Dear Game, It’s Over: Uncharted 2
Dear Uncharted 2,
As you stand there, before hordes of adoring fans, plaudits resounding and pundits sounding out on how great you are, you may think that I should feel like the luckiest man on the planet. It can only be right for me to correct you on this matter: it’s over.
On the face of it, it looks like you have it all. Great pacing, excitement, situations that feel plausible (within the inherent implausibility of your plot), characters which are not without problems yet seem more alive than most have ever managed. And damn it, you’re sexy – let’s not forget that. Whenever you stopped for a moment to let me look at you, I appreciated your stunning beauty, right before you rushed me off my feet once more.
Why, then, would I give all this up? In your own words, Uncharted 2: it’s complicated.
While it lasted, I barely had time to catch my breath. But once I found it and looked back, all I could see was smoke and mirrors; it became so obvious when I tried going on a second date. I caught myself muttering under my breath: “Okay, now this ledge will crumble, I’ll fall down here. Then I’ll wait and that guard will walk over there, to meet those two other guys, and another will pass by to the right.”
Isn’t there a certain irony that while you’re enthusing about this character who’s such a chancer, an improviser through-and-through, you yourself never do anything that isn’t completely calculated, pre-arranged and timed down to the second? It is a good — no — great trick to make me feel like I am hanging on for life when actually you have everything under control, but it’s just that: a trick, and in your case not even a particularly well-disguised one. I wouldn’t mind very much, except that you seem so very smug about it.
Everyone talks about you as if you are in some way revolutionary, as if what you are doing has changed things for good, and I have never once detected a shred of modesty from you in response. I see your face on websites, you are praised on end-of-year lists and there’s no denying that you’ve done very well for yourself. Maybe this is deserved in some way and I ought to be proud of you — but I can’t help but feel that if you are leading a revolution, you’re leading us back to the trees after we were just starting to figure out how to climb down from them.
Remember the mid-90s? Some of my high school crushes like Wing Commander 3 were having something of an identity crisis. Technology was getting more advanced and they didn’t really know what to do with it, but there was a prevailing feeling that games were going to get the chance to become more cinematic — even to the extent of proudly wearing the label “Interactive Movie” on their sleeve. As we all grew up, though, we slowly began to realise that they didn’t need this crutch of movies to rely on.
The capacity to be interactive meant that games had the chance to think for themselves, carve their own unique narrative path slowly but surely — so slowly that it’s only recently that people are truly starting to notice. It’s one of the reasons I started dating them in the first place. You, the ones before you and many to come will be influenced by film, and that’s fine. However, it’s when emulating film becomes not simply one tool but the whole damned toolbox that you start to lose your unique and precious identity that I find so hard to resist.
We’re no longer at the point where being like a film has to be an end goal for folks like you, Uncharted 2. I’m not saying that it can’t be an end in itself but it’s probably the least interesting one out of so many other options. Using interactivity as a means to develop narrative, creating a world so rich in detail that it tells its own story through exploration — those are the sorts of problems I believe are most exciting to solve. You certainly treat me right, but you’ll never turn me on like a game that tackles those challenges can.
Yes, I must admit once again, you did take care of me and this has been one of the most brief but thrilling relationships I’ve ever had. There is certainly a place for you in the world but that place should be somewhere off to the side, where I can retreat when I need something safe and familiar. It shouldn’t be at the front lines, leading the charge with your followers waving banners and cheering you on, oblivious to the fact that we’re headed nowhere.
That’s why I have to end it. I like you for what you are but I can’t support what you stand for and I certainly can’t justify the madness that has people honestly believing that you represent “progress”. Admit it: you’re a charlatan, Uncharted 2 — a charming and lovable one, but a charlatan nonetheless.
Never really meant to be yours,
Peter “SurplusGamer”
P.S. Did you ever notice how sometimes your eyes look weird? I mean… this is probably the wrong place to say that and, well, no offence. It’s kinda creepy, is all.
Great column this week, matches my thoughts on the game exactly.
Someone needs to get out more often.
@Anon: Ooh, ooh, can I guess who it is?
I like the game a lot, but I really don’t like aspects of the game that they use to unfairly ramp up the difficulty near the end, or the game’s final encounter.
The tank-like enemies carrying Gatling guns, the blue guys who take entirely too much damage just feel like Naughty Dog had lost faith in their own cover mechanic and sneaking aspects earlier in the game and just and give you enemies you need specific weapons to fight, or circle strafe. The last couple areas really irritated me and have kept me from playing through it again.
funny how these critical articles aren’t aimed towards halo. The game achieves what it sets out to achieve captivating story check innovative gameplay check lag free fair and amazing multi player HELL YEAH. Naughty dog are very much the gamers kind of devs they listen to their consumers; unlike devs like valve their consumers what they should like. Good devs should be praised as they have earned it. Video games are supposed to be a form of escapism and cannot give gamers 100% choice in any given scenario but games like heavy rain are a step in the right direction. Hopefully you will play it late february with a clear mind and enjoy it.
@outwar6010:
Difficult to know where to begin…
1) I believe I said I enjoyed it. Several times.
2) When did I say the game needs to be giving me infinite choice in order to do what I want?
3) You’re right, the game really does achieve what it sets out to achieve. I’m just not sure we should be that excited about what it sets out to achieve. In fact I didn’t even say that Uncharted 2 shouldn’t be doing what it does – I just said that it should be put into perspective against far more interesting approaches.
4) Sure, if I was going to write a critical piece about Halo then it wouldn’t be like this. I’d have an entirely separate set of reasons to criticise it. But to be honest, I never liked or disliked anything about Halo enough to write a strong opinion piece on it, personally.
@Peter “SurplusGamer” Silk:
I feel that and many others feel the same in saying that few games have added that amount of innovitive features or produced something that oozed that much quality in a long time, which is why it is game of the year. I kind of understand where your coming from but the thing you have to realise is that it is NOT one person praising it is a multitude of praising for many different aspects of the game.
ohh you said the game was
“Isn’t there a certain irony that while you’re enthusing about this character who’s such a chancer, an improviser through-and-through, you yourself never do anything that isn’t completely calculated, pre-arranged and timed down to the second”
and i took it to mean that you expected a game with a more tailored cinematics ie in the trainscene instead of jumping out of last carriage you deciided to hang on to side of train which gave you another opportunity to jump out as the train was plunging down the mountain with another cinematic etc.
Personally i feel that your just nitpicking but you need to see how great it is in comparison to other games out there, Btw what are these interesting spproaches that it could be compared to? Lol appologise for appearing hostile just think that respect and credit is earned and given where due. Since purchasing this game i have extremely rarely played anyother game but hope i get my fill soon as army of two is coming out soon.
@outwar6010: Well do bear in mind that this site is Negative Gamer, and at this site we think it is worth talking about a game’s shortcomings, even if that game is a really good experience over all – too often a game is unconditionally praised. I praise Uncharted 2, but with conditions.
For what it’s worth, I think it’s a very good game indeed. Not as spectacular as some might say, but very good.
It would be a nice read if you could something on bayonetta.
It’s not open map, not an RPG. What are you expecting. It’s just a refreshing, colourful TPS with a decent story. MP never gets old and mostly much fun when matches are reasonably balanced. I hear make kudos passed between the teams post-match. I can appreciate that you feel there is nothing new that hasn’t been done B4, but just think… just a short while ago Drake’s Fortune took a while to catch on and had no MP. I can hardly wait for the 3rd installment of this awesome adventure TPS. It will define NG or break it IMO.
In the kindest words, there’s something very wrong with your negative game selection.
The reason people love this game (and I guess you’re out of touch with the general community) is that it’s SUPER responsive, and INCREDIBLY entertaining. And the latter is WHY you play a game, or read a book or watch a movie –is to be ENTERTAINED.
Also the game is revolutionary because they made it in only 18 months and for only $65 dollars YOU GET TEN TIMES what you get out of 90& of games. They also made cut scenes that rival games as famous as Metal Gear Solid 4 and completely change how cut scenes in games should be created. Instead of actors never meeting each other–we get to see the performances as they happen live.
Way to cut down on a team’s hard work and time. Hope you know Naughty Dog started as a five man team back in the 90s and has worked up to Uncharted 2.
To end my reply, I would put money down that 9 out of 10 famous, legendary game developers would praise Uncharted 2 as a absolutely wonderful, amazing game. And if you HONESTLY think this statement is wrong–you’re even more out of touch with what people enjoy.
Sincerely,
Someone who can’t stand people who cut down on a group of people who work HARD for YOUR entertainment.
PS. Your negative review should be on a piece of crap game like Trigger Man for the PS2 or the MILLIONS of bad games that come out every year that no one hears about. Not something great.
Not now Mom i cant come to the table, someone’s opinion is wrong on the internet!
The Uncharted series are definitelly the best ones I´ve ever played (and I must say I also played the Jak and Daxter ones, which were also awesome; but that´s not the point) When I finished Uncharted: Drake´s fortune, I thought it will be impossible to make a game as good as it or better, but then I bougth Uncharted 2: Among thieves (which I was expecting since I finished the first one) and I realized I was completely wrong. The Uncharted 2 it´s the best game I´ve ever played and my opinion will stay like this until Naughty Dog makes an Uncharted 3 (which I hope it won´t takes a lot). Uncharted 2 is awesome in all different aspects: graphics, screenplay, cinematics, characters… I was