Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

[MooglePorn]

This PS3 exclusive is set for launch on November 19th and looks and plays amazing.

First, check out the latest trailer, which is awesome, right here.

Next, if you have a PS3, get on PSN and download the demo. The game is a mix of Gears of War combat and Tomb Raider puzzles/action elements. It looks flat-out stunning and even more impressive is its cinematic flair with awesome voice acting and, like Heavenly Sword, motion captured animations (both in the game and for cutscenes). As with many PS3 exclusives, presentation is awesome.

Gameplay is intense on the combat side... enemies rush you constantly, so evem though you "stop n' pop" you have keep moving, much moreso than in Gears. The music is sometimes completely absent, which makes for a creepy jungle vibe, but then it kicks in in intense situations. There isn't much climbing and puzzle solving in the demo, but what's there seems to be exactly like the last couple Tomb Raider games, which is a good thing.

[Moonraker]

I played the demo last night and was amazed. The facial expressions were great and the environments were breathtaking. I can't wait to play the full version. Looks like another must-own PS3 title this holiday.

[sub780lime]

Wow. That looked extremely pretty...

[Reaver]

I enjoyed the demo a lot. There was more combat than I had anticipated, but the controls work extremely well. My only complaint is that they didn't have Nathan Fillion voicing Drake. I mean, come on, the dude looks just like him, and the voice would have been perfect.

[Moonraker]

Originally Posted by Reaver

My only complaint is that they didn't have Nathan Fillion voicing Drake.

You don't know how many people I know wondered if it would be voiced by him.

[SilentBob]

Man i'm debating on if i should download the demo or not. I did it for R&C:ToD and sure enough i bought it the next day. I had a PS2 launch system and i never had more then 2 games for that system (didn't like it) and here i could be reaching 3 in under a year.

[MooglePorn]

3? Haha... man, I buy too much, I have 9 I think? I'm probably going to sell Warhawk though.

[Iguana Man]

That trailer looked sweet!

[SilentBob]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

3? Haha... man, I buy too much, I have 9 I think? I'm probably going to sell Warhawk though.

Well i have made up for the lack in PS3 games with my Wii and 360 purchases instead Oh and i got #3 tonight with Heavenly Sword but it was only $7.40 used and so i really couldn't pass it up

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by SilentBob

Well i have made up for the lack in PS3 games with my Wii and 360 purchases instead Oh and i got #3 tonight with Heavenly Sword but it was only $7.40 used and so i really couldn't pass it up

I buy a ton of stuff for 360 as well, I'm just that insane.

And Heavenly Sword is amazing, worth full price in my opinion, let alone $7.40 at whatever crazy place you bought it at.

[MooglePorn]

No reviews for the game yet that I know of, but it did come out today, and I did play the first 3 levels this afternoon.

The game is jaw-droppingly awesome, at least so far. First thing I want to say is that if you were worried the game was too shooting-heavy based on the demo or the ads, have no fear... the first three levels were pretty much all Tomb Raider style platforming with sparse shooting in between and a climactic battle at the end of chapter 3. I assume it will alternate like this through the whole game, and when the platforming is as good or better than Tomb Raider, and the shooting is as good as Gears of War, I would say that's a definate high level of gameplay.

Game looks as good as the videos and never slows down, though I don't think the framerate is higher than 30 on average. There is tearing but it's rare and doesn't bother me, and I do hate tearing when it's heavy. Like most PS3 exclusives there is a high level of polish to the presentation with DVD style menus and music, which to me adds a lot of "cool" to the game. Also, it deserves special mention that the acting and animation in this game is, along with Heavenly Sword, the best ever done for a videogame, bar none.

One other thing PS3 exclusives have been doing is lots of unlockables and behind the scenes content on the disc, and Uncharted is no different. This offers a ton of replay value in that they must be unlocked through the game, some of them are hidden collecting items or, even cooler, achievement-style awards for doing unique things in the game.

I can't wait to play more, the game is stunning.

[MrE26]

Cool, this is a definite buy for me. First new PS3 game since i bought it!

