Review - Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception

It doesn't get better than this.

There’s very little doubt that Uncharted has now become one of PlayStation’s most iconic franchises. Nathan Drake returns in the third installment of the series Uncharted 3 Drake’s Deception, which continues to raise the bar for action adventure games. Here you will find an engaging story full of dramatic set-piece segments, intertwined with thrilling combat and a cast of unforgettable characters. Naughty Dog continue to set the standard that many companies will aspire to replicate, but very few will ever achieve.

You explore the most beautiful video game environments.

Uncharted 3 continues the tale of Nathan Drake’s quest for lost treasure. The story never strays far out of its comfort zone but dabbles in the usual business, deceit, betrayal, friendship – everything you’re familiar with from the franchise. The theme of this installment is “finding the way” as explained by Naughty Dog’s community strategist Arne Meyer – forcing you to travel across the world in search of the legendary lost city, Iram of the Pillars. What is arguably the most engaging factor in the Uncharted series is the phenomenal cast of characters and the voice actors. The larger than life adventure is complimented perfectly by the down to earth and snide conversation you will have the joy of experiencing in Drake’s Deception. We already know that Drake is a lovable protagonist, but his partner Sully and indeed all the characters you meet throughout the adventure are enjoyable in their own way and add depth to the story.

You gotta get up close and personal.

Of course Drake’s Deception isn’t all about dialogue, after all this is an action adventure game. You will find a much more gritty and brutal experience this time round, highlighted in the opening segment of the game when you are forced to brawl your way out of a pub. Drake’s Deception is filled with these timed action scenes that are thrilling to watch but feel somewhat limited in content. The lack of freedom makes these cinematic timed button-press events feel a tad unnecessary, but it’s very easy to understand why they are here. The fact that most of them are so over-the-top and dramatic does make them entertaining and being an essential part of the series, their presence is to be expected. 

When you’re let off the chain of cinematic brawling, Drake’s Deception really begins to shine. While it is possible to use the environment to sneak up on your enemy, or shoot them with a weapon, the physical combat has taken such a leading role in this installment that it’s really the most fun way to engage with enemies. Plenty of work has gone into perfecting the hand-to-hand animations and this is obvious from the variety of cool ways Drake goes about incapacitating his foes. This is of course not to say that the gunplay and stealth tactics aren’t effective in their own way too, in fact the environments cater to both gameplay styles effectively. Shooting mechanics have been improved even further here offering you greater control and precision of Drake’s weapons, making sure you effectively take down bad guys. If you’re looking for the stylish knockout and kills however, fistfights are absolutely the right way to go about it.

Better him than you right?

When you’re not brawling and taking in the beautiful sights, you will be doing some traditional puzzle solving to keep in line with Drake’s profession. Uncharted is certainly a game that likes to ensure all of its elements are intertwined together and the puzzle segments flow seamlessly in between the story and action. With new environments come new puzzles, all of which are interesting and challenging in their own way, but a useful journal in Drake’s inventory helps to uncover the various secrets of how to overcome these brainteasers. These puzzles come as a welcome break and as an entertaining tangent, which helps to remind us that Drake isn’t an action hero, but an explorer foremost.

Drake’s Deception is so good, it’s almost rude not to share it with friends. Naughty Dog certainly took this into consideration when developing this installment, by including three cooperative modes. The most engaging is Adventure, which sees you and up to two friends get together to tackle groups of enemies across a variety of maps spanning from Among Thieves and Drake’s Deception. With only a handful of lives between your party, action gets frantic and enemies become more and more relentless. The replay value here is actually relatively high, despite the limited amount of levels. Hunters is another game type, organizing players into a two-versus-two attack and defend variant with one team trying to steal loot and the other stopping them. This is also quite entertaining, especially due to the defending team having AI team mates offering a helping hand. The offensive team has their work cut out with the odds of success dramatically against them. The third game mode is Arena, which is a set of co-op missions against waves of enemies with an objective placed in the mix. Adding a goal helps pick up the tension and drama that Adventure doesn’t have, which is a nice little addition to the gameplay.

Of course the real treasure in Drake’s Deception was shown off as a beta a couple of months ago. The competitive multiplayer is certainly a welcome tangent away from Drake’s single player campaign. Your regular options are present here, a variety of engaging maps, perks and unlockables galore, with an advanced game mode that strips the use of all perks and special skills, breaking the game down to the basics. Nevertheless, a wealth of variety in combat from the single player can also be implemented here, which is a testament to the games’ brilliant balance, while the maps also help promote this ideal by varying in size ensuring some battle styles are better suited to certain maps. Once you’ve had your fill of the campaign, there’s no excuse not to get online and enjoy what is a seamless transition to the competitive multiplayer scene.

Does it get any more hectic?

As I mentioned before, Uncharted 3 Drake’s Deception is a game that places tremendously high value on three key aspects – story, gameplay and puzzle solving. This triangle embodies the Uncharted series and it is clear for all to see that each factor has had so much care, time and effort put into it. They simply blend into one incredible package, which is now complimented by a terrific multiplayer experience. As far as modern games go, this is a masterpiece, a testament that hard work and love for your franchise will bring about a glorious final product that absolutely everyone can enjoy. This is a perfect modern game; it doesn’t get better than this. 

10 | Gameplay |

Everything you do in Uncharted 3 Drake’s Deception comes off with such style. The action scenes, exploration, puzzle solving and multiplayer are all terrific. The perfect package for entertaining gameplay.

10 | Presentation |

A beautiful world coupled with a fantastic array of character and led by one of the most entertaining protagonists in modern gaming. The soundtrack compliments not only the environments, but the moods of the characters and the events which occur, it’s a marvel to be a part of.

9.5 | Replay Value |

The campaign is so impressive that multiple playthroughs are almost mandatory. With the addition of a very impressive multiplayer mode, it’s hard not to justify keeping Uncharted 3 Drake’s Deception in your PlayStation 3 for the next few months at least.

10 | Final Thoughts |

Every once in a while a game comes along that simply blows your mind. With the success of Uncharted 2 Among Thieves, the pressure was certainly on to maintain the incredible standards that were set. Well Uncharted 3 Drake’s Deception has raised the bar once again, by quite a significant margin, so it’s a testament to both the producers and the fans of the series that if you commit and show love for a series, you will be rewarded with an experience you simply will not forget. As far as modern games go, this is what all games should aspire to be.

Igor Kharin.