Let's get this out the way first. Uncharted 3 isn't perfect, in fact it's far from perfect. But there is nothing in the history of mankind that has ever been or will ever be perfect. I would have loved nothing more than to come onto this review and tell you Uncharted 3 has no negatives. But it does, so let's get them out the way then.
The shooting in Uncharted 3 is slightly different to 2 and takes a little bit to get used to. The aiming feels more heavy and the way bullets fly has changed since its predecessor. But after a few hours play it becomes second nature. One of the Uncharted series big flaws has been the slightly iffy controls when it comes to climbing. Initially it's slightly awkward when trying to get Drake to jump in a specific direction, depending on where and what your hanging off. But like the issues with the shooting, a few hours of gameplay remedies this and its not long before your flinging Drake from one death defying situation to the next. And lastly, the pace of the game lulls just before the last few chapters but I can forgive it for knowing what came before.
That's the negatives out the way, time to wax lyrical. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is dangerously close to being the greatest game I've ever played. The game follows our budding hero Nathan Drake on a voyage to beat token bad guy Kathrine Marlowe and her henchmen to discovering the Pillars of Ubar. An ancient lost city in the heart of the Rub'Al Khali desert. The story seems familiar for veterans of the first two games but it takes a completely different path.
Uncharted 2 was a great game, but at times I felt like I had done it in the first game. The character that turned? Saw it coming. The supernatural end game, expected it. But Uncharted 3 takes everything you know about the series, flips it upside down, puts it in a mixer and spews it all over the floor. Throughout the whole game I was questioning the relationship between more than a few characters. I was curious about new additions Cutter and Talbot, just what exactly was their end game in all of this? The game takes a massive twist as I was left gob smacked when I realised just what was happening in Chapter 2. Without spoiling it, I can say I was not disappointed in the story.
But Uncharted 3 isn't only great for its story telling, its also a technical marvel. I've played the famous boat and plane scenes from all the trailers. They play ten times better than they look, my jaw fell to the floor on more than one occasion as the tanker was swept from side to side as I struggled to help Nate escape the sinking ship. But to be honest, I enjoyed some of the smaller scale set pieces the most. The frustrating thing is that I can't tell you for fear of spoilers but rest assured you will not be disappointed.
It's not just the hollywood moments that appeal, something as simple as Drake brushing his hand past a wall looks fantastic and just adds to the realism. The way Drake acts in cover as well is brilliant. If there isn't any guards around Drake acts relaxed but as soon as he senses something you can just see Nate react accordingly by moving his hands or just tensing his body up. Its this sort of attention to detail that really sets Naughty Dog apart from the crowd.
The main gameplay mechanic that has had a real overhaul from Uncharted 2 though is the melee combat. Naughty Dog have given an obvious nod to the folks over at Rocksteady and the combat is now very similar to Batman: Arkham Asylum/City. Drake can take on multiple opponents and in some ways it exceeds the Batman games but the countering system unfortunately isn't perfect but it does make for some good brawls throughout the game starting right at Chapter 1.
So is Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception the best game this generation? Obviously everyones opinion is different but right now I would have to say yes it is. This is the benchmark that is now set for everyone and I can't possibly see how Naughty Dog can top this. But I'm sure there already well on their way to proving me wrong.
10/10
