Fantastic finale
I firmly believe that a lot of developers need to pay attention to Naughty Dog, if they haven't already. Apart from Valve, I have difficulty trying pinpoint a studio that has been more ambitious in its storytelling, scope and presentation than the folks from Santa Monica. The Uncharted franchise stands, in my mind, as one of the better action game trilogies of this generation because of deep attention paid towards character development and narrative and also making a game that is fun to play - three pillars of design that are particularly difficult to support. As difficult as this process can be, Naughty Dog found a way and has proved, once again, that they are masters of the craft.
Uncharted 3 is set a number of years after the last game and once again, Nathan Drake is off on another global treasure hunt but this time, it is much more personal. Drake and Sully are off to follow the path of Sir Francis Drake, the famed global explorer and Nathan's supposed ancestor. The pair discover a connection between the notes of T. E. Lawrence and Francis Drake's search for a mysterious civilization dubbed the "Atlantis of the Sands." It wouldn't be a proper Uncharted adventure without competition and Drake and Sully match wits with a shadowy organization led by an Englishwoman named Katherine Marlowe who wants an ancient ring Drake keeps around his neck, as it is a vital tool in deciphering notes that point the way to the secret city.
From a gameplay perspective, nothing has changed and every innovation and game changer you enjoyed in Uncharted 2 can be found here. Multiplayer and co-op play returns, pitting you and a friend against dozens of enemies from various levels within the game. Normally, I would break down the game's parts in order to show why I think this is a fantastic title, but what I'd rather do is point out how incredible the Uncharted 3 experience is. Although it is an incredible game play, Uncharted 3 is so much more fun to watch, because the action is solid and the character interactions are second to none.
I don't know what Naughty Dog has done differently this time, but the game's story feels so expertly written and performed. The game ends with a strong sense of finality, as if it were the planned conclusion of a trilogy. Most trilogies I've played usually wait to the last minute in order to tie the series together as a whole. Although this more or less happens in Uncharted 3, the connections and call backs are not shoehorned in. This feeling of closure is so strong, that I honestly believe there should be no more Uncharted games, lest the entire experience be cheapened.
Drake himself has changed considerably since we first met him. Initially, he was just a free wheeling, wise cracking treasure hunter who always managed to find himself in the wrong place at the right time. Given the personal nature of the quest, Drake's behavior borders dangerously on obsession and threatens to put those closest to him in danger or worse, push them away completely. You know Drake is in a bad place when every character thinks he's going too far. The story features several introspective moments for Drake and they are beautifully done, with no hammy acting or melodrama.
It's not difficult to find the source of Uncharted 3's inspiration. Off the top of my head, there are several references to action adventure films such as The Mummy, The Living Daylights, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and, more blatantly, Lawrence of Arabia. Taking from them the best, most exciting sequences of those films provides for some really intense set pieces, such as the pursuit of a convoy on horseback and a fist fight on the landing ramp of a massive cargo plane. The star of this show, however, is the portion of the game in which Drake finds himself stuck in the Rub'al Khali desert, a sequence that offers some truly stunning and breathtaking cinematography.
The interplay between the characters is Uncharted's strongest suits, the most notable being Drake and Elena. I'll say it right here and now with as much honest to god believability as I can muster in print: Elena Fisher is the best female video game character of all time. She's sensual, but sweet. She's brave, but cautious. She's completely genuine and she doesn't need to have a "badass bitch" persona to make her interesting. Despite being a mere investigative journalist, she has immense power over Drake. Sully and Chloe show a general concern for Drake, but ultimately are guilty of egging him on or playing to his ego. Elena's reproach, on the other hand, is enough stop the adventurer in his tracks and force him to reflect on the situation. The connection these two share is deeper and more genuine than any other relationship between video game characters.
I could sing this game's praises all day, but I think I've said enough for now. If you've skipped everything above in favor of some sort of concrete recommendation, than this is for you:
Uncharted 3 is a fantastic game that doesn't necessarily add anything new to the formula established with Uncharted 2, but the experience on the whole is an incredibly enjoyable, exciting and should definitely not be missed.
