This makes me sad, especially because in any other case, Uncharted 3 would easily be a 10/10. The graphics are amazing, the story is interesting if a little muddled or forgotten at times, combat is tight and responsive (especially the revamped hand-to-hand mechanics), and there are some set pieces here that stand out even above 2. But here's the thing. You can feel, throughout the entire design of this thing, that they needed more time. The set pieces that stand out the most are actually the most removed from the story. If they hadn't been in there, you wouldn't have noticed because they're literally just little side trips. The story itself often feels rushed, and is about yet another lost city that holds some secret power that if released to the world would mean devastation. And you have to run from hordes of spiders like 5 different times because...well...they never really tell you why there are massive amounts of spiders scattered all over the world in these caves. Not even a "well they must be protecting the secret of the city!" They're just there, I assume, in an attempt to spice things up a bit and add some urgency to certain levels.
And to counter-point that, you can really tell what they worked hard on and had time to fully flesh out. The boat level, if you've seen the previews, is the standout. It shows off what it takes to top Uncharted 2. The dynamic shifting of the waves and water, the tilting of the boat, the many many options they give you for how to approach each fight, all of it works together and makes something magical. The story also starts to shine when we start to finally get some background on Drake. Where he grew up, how he met Sully, and why things are so strained with the wonderful villain Marlowe. The reason the Uncharted series rises above so many others is not just because of its amazing set pieces and gameplay, it's also the heart put into the characters. Uncharted manages to capture humor in a way few others have, and the characters seem all the more real and fleshed out. So when Uncharted 3 teases with those glimpses of character it makes it all the more disappointing when most of the game focuses on simply getting these characters through the action. Yes, it has some wonderful moments, and I for one am happy about where they ended with it, I just wish they had gone deeper into the story as it seemed they really wanted to.
Multiplayer is back. Now, I never played 2's multiplayer but heard it was fairly innovative and something different to the traditional genre, and 3 seems pretty much the same. It truly innovates with things like a 2 sequence map where one team is on trucks trying to board a plane while it's taking off, and then once it does things shift into a more traditional area with buildings. However, it's not different enough to really make it anything special. Sure it's a fun-ish way to pass the time, but if you're a multiplayer gamer (I am not) there are definitely better offerings out there for you. Sure it's nice to be able to climb all over the place and shoot while hanging and things like that, but most of the time it still just boils down to find cover, shoot enemy, find new cover.
I hate harping on the game like this, because as I said, it's an amazing game and if you own a PS3 you owe it to yourself to play it (especially if you didn't play 2). But under the shadow of 2, Uncharted 3 just seems like a rehash that excels in some places and falls short in most others. And I really can't help but get the feeling that this is an 80% finished game. Yes, it plays like 100%, but something tells me that if they had another year to work out the storyline and add the same level of quality they put into the boat and burning manor set pieces, this could have been what we all wanted it to be. But for now...
Uncharted 3 gets a 9/10.
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