There aren't many times when a sequel turns out to be much better than the original idea had been, however there are exceptions and one of the very big ones is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The second installment in Naughty Dog's adventure series builds upon the point previously set by the first game, presenting something entirely unique and flawless in many aspects. Everything from the Story to the game play and to the presentation is top notch. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune introduced the core game play and the exploration techniques which are included in this game but with a few tweaks and bumps this part is able top the former.
The Story line was expected to be immerse, anything less was going to be disappointing. Thankfully that is not the case and there are hardly any other games available that focus so much on the plot than this one. From the beginning second the player is curious to know what exactly the situation is and from there it varies from a cat and mouse chase to an exhilarating journey to to uncover the biggest secret that can change the whole course of the world. By getting into the specifics the game starts out by showing a hurt and injured Drake trapped in a train, after escaping narrowly flashback reveal how he had gotten there. Fresh from his adventures from El dorado Drake is visited by an old acquaintance Harry Flynn and Chloe Frazer, whom Drake might or not already have an old connection with. After being persuaded to join them in finding out and taking the treasure from Marco Polo's lost ship's, Drake soon finds out that there is more going around. He soon learns that an evil warlord is also after Marco Polo's ships but for a different reason which eventually thrusts Nate into the game as well leading him to try and save the world from the impending consequences. He is not alone, however, returning are Drake's friend and Mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan and old flame Elena Fisher. Also an integral part being offered by Chloe, this is one tale that will definitely make players go through the campaign mode at least a few more times after the initial finish.
Being a complete package of a game, Uncharted 2 is host to some refreshing game play. Like before Drake has to fight off the baddies that stick to him. Naturally the best weapons are his variety of guns although hand to hand combat is also helpful more times than not. Guns feature the classic machine guns, revolvers and sniper rifles while in some crucial points Missile launchers and grenades become extremely helpful. As the main aspect of combat is full of shooting, cover is necessary. You will find yourself taking cover in almost about every fight, of course being reckless and using the run and gun feature to randomly shoot foes does pay off occasionally, the best way to defeat enemies is the being defensive at points where it is needed. To help the player get through the horde of enemies, and you better believe that there are hundreds of them literally coming on to Drake at the same time, a stealth feature is added. These moments are more fun than they sound, Killing off enemies altogether is no doubt fun but strategically taking them out one by one so that you can finish off them remaining left is another way to go through with your quest. The game isn't all about running around and blowing people apart. Drake's true talents don't lie in violence but his ability to come out any situation using his surroundings and you are there to make him do just that.
There are dozens of places that Drake has to reach and to get there you have to climb a lot. Not to mention using ropes, jumping on just about every piece of rock in front of you and even many of the sign posts around the city. Even though it is fun to use all of these area's to your advantage it does start to feel rather linear once you get near the end of the game and as almost everything can be grabbed, you may find yourself jumping around on the wrong walls thinking you're doing the right thing. Even at times these wrong choices might kill off Drake but it's not much of a worry as the game has a fantastic auto save feature which means you can start off back to the nearest checkpoint available even if you close and re-open the game. The Majority of the Non-Violence part features climbing or jumping but there are times when you get to think outside of the box. Although these occasions are rare when you have to do some puzzle solving, the ones given are enough to satisfy the player. In these situations you must perform such tried-and-true tasks as reflecting a beam of light onto a specific surface or placing ornamental blocks onto the correct squares. But your classical techniques don't fit in here, Drake has his handy journal right with him which features journals and clipping that help solving the puzzles and it has to be used to progress in the game. Mainly comprising of matching the symbols in the journal with the puzzle. Though it may seem like the game may overload one feature at a time, it is not actually the case. You will never find yourself going into one fighting sequence to another. Naughty Dog has carefully divided every feature accurately that they all fit together perfectly, you are guaranteed never to feel bored with the game at any point.
Even if you do end up bored by the campaign mode the game has another way to let you stick with it, Uncharted 2 also features both competitive and co-operative multiplayer. The co-op multiplayer allows a maximum of three players to take the roles of Drake and two other "hero" companions and features missions involving gunfights, platforming, and teamwork-based objectives. Players can also assist their comrades if they become critically injured or if they are grabbed by an enemy.The competitive multiplayer allows a maximum of ten players to play against each other in two teams of five. Six competitive modes are featured: Deathmatch, Plunder, Elimination, Turf War, King of the Hill and Chain Reaction.
Uncharted 2 boasts some of the best graphics ever seen on the PlayStation 3 or any other console to that matter. Everything is simply beautiful and it seems as if it gets better and better as you go on. The game seems to entice the player which encourages you to keep on playing. Its not your classic green scenery, the game takes you around the urban streets and offers spectacular sights of the city, the taking you to snow filled mountains and caves with gorgeous sights to see. The attention to detail is simply excellent, you'll see birds flying or nestling among the tress, even bullets are distinguishable . Running in the mountains will get snow all over you or swimming will get you wet. This is all only in game, the cut scenes offer their own pleasure, All the characters feel real making the game seem more like a movie at these points. Adding even more life is the acting by the characters, Nolan North is at his unparalleled best with Drake and the supporting characters, especially the main villain, all help in making the atmosphere believable and at times pleasant.
Achieving Perfection may be impossible but Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a hell of an attempt at it. One that will have everyone anxiously waiting for the next part. Naughty Dog's already respectable reputation will undoubtedly flourish for anyone that plays this game. It is impossible to own a PlayStation 3 and not buy this game, Superb Troys, Exhilarating Multiplayer, Great Visuals and Solid acting makes this one for the ages.
Chris, Joseph, and Josh celebrate Active Quest’s 100th episode by discussing their favorite games of all time.
Nevada Dru from Bits & Pieces revisits Uncharted 2: Among Thieves to see if this legendary game has stood the test of time.
Currently playing Drakes Fortune on crushing, next will be to replay Among Thieves, but I'm sure it still holds up today.
Recently re-platinumed 1-3. Uncharted 2 aged better than I even expected. I enjoyed it more now than I did a decade ago. It’s more polished than 1, tighter than 3 and Yemen in 3 was gorgeous. Shambhala out-prettied Ubar though. 60fps w higher res’ made for a damn good rerun.
Question: When you say Uncharted2 aged better than expected, are you talking about the original PS3 game or the remastered collection on PS4. I ask because I think that a remastered version of the game would look and play better than the original.
I doubt that the original ran at 60 frames, how many years old is the remastered collection anyway.
I need to replay the original trilogy along with the collection, not a fan of the collection trophy of beating levels in a set time and don't think the originals required that for platinum.
@abnor_mal
It’s true that the remasters have upped the resolution and given it 60fps, but the base game is the same. The art design and base textures/physics/ animations are the same yet still look contemporary. More-so than UC1 which isn’t as tight, or UC3 in some cases which I found a bit clunky in close quarters.
UC2 level design was a great evolution in bringing the verticality from the jungle into rural/urban settings while maintaining smooth animation transitions. Drake still moves better than the ginger in Star Wars Jedi. Outdoor areas are better lit.
UC2 also has more action and better pacing imo, which helps when replaying a game 10 years later. Kept me engaged.
You don’t need to time trial for platinum. They stuck the speedrun trophies in a seperate extended dlc category so have no fear.
I thought the originals were good, but not great. I understand that puts me in the minority here. That said, Uncharted 4 was freaking fantastic.
Yeah I understand the hate for 4 prior to playing it I was firmly against it and felt like 3 wrapped things up already but now after playing it I think it was the best in the franchise.
Now I look back at two and I feel like I'm playing an on the rails shooter everything is so tightly scripted including the infamous train scene you simply can't make a mistake
I think Uncharted 2 is a lot like AC2. Both games took the idea and basically improved it in every single way.
Uc2, AC2,Halo2, Soul calibur 2, Killzone 2, Infamous 2 , Dishonored 2 and a few more. The only negative thing I have against uc2, and imo it annoyed me,are the blue apes, uncharted 1 handled the super natural far better.
Cultured Vultures: What's your favourite moment from the Uncharted franchise? Here are 15 that got our blood pumping.
The entire final chapter of The Lost Legacy is the best setpiece in the series and it wasn't even mentioned.
as amazing as it is its not a 10 out of 10 game.
Uncharted 2 should get a minus, because the sounds of the guns firing sounds terrible. It's like they put no effort into the guns, and that make the gunplay a little bit shallow, and the game is too linear for my taste. But overall the whole package is good, featuring some of the best graphics I have seen, alonside with cool story and characters. I would say a 9.3 would be a better score for this game. My opinion btw.
Overrated Game IMO, Brings Nothing New To The Table
@CommonSense
really? So I hope you gave heavy rain the credit it deserved then.