[MooglePorn]

Yeah, I'm level six now and it just gets better and better. Long platforming sections, then long combat sessions, then back again... makes it always fresh when you hit one or the other.

I got this, Assassin's Creed and Kane and Lynch all at the same time and Uncharted just blows the others away in every respect.

[MrE26]

Kand & Lynch worth picking up? I just noticed it's out here on Friday & i'm a huge fan of IO's Hitman series so i'm debating whether to get it or not.

[MooglePorn]

Kane and Lynch looks ugly as hell, almost like a last-gen game, and like Hitman it's not the most polished game out there, but it has a kick-ass story and voice acting and a real visceral punch. Also, it's pretty much a Michael Mann movie as a videogame.

If you're all about gameplay avoid it, but if you're like me and a good cinematic feel is important, you'd probably dig it. I agree with the gametrailers.com review the most, they gave it an 8.0.

Back on topic, Uncharted is a 10, and don't tell me that's because the PS3 has "no games," because I own a 360 as well. It's just the most polished, beautiful and fun experience... I can't suggest it to people highly enough. A system seller in my opinion, easily, and up there with BioShock and Call of Duty 4 in contention for game of the year.

It even has a fucking mirror mode for a second go-round.

[Moonraker]

IGN reviewed the game back on the 13th, it got a 9.1.

I got my copy today and I will begin playing it after work. Very excited for this game.

[MooglePorn]

Gametrailers gave it an 8.9, but they said it was almost perfect... they just docked it points for no online and a "short" campaign.

This stuff didn't put BioShock or Assassin's Creed into the 8-range, but... whatever. I gave up caring about the random numbers at the end of reviews long ago.

This is a contender for GotY and the best looking console game ever made. Believe.

[MooglePorn]

Finished the game, just an all-around awesome experience. Better than a ton of movies with the gameplay to match, this isn't some slightly interactive cutscene fest, but more a great balance of awesome gameplay and awesome story. The ending was climactic and great.

I don't like using numbers to sum up a game, but I can tell you this is no "8" like it's been getting everywhere. GotY candidate and stellar title, worth getting a PS3 for in my opinion.

[Moonraker]

Played a little bit last night up to Chapter 5. Amazing game, this is an absolute system seller.

[Moonraker]

I also noticed the this game has an achievement system out of 1000 points. I wonder if this will be displayed when PS3s get Home enabled and start supporting a gamercard feature.

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by Moonraker

I also noticed the this game has an achievement system out of 1000 points. I wonder if this will be displayed when PS3s get Home enabled and start supporting a gamercard feature.

They confirmed it would I believe, in some random interviews.

[Moonraker]

I beat this over Thanksgiving and absolutley loved it. Great story, nice ending!

[Moonraker]

The just added Trophy support. I tried it for a little bit and unlocked 5 of them. It was fun to revisit this title. Anyone who is a new PS3 owner should remember and pick up this title.

[Derb]

Originally Posted by Moonraker

The just added Trophy support. I tried it for a little bit and unlocked 5 of them. It was fun to revisit this title. Anyone who is a new PS3 owner should remember and pick up this title.

Do you have to be online to get trophies? I see the trophy thingy on the main system screen sinse 2.41 update. Is it like an achievement type 360 ala deal?

[Moonraker]

Yeah, basically when you put in the game it will download an update to the title. Then you start a fresh game without any previous game data and Trophies will start unlocking as Achievements do.

[MrE26]

The trophy update news reminded me that i hadn't finished this yet. I put it aside and for some reason (ie. i spend WAY too much on games so i never get my moneys worth out of them. A habit i'm now breaking, along with my 'buy a movie & watch it once' habit...)
Anyways, i just got back into this & finished it. Great game, really shows what the system can do in the right hands. It's kinda like a mix of Tomb Raider & Far Cry, with a dash of Gears of War thrown in there.
My only complaint is the sheer volume of human enemies. If i'm solving a puzzle to get somewhere that's supposedly undiscovered, to find it swarming with bad guys kinda ruins the 'exploration' aspect for me.