I'm about 25% through on Hard, and so far, I'm loving it! Great art and voice acting. The script is pretty good and the writing (like Marco! Polo!) is full of humorous quips and remarks. The game play is even better than the first. I thought the first was a very solid gameplay experiene, with only a few small issues to detract from it (the biggest thing was the annoying sixaxis stuff). They've removed all the sixaxis elements, and mostly left the rest of the mechanics alone. The cover system feels a little smoother, so it's pretty excellent over all.
I guess if I had to nitpick, I'd say the blind fire from cover isn't quite as good as it was in Uncharted 1. Seems harder to keep the reticle steady on a target in those cases. But I never really use that too often. Also, I'm not sure what it is, but the first game had a better flow to it. I'm not sure if it's the pace that the story was moving at, or the pace of the writing, or maybe the number of cutscenes in this game (many), but the first game had a smoother feel to it, if that makes any sense.
Also, the game seems easier, in the first 25% anyway, than the first game. My first playthrough I'm on Hard and I haven't really run into any difficult spots, yet. In Uncharted 1, I can think of several points that were pretty frustrating, even on normal mode (that damn room that was full of water and had all the pillars and enemies entering from all sides. Hate that room). But maybe since I've only played it on hard, I've acclimated myself to the difficulty to the point where it feels like "normal" to me.
The multiplayer is pretty fun. Though I've only played about an hour (and only team deathmatch). I'd say the biggest problems with the game are in the multiplayer portions. Mastering grenade throws is pretty important. I'm glad they only give two grenade slots or the entire match would be down to who was better at throwing them and who had more.
Melee combat just isn't right. Whoever hits first in melee will win the fight, that's pretty much the way it is (barring other players 'interfering'). If you swing too early, you'll be stuck in the animation until you die (whether because they just shoot you or they melee you and get the first hit). And if you do take the first hit in a melee fight, it seems the best tactic is to drop a grenade. You know you're going to die anyway, and by the time the enemy's melee animation finishes, the grenade will take them out. There just doesn't seem to be an effective way to dodge or avoid the second (killing) blow in a melee fight. Though I've only played an hour, so maybe I'll figure it out eventually.
Overall, the multiplayer is pretty decent for their first shot at it. Decent, but not good enough to keep me coming back like more multiplayer focused games will. Ghostbusters was kind of similar. A decent multiplayer that was fun to mess around with, but other games will take precedence over it pretty quickly. But then, I've only had a chance to play with the deathmatch mode, so maybe the other modes are more fun.
PSN: Treshnell
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Nice overview! I found this very informative. Looking forward to eventually getting my hands on this one.
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I haven't touched the multiplayer yet and just finished the single player last night. I was very impressed and plan on going back to replay it again today - fairly rare for me.
The visual presentation and sound work (both music and voice acting) are amazing. It feels in some way like a more refined approach to what MGS4 tried to do; blending action gameplay with cinematic experience, although Uncharted 2 strikes a much better balance and you never feel like your out of the action for long. In this department, Uncharted 2 is leaps and bounds ahead of it's predecessor. The same witty dialogue from the first game is present and gives the game a distinct and approachable personality.
After the first few hours, the game shifted into a roller coaster experience moving from one big action set-piece to another big action set-piece while throwing a few platforming portions in (or sometimes combining the two gameplay styles). With a few rare exceptions, the platforming was solid throughout and enhanced the game rather than bogging it down. I can see some people having complaints with the final boss battle, but the game's ending felt satisfying.
Uncharted 2's gameplay is mostly untouched from the first game and still a derivative of Tomb Raider-esque platforming/exploration and Gears of War-style third person shooting and cover mechanics. Uncharted 2 at times will make you blend both play-styles together to survive an encounter which feels somewhat unique, but for the most part it's only going to appeal to those that enjoyed the first game. Puzzle elements are barely existent in the game at all and there are a few times you'll be waiting on a gameplay hint for a less-than obvious solution as to where to go next.
IMO Uncharted 2, while not perfect, is one of the better games to come out in 2009. Though it doesn't bring many new elements or gameplay mechanics to the table, it refines those it uses to a polish and presents some of the best visual/audio presentation and best action sequences to come out of the current gen.
Mechazawa005:Though it doesn't bring many new elements or gameplay mechanics to the table, it refines those it uses to a polish
I think this is a key point. Too many games try to "do something new" and lose themselves in a gimicky or untested gameplay element. I loved the first Uncharted, as did many people, and I am perfectly satisfied to see a game that doesn't bring new elements to the table, but improves what they've already done. It's like Uncharted was the beta for Uncharted 2. They looked at what the majority of users had issues with, fixed those problems, continued with what people loved, and called it Uncharted 2!
