The Good vs Bad when it comes down to Uncharted: Golden Abyss.
As far as the good things about Uncharted: Golden Abyss are concerned; It may seem a bit odd, but I actually love the fact that this game takes place before the events in Drakes Fortune (aka Uncharted 1) and not an 'in between' or 'moments after' kind of game. Though this means that the many questions left behind by the rather clustered story-line of Uncharted 3 remain unanswered, it's nice to have a new beginning. The story for Golden Abyss is much more interesting, doesn't leave you with many questions, and contains a fresh cast of characters (besides Drake and Sully) that are actually much more detailed than many of the characters that are featured in the PS3 versions of the game. The writing for the game also seems to be a lot more adult friendly. I don't think I've ever heard an Uncharted game (or any T-Rated game actually) use so many sexual jokes and words that some people could find offensive.
Visuals and sound design are usually things that I leave out of my reviews unless they are flawed, but Uncharted: Golden Abyss has the best graphics I have ever seen on a handheld to date. If the graphics for a game that was a part of a starting line-up are this good, just imagine how they will look in the years to come! This makes me even more excited about the future of the Playstation Vita.
If you've played an Uncharted game before then I'm sure that you are well acquainted with how the game plays. Golden Abyss doesn't completely change anything, though it does add quite a bit thanks to the Vita's abilities. The list of controls in the tutorial is a pretty long one; mostly because just about everything you can do 'traditionally' (using only the buttons) can also be done using the PS Vita's touch screen, rear touchpad, motion sensor, and camera. I've seen a few reviewers complain about the use of the Vita exclusive features being buggy and non-responsive, though while I was playing I didn't have any problems what-so-ever… At least until I arrived at the cutting section where you have to draw a Z-like shape with your finger. That was annoying.
Puzzles have returned in Uncharted: Golden Abyss and tend to use the Vita's features to the best of their ability. From dusting off lost artifacts with your finger, to holding up your Vita to a bright source of light to decode a secret message, you're in for a treat if you've been waiting to see what your Vita is capable of. You can also use the motion sensor to aim, which I have found myself doing quite a bit as opposed to using the right analog stick.
Golden Abyss' chapters seem to go by a lot quicker than the Uncharted games on the PS3, but unlike them, there are 34 chapters as opposed to the average 22 (26 in Uncharted 2). There are also chapters that seem as if they are only cut-scenes, but even for chapters like these you are allowed to interact. Within these cinematic chapters are abnormal shining animations that can be clicked on in order to collect treasures. This makes it so that those who usually skip cut-scenes can pay more attention to them and those who have already seen the cut-scenes can pick up on what they've missed.
As for the bad things about Uncharted: Golden Abyss; It's never good to play any game for too long, especially one like this. The game tends to repeat itself in the areas it seems to shine, like the sections that involve dusting off an artifact or getting markings. I also wasn't too thrilled about the lack of excitement the game had in comparison to the other Uncharted games. Sure, some may think 'This is on a handheld and your expectations shouldn't have been so high.' but in my opinion, this game could have pulled off a lot more than it did.
Last but definitely not least, the worst thing about this game is the fact that there's no stats page. As a person who loves going for trophies, seeing what I have done, and how long I have played, this is incredibly disappointing for me. There unfortunately isn't even a timer on your save file that shows how long you've played, just the % completed.
Overall, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is an amazing game to buy in order start off your good times with the PlayStation Vita, though its minor flaws and set-backs get it an 8 out of 10. Thanks for reading this review. If you liked what you saw, be sure to follow me on either my Youtube Page (TrueFreakinGamers) or Twitter (thatSTERLINkid) and share your thoughts on whether you agree or disagree!