When I covered Dead Rising 4 on Day 10 I mentioned the original Dead Rising as being one of those key releases that set my mind to NEED when it came to the XBOX 360.
Today I get to tell you about the game that caused my NEED to get myself a PlayStation 3!
Uncharted 2 was one of the PlayStation 3’s biggest games heading into the holiday season of 2009. It was already looking great and raising excitement from the video’s coming out of Sony’s E3 conference earlier in the year. Then once it released, the gaming press unanimously confirmed this game was worth all the hype people had created over it. To this day it holds a metacritic score of 96.
Thankfully the online consensus made it clear that the original Uncharted game didn’t need to be played before jumping into the sequel, so I went into the series blind of any context and simply hoped to be wowed by all the things that critics based such high praise on.
Well I can wholeheartedly say the game delivered like no other did to that time. All the elements to the gameplay complimented each other to give you a great sense of being the quintessential action hero. Great shooting mechanics paired with a good balance of guns to back that up. Intuitive climbing mechanics to make this game so much more than your typical “guns guns guns” action game. A fine understanding of how to implement hand to hand combat without it feeling out of place in an environment were guns are the native language. All that backed up with a raised bar for in-game story telling and script writing, unforgettable set pieces, great level design and detail, and a fantastic score to wrap it all up.
Uncharted 2 wastes no time in introducing you into the sort of high intensity situations you’ll come to get used to throughout the entire experience. It also immediately opens your eyes for how this game got it’s way onto this winter in gaming list. Navigating your way through quite a colossal train wreck in the region of the snowy mountainous Himalayas.
After this wintry feeling introduction to the game you’ll find yourself playing the very meaty story that led up to that train crash before continuing on in such a setting. It’s a testament to how action packed and well paced the game is that by the time you find yourself back in snowy lands you’ll of practically forgotten all about what transpired in the opening sequence simply because so much has happened since.
I’ll prevent dropping any big spoilers because I’d absolutely love for every new player to get the same kick out of the game as I did, but rest assured Naughty Dog definitely didn’t simply put snow into this game as a means to calm the games tempo, or get lazy with world detail.
Your reintroduction to the Himalayas in the game comes through a challenging yet epic train section which is sure to leave a lasting mark. Once surpassed it won’t be long until the game shakes up any idea you may of had about having a grasp on the type of enemies this game would pit you against. Then without hesitation Uncharted 2 is throwing you into some of the craziest climbing segments into the franchise, mixed with some light puzzle solving to really paint Nathan Drake as that “Indiana Jones” archetype.
I’ve told you the game is well revered, I’ve told you I have a lot of love for the game, and I’ve lightly told you that the game contains some excellent snow sections. So if you’re looking for some video game action over winter, whether you’re a new player or a seasoned one. Uncharted 2 is a solid pick.
Currently I’m looking forward to finishing Uncharted 3 soon on the Nathan Drake collection for PlayStation 4, then I can move onto Uncharted 4 for what will be my first time. Was very excited to hear the announcement of the Uncharted spin-off starring Chloe too. Trailer below.