thatdemoguy

Let's not mince words here, I am a HUGE fan of the Uncharted series. Dare I say that Uncharted as a whole is the series that was the backbone of the Sony PlayStation platform last generation, in more ways than one. It is, in my own opinion, THE series that shows the growth and progression of Naughty Dog as a AAA developer, the PS3 as a system, and ultimately Sony's business strategy as a whole. Its also the game series that I feel was the next evolution of storytelling in the medium, the epitome of grand set pieces, and the absolute perfect example of how a cast of characters, and their story arc can become synonymous with and define a brand. And now thanks to Sony, Naughty Dog, and the fine folks over at BluePoint games, who are the masters of remasters, that story is now in one nice neat package in Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. This compilation is the SINGLE PLAYER portion of the original three titles, Drake's Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake's Deception, now all presented in glorious 1080P and playing at a consistent 60FPS. Now while not setting any new bars by any stretch of the word, I have spent the last week with it and I can say with confidence that this is an essential purchase for any PlayStation 4 owner.

I know, I know....I am probably sounding pretty partial, but luckily this isn't a review. I'm just a guy giving his opinion, and if you; dear reader, care to know more, just keep on reading.

A ROCKY YET BOLD BEGINNING

Releasing in 2007, one full year after the launch of the PlayStation 3, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was the game that was seen as the system's first killer app. It came at the right place and the right time to help the struggling system gain ground on its booming competitor with its (at the time) steady exclusives and slick new online interface. Sony really shot themselves in the foot with the price point (we all remember $599 USD!!!!) and lackluster library during its first year. Naughty Dog's new IP, which was a very distinct departure from what they were known for, being anthropomorphic animal mascots like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, was a bit of a gamble for both the developer and Sony themselves. A gamble which paid off in spades. Its high production values with beautiful graphics that produced moments of visual awe with its lush jungle setting. Along with technical advancements that had to push the limits of the hardware at the time. An expertly written story, that was topped with the absolutely stellar voice work of its cast, highlighting Nolan North as titular character Nathan Drake, made this a game to play. But now in 2015, even with the fresh coat of paint on it and the improved controls, I will be honest and say that this game's age is showing. It may be the game that benefits the most from the remaster treatment but Drake's movements aren't as fluid as they once seemed, with floaty and inconsistent jumps that prove a problem when so many of the platforming sections require precision. A cover mechanic that leaves you in danger more than it protects you, and a very questionable enemy spawn/wave placement/checkpoint system that can seem outright unfair at times, especially at higher difficulties when a wave of enemies can magically appear behind you in a previously cleared area or wont even spawn until you hit some invisible barrier on the screen. But even with these issues, this doesn't detract from this being a great experience where the progression through the story is the strong point that pushes you to keep playing even with the small foibles. Playing this through to its satisfying conclusion is well worth the time invested into it because you just knew something great was indeed in store for this game in the future....

COMING INTO THEIR OWN

Faithful PlayStation owners didn't have to wait very long for that something great to come their way, because in 2009, Naughty Dog threw down the gauntlet and delivered the game which is in MY OWN OPINION the single greatest PlayStation 3 title and one of the best games ever made on any platform, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Yes that sounds pretty lofty and quite incredulous but from the moment you start the game, it grips you and does not relinquish that grip until you are firmly caught up in all it has to offer. The run and gun heavy aspects of the first game take a back seat to more platforming and traversal of the lovingly crafted and downright beautiful environments. Each area tells its own story in how its framed and the colors that are used to set the tone. The verticality of this title is astounding. And for locales that are so detailed, going from sun soaked Nepal all the way to the snowy mountains of Shangri-la, youre never "lost" because there are always audible or visual cues to guide your way. The game never feels tedious either because its pacing is pitch perfect. From an opening that has to be seen to be believed, with chapters that naturally lead into each other, from astonishing set piece to astonishing set piece. This game literally feels like a summer blockbuster movie that you the player are not just along for the ride on, but you're driving like you stole it. And each step along the way is punctuated once again by the wonderful voice work of this cast. The witty repartee Drake has with each other character comes out so organically that you sometimes don't think that these lines came off a script and the actors basically just ad libbed most of it in character. Everything about this game was a treat, and being able to experience it all again, presented dare I say BETTER than before, is pure bliss.

 

SETTLING INTO EXCELLENCE AND MOVING ON TO BIGGER THINGS

 

So how does Naughty Dog outdo themselves after the previous outing? Well in my opinion, they really didn't. Make no mistake, on a technical level Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, for all intents and purposes is superior to the previous game. They took everything done before, streamlined it, and gave us another excellent adventure for Drake and company. I cant say anything negative about the mechanics per se because literally every facet functions exceptionally. All the right notes get played, but it never feels like its just "more of the same". Where I feel things changed though, not necessarily in a bad way mind you, was in this game's tone. Opting for a darker and more dramatic narrative, the quirkiness and wit of the characters feels somewhat out of place. Plus with the game being more about advancing said narrative, it affects the pacing with lots more slower sequences played via flashbacks and such. This does make for a more grounded story, but it hurts the overall gameplay because you go from adrenaline pumping action, to dramatic exposition. Whereas Uncharted 2 felt like a summer blockbuster, this game feels like a late fall thriller. Both great in their own ways, but will appeal to different audiences. A fair analogy would be to say Uncharted 2 is a fun Indiana Jones style adventure, while Uncharted 3 is a tense and taut James Bond style tale. You cant go wrong with either. Now the trade off for this new approach is that the game does indeed have a more cinematic feel, and it can be seen and felt in the way the game is presented. The camera cuts, the art style, the scene direction, they all feel like steps towards making something bigger. And Naughty Dog did indeed use this game to move on to give us something bigger when they delivered the coup de grace and swan song for the PlayStation 3 in the form of The Last of Us.

 

A "COMPLETE" ALL IN ONE PACKAGE?

 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the omission of 2012's Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which appeared on the PlayStation Vita. On one hand, I don't understand why its not there because translating the touch functions of the Vita to the TouchPad on the PS4 controller should be easy, but on the other hand I fully understand its not there because the purpose of this collection is to prepare the player for Uncharted 4, which releases in early 2016, and the story of Golden Abyss actually pre-dates Drake's Fortune, thus not fitting neatly into the story being told.

 

A JOURNEY WORTH TAKING

 

At the time of each title's release, I would easily say that each title was well worth full price. And now you have all three of them together for the price of one. This is almost a no brainer of a purchase, right? Now I know there are those who say that you can have all 3 titles on the PlayStation 3 currently for roughly about $20 total if you're a smart shopper, and they are correct. But know that if you take this route, that the games you get wont run as smooth and the many fixes and improvements that have been implemented wont be there. So no matter if you happen to be a newcomer and this is your first exposure to this series or like myself you're taking the opportunity to refresh your memory, you should have this game in your library.

 

Now if you'll excuse me....I have some trophies to earn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Images and video are owned & Copyright of Naughty Dog and Sony