Harrison Ford is getting old. Bruce Willis looks tired. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a state to run. And Hollywood doesn't make action heroes like it used to.
Shia LaBeouf? Please.
At least the video-game industry is trying to pick up the slack. And in Nathan Drake, the wisecracking, globe-trotting treasure hunter at the center of "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves," Sony has created a hero to rival Indiana Jones.
Indeed, the plot of "Uncharted 2" (Sony, for the PlayStation 3, $59.99) sounds like a lost chapter from the Indiana Jones series. Drake is asked to track down an artifact connected to the explorer Marco Polo, which may lead to the discovery of the lost paradise Shambhala (aka Shangri-La). A murderous Russian warlord is in hot pursuit of the same secrets; you also have to contend with a seductive thief, a two-faced pretty boy and a relentless reporter.
The journey bounces from the jungles of Borneo to the mountains of Tibet, barely catching its breath between ports of call. All the environments are jaw-droppingly vivid, but the snow-covered Himalayan vistas are especially gorgeous.
"Uncharted 2" is one of the best-looking games on the PS3, but all its graphical splendor would be worthless without solid gameplay. Fortunately, the veteran designers at Sony's Naughty Dog studio have blended in an impressive variety of challenges. One level may be an all-out firefight; the next, a massive, 3-D architectural maze. Some scenarios, like a race in which you have to keep jumping from jeep to jeep, are as rousing as anything in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
None of these elements is particularly original, and other games have done them better. The shootouts have a "Gears of War" feel, while the vertigo-inducing climbing sequences are reminiscent of "Prince of Persia." What makes "Uncharted 2" distinctive is the way one type of gameplay flows so seamlessly into the next, depending on the demands of the plot.
The story borrows freely from the Hollywood adventure template, but it's smartly paced and has some surprising revelations. The dialogue is quite well-written, mixing hammy end-of-the-world melodrama with self-aware irony. And the characters — particularly Drake and the two women who share his affections — are brought to life with first-rate animation and voice acting.
"Uncharted 2" is very linear: In any given level, there's usually only one way to get from point A to point B. But most of the areas warrant a return visit, whether you're looking for artifacts you may have missed the first time or challenging your friends to a round of death match.
The multiplayer options, both competitive and cooperative, are substantial, but it's the solo campaign in "Uncharted 2" that really shines. It's the kind of high-octane action romp Hollywood used to make before the likes of "Transformers" took over the multiplex. Four stars out of four.
Game News
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October 8, 2009
'Uncharted 2' delivers high-octane PS3 adventure
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