Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) could very well be the best adventure game ever made and one of the best PS3 games!
I got "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" because I felt that I had to play the first one in order to appreciate the second one (and that was the correct choice indeed) so I bought the first one and saw that "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves-Game of the Year editon was ALSO $29.99 and there were only a few left. So, after hearing that this game has won over 50 Game of the Year awards and has gotten rave reviews left and right I really wanted to experience what all the fuss was about.
The start of the game is worth the price of admission alone. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that a Rock and a Hard Place is one of the best video game experiences I've known and I've been playing video games for 20+ years.
The graphics are simply stunning, the music is upbeat and mellow at all the right moments, the story is one of the best filled with action, mystery, suspense, betrayal, romance, loyalty, and intensity. The characters are very, very believeable, and the action is second to none-I honestly don't think Hollywood could do any better than what I've experienced here.
I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole way through. The action is intense in many different areas and it's not just the action that takes centerstage, but what happens on the way there and during it. You want exploration? check. You want to climb all over buildings, signs, walls? check. You want to go explore ancient cities, long lost and forgotten areas, jungles, and mountains? check. All of these have been done in staggering detail. You can almost smell the dank caverns, feel the cold in the snow, the pain when blood is spilled.
The shooting mechanics have greatly improved over the first one which is very welcome indeed. I'm glad it doesn't take an entire clip from an AK-47 to deliver my enemies to death this time around. The puzzles are not annoying in the least as they each have a viable solution which can be found in the notebook that you carry with you at all times.
I sincerely don't want to give any of the action sequences away as they need to be experienced on your own. I honestly didn't know about any of them other than some of the previews I saw and can I tell you the previews don't do them justice? THAT is how good they really are. It's one thing to see it with your eyes and it's quite another to hold the controller in your hands and go through the motions of.....(all of them-it's that intense)
The characters in this game are great and again I've never seen a Hollywood movie do it any better. Once again this game really needs and wants you to be emotionally invested and you will be from start to finish. Let me put it to you this way: I didn't want to stop playing simply because I had to know what was waiting for me around the next corner-that's powerful.
I have so many favorite moments in the game yet one that stands out is a waterfall in a snowy cavern-well done as it was a beautfiul sight to behold. Or when Nathan Drake is soaked due to the falling rain as he battles his way forward to his goal. The tip of the iceberg hasn't been discussed nor will I because you have to play this game whether you rent it or buy it.
Believe the hype. I know often times we buy a video game that we think is going to rock from start to finish only to be letdown. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves doesn't do that. What IT does is tell you strap yourself in for a rollercoaster ride and once it's finished you can then catch your breath. I'm writing this review after almost nine-hours of gameplay and I'm writing it right after the conclusion of the game because I feel the need to reach out to those of you who are not completely sure this is a worthy investment. It is especially at the price I purchased it at and it's worth the full $60.00 it initially asked for.
I don't play online very much (okay not at all) and so I can't go into multi-player at all. Just so you know that it does feature multi-player and it looks like it's a lot of fun.
Naughty Dog deserves all the Game of the Year awards and unending praise for this game because IT IS that awesome. I procrastinated thinking that the series wasn't or couldn't be that good-I was proven wrong and now I'm looking forward to "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception" coming in 2011.
I'm glad I've experienced this series. "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" was just an appetizer however and "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" is definitely the main course. Experience it all from the beginning and I assure you that you'll know that there were significant improvements made. It gets me even more excited for the third installment (and this is going to be the first trilogy I'm going to own on the PS3 and I'm glad it's the Uncharted series).
I gave this game a "10" because it's got it all as far as graphics, music, gameplay, characters, story, and most importantly-it's fun. A lot of PS3 games have been given their due. Games like "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots", "God of War III", "Red Dead Redemption", and even the latest "Mass Effect 2". I tell you the truth: "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" ranks right up there with them as it is the best adventure game ever created and once you experience it from start to finish I believe that you will agree. I hope you enjoy every second of it.