toe-to-toe with a giant worm complete with a set of jowls stocked with teeth. The game is genuinely funny and takes some shots at the current metal scene. Overall, the demo is a fair representation of what we can expect from Brutal Legend without spoiling any crucial story elements.

Verdict: Download it!

Uncharted 2 Multiplayer

When a franchise has established itself as a tried and true single player experience, the idea of adding a multiplayer component is often met with the inevitable sighs and eye rolls. I am here today to testify on behalf of the Uncharted 2 multiplayer. It is well-tuned and incredibly addicting. I had the privilege (not really, I pre-ordered Infamous) of testing the multiplayer component long before any demo was available. I saw the bones of a great game that desperately needed a healthy dose of polish. I am pleased to announce that Naughty Dog has not disappointed and Uncharted 2 plays better than ever.

An incredible portion of the multiplayer game is available in the demo right from the start. You'll have 5 maps to battle on in various game types as well as full co-op support for multiplayer-specific modes. The controls are easy to pick up, but will take some time to master. The cover system, shooting and climbing mechanics all worked great and overall the gameplay felt incredibly smooth. There is an large number of unlockables including character skins, boosters (similar to COD4: Modern Warfare's perks) and taunts. Matchmaking could use an adjustment; first time players will be pitched against much higher level combatants. The unlockable booster system gives those with higher ranks a distinct advantage.

Uncharted 2 is a real looker too. It is certainly one of the best looking games ever made. The multiplayer looks better than most games single player campaign. Naughty Dog claims to be pushing the Playstation 3 to its limits and the demo made a believer out of me. Do yourself a favor and download this demo now. It has the potential to keep you busy all the way up until Uncharted 2: Among thieves is released on October 15th.

Verdict: Download it!


Wolfenstein

Last and certainly least, we have Wolfenstein. I was hoping to bat a perfect average this week, but I had no such luck. First of all, the game has been out for almost two months. Why are we getting a demo now?

Wolfenstein is running on the Doom 3 engine from ten years ago. As such, it looks inexcusably dated. That would be more forgivable if the gameplay was more akin to the the current generation of First Person Shooters. The entire experience feels like something that would have been great in 1999. No doubt it would have gotten top marks across the board. I regret to inform Raven Software that it is in fact 2009 and the gaming world has come to expect more from its developers. The demo will take you about half an hour and gives you a pretty clear picture of what Wolfenstein has to offer. Too bad it's not a pretty picture.

There are some redeemable qualities like the ability to upgrade weapons via the Black Market. This feature is something that I hope becomes more popular in the genre. In fact, all signs are pointing toward Gears of War 3 featuring more role-playing-like qualities. The shooting component works fine and over-all the game doesn't necessarily feel broken, it just feels uninspired. If you are a die-hard fan of the series, then at least wait for this to hit the bargain bin.

Verdict: Skip it!

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Pax 2009 Gameplay

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best looking game this year. No doubt there are other stellar titles with jaw dropping visuals (Mass Effect 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 come to mind), but Uncharted 2 seems to have that certain something to propel it to the top of the heap. Feel free to count the "2's" in that last sentence.

When it comes to animation, Naughty Dog doesn't pull any punches. Every movement in the game was painstakingly recorded in studio with a live actor. I know what you're thinking, "Don't a lot of developers do that?" Yes, however how many of them feature the actual actor used for recording the dialogue. Each scene is actually acted out between actors to create a chemistry that hasn't been achieved in other next generation titles. Throw in amazing technical graphics with a fantastic art style and you have a real looker on your hands. You may salivate over Exhibit 'A' below. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves hits stores October 13th.

Gamescom 2009 Highlights

Hey there game fans. I'm checking in today with a few highlights from this year's Gamescom convention. This is the convention's inaugural year; However, it is in actuality a re-branding of the Leipzig convention. Gamescom has a new location in Cologne, Germany to go along with its new and peculiar name. Below are some of my personal picks of the more noteworthy exhibitions.

Mass Effect 2



Mass Effect 2 comes out of the gates with a brand new trailer, showcasing a notorious mining facility named Omega. The facility is mercenary-controlled and is a veritable sin city, complete with exotic dancers and gambling. Mass Effect 2 looks gorgeous and with the new improvements to gameplay, this promises to be one of the best titles of 2010. As a side note, if you've never played Mass Effect in HD, you don't know what you're missing.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves



Naughty Dog has done a terrific job of keeping Among Thieves in the public eye (Infinity Ward could learn a thing or two). A steady stream of trailers, combined with last month's killer closed beta, has rocketed this title to the top of my winter 2009 most wanted list. The new Gamescom trailer showcases the state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay that you've come to expect from Naughty Dog. Uncharted 2 features the most life-like and expressive character models I've ever seen in a game to date. With the ever shrinking list of Playstation exclusives, this is definitely not one to miss.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2





I know what you're thinking: "Only two screenshots!?" I couldn't agree more. Infinity Ward has really dropped the ball as of late. I know this is considered blasphemy these days, but I like to call them like I see them. This is Europe's premier gaming convention and only two screenshots are released to the public. The images can certainly be considered eye candy, but they don't showcase anything we haven't seen already. The Special Ops mode was apparently demo-ed for the press, but nothing has been made available to consumers as of yet. On the upside, Robert Bowling has stated that we can expect a brand new multiplayer perk trailer sometime next week.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow



Fact: You involve Hideo Kojima in your game development, you get a kick ass game. Even if Kojima just used the game disc as a coaster for his morning smoothie, his magical gaming dust would sprinkle all over it and make it a kick ass game. Can you tell I'm a fan? Not much is known as of yet, but if this extended gameplay trailer is any indication, we have a hit on our hands.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2



No two ways about it, this game is going to be a lot of fun. Although Battlefield: Bad Company 2 does not have the mass appeal that Modern Warfare 2 does, it will certainly provide a compelling alternative. The new multiplayer looks fantastic featuring Destruction 2.0 and a new level of team gameplay. Who knows, it may even give Modern Warfare 2 a run for its money.

Fable III



Finally, we have the official announcement that Fable III is in development at Lionhead Studios. The trailer is purely a teaser and barely worth mentioning, but it is a welcome addition all the same. It's nice to see that the franchise will continue on Microsoft's current generation Xbox.

Stay tuned for more from Gamescom 2009 as information becomes available.

Uncharted 2 Gets Dated and Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Footage On The Way

Hello Everyone. Thanks for checking out Gamerology: The Science of Gaming. I'm Jonathan, the other self-proclaimed gaming genius that haunts this website. I don't think I'll post my resume (ala The Marc), but rather let my rhetoric speak for itself (I'm too lazy).

In a surprising turn of events, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves receives a rather early release date. It is currently slated for an October 13th release. While I don't believe this is the title to save the PS3 from abysmal sales figures, I do believe it is going to be one of the best exclusive offerings from Sony since the console's release in 2007. Of course that is a veritable no-brainer since the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a fantastic game and one that must be played by anyone with a Playstation 3. This time around, Among Thieves receives a graphical facelift (no small feat considering the stellar graphics in Drake's Fortune) and even more heart-pounding action sequences. For those of you who have yet to see the game in motion, I've included the E3 demo presented at the Sony press conference. Warning: You may need a bib to catch the drool.




I also have some news regarding a rather small indie title called Modern Warfare 2. According to Robert Bowling of Twitter.com/Fourzerotwo, filming will commence shortly for the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer unveiling. August looks to be the promise land for Call of Duty enthusiasts.

That's all for now, but if you are suffering from summer gaming blues, be sure to check out Fight Night Round 4, Ghostbusters and Infamous. That should hold you for a while.