Hoff's Blog-O-Matic

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception - Review

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is one of the best story experiences of the year in gaming.

Uncharted 3 is faithful to the Naughty Dog standard of huge set pieces and over-the-top action. The game is chock full of memorable sequences like the cargo plane and cruise ship. Character interaction is often humorous and sharply written, doing well to showcase Drake’s typical wit.

Gameplay in Uncharted 3 is very similar to that of the first two entries, with huge gunfights, puzzle solving, and platforming being the primary components. However this time around the balance between these elements seemed a bit skewed. I felt like the game emphasized the gunplay too much, which has always been a shortcoming of the Uncharted series.

I would have preferred more breathtaking platforming sequences, or puzzle solving. I really felt I missed sequences like Chapter 18: Heart of Ice from Uncharted 2 where every jump, and every grab pushed your heart into your throat. These are the experiences that make the Uncharted series so great in my mind. The gunplay has always been third or fourth string in the overall gameplay sense and this time around there was just too much of it.

Uncharted 3 also suffered from a few funny, yet annoying glitches. On a few occasions I was able to use melee take-downs to pull enemies through objects in the environment. Worse, on two separate occasions my gun completely disappeared but Drake was still animated as if the gun were still in his hands. This ‘invisible gun’ had no effect on enemies and left me with only one weapon in combat until I could pick up another.

Uncharted 3 isn’t a perfect game, but it’s shortcomings are easily overshadowed by a wealth of intense actions sequences and memorable story moments. The story is exceptional, and gives us a glimpse into Drake and Sully’s shared past. This is a treat and one I hadn’t expected going in so there was a lot of payoff there. For everything that Uncharted 3 did wrong, it did another five things exceptionally well, so it’s hard to fault the game too much for a few shortcomings.

I score Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception an exceptional 9/10.

A Quick Thought on Final Fantasy XIII-2

Final Fantasy XIII was probably one of the biggest messes I’ve seen in a long time and was essentially working proof of how disconnected Japanese game developers are from the needs of mainstream gaming.

Now in early 2012 we have the sequel - Final Fantasy XIII-2 coming out. I want to be positive about this, maybe Square Enix is trying to go back and fix some of the mistakes they made the first time around. Maybe they are trying to find a way to better connect with mainstream gamers.

However after seeing their proposed monthly DLC schedule I feel certain they are missing the point once again. DLC isn’t a way to connect with mainstream gamers. If the original game is atrocious we’re not going to sit back and say I want $9.99 more of that! Especially not on a monthly basis. You’re missing the point Square Enix, earn our trust again by making an amazing game, then worry about DLC later. I feel this is one of those “cart before the horse” type situations.

I hate to judge the game before it even hits store shelves, but I have a nagging feeling this is going to be another train wreck. No amount of DLC will save you Square Enix.