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Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Topic Started: Nov 17 2011, 04:16 PM (219 Views)
TheGreg
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After two fantastic entries, gaming's most cinematic series returns with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

As a huge fan of both Drake's Fortune and Among Thieves, I was eagerly anticipating the return of Nathan Drake.

I was looking forward to it so much that I immediately replayed this third entry after completion to make sure my original assessment wasn't deluded by high expectations.

Unfortunately, the truth is that Drake's Deception, despite its incredible scale and production values, simply isn't as good as its predecessors.

The Plot

Let's get one thing straight, the Uncharted series is the absolute top tier of cinematic gaming, and perhaps storytelling in gaming as well. Uncharted 3's writing is among the best you'll find in gaming. But it's far from perfect.

What's Good?

The main characters. Nate, Sully and Elena are brilliantly developed in this game. The relationship between Nate and Sully is particularly strong this time around. We get to witness their meeting in a wonderfully unexpected early sequence and it colors every encounter and motivation that follows. There are a few exchanges that are very well written and really cut to the heart of these characters. This kind of character development is almost unheard of in gaming and it is easily the strongest aspect of Uncharted 3's plot.

What's not so good?

Although the globe-trotting journey is larger than ever, the pursuit of the 'Atlantis of the Sands' isn't quite as interesting as the plots in the first two games. When we finally reach it, it's a little disappointing and there isn't much of a payoff.

Perhaps this biggest disappointment plot-wise though, is the villain Katherine Marlowe. Marlowe is woefully underutilized in the second half of the game despite being built up very well as a cold, calculating foe who understands our characters better than they understand themselves.

The game also doesn't have the sense of humor that the other games did. Uncharted 3 is far from dry, but the witty exchanges are fewer this time around. One could blame a more dramatic approach, but I think that would simply be an excuse.

The Game

Wait, there is a game here too? While Drake's Deception is a far cry from some of the bloated, self-satisfied Metal Gear titles, there is a general feeling that story has been given the upper hand over gameplay in this installment.

The major action set pieces feel less like a game and more like interactive cutscenes this time around.

And while this means that they look mighty pretty, it also means that the game isn't quite as thrilling as one would hope.

Among Thieves featured a wealth of incredible action sequences that were stylish, while still playing extremely well. Trains, trucks, tanks, helicopters, that game had everything. It's not surprising that Drake's Deception can't top Among Thieves in that regard, but it's disappointing that the player has even less control than ever.

A major misfire is the new melee system. Clunky and awkward, the game forgoes the simple, quick and stylish system that Among Thieves utilized for an expanded, more context sensitive system. At times it works great. Nate will pick up a bottle and smash it over a goon's head, he'll pull the pin out of an enemy's grenade or even steal their weapon. Unfortunately, 70 percent of the time it's just Nate punching and punching and punching because melee does far less damage than before. I'll take the far more satisfying and random combat from Among Thieves over this any day.

Of course despite all its misfires, Uncharted 3 still packs a good story, good characters and fun gameplay that wonderfully replicates a Hollywood blockbuster. The difference is that this time it's good and not great. It still stands alone as the best this genre (Which the series itself has helped to create) has to offer, but it is a step back in some ways.

I have no doubt that the writing can be better next time around, that's not the real problem here. What needs to be corrected is the increasing lack of control given to the player in order to maintain a scripted format.

The melee system also needs some work. It's too clunky in its current form and it takes way too long to bring down enemies.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is still a very good game. Except in the areas noted above, it does everything else about as well as it always has. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't quite live up to the highest of expectations.
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