My Billings Gazette

 Have you seen the commercial for "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" that has been running? If not, it is about a guy who complains to Sony that his girlfriend keeps thinking he is watching a movie instead of playing a game. I have been waiting for this title to hit the shelves for over a year now and finally picked up my shiny copy yesterday. Playing the game initially I must say "wow," it does feel like you are playing a movie. Below is a video review of this game from IGN.

The original Uncharted seems to be one of those "underground" cult classics for the PS3. It never seemed to get the attention the game warranted. One of the strengths of the game focused on the main character Nathan Drake who is trying to find treasure by following clues left by his ancestor in a journal. It really gave you a smooth cinematic experience like Metal Gear Solid 4, where the strength of the game was the storyline.

I have only played the first two chapters of the game but can tell you Naughty Dog has taken this aspect of the series and improved it. Right away Drake wakes up on a derailed train hanging off a snowy mountain. He is badly hurt and you must use your climbing skills to get on top, all while flying pieces are coming down at you and the train is sliding off. During this sequence it fades out and takes you to cut scenes four months earlier with Drake learning about a new treasure left by Marco Polo. It takes you back and forth between the two and and some point you know they will be connected.

The game play has remained the same with climbing, jumping, and hanging a key component to moving around. There have not been too many gunfight scenes so far, but that has remained the same as well with taking cover crucial to knocking out opponents. One area in combat that seems to have been emphasized more is s "tactical stealth" to taking down a enemy. Now this was present in the first game, but it seems Drake will have to use it more often this time around. I always have been a fan of having to think about making your way through a level rather than just going in guns blazing. Solving puzzles to unlock doors and other items will return as well and reviewers have said the puzzles are bigger and more challenging than the original. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune was one of the best looking titles on the PS3 and Uncharted 2 has taken that a step further. The character models look amazing, great lighting textures, and the environments are just full of detail.

Another key component to this title the second time around is the addiction of co-op and multiplayer. If going online and playing different form of death match is your thing, this game delivers. I was able to play a beta version of multiplayer a few weeks ago online and it is a blast. The levels are inspired from the game this creates longevity for the title after you complete the single player mission. The game also feature online co-op, where you and your friends can team up for specific missions that are similar to the main game as well. My one complaint with this was that you could not co-op and play the regular game like Resident Evil 5. Despite that, the co-op missions are fun if you have friends into the game as well.

As I said earlier I have only played the first couple of chapters. If you watched the video review you will know that some intense action sequences lay ahead. That is why this is the start of many blog entries, as I will chronicle my journey through this title. If you own a PS3 and are not familiar with the title yet do NOT go buy Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, instead go buy Uncharted: Drakes Fortune for 30 bucks because knowing the game play, characters, and storylines is crucial to the sequel.

Photo: Gamespot