Uncharted 2 is easily one of the finest games of its generation.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a huge step in Naughty Dog's ambition to create one of the best Playstation 3 exclusive games to ever grace the platform. Overall they did well, but were criticized mainly because of its shoddy gameplay mechanics. The development team immediately took a step back and aimed to improve in all of the predecessor's flaws, and they did so quite marvelously. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a major enhancement from the first, containing a more engaging story, memorable characters, and improved gameplay mechanics; it can also easily be described as one of the best action-adventure games to date.
Set two years after its predecessor, Nathan Drake is back to steal treasure vaults and priceless gemstones in the most mysterious locales on the planet. Drake's new adventure takes him to Marco Polo's chaotic voyage across the Asian continent. Escaping the clutches of Kublai Khan, Marco Polo left the Mongol Empire with 14 ships and well over 600 crew members. But a year after his journey through the rough seas, he arrived at his destination with naught but one ship left and 18 passengers with him. Polo did record his journey with great detail, but failed to mention the fate of the other ships that mysteriously disappeared. The game starts in medias res (on a wrecked train, Nathan all bruised and bloodied up), and most of the game's events are flashbacks leading up to that situation. Drake will be reunited with some of the other protagonists from the first game, along with a new love interest--and new villains to get in his way.
You don't necessarily need to have played Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to familiarize yourself more with the series, but if you want to catch up on what's been going on in Nathan Drake's grand adventure, you probably should. There are some scenes and dialogue that reference back to the first Uncharted, but it doesn't take away anything from the experience of this sequel or confuse you in any way possible.
That being said, Uncharted 2's is a brilliantly executed and exhilarating train ride from beginning to end; every event in the game is absolutely enjoyable to watch, and keeps the storytelling going at a smooth and incredible pace. The transition from one cut scene to the next keeps you going with it, making it easy to immerse yourself into the story without ever feeling like you're taking in too little or too much. More importantly, Uncharted 2 is longer than its predecessor, and would take the average player to finish it in 10 hours or more.
From Nathan Drake's brash, devil-may-care nature to the flirtatious Chloe's alluring eyes and sly personality, Uncharted 2's cast of characters is one of the most down-to-earth and interesting bunch I've ever encountered in a video game. The game's characters are pretty much the driving force in progressing and bringing tons of entertainment to the plot, and I found it extremely easy to connect with most of them. All their actions – not to mention the humorous and enjoyable dialogue make Uncharted 2's characters fun to admire. Eventually, you'll find yourself deeply concerned about each and every one of them, making the storyline that much more effective than it already is.
Aside from Nathan Drake's occupation as a daring treasure hunter, he is also proficient in weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Nathan can equip two weapons at a time; one primary and sidearm, and can also hold a limited supply of grenades. In addition to having a narrow amount of weaponry, Nathan can also pick up additional ammunition from fallen enemies, or replace his current weapons with ones that pack more firepower. You can also execute stealthy kill moves and disarm foes, take cover to blind fire your adversaries or you can scale walls and jump from building to building with great execution.
Gameplay feels so smooth and responsive that I never totally lost control over Drake. Climbing obstacles and escaping death has never felt so satisfying. Combat has also been drastically improved from its predecessor; although there are various difficulty modes to choose from, it has been toned down a bit to make gameplay less unforgiving and give it more flexibility. I felt totally confident shooting enemies in the face because you don't have to waste a thousand bullets before they go down. Though I found the camera a little disorienting, other mechanics such as grenade throwing, run-and-gun, and some light parkour action almost never feels clumsy, and the quick-time events in melee combat all the more makes Uncharted 2 a diverse and fun game to play because doing all these things just never gets old.
In addition to the pleasurable gun play and combat there are interesting puzzles to solve as well. You're never completely bewildered while solving puzzles because Nathan's journal contains valuable information that can help you crack more difficult ones; it makes things even clearer when a hint system is featured in the game as well. Throughout the game, there are hidden treasures lying around. You gain in-game money as you collect more, and then use that money to unlock lots of goodies such as concept art, movies, and cheats. You can also gain money by performing other methods, such as employing certain actions during play. Acquiring all these treasures can keep you occupied for a while, but that makes Uncharted 2 a very rewarding experience in the end.
Multiplayer seems somewhat strange to be present in Uncharted 2, but I have to say I'm glad it's there. The game has an online co-op mode that will take you and two other players to take on team-based missions. Though I found that amusing I was kind of bummed that there was no split-screen co-op mode, but in the end that would have just reduced the quality of the gameplay altogether. Besides cooperative-based gameplay, Uncharted 2 also has competitive multiplayer. Up to 10 players each match, you can compete with other real-life players in Deathmatch, Elimination, Plunder, and Chain Reaction. Go head-to-head against enemies; capture the flag, etc. until you've basically had enough. An additional mode called Gold Rush can easily remind you of Horde Mode in Gears of War 2, but that's not to say that's a bad thing altogether.
You can earn points to purchase additional skins each for the heroes' and villains' side as you kill more dudes, capture flags, and steal treasures. Playing through all these modes are an incredible experience overall that I was surprised with how well everything is balanced out. Afterwards my skeptics about multiplayer being featured in Uncharted 2 immediately disappeared.
I don't actually need to tell you how awesome Uncharted 2 looks, because once you see it for the first time, you're just enthralled by its beauty. The various surroundings in every location you visit are enormously thorough that I would just pause and move the camera towards the scenery, just dazzled by how breathtaking it looks. Animations look extremely smooth and fluid, the intricate details of buildings and statues, and realistic-looking character models just shows how much work Naughty Dog has put in this action/adventure masterpiece. The in-game cinematic cut scenes keep you captivated in the gameplay, making it feel like you're watching a blockbuster action movie; but unlike Metal Gear Solid 4, you're actually interacting as if you're making these things happen rather than just simply watching everything unfold in front of your eyes. And if you by any chance think I do not like MGS4, think again.
Uncharted 2's audio presentation is outstanding to no end. Every sound effect, from gunshots, explosions, falling debris, and footsteps are sharp, pragmatic, and feel just right. The musical score always feels intense, dramatic, and fantastic that it definitely gives the game its epic, adventurous feel. Every time I heard the music, I often felt so excited that I would just yell out "Oh my God!" multiple times. If you already think that's great, Uncharted 2's voice cast is even greater. Dialogue is so excellent that 'boring' and 'awkward' are almost nonexistent here. You'll pretty much enjoy hearing every character talk not just because of their funny one-liners, but because the all-star cast behind the voices have done a fantastic job in making their characters incredibly colorful and lively.
Ever since I got hooked in the Jak and Daxter series, Naughty Dog continues to impress me with their remarkable ways of storytelling in ways that keep you engaged every single time, and not totally going overboard in expanding the universe of a certain series. Not only that, the games are often vibrant and captivating, its characters easy to connect with, and gameplay is extremely unique and enjoyable that does not disappoint whatsoever. With Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Naughty Dog never ceases to amaze me. Now they can proudly hold their heads up high and brag that they've made not just one of the best games of this year, but also among the finest of its generation.