! I have spent more time playing this game than all my other games combined!! Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Review
By Gary Burzell
Late in January of 2008 when I bought my first gaming console, a Playstation 3, I asked some of my friends which games I should buy. I already knew I wanted any title with the words ‘Call of Duty’ in them as I had played and loved the first Call of Duty title when it came to the PC in October of 2003. In fact I think I purchased it the day it came out.
Some of the titles my friends suggested were Fallout 3, Dead Space, Oblivion: The Elder Scrolls and Madden 09 and many others. Of those games I did purchase I have to say Fallout 3 was my favorite game. However one title that was never mentioned for some reason was Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. When Uncharted 2: Among Thieves came out with raves reviews I asked, “if it is Uncharted 2, was there a first one?” Of course they said there was and told me how good it was.
Wanting to know the story of Uncharted before I bought part two, I recently purchased a used copy of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune at Game Stop, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune puts the gamer into the shoes of Nathan Drake who is treasure hunter on a quest for a really big Spanish treasure. Uncharted completely immerses you in its experience, and for the most part makes the gamer feel like they are a character in a really good action movie. You have to take on pirates, scales ancient walls, swing from jungle vines and solve puzzles on your path to unearthing the secrets of Nate’s ancestor Sir Francis Drake. Playing alongside you during the game is the feisty newswoman Elena, and Nate’s cigar-chomping buddy Sullie.
While there is a lot of wall climbing, leaping and puzzle solving in the game, Naughty Dog didn’t make those parts too hard to complete. It is rare for you to die while doing all this, even for a newbie old gamer like me, and the puzzles are for the most part easily solved by viewing Sir Francis Drake’s diary which Nate has in his possession. I found Uncharted fun, the fighting scenes challenging at times, but not so hard that you felt like giving up. Of course I played on the easy level, so perhaps the higher levels make it more challenging.
I thought the visual effects in Uncharted were very good. Maybe not as good as some of the newer games that have been released recently, but good. The sounds were very realistic, and I really enjoyed the movie score that accompanied me throughout the game. And unlike some of the recent games I have played there were not long load times between stages and deaths.
I would recommend Uncharted to anyone looking for a fun game. Some video gamers might ask why review Uncharted: Drake's Fortune now, so long after it came out. Well, like me many people may just be starting to play games on the Playstation 3, so they may not have experienced this game when it came out. Since some older video gamers like me cannot afford to run out and get every new game the day it is released, another advantage is you can most likely find a used copy of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for less than buying a new game. I picked mine up at Game Stop for $39. Perhaps if this website ever makes it big I will get free copies of new games from the publishers so I can review them, but until then I will sometimes have to wait to get the games I want to buy. I do plan on getting Uncharted two in the very near future.
My rating: 8.5/10
 |
Purchase Uncharted: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. |
 |
Purchase Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This is the story of Nathan Drake, a fortune-hunter with a shady reputation and an even shadier past. Drake embarks on a journey that will push him to his physical, emotional and intellectual limits to discover the real truth behind the lost fleet of Marco Polo and the legendary Himalayan valley of Shambhala. |
The Old Man's Top 5
# 1: ★★★★★Red Dead Redemption is an open-world, third-person, action-adventure game set at the tail end of the American West West era. Action takes place in the first few years of the twentieth century and revolves around the choices that the protagonist, former outlaw John Marston, is forced to make due to his blemished past. |
# 2: ★★★★★Follow-up game to 2007's critically acclaimed Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the PlayStation 3 exclusive Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a continuation of the adventures of Nathan Drake, a fortune-hunter with a shady reputation and an even shadier past. Chock full of all the action, adventure, cinematic story elements and beautiful graphics that set the first game apart, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves adds deep online multiplayer options, including co-op and competitive campaigns, and a whole new supporting cast of characters. |
# 3: ★★★★★Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person tactical shooter and the sixth entry in the popular Call of Duty series. True to its name and following the lead of its predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it places players in modern combat settings, as opposed to the WWII environments of the earlier Call of Duty games. This modern approach brings with it new weapons, action and options. Coupled with a variety of gameplay modes including single player, multiplayer and the co-op Special Ops Mode, it is destined to be one of the most popular games of 2009 and a worthy addition to the Call of Duty series. |
|
# 4: ★★★★★Get ready to plunge into the lush and deadly world of the Italian Renaissance, an era of arts, riches and murderous conspiracy. Assassin's Creed II introduces you to Ezio, a new assassin carrying on the deadly lineage of his forebears. Confront an epic tale of power and corruption as you hone your assassin's art, wielding weapons and instruments designed by the legendary Leonardo da Vinci himself in this gripping and deadly sequel. |
|
# 5: ★★★★★The third game in the Fallout series, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong, with the kitschy naivety of American 1950s nuclear propaganda, Fallout 3 will satisfy both players familiar with the popular first two games in its series as well as those coming to the franchise for the first time. |
Be sure to check out GameStop's Weekly Ad for any of the games and gaming systems mentioned a oldervideogamers.com.
