Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

For the enjoyment aspect and overall fun factor, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is an easily enjoyable game that offers countless thrills across many real-world locations with a continuous "wow" factor involved, in a formula we have grown accustomed to. I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys third person action-adventure games. If you're someone who is looking for a great action-packed experience you will be pleased. The last game in the series, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was a revolutionary game that not only passed every expectation as a sequel, but raised the bar immensely for all third person action games. The question is, does Uncharted 3 reach that bar, and if it does, is it raised even higher?

Story

I'd like to start off by saying while I'm not disappointed in the slightest; the formula of the game doesn't feel as fresh and amazing as it did in the previous game. There were in-game real-time set pieces with an immense scale that didn't even seem possible on a console, running smoothly with no slow down, while still giving the player control. What Uncharted 3 does is great and kept me on the edge of my seat almost the whole time, but those amazing set pieces are somewhat expected this time around, therefore the "wow" factor leaves just a little to be desired, because this is the second time around. That said, if you're wanting just another really good Uncharted game – you're going to get another really good Uncharted game.

The story picks up some time after the second game, with the usual cast of characters involved in a plot that takes them right across the world on a globe-trotting adventure to uncover yet again another lost secret. As you might be able to tell from the sub-title of the game, it focuses a little more on the relationship between Drake, his friends, and what his life decisions are about. We also look a little into Drake's past. I was sceptical at first as to whether or not Naughty Dog could pull this off – but the game does a fairly good job at involving the player in a story that takes some much unexpected twists and turns and as a whole is largely ambitious and captivating.

I did find Chloe and Elena a little underutilised, and they feel more like a cameo than well-developed main characters, despite helping Drake on his quest. I found that the Chloe-Elena-Drake love triangle in the second game really made the characters feel as though they emotionally and mentally progressed throughout the story, adding to the three-dimensional personalities. There is still a side of emotion in Uncharted 3, but I felt it didn't match its predecessor. This definitely has the weaker story of the trilogy.

There were a few small ideas in the game that seemed to be dropped later on, making the story feel just a little incoherent towards the end. I think that the story really could have improved if the characters showed a just a little more emotion during and after the climax, and if game went for an extra hour, being able to resolve some unexplained bits and pieces, and also giving the characters just a little more emotion towards the end. The later stages of the game, in terms of story, feel the slightest bit rushed but it doesn't really bring the story down very far as it's still captivating and provoking. The story has its problems, but they're small in comparison to how fun the gameplay is.

Gameplay

Across the 7 hour story mode, granted the default mode is chosen, Drake will be running, jumping, climbing, punching, shooting and solving puzzles on his quest to uncover Sir Francis Drake's secret. The game is paced fairly evenly, with perhaps a platform section followed by an intense shootout, slowing down, leading to a puzzle. This keeps the pace of the game fresh and the game handles these sections in different orders, to avoid repetition creating some unexpected events.

The shootouts are tense and you will need to think about positioning and prioritise which enemy to take out, and you will always need to be on the move, as you won't find success in holding down one area in every gun fight. There is now a throw-back option for grenades tossed by enemies which drastically helps the gun fights. The aiming at first can feel clunky but it's adaptable and I didn't find myself having any problems with the aiming after the first quarter of the game. Enemies have different fight styIes and patterns, some will flank, some will rush, some will pop in and out behind cover, and some will blind fire. I recommend playing on the easy difficult for newcomers to the series because shootouts can get overwhelming and frustrating at times if you're expecting to pick enemies off from one position.

There is a much bigger emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, which has been improved, involving counters in similar fashion to the combat system found in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. You're able to grapple enemies and even interact with the environment while fighting them, using a glass bottle or a bench to your advantage. Unfortunately you'll find yourself doing the same exact fight with the stronger goons, kicking him in the crotch and pummelling him in the head, for him to get up and do the same dance with Drake over again until he goes down.

The levels and locations are just as varied as Uncharted 2, and the final act in this game I actually liked more than the final act in the previous two games. I don't want to give anything away but there was one part I wish lasted longer but unfortunately only had one or two chapters to it. There is an absolute intense chase scene later on in the game that I do not want to spoil for you. The game starts out slow, with its first shoot out an hour or two in the game, but after the first few chapters the game kicks into cIassic Uncharted mode, with brilliant pacing and set pieces that are awesome and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

If I had any problems with the gameplay, it would be that the enemies still take far too much damage for my liking, hand-to-hand combat is extremely repetitive in regards to heavies, sometimes the game doesn't recognise headshots, I had some issues getting in and out of cover and some stages towards the end were frustrating. I expected these problems, while small and somewhat insignificant, to be resolved by the third game – of which they aren't.

Presentation

The presentation on the other hand has greatly improved, and there are definitely noticeable enhancements in the lighting, scenery, textures, facial animations and body movements, and that's not all. While there is a little pop-in during some in-game cutscenes they aren't incredibly noticeable or jarring. The great voice acting helps brings the incredibly realistic characters to life, and the atmosphere of the entire game is outstanding. The audio design is authentic and from the voice acting, to the technical and artistic graphics, to the very small touches of detail that goes into the game, it's obvious from the presentation alone Naughty Dog put their whole heart into this game, with a strong level of polish.

The locations visited by Drake are beautiful and some of the more calm sections of the game feature some of the best scenery, which is where the presentation shines the most. Where the game slips up just a little in the story, it more than makes up for it in the presentation, which in the Uncharted games has always been top-notch, continuously improving, and Uncharted 3 is a great example of an evolving franchise.

Multiplayer

The Multiplayer returns once again with refined co-op and competitive modes, featuring in-game treasures, the option to spawn on a buddy assigned before the match, and a kill streak-like system offering speed boosts, power weapons, and many more. Originally it may feel like the multiplayer is a superfluous and tacked on experience, but after levelling up and getting into it there is lots to offer. The co-op story and arena modes allow you and two other players to tackle either challenging story missions, or a horde-like mode with missions including capture the idol, survive the wave and only kills from a predetermined territory, count.

To me, the multiplayer definitely does not feel tacked on, and will give hard-core players and casuals alike, that extra incentive to continue playing after the single player. It definitely passes as a genuinely fun experience while it's not as in-depth as a more multiplayer focussed game like Battlefield and Call of Duty is, there's still hours of fun to be had with not only the multiplayer, but also in the single player, with the return of treasures and trophies. It's not like you can compare Uncharted with Battlefield or Call of Duty, they're two complete different genres, but for those fans that want to continue playing in the Uncharted universe, they will be pleased.

Overall

The answer to whether or not Uncharted 3 meets the bar of what is a good action adventure game is a definite yes, as evidenced by the improvements in combat, little tweaks to shoot outs, the remarkable presentation, and an attempt to go deeper into the personalities of the characters we have grown to love. The answer to whether or not uncharted 3 raises the bar for the genre is a simple no. But it doesn't need to. It is better than Uncharted 2, in regards to gameplay, presentation and multiplayer, but it doesn't have such a big impact on the genre because for the most part it's been done before, and we are expecting huge set pieces with awesome shoot outs.

For those who skipped to the end

While there are a few nitpicky complaints I had with the story and the combat, it's hard finding flaws that impact the game greatly, and to be honest, these "complaints" are so easily forgiven because of what the game tackles and how greatly it presents it. Newcomers are most likely going to enjoy this game as much as the fans of the series and you owe it to yourself to play one of this year's greatest games.

Story – 4/5
Gameplay – 4/5
Presentation – 5/5
Multiplayer – 5/5

Overall: 9.0/10
(Not an average)