Like it's been said before, "Why fix what isn't broken?" I think reviewers in general are too harsh on games that don't try to break the barrier. What's wrong with "more of the same?" I enjoy playing a game for the gameplay, storyline, and acting/writing. If the gameplay is nearly perfect, then don't change it! Give us a new story and dialogue to play through and I'm pretty happy! People don't complain when a new book doesn't bring any new reading-techniques to the table. If it has great writing, people will want to read it.
Chambered:I think this is a key point. Too]/i] many games try to "do something new" and lose themselves in a gimicky or untested gameplay element. I loved the first Uncharted, as did many people, and I am perfectly satisfied to see a game that doesn't bring new elements to the table, but improves what they've already done. It's like Uncharted was the beta for Uncharted 2. They looked at what the majority of users had issues with, fixed those problems, continued with what people loved, and called it Uncharted 2!
I'm a little torn - I will almost always give kudos to games, films or any other media that tries to shake off convention for something new or unexpected. However new doesn't necessarily translate into good or better, as you pointed out.
While there is little "new" in Uncharted 2 (apart from multiplayer which I haven't gotten to yet), i'll agree it's absolutely a better experience in every aspect over the first game. All I can ask is that anyone who thinks it may be something they may enjoy to try the game out, ignore the hype surrounding it, and enjoy the ride.
I was a huge fan of the first, so i'm really surprised I haven't picked it up yet. By the time I get these games/movies shipped out this week I should have 2,400 pts, so I think i'll just pick it up on the site..my buddy was saying they might not even have any more copies in the Goozex Exchange by next week...anybody think its true? It would suck to miss out on it :(
Ho11oWxxMaN:my buddy was saying they might not even have any more copies in the Goozex Exchange by next week...anybody think its true? It would suck to miss out on it :(
Difficult to say, basically any items on the Exchange may be pulled at any time. I don't think it'll be an issue by next week but it's impossible to say for certain.
Yeah, I basically told him "If it goes off the exchange, then screw it, i'll just buy it, and have 2,400 pts. to play around with" So I guess, it's a win-win.
IMO, it's worth a buy. I had bad position to request the game and already used my 1 per month on the Exchange for Katamari Forever, so I just went out and bought it.
If the multiplayer is half as good as single player it'll be money well spent. Otherwise, I just played one of the best single player games this year and will trade it out for 1000 points and a different game. That's a win/win for me....
I'll definitely try this one out. I gave up on Uncharted 1 as I thought the endless swarms of enemies were annoying as were the random jump and die puzzles. But I'll give it a try anyways! It was one of the first console games I'd played in a LONG time so maybe that was it
Gary Johnson For President 2012!
acsguitar: I'll definitely try this one out. I gave up on Uncharted 1 as I thought the endless swarms of enemies were annoying as were the random jump and die puzzles. But I'll give it a try anyways! It was one of the first console games I'd played in a LONG time so maybe that was it
RUN AWAY!!!!!
Endless swarms? Yeah there were a couple of areas that had a fairly large number of enemies, but nowhere near endless. You sit in cover and pick them off one at a time, eventually they will all die and you'll be free to move on.
If you want to see endless enemies in action, play the CoD4 singleplayer...
So worth it!
Well I'm near the end of Uncharted 2 and I gotta say it's held my attention more then Uncharted did but I still think it isn't much fun. The middle of the game is actually a ton of fun. However now it's become monotnous and tedious. The begging and the end are so boring and tedious. Jump somewhere pick of 100 enemies (who shoot you from impossible angles) etc etc...
And the enemies have gotten increasingly tedious and cheap. They can see and pick you off from everywhere. It doesn't matter if you are hiding or using stealth or what. Reminds me of the uber cheap Far Cry enemies.
Production wise it's incredible A+. I find the controls unneccesarily clunk and good lord If I have to walk back over a piece of ammo or gun another time just to miss pressing triangle by a half second I'm going to go postal.The cheapness and instant deaths have got me extremely frustrated. So far I'd give it a B and considering the last hour or so I've played it I'm not sure I'm gonna pick it back up. Don't really care about the ending since it's drained the soul out of me again.
I can definitely see how lots of people would LOVE this game. Not me though. I'm hoping I can push my way through it to the end (i'm in the monastery or something). However, if borderlands shows up someone will be getting this shortly.
Single player was the best I've seen in a game period. Multiplayer is very very well done. I think its a good compliment to a game like MW2 or something more hardcore. The thing I really liked about UC2's MP is the fact that I could run, jump, grab a window's ledge, hop onto a roof top, jump to the next building and then the next and be on the otherside on the map within a few seconds instead of just running from point A to B.
If you haven't played this game, pick it up for sure!
