UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES REVIEW Posted by nutcrackr on Oct 24, 2009 21:21 (313 days ago) |
Platforming occurs well spaced out between the action segments and is never too frustrating. These elements might simply be finding an alternative route to unlock a door for your ally or climbing up a huge sword blade to reach some mirrors above you. The hardest parts of the platforming sections seemed to be finding the first step as the rest are usually straightforward following on from one another. The reason the first step is tricky is because the climbing rocks or ledges can sometimes blend in quite well with the background. It also might be that in the previous chapters red ledges were the platform points, but now they are yellow coloured. Once you are standing there or running around looking for this first step a hint message will pop up after a short time. You can ignore it or ask for the game to help, where it will zoom in and tell you using some brief text what your next course of action should be. An opportunity was here to use the allies to give you a hint instead, with for example Elena moving near to the first step and pointing or saying something to the effect to get your mind or eyes working. Unfortunately this was never used in such a way and only during some sections did the AI give you a little bit of directional guidance. It’s not easy to die during these sections either, Nate won’t leap left or right unless there is a ledge, and falling from an edge will just make him grab it unless you jump directly off it.
There was the occasional issue with the camera, sometimes when it was fixed it would be hard to determine correct orientation for Nate’s movements. A few times the camera got stuck for me, often in a set piece which either meant I lost Nate for a little while or I was viewing from underneath a mountain requiring checkpoint restart. In general platforming plays a secondary role to combat because it’s used more to give the player a rest. But that doesn’t mean it’s a neglected element, it’s still very impressive at times helps set a good pace. Puzzles also are mainly used to link the story to the game world, and also to break up the combat. There are a few puzzles in Uncharted 2 and they seem a little bit more involving than the first game, which is a welcome improvement. You can use some of these basic platforming elements during combat also. Because many of the action sections seem more open than the first game you can climb above or around your enemies. Using ledges or ladders and hanging from mid air to attack with a pistol or grenades. It was quite common for me to finish up a combat section and scout for ammo observing some more ways around to attack than I previously used, adding some replay value. The much improved part of the platforming and action is the checkpoint save system. To put it simply it saves more often so you won’t have to repeat many long sections which might interrupt game flow. The platforming elements are greatly improved by the overall presentation of the game.
 Platforming plays an important role in combat during the game. The great presentation exists not only from a visual standpoint but the audio proves effective throughout the game. The weapon sounds have a good punch to them and are usually distinctive helping you quickly identify potential upgrades or favourite weapons. Voice work is as the previous game, outstanding, with Nate leading the way not only with funny lines but lines that were extremely relevant and many times similar to my own thoughts. Ambient sounds like fans, water or generators help set the mood of some of the low action areas. The game’s world is also more detailed than the original, better use of level of detail systems and fog allow for more items to be shown in the foreground. The animation has also improved, mainly for the mercenaries who fall believably or react naturally to gun fire. This crosses over to the fairly smooth melee combat which although simplistic proves satisfying. Water was a visual treat in the first game and although it’s used in a few places snow seems to have replaced it. You will leave footprints and kick up lines of snow as you walk through it, and you clothes will be covered with ice if you roll into it.
Along the campaign you will come across some complex visual set pieces, which are often associated with or around high action sections. One of these visual pieces early in the game featured a helicopter that was taunting Nate around a city. In one of the high rise buildings you enter to escape, the helicopter let go a flurry of rockets structurally crippling the building. This then caused the floor below you to tilt slowly as the building began to fall over while you were engaging in some combat. Another set piece took place on a moving train which involved both platforming and action sequences for quite some distance along the tracks. These complex scenes really help the action segments feel more important and dangerous. The AI also manages to keep up with Nate, both during platforming and action sequences. Part of the reason for this is they don’t get in your way, don’t do anything stupid and seem smart enough to follow you up most obstacles. The AI can’t be killed directly in combat which prevents a lot of frustration but they do occasionally help dispose of enemies and they will help you reach ledges and ladders. The story and cut scenes have also lifted a notch, there seems to be much more work invested into them. There are quite a number of cut scenes which fill out character backgrounds and current story threads. During the game much of the time you will be with one or more allies, and they will talk with you from time to time about things you are doing or upcoming problems. This is quite nice when it happens, sometimes surprisingly, but more would have been even better as it seems to occur less often during later parts of the game. The presentation and polish extends into the online portion of Uncharted 2.
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