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What is it?
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception follows the treasure hunting Nathan Drake as he searches for a legendary lost city called Iram of the Pillars, located somewhere in an Arabian desert. His newest adventure has him escaping burning chateaus, sinking ships, and chasing after airplanes. And if what I was shown were any indication, this will be Nate’s darkest and most personal story yet.
Why is it cool?
Because it’s Un-freaking-charted! If you played Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (and I would seriously question your status as a gamer if you haven’t), then you know that this series is famous for over-the-top action set-pieces, the best voice acting in the medium, and realistic, dynamic animations. Uncharted 3 doesn’t need to reinvent the series; it merely has to outdo its predecessor.
Easier said than done, since many considered Uncharted 2 to be one of the most exciting action games ever made, but my jaw was on the floor during the entirety of developer Naughty Dog's demo for the anticipated sequel.
One of the best moments involved Nate running after a cargo plane as it sped down a runway. Right when it seemed it would be impossible for Nate to catch the plane before it took off, Elena, his love interest from the previous games, shows up in a speeding jeep. Soon, Nate is standing on top of the vehicle, directing Elena to go left or right, until he jumps onto a landing gear moments before the plane goes airborne. This one level puts most modern action films to shame in terms of sheer excitement…let alone other games that can’t hope to be half as exhilarating.
The moment I actually wished I owned a 3D television
As much as I enjoy my 3DS, I was never in a hurry to buy a 3D television set so that I could play some PlayStation 3 games with expensive glasses on. But the short 3D trailer of Uncharted 3 shown in Sony’s theater was very impressive. It’s clear that Naughty Dog has designed many moments of the game with 3D in mind, with objects — usually quickly followed by Nate — often flying towards the screen.