Topic: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

[broodwars]

The second game seemed pretty well-received around here, so I figured we should probably have a topic for the sequel, which just released yesterday.

I'm about 4-5 hours in in Chapter 9, and I'm surprised at how oddly...slow and low-key the game has been so far.  Whereas Uncharted 2 got going fairly quickly and then just bombarded the player with big cinematic moments and set pieces, Uncharted 3 seems almost subdued by comparison and more interested in character relationships and backstory.  It reminds me of the first Uncharted in that regard, and honestly I don't know if that's a good thing.  Uncharted is still probably the best franchise in gaming when it comes to cinematic storytelling, but it's never been its strongest when you're just wandering around environments doing minor platforming and solving puzzles (at least one of which was incredibly obtuse, and after seeing the solution I don't know how you were supposed to solve it with the scrap of info they give you).  There have been a few pixel-hunting puzzles that were particularly annoying, since the game just flat-out stops until you figure them out.

The game is gorgeous, though, and the voice-acting and cinematics are as good as ever.  There are some nice new gameplay additions that make the game more enjoyable (such as now being able to throw back grenades tossed at you and incorporating a vertical element into stealth), but nothing as game-changing as Uncharted 2's stealth and melee improvements.  The game showcases the past and present relationship between Sully and Drake a LOT this time around, and it's very much welcomed.  I just wish the plot would get on with it, because it's almost too deliberate.

Overall, a good game so far, but I don't think it's paced anywhere near as well as Uncharted 2 and the action sequences you do in it aren't as interesting or exciting.  The level-design could also use some work (I've run into several stages so far obviously built for multiplayer and re-used as single-player locations).

[bustin98]

I have played for about 3 hours, and the most frustrating aspect of the game is the same as the other two: how Nathan Drake moves. There is no run button, he just walks when the game wants him to walk, and runs the rest of the time. And while running, if you stop, he stumbles to a stop. Its not a bad thing, but just a different thing when you are used to space marines stopping on a dime. But there have been several times that I have died because I wanted to jump one way, and Nathan jumped another. Its very particular about how you set up your jumps.

The controls feel a bit looser too. Uncharted 2 was tight, and I was able to get headshots with little effort. Now, I feel like there is more deadspace in the controls and have to play with the stick more to get lined up.

Definately more storyline in this game. And it takes over without warning. You'll be throwing punches and jumping obstacles and then he does things on his own and the story moves forward. I say I played for 3 hours, but I wonder how much of that time I actually played versus watched.

If you played the Subway multiplayer demo, it keeps all of your settings from that game. I went into the multiplayer and have $32,000 in cash and at level 7. Yay!

I agree with broodwars. Uncharted 2 was a better game, though this one will keep you entertained as well.

[broodwars]

Yeah, it really bugs me when I'll just be playing the game and all of a sudden Drake will suddenly just start forced-walking as I enter one of those puzzle or pixel-hunting sections.  And oftentimes, it's not like there's anything you can actually do because the game makes you wait for one of the NPCs to find or say something first.  Granted, this isn't anything new to this series, but it seemingly happens more often in Uncharted 3 and it gets increasingly tedious.

Something that's always bugged me about Uncharted, though, bugs me even more here: why did Naughty Dog decide to have the roll function mapped to the same button as the cover function?  Drake seems to randomly decide which objects he will and will not take cover behind, and this time around there's a trophy for grabbing 20 pick-ups while rolling.  That trophy drove me nuts (though I eventually did get it) because enemies often die behind cover, so you'll hit the button to roll through their stuff and instead Drake will slide into cover. 

I also don't think the levels are as well-designed when it comes to stealth, and it doesn't help that enemies are now aware of dead bodies and seem uncannily perceptive when it comes to seeing you behind cover.

[Halbred]

I liked Uncharted 2 until it turned into Gears of War towards the end. Just firefight after firefight. Is that how this game is?

[broodwars]

I liked Uncharted 2 until it turned into Gears of War towards the end. Just firefight after firefight. Is that how this game is?

I'm only roughly halfway through the game (Xenoblade has pretty thoroughly derailed my Uncharted 3 playthrough), but so far I'd say that's not how the game seems so far.  There's actually a lot of "dead air" in the game where you're just walking around and looking at things.  Honestly, what firefights I've had so far haven't seemed very well designed, with cheap deaths (the sequence where you have to snipe RPG-wielding goons as they fire waves of rockets at you from several different angles was particularly frustrating) and not terribly interesting combat arenas.

Sadly, I really liked Uncharted 2, and I'm frankly kind of indifferent about Uncharted 3 right now.  It reminds me in pacing and style a lot of the first Uncharted, which is not a game I fondly remember.

[broodwars]

Well, I beat the game on Normal.  I'm too tired to write my full thoughts on the game, but to sum them up in one word "Meh".  To sum them up in 3 more: "Underwhelming and disappointing".

And by the way, Halbred: Yes, that's exactly what the final 1/3 of the game is like: room after room of endless gunfights.  And since the enemies are obnoxious bullet sponges with cheap weapons this time like they were in the first Uncharted (especially the armored guys, which take a ridiculous amount of gunfire to take down), that gets really annoying really fast.

There is no way in hell this game deserves a 10/10, IGN.

[Halbred]

Not buying this, then. Glad I picked up Batman instead.

[Dasmos]

I finished it on hard last night and loved it. I'd probably say it was better than Uncharted 2, it doesn't have the same impact as playing that game for the first time, but I'd still say it's an improvement. Melee is greatly improved and I felt much more comfortable jumping from behind cover to go for a fist fight or close-up gun fights than I did in the last game. It does have a few longer stoushes towards the end, but I didn't find them overly annoying or cheap.

The game looks absolutely amazing and I really appreciated the small touches in the presentation, like Drake reaching out and touching a wall as he walks past it and the numerous stationary animations.

[Oblivion]

Halbred, are you seriously basing whether or not to buy UC3 on two people's opinions?

[Shaymin]

A lot of people do that with 1 game review + one Amazon comment.

[Sarail]

I finished the game yesterday on normal difficulty, and I completely disagree with broodwars' statement about the game. As Dasmos said, the game's hand-to-hand combat has been thoroughly improved...so much so, that it makes you WANT to jump over cover and take down a bad guy with your bare fists -- especially if you're without your main arm or sidearm... Nate steals their gun from them in the process with a really slick animation. ^_^ It's beyond cool.

Aiming movement has been improved from U2, too. The reason some are complaining about it is mainly because the baddies move a LOT more this time...making it more difficult to pull off headshots. But hey, I still got my 100 Headshots trophy... so, who am I to say?

As for Drake's movement being sluggish? Nah. It's just more humanly realistic now. And that's what Uncharted strives to be anyway. So I'm cool with that. I love how Nate will take a couple sidesteps as he turns around -- you would, too, in real life. No one just automatically turns around in the real world. Silly people.

I never felt like the game's final couple of areas were just gunfight after gunfight either. I thought the pacing was set really well and all of the environments laid out properly for chase scenes and whatnot. My only slight disappointment was with the boat scene. I really wanted that chase scene to be a bit longer - it wasn't as intense as I had hoped for. It was still crazy fun, mind you... just not as intense as expected.

Overall, excellent sequel from Naughty Dog... as it was a modern-day Indiana Jones-ish type thrill ride from beginning to end. If I had to rate it on a scale from one to 10... I'd give it a 9.5/10. It's great. Fantastic game.

[Caliban]

I love how Nate will take a couple sidesteps as he turns around -- you would, too, in real life. No one just automatically turns around in the real world. Silly people.

It's possible if you pivot on one foot.

[Stogi]

The best athletes do it all the time.

I have yet to play this, but I'm looking forward to it. I haven't played the first one, but I love the second. Everything about the second one was so refreshing to me.

I'll probably this one sometime after Skyward Sword and MW3.

[Halbred]

Hmph. Maybe I'll rent it.

There were parts of Uncharted 2 I loved, and parts I didn't. I think I've said this before, but I always expect the Uncharted games to be a cross between Tomb Raider platforming and Gears gunplay. I always HOPE that the next Uncharted will go more towards the TR end of that continuum, but they never do. I just don't especially like cover-based shooters.

[oohhboy]

Here is a surprisingly nuanced review of Uncharted 3. It gives the game an 8, but what is far more telling is the content of the review. It deals with the issues that Halbred and Broodwars has highlighted. It short the game was too little game, too much cinema.

As a bonus, here is a follow up article.

[Oblivion]

A lot of people do that with 1 game review + one Amazon comment.

Whatever happened to taking a leap of faith and trying out a game. The only opinion that should be the final say is your own.

Not to say that reviewers aren't needed, but one, two, or even three people shouldn't be the final say on whether you shouldn't buy a game.

[broodwars]

I really need to put down Xenoblade for a good half hour or so to write out my full thoughts on this game (since people are now finishing the game and disagreeing with me), as I've been putting it off to get away from the game for a while.  Besides, a real write-up means having to examine the story, and that's a lot of spoiler tags.   

Suffice it to say my chief issues with the game are the scattershot and poorly-told story, the really mediocre pacing, some cheap enemy placement and loadouts, and some sections of the game that cling to gameplay styles that just aren't fun (like the 3-4 times in the game where you have to battle goons w/ melee combat.  Sorry, Drake, but your melee combat was never all that great, and Arkham City released weeks ago with a FAR superior melee combat system). 

There are also sections of the game that often have you running away from something, and the camera can get quite goofy (especially the ones where you are running at the camera) leading to some cheap deaths.  The set pieces in general didn't really feel all that impressive or interesting, with some exceptions.  And yeah, the aiming's terrible, which doesn't help when the enemies seem to have twice the health they had in Uncharted 2.

Like I said, I'll try to set aside time tomorrow for a real write-up.  I still came away from the game more positive than negative, but I found it such a disappointment after Uncharted 2 made me a fan despite really not liking the original game.

[NWR_insanolord]

A lot of people do that with 1 game review + one Amazon comment.

Whatever happened to taking a leap of faith and trying out a game. The only opinion that should be the final say is your own.

Not to say that reviewers aren't needed, but one, two, or even three people shouldn't be the final say on whether you shouldn't buy a game.

You should use as many outside opinions as you need to come to your own opinion. It's pretty clear Zach already had doubts about Uncharted 3, so he only needed a couple people confirming them to make the decision he was probably already leaning toward.

[Shaymin]

Also, it's easier to take a flyer on a game at $10-$15 than it would be at $60.

[Halbred]

A lot of people do that with 1 game review + one Amazon comment.

Whatever happened to taking a leap of faith and trying out a game. The only opinion that should be the final say is your own.

Not to say that reviewers aren't needed, but one, two, or even three people shouldn't be the final say on whether you shouldn't buy a game.

You should use as many outside opinions as you need to come to your own opinion. It's pretty clear Zach already had doubts about Uncharted 3, so he only needed a couple people confirming them to make the decision he was probably already leaning toward.

It's also easier to rent than buy. I've read (and heard on podcasts) that the campaign is quite short, so I could probably finish it over a weekend. I wouldn't touch the multiplayer anyway. I do want to play the game--nobody does interactive movies quite like Naughty Dog--but I don't know if buying it is a good option.

[Stogi]

Halbred, it really depends on if you'll play Online and how good (and addicting) that experience is.

[Oblivion]

I've now prestiged (er, legacy-ed), twice. I have no life.

[Nick DiMola]

It's also easier to rent than buy. I've read (and heard on podcasts) that the campaign is quite short, so I could probably finish it over a weekend. I wouldn't touch the multiplayer anyway. I do want to play the game--nobody does interactive movies quite like Naughty Dog--but I don't know if buying it is a good option.

If you're not going to play online, go for the rental Zach. It can definitely be finished in a weekend and if you're only slightly interested, multiple playthroughs aren't likely.

In general, it's a fantastic game and the story, I felt, was paced pretty perfectly. The end definitely turns into a heavy set of firefights, but they don't overrun the whole game. Dasmos echoed my sentiments pretty exactly. At this point, it's been ousted as my GOTY by Skyward Sword, but it's still one of the best experiences of the year.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Why bother with playing the game when you can just watch it as a movie  instead?
**I think it goes without saying that this will contain SPOILERS**

Uncharted 1: Drake's Fortune (The Movie) - 114 mins

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (The Movie) - 178 mins

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (The Movie) - 196 mins