Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is the third installment to Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series, one of Playstation’s most successful franchises. Uncharted 3 takes you on an action-packed adventure, following treasure hunter and protagonist Nathan Drake and his mentor Victor Sullivan, as they go on a journey to find the lost city of Ubar. Following the history and adventures of Sir Francis Drake for the lost city, Drake, Sullivan and a cast of returning and dynamic new characters race against the clock in hopes of finding Ubar before Katherine Marlowe, the villain and ruthless woman from Drake’s past. In this race against villainy and time, Drake and his colleagues fight their way through France, Syria, Yemen and Saudi Arabia to finally reach the “Atlantis of the Sands,” where the true test of friendship and strength awaits.

Story

Uncharted 3 held a lot of pressure for the makers at Naughty Dog, and it is apparent that the story of the third chapter was rushed and left some questions unanswered after finishing the game. Overall, the plot of Uncharted 3 is amazing, linking the history of T.E. Lawrence and Sir Francis Drake’s voyages to find Ubar, a city full of treasure and power. Clues and gadgets from museums and former voyagers lead Drake on a global scavenger hunt stretching over Europe and Northern Africa. However, there are cut scenes throughout the game whose stories were not addressed in its predecessor, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, nor is it answered when Uncharted 3 is over. For example (spoil alert!), Drake and Elena Fischer, his love interest in the last two titles, appear to have been married for sometime in the third game. As a big fan of the trilogy, I was surprised that this was not addressed before. “When did this happen?” “Are they married, engaged? Separated?” Those were just some of the questions that I had and that I’m sure many fans wanted to know. The game does take time to teach more about the life and story of Drake himself. Being able to play as a young teen of our hero, players take a look at how the fortune hunter grew up. Overall, the plot is action packed and intense, but the itching questions left behind are still bothering the back of my head of curiosity, and I am sure the game’s many fans wish to scratch them out too.

Gameplay

Playing Uncharted 3 is very much like watching a movie, along with the general gameplay for a third person shooter. Seasoned players, as well as new video game fans would be able to learn the kinetics of the game easily; tutorials in the beginning of the game ease the process even further. With an adventure game being compared to Tomb Raider and to movies like Indiana Jones, there are of course puzzles and clues one must solve to move onto the next stage. Taking notes and using them throughout the game make Uncharted 3 stand out from these comparisons.

Unlike its two precedented titles, Uncharted 3 pushed forward the movie-like cut scenes where players are able to interact with explosive action packed sequences. The innovative motion capture and filming in making the game created cut scenes and interactive scenes very cinematic. Simple fight scenes were turned into full action movies as players follow a simple prompt on screen to maneuver their character. A good portion of the game is played in this way, giving a new experience for gamers and anyone watching the single player game from the sidelines.

Graphics

The graphics and details that went into the game are more than extraordinary. Environments, characters, and even props in gameplay and in cut scenes were all created in the finest detail. The cut scenes themselves are very realistic, all thanks to the revolutionary use of motion capture from live actors and stuntmen. What I admired the most in the game was environment. Standing at the top of a Yemen city, one can see every detail on the buildings stretched as far as the eye can see. The AI in these areas are very realistic as well, who react to your every move as you pass by. When playing through these different countries and cities, the player gets a feel for how life truly is overseas. My only concern for the game was the graphics during online gameplay. Cut scenes taken from the Co-op Adventure mode do not share the same detail and clear visuals as the campaign, especially in the characters. Ignoring this factor, Uncharted 3 is a visually stunning and beautifully made game.

Sound/Music

When playing a game, especially an adventure title, the sound and music are very important in drawing in a player. The original score by Greg Edmonson does just that, and his writing style breathes action and adventure. Nate’s Theme, the most familiar song on the track, blaring through a stereo system engulfs the player into the action of the story. Along with a dynamic soundtrack, background noise and sound effects are played out well in the game. The balance of music, voice and background are balanced very well, with none drowning out the other.

Online Multiplayer

What makes Uncharted 3 worth buying is the upgraded and improved online gaming mode. With eleven different options for gameplay, online multiplayer gives gamers endless hours of entertainment. Players can choose from four co-op modes or seven competitive modes, each with different objectives and goals for winning money, items and medals. With familiar modes like Team Deathmatch, two teams of five compete for the most enemy kills. New modes such as Co-op Shade Survival puts seasoned players to the test as they are teamed up and must face waves of impossibly difficult enemies. Players have many options when it comes to customization as well. They start with a default set of guns, upgrades and powerups, which can be grouped together in an outload. For example, a player can customize their character to be stealth oriented, grenade oriented, or brute strength centered. Gamers can create up to four outloads for a full spectrum of characters. Playable characters themselves can be selected from a given list or bought on the Playstation Store. Each character is customizable as well in terms of outfits. Guns and weapons can be upgraded like their characters, making them deadlier in any game mode of choice.
Map packs, character skins, characters, and new game modes can be purchased in the Playstation Store, however, Naughty Dog offers a package deal called the Fortune Hunter’s Club. This membership, at $24.99 gives buyers all downloadable content for the game, as well as all future map packs and content that will be released. With dozens of DLC already out for the title, it is recommended for fans to buy the membership.

Conclusion

Overall, Uncharted 3 was more than able to keep the high standards that fans and reviewers wanted. The story, gameplay, graphics, sound and stand-alone online multiplayer makes this title one of the most successful for the Playstation 3. Interactive, explosive scenes of the game not only entertain the player, but allow bystanders to enjoy the story and theatrical visuals as well. Multiplayer online then brings in those who watched on the side to play along and compete (or work with) thousands of fans around the world. Surely, Naughty Dog has developed a game worthy of its name, Uncharted; a game that ventured out into new sites and leapt into a revolutionary realm of gaming.

Overall Ratings – Uncharted 3 w/DLC (PS3)

Gameplay:	10/10
Graphics:	9/10
Music:	9/10
Story:	8/10
Online Modes:	10/10
OVERALL SCORE:	92%