Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
by Sony Computer Entertainment
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Category: Video Games
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Product Summary
Brand: Naughty Dog Inc.Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); German (Subtitled); English (Manual)
Published: 2007-11-15
Release Date: 2007-11-19
Platform: PlayStation 3
Model: 15782621
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Product features:
- Uncover the clue to Sir Francis Drake's last great adventure and seek out the fabled treasure of El Dorado
- Use maps and hidden artifacts to uncover an island that was thought to have never existed
- Explore exotic locations, such as expansive jungles and 4000-year-old ruins.
- Interact with Drakes companions through cooperative mechanics and exploration
- Daring high-speed chases over land and water
Video Game Reviews of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Customer Review: Dissenting comparison from a backwards chap who explored Uncharted 2 first.
Summary: 3 Stars
I was at the Blu-ray Festival in LA when Sony was promoting this game as revelational. But, preferring the first person perspective when it comes to shooters, I never picked up myself, despite being fully versed on all the studio-hype. Only after giving into the fan-hype of Uncharted 2 and utterly falling in love with both the story and the gameplay, which is more like 2nd person with some 1st person when using select guns, I was extremely eager to check out the first story too. While I enjoyed both, having played part two first, Drakes Fortune was more about what it didn't do as well, rather than what Among Thieves improved on - almost vastly improved on at that.
It's no surprise that the sequel has better graphics. The old-world architecture and characters are pretty good in this one too, but vegetation can be a little disproportionally cartoonish, especially early in the game; and the sterilized deckboards and whitewash of the boat that you set out on look more last generation than next. The graphics are missing a lot of clutter and intricate detail that make Uncharted 2 a more realistically engrossing experience. I won't even go into props and perplexing landscape changes that occur solely for the convenience of the game designers. Uncharted 2 has its share of the preposterous, but that's just the intrigue of the challenge; there aren't any jungle walls that later turn into roads, or... well I'll try not to spoil anything for those who haven't played it.
The gameplay is also a little more like the 3rd persons I remember - the camera isn't quite as tight or flexible as I'd have liked, which often has you aiming at a rock or wall when you peak over cover. And you really have to go out of your way to find something to hang from for the hangman trophies. Of the select objects you can actually climb, most won't let you shoot from them too. You quickly adjust to the games limitations, and in this game too, one firearm even uses the FPS perspective. Unfortunately, camera angles are a little more limiting, especially in tight spots. Many corridors and hallways have no versatility built in; all you can do is simply walk from one end to the other without searching or looking around. Even holding L2, you don't have quite the freedom to investigate your environment or just bird watch, if you like, as you do in Uncharted 2, not that there's a lot of reason to do so. Rarely in the game, is there a need to actually look up. And when climbing, the forced remote perspective and lack of safeguards (easy to walk off a cliff) makes it much easier to mis-align or judge your leap, not to mention the dizzying annoyance of bouncing a jet ski up rapids, trying to shoot enemies as the swift current slams you into rocks and back down the falls, and dodge explosive barrels.
The plot is much shorter than the second game as well. With some chapters that can be breezed through in only a couple minutes, I think I played through Drakes Fortune in about half the time of Uncharted 2, largely because the sets gave you less reason to explore with fewer puzzles to figure out or obstacles to traverse. And after awhile you get bored trying to climb on things that are apparently just for looks. The fewer hidden treasures (60 versus 100 in Uncharted 2) are less challenging to find, but more challenging to actually pick up, even when standing right on top of them. And, the final chapter was a pushover, even in hard mode - probably the easiest "shooting" level in the game, rather than the hardest - excluding the very opening chapter, which is excessively simple, likely just to give the player a little experience with the controls.
But, I think what disappointed me most was the actual story. Had I played this game first, I'm not absolutely certain I would have been as willing to gamble on the second. While interesting, the story and gameplay is more typical of the 3rd person gaming experience that I've never been overly fond of. It's nowhere near as elaborate, intriguing, nor as well scripted as Uncharted 2, with far less banter among the characters to keep you company as you move along. Basically, it's about playing the game, not about telling a good story. Where Uncharted 2 hops around the globe, going from one immense locale or esoteric setting to another, this one is content to stay put on a small island for the most part. It does make the most of its stay though. And it explains a couple inside jokes I didn't get from Uncharted 2.
Despite what I've written, which probably reads more like a cautionary tale than one of praise, I ultimately enjoyed this installment, since I liked the second so much. Though slow to warm to the less sophisticated and less refined gameplay and the less engrossing storytelling when compared to Uncharted 2, in the end, I was still left wishing there was more in what will hopefully be an enduring franchise with many games to come, if not a movie or three.
Edit: I forgot to mention that this game can be a tad buggy too. One of the courtyards in particular: every time I've played through, either in the corridor just prior to entering the courtyard or as I stepped down into the battle itself, I've found myself suddenly transformed into some rough draft of the game. Suddenly almost everything disappears and I'm standing in the middle of a solid blue landscape - weird. Then last night, playing through crushing difficulty, the next courtyard I came too didn't load properly allowing me to walk through it without sending any enemies against me. But when it got to the next movie portion, the movie wouldn't play to allow me to progress. After walking around awhile it finally reset once I backtracked to the beginning of the section where the enemies were supposed to first appear. Most of the other bugs have been more like things overlooked in the design like low elevations that can only be climbed onto from certain sides, as if the designers didn't count on someone exploring for treasure in that scene and approach them from the opposite side.
Description of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
One ordinary man oneextraordinary adventureProduct InformationIn Uncharted: Drake's Fortune a 400-year-old clue in the coffin of SirFrancis Drake sets a modern-day fortune hunter on a pulse-poundingexploration for the fabled treasure of El Dorado. His questleads to the discovery of a forgotten island in the middle of thePacific Ocean. The search turns deadly when Drake beesstranded on the island and hunted by mercenaries. Outnumberedand outgunned Drake and his panions must fight to survive as theybegin to unravel the terrible secrets hidden on the Island.Product Features Using maps and ancient artifacts uncover clues and unravelmysteries to find a forgotten island and a treasure that was thought tohave never existed. Explore exotic locations and traverse through livingjungles and spectacular 400-year-old ruins. Drake's panions and allies play an important role in theadventure through cooperative mechanics gun play and exploration. Experience fast-paced gun play use a variety ofenvironmental elements for cover shoot enemies off of moving vehiclesin high speed chases and more Use and array of hand-to-hand fighting moves to put yourenemy off balance using anything from wild haymaker punches to runningdrop-kicks.Specifications Players: 1 Player Required Hard Disk Space: Atleast 2.56 MB Supported HD Video Output: 720p(cables may be required not included)Military & Espionage Games
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