While 'Uncharted' certainly isn't original, it sure is a lot of fun.
'Uncharted' is not an "original" game in any way, shape, or form. Mix some 'Tomb Raider' platforming with some 'Gears Of War' combat & a pinch of 'Indiana Jones' in the storyline. While this may bother some gamers, I didn't mind as long as the game is fun to play. And 'Uncharted' is certainly fun to play. The platforming is extremely easy, but I liked it regardless. The combat can be frustrating, at times, due to the enemies absorbing tons of bullets before death & your character (Nathan Drake) only being able to take a few rounds. While the storyline has it's "roll your eyes" moments, it's a fun tale of a man looking for treasure but ends of biting off more than he can chew. Overall, Naughty Dog does a good job meshing these three different aspects together and delivering a very fun experience.
Not to mention the game is absolutely gorgeous. If there is one thing that separates the 'Uncharted' series from it's counter-parts, it has to be the graphics. And this first game in the series was the best looking game on the market when it released.Everything from character animation & facial expressions, the environment, great lighting, etc. are all the best in the business. And when you combine that with the excellent music & voice-acting, you have a game that catapults itself into rare company in terms of overall presentation.
'Uncharted' isn't going to win any awards for being original or giving you a 'Mass Effect'-type of storyline. What it will do is provide you with around ten hours of entertainment while being a showcase for what the PS3 hardware is capable of. In the end, the most important question you have to ask when deciding to purchase a game is, "Is it fun?" In the case of 'Uncharted', I would definitely have to answer, "Yes."