As we wrapped our fingers around the review copy of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, it didn’t take us long to realize that we were here, playing what we perceived to be as one of the best games of the year before most of the world. We bathed in a magical gameplay experience and saw first-hand, some of the most meticulous visuals ever to have been crafted. We might have written too much already, but as you’ll notice from this review, the game has more to it than it seems. It has been surrounded with extreme anticipation due to the mammoth benchmarks set by its predecessors, and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception fills into their shoes with no troubles whatsoever.
With Uncharted 3, you aren’t simply playing a game. What you’re doing is controlling your character in a really well scripted film. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that if Naughty Dog decides to take the programming out of this game and release it as a film, it’d sell! This game has opened up new doors for the franchise’s cinematic theme that featured in both its predecessors. Each and every second in Uncharted 3 has been constructed by its developer to utter perfection, providing gamers with every penny’s worth of their spent dough.
This adventure has Nathan Drake doing what he usually does best – hanging from cliffs and pipes, fleeing crumbling structures, solving mysteries and so on – in search of the legendary lost city named Iram of the Pillars. We must admit however, that the story does get a little predictable at times. It’s like one of those novels written by successful authors who use the tried and tested formula, but with different characters and elements. Drake and Sully are being chased by Katherine Marlowe who wants to visit the Iram of the Pillars to feed her evil intentions. Both our hero and his mentor are faced with unthinkable situations on this expedition. And it is these situations that add to the game, the trademark Uncharted flavor.
A new character also makes his way into this game in the form of Charlie Cutter. This claustrophobic bloke who speaks in a British accent makes a nice addition to the pack with his exploits. Gameplay in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception also receives a boost with the protagonist’s new abilities, captivating puzzles and various new features. Although enemy AI doesn’t take a giant leap forward, our character has been endowed with exciting new ways to put them out of their miseries. The bar brawl at the start does well to get you acquainted with the nuances of these new fighting mechanics. Gun fights are interesting as well, but not as satisfying as breaking a beer bottle on the head of one of those enemies or going from under their legs to deliver a fist on their gonads while doing so.
Any mention of Uncharted 3 will be incomplete without giving proper heed to its spectacular motion capture that looks to take the game as close to real-life as possible. The game’s graphics are amazing as well. Each bit of visual has been polished to perfection by Naughty Dog, whether it be the Columbian streets from Drake’s teenage days, his hallucinations when drugged by Katherine’s men or the terrifically hewed sands from the dunes of Rub’ al Khali. Since we’ve mentioned it, we’d like to blabber something about the desert sequence. Apart from being innovative and completely awesome, it manages to coerce you deeper within the game. Drake’s helplessness turns into yours and at a point, it seems that its’ actually you who’s suffering under the unforgiving sun while scaling the unending heaps of sand.
Moving on to the sounds, this game kicks in perhaps one of the best voice acting performances ever. These actors bring the characters to life in all their glory. But if there’s one thing we would have loved to see more of, it’s Drake’s witty comments which come at unexpected situations. Naughty Dog had perfected this concept in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, however these comments seemed somewhat on the lesser side in the latest game. Moving on, this title’s music as well as its SFX are both exhilarating enough to bestow your ears with sheer bliss. In addition to the over-the-top campaign, Uncharted 3 also holds multiplayer and co-op modes which look to strengthen the game’s overall appeal. Barring the new maps, Uncharted 3’s multiplayer receives very few changes over its successful multiplayer beta.
Final Word: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception slots in as a must have, not only for fans of the series but also to those who are yet to play any of the earlier games. From London to France, from Syria to Yemen, this game literally takes you places. Its action sequences are breathtaking, to say the least. And adding to that, there’s the robust online features that enhance its replay value extensively. This game unquestionably deserves every bit of appreciation that is being showered at it. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is a game we recommend full heartedly with not a single trace of doubt in our minds.
Graphics: 9.5/10
Sounds: 9.5/10
Environments: 9/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Replay Value: 10/10
Overall (not an average): 9.5/10