Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune — All in the Family

One question video games have collectively posed continually over the last few years is how exactly games and movies should be integrated into one interactive medium. It’s certainly something that riles up the more cynical group, like the kind of people who found Metal Gear Solid‘s passive, non-interactive cinemas a chore to watch as it constantly interrupted the gameplay. The fusion of both gameplay and cinema is something that Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune does incredibly well; not perfectly, mind you, but more than well enough that it’s an experience you’ll remember for a good while.

Uncharted has frequently been described as the Tomb Raider of the current generation, despite the Tomb Raider franchise still existing. There’s a good reason for that: Tomb Raider was the game that helped define how an adventure game inspired by some of the greatest adventures in other entertainment mediums should feel in video game form. The games were responsible for pitting the player in a world they were free to explore, and become enthralled with their character as they helped them solve puzzles and make their way into the next area. It’s Uncharted’s itinerary to take this to the next level, so to speak.

Instead of following an oversexed female heroine, Uncharted decided to follow the exploits of a cool dude named Nathan Drake, the ancestor of explorer Sir Francis Drake. For quite a while, Nathan has been intent on finding the treasure of El Dorado, the city of gold, with him constantly finding clues for it by discovering the remnants of an era of civilization that no longer exists. One of the main problems for him and his company, journalist Elena Fisher and friend Victor “Sully” Sullivan, is that the clues he finds only lead to more clues, presenting an ostensibly never-ending cycle of nothing but hints. While it’s no surprise that it leaves the entire party skeptical, there’s another pressing problem: They’re not the only ones looking for it.

Here’s where the fun begins. You, along with Nathan, will have to outwit your nefarious opponents and try to find the treasure before they do, as your opposition definitely doesn’t want to use it for good. Uncharted may look like it has a focus on fighting (especially for anyone who played the combat-laden demo), but there’s actually a good mix of various elements here, all of which come together to make one cohesive and well-paced package.

One of the greatest aspects of Uncharted is how it learns from its predecessors by simultaneously disregarding their hindrances while engaging what gamers loved about those games most. Platforming and exploration is done in a way that should be expected these days, meaning that the camera almost completely works in cooperation with you. While exploring, finding your next destination isn’t a needlessly obtuse exercise, as either the camera will show you what’s next or the characters themselves will give you a clue as to what your goal should be.

Something that really involves you in the story is the banter your characters partake in as you explore. What’s great about it is how they’ll rarely talk about something that will make you roll your eyes due to it not being silly or moronic. That’s because they sound like, well, normal people, and something about that resonates with the normal person very well; it makes you feel like you’re really part of the adventure.

It also helps that the game looks great in motion, with some of the most picturesque environments you’re liable to come across in a game. There are moments where you’ll just like to stand in a location and take in the view, just to take it all in before you head to the next platforming section or gun fight. The best thing about them is that the environments are rarely a distraction during platforming; they’re always something on the side that you’ll see as you’re passing through. Or if you’re searching for hidden treasures that are scattered around unseen in hidden areas – though you’ll know when you stumble upon one when an icon pops up. You can feel free to try and collect them all if you’re concerned about trophies.

Combat is something the entire genre thus far has been a little finicky in handling, and it’s also had a tough time balancing multiple elements perfectly. This isn’t to necessarily say that Uncharted does it perfectly (which would be ridiculous), but never has it been handled so well. Gunplay itself takes quite a few cues from Epic Games’ Gears of War, utilizing a cover system that’s dependent on shooting your enemies while they happen to stick their head out to see where you are. Your enemies don’t act in a perfect manner, but this is by design. By the banter they often use, you can tell they’re not the brightest bulbs, meaning it’s not surprising when they stick their whole body out there for you to pick them out. Admittedly, sometimes your enemies can get a little too lucky with more critical shots, not to mention how you can sometimes be hit by the usual “Surprise! We’re here to kill you!” shot that often incites a gunfight.

When you have a game with plenty of dialogue, it definitely helps if the voice acting is pretty good. Thankfully, it’s great. Nolan North is now the voice of seemingly every main male character in a video game nowadays (call it the Johnny Yong Bosch syndrome), but this was the game where he got his start, and was still fresh. He’s the perfect voice for Nathan here. Emily Rose is also great as the confident-though-sometimes-uncertain Elena; the voice fits with a person who sometimes makes some questionable decisions throughout the game, but who always intends to be helpful. Really, even the worst voices are pretty good, and there’s nothing that will grate.

What also helps Uncharted feel like a theatrical experience sometimes is the soundtrack, comprised of an orchestral score which itself wouldn’t feel out of place within an action movie. There isn’t much of it, as most of the music accompanies cut scenes and specific sections in the game, but what’s there is great to listen to. Don’t be surprised if you want to kick back and listen to the title theme sometimes when you pop the game in.

Your duration through Uncharted will last for around ten to twelve hours, which is fine for the kind of game it is. Thankfully, the game never feels as if it overstays its welcome, making it feel like its pacing was well planned beforehand. There are a few times where the plot will throw you a curve ball, but thankfully it all leads to a logical conclusion. The game almost feels
too short because of how enjoyable it is, honestly, but any longer would have been pushing it. Its playtime will also lead to extra playthroughs.

Uncharted feels like the template for what will become the standard for action/adventure games throughout the rest of this generation. For anyone who owns a Playstation 3, it’s definitely a must play, and perhaps one of the best games on the system. It’s only after you play it that you realize that it’s pretty saddening that it didn’t exactly light up the charts (though it sold well enough). If you’ve ever found yourself interested in an adventure game, Uncharted is like a love letter to you.