The answer to the above question is, YES!! and what a god-blessing good job Naughty Dog had done. This is probably the second time that I felt so involved with a game on next gen console (first time is on MGS4). UC2 is a game almost like drug, it is too good to let go the PS3 controller.
Graphic:
It is such a cliché to praise the graphic as "amazing", "jaw dropping", "kick-ass" or "beautiful". So I will just use what had used on UC1, "set a new standard for graphic". Yes, Naughty Dog did it again!! The graphic in UC2 is nearly perfect. The setting rang from lush colorful jungle to war torn local town, and end with white snow mountain. The wide-shot is astonishingly charming, player can clearly felt the titanic scale that UC2 graphic engine can deliver.
At the same time, the detail of UC2 is even better. The water in UC2 is as good as UC1, and this time there is another thing, snow. They cling on and splash naturally when character go through, even left frost mark on character's cloth. The detail in UC2 is so well polished which created a vivid living quality. Player will find themselves amazed in every corner and doubt their eye for how real a game graphic can be.
Music/Sound:
The music in UC2 fit perfectly with the story. I can't really tell what kind of music style with my limited music knowledge, but the unique instruments used to compose the music is well fit the setting.
At the other hand, voice acting is perfect. The old characters retain their charm. The new characters' foreign accent, such as Flynn and Chloe’s British accent (they do use "bloody" a lot...), given the story a little bit different taste. It is very funny to see Nate trying to communicate with the Tibet mountain guide, who clearly doesn’t know a word of English.
System:
There isn't any new system add into UC2, but the old one is tweak in many places to make it a lot better. The best tweak is probability the sneak-attack. There are more then one occasion that well used sneak-attack can avoid conflict at all, and in few that sneak-attack is the only option. Another good tweak is grenade throwing, discard the six-axis (which is not all bad in my opinion) and simply to hold L2 to aim then release to throw. Player can choice to toss it straight instead of arc by aiming with L1 then tap L2 to throw, very useful when enemies are closing in fast to close range. Another thing is in UC2, most of time Nate will have least one companion with him. The NPC companion isn't great shot, but still they draw away enemy fire/focus. Hence player can out flank the enemy, or get on higher ground (yes, there are many vertical ground you can go to gain tactical advantage) to blast on unaware enemy.
Another system tweaked is climbing system, this time Nate clime even more like real person. Also Nate is able to "swing", which given him more ability to travel around places that normal person would think twice before venture on. Sadly there isn't real perfect thing in the world. There are glitch in UC2, personally I "melt" into a stepping stone and can't proceed onward (once in 16hr game play). Few people experienced game froze up at later chapter, but good thing is they only occur rarely.
Story:
UC2's story is pretty typical. It is good, but any venture game player can see how the story will go on. The great thing about UC2's story is the story pacing and witty line. The story pace in UC2 is really great, player can play for hours before they realize how long have they been holding on the controller. It is like the best rollercoaster ride in the world. You will bump up and down, left to right, excited and thrilled till the last minute. Then you go back to line up again for another ride.
At the same time, character's line are both funny and highlight their personality. Such as Flynn's dark humor and Chloe hinting her relationship with Nate in the past. Personally I favor character's conversation during game-play, which is clever written and very funny. Especially when Nate jumps in the swimming pool on the top of hotel, and ask Chloe to play "Marco-Polo" with him. End with Chloe comment: "You are so unprofessional..."
Online:
UC2 online contain both competitive and co-op mode. The competitive game got usual death-match, hold-the-ground, and treasure-hunt (flag-run) style. Co-op game get 3 players Co-op and horde mode (defeat wave after wave of enemy). The competitive mode is fun but challenging. Though you can purchase perk and weapon upgrade for your avatar, but in UC2 the battle fight from both on the ground and on the high place. It might took sometime to get use to the play style. The co-op mode is great, especially when there are dialog and cut-scene made for co-op mode only. Despite that sometime Co-op play will experience some problem (the system doesn’t seem to judge all three players arrive at check point, even though they are there...), but nothing a good patch can't fix. The online mode is a great plus to already amazing UC2.
Overall:
Even though UC2 isn't free from occasion glitch and hiccup, still it is worthy the game of the year award. Naughty Dog really done a great job on UC2, not only they set a new standard on graphical (somehow I think it will give Heavy Rain a hard time...) and showed a great example of the combination of gaming and movie. For those who own PS3, UC2 is worthy a place in your game collection. For those who don't, now you got a reason to buy one.
In a list of games that defined the PlayStation 3, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves would certainly be one of the top contenders. The blockbuster sequel to 2007’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune not only received critical acclaim and became a massive hit for Sony’s third console when it was released 15 years ago on October 13th, 2009, but it also cemented Naughty Dog’s future as a developer of cinematic, story-driven action-adventure games as opposed to its history of colorful platformers like Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter from previous PlayStation generations. To this day, Uncharted 2 stands as one of the PS3’s best exclusives and one of the most important PlayStation games of all time.
I loved this era on multiplayer games from Sony. People used to call the modes tacked on multiplayer but they were enjoyable. I loved Factions even more. I'm Still gutted that the second one isn't coming out.
Yeah, that one game where it not only has an amazing single player but the multiplayer was also just as good.
A fresh a breath air with it's more "skill focused, less is more" multiplayer in a time during COD fever where every other game with online was trying to be like it.
Shame NaughtyDog eventually did do COD like things with Uncharted 3 and 4, they ruined what made the original so good. It become an over the top arcade fest in the end.
Ironic cause the MP was basically Halo, and Bungie helped on the technical side of things too. MP was more simple back then, I've said this before but I played U2 MP religiously. I sucked at it like you have no idea, but mah gawd did I have so much fun. Can't find an MP game that hooked me like U2s these days. Then Factions came along and while it had its problem I found new religion with it. Agh damn it why did they cancel Factions 2 bruhh.
It is for sure my favorite game in the series. It's such a blast to play. The train levels still hold up and are fun as hell as well as the entire game.
Still remember the first gameplay video ... shooting the chasing truck and then the beautiful visuals & details whilst traversing the dilapidated Nepal streets ... perfection
Too bad Sony never ported the trilogy to PC ...
I'll say, the PS3 really did sequels better than people give it credit for. Resistance 2, Uncharted 2, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, Infamous 2... all were better than their initial offerings and still hold up to this day.
During MCM Comic Con London X EGX, CGM got the chance to be part of a press group interview with the stars of the Uncharted titles, namely the legendary Nolan North, who played protagonist Nathan Drake, Emily Rose, who portrayed Elena Fisher and Richard McGonagle, who took on the role of Victor ‘Sully’ Sullivan,
Chris, Joseph, and Josh celebrate Active Quest’s 100th episode by discussing their favorite games of all time.
