Let me just start by saying Uncharted 2 was one very entertaining ride.
Okay, sticking with the rest of the review then at this point? Glad to have you along.
Graphics - 9:
This game is a bit older now, but the visuals upon release were probably as good as anything out there at the time, and they still hold up pretty favorably now. Tons of locales with vibrant colors, detailed textures, well-animated character models - it all adds up to a game that is very pretty but also interesting to look at Watching how light interplays with the environment as you shuffle around old ruins - it really does help the overall immersion from beginning to end.
Sound & Music - 10:
Some of the best you will find out there, no doubt about it. The voice actors do an excellent job in bringing life to the characters, the weapons sound like they have some good impact to them, you can listen in on people while sneaking about the area, and the music has a nice orchestral sound to it.
Gameplay - 8:
For the most part, the gun play is pretty good. It is not great - but the controls are pretty intuitive and performing melee attacks and switching off to different weapons all handles pretty well. Different weapons definitely have a different feel to them as well, which helps keep things fresh along the way. Most of the platforming is pretty good, as you guide Nathan Drake through a gauntlet of crazy jumps and other acrobatics. That being said, the controls do seem to get a bit carried away as you fail to grab/transition from one handhold to another as easily as you would like. Also, combat can be a bit frustrating when a single rocket or sniper shot takes you out after a nice, long five minute fight. Nathan can deal out damage, but he does not take it very well.
Intangibles - 8:
The first Uncharted had no multiplayer, and here it was added and feels like it was a good idea. The system is pretty interesting, though there really are not many people playing it anymore. This really does diminish the value quite a bit. The game itself is also fairly short. It felt longer than the first Uncharted, but still only took me about twelve hours to beat. Okay, so with those out of the way - Uncharted 2 was still a lot of fun. It probably has one of my favorite video game openings ever, the characters and story are interesting, and it feels like you are taking part in a big blockbuster movie.
Overall - 8.75:
The production values are outstanding, the game is fun to play and the characters that drive the story are interesting - easy to invest in. In a time where exclusives are considered valuable to the differing game consoles, the Uncharted series appears to be gold for the PlayStation franchise.
I have only played the first one, so I "skimmed" this one more than reading everything fully, because I do plan on attempting to eventually play through both sequels in the series.
ReplyDeleteNice background image update!
I too loved the first Uncharted and Uncharted 2 dialed it up a notch and is one of my all-time favorite video games. With the nitpick exception of the occasional difficulty in picking up a particular gun when several guns are next to each other on the ground there is virtually nothing about that game that I do not love.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the guns. I recall bumping into that several times. "No, that one! No... that one!" Meanwhile Drake's picking up and dropping multiple weapons in the middle of a firefight, lol. :) Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It seemed appropriate as I have a few more Uncharted posts forthcoming. For what it's worth, I generally try to keep the reviews spoiler-free. I don't *think* I have any major plot points in these. :) Have to say though, the last two weeks I spent with this series, I had a blast with them.
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