More thrilling than a mine car chase through an abandoned mine shaft, Uncharted gives adventure-hungry gamers a good run for their money and show you what next-gen gaming actually looks like.

We've heard this premise a hundred times; from Indiana Jones to Tomb Raider to National Treasure, we've been there, done that, bought the T-shirt, stole the idol.

In spite of all this, props have to be given to Naughty Dog for not reinventing, but rather, enhancing the wheel. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is an absolute joy to play and definitely a wonder to behold.

With slick production values and plenty of thrills, spills, twists and turns, Sony finally have a product that lives up to everything it's been claiming about the PS3's next-gen capabilities.


Uncharted Gameplay

In terms of storyline, it's a pretty standard treasure hunter-type tale with all the archetypes and stereotypes thrown into the Saturday matinee swashbuckling melting pot.

You play Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter and descendant of the legendary explorer Sir Francis Drake, who supposedly had found the legendary Spanish treasure of El Dorado in his explorations. Nathan obtains a clue to suggest the location of the treasure and the rest, as they say, is well … history.

Joining forces with Nathan is his long-time cigar chomping, womanizing cad of a friend Sully, who just wants to find the treasure, get rich and live off the fat of the land. Enter Sully's counterpoint; the nosey, tough cookie reporter Elena, who also falls nicely into the role of Nathan's love interest.

Along the way, Nathan also runs the gamut of villains from the South East Asian gunrunning modern day pirate to the classic Indiana Jones-type, graying and distinguished gentleman baddie.


Uncharted Gameplay

In terms of graphics, this game is beautiful. Moving swiftly from lush tropical jungle to complex cavernous catacombs, Uncharted shows off the PS3's rendering capabilities to good capacity, the likes of which perhaps only Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction has scratched the surface of. Sunlight falls differently depending on the foliage surrounding you and when Nathan walks through water, his clothes actually do get wet! Kudos to Naughty Dog also for the most spectacular facial expressions in a game this reviewer has seen so far.

The in-game animation for the characters is also a marvel to behold. Nathan stumbles, gets thrown off balance and struggles to regain it almost as naturally as a real human being. Some of the most intense thrills of the game come from having to maneuver Nathan across gaping chasms and crumbling ledges, with his very natural sense of balance.

Combat in the game comes in the standard form of gunplay or close-quarters fighting. While you can perform a variety of combos in terms of fighting maneuvers, most of them are of the bar fight variety. None of that slick kung fu stuff; Nathan's an everyman and he fights like an everyman.


Uncharted Gameplay

For this reviewer, the gunfights were more enjoyable as these see Nathan ducking from destructible cover to destructible cover and relying on an array of weapons from six shooters to RPGs to take out the baddies. Running-and-gunning is also immensely fun (especially with an AK or shotgun) and the best part - it's a recognized style in the game!

Also of more than noteworthy mention, is the sound design of this game (particularly in combat) and it's ability to immerse you in Nathan Drake's world. No spoilers here but the first time you come too close to an exploding RPG, you'll know what it sounds like to actually be too close to an exploding RPG.

Having said all that, the game is not without its pitfalls. There were sequences where your shots will be ineffective on enemies because they've basically hung. Also, the Jet Ski sequences and its combination of having you shoot and steer at the same time can be controller-flingingly frustrating.

However, in terms of being a PS3 exclusive, this game could not have come at a better time to showcase to the world just what the the next-gen console is capable of. Combining a familiar storyline with likeable characters and a strong graphics and animation engine to boot, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a breakthrough in next-gen gaming. Action-packed from start to finish, this is definitely a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience that you'll want to play through more than once.

Read all 0 reviews...   Your rating & comments: ------- 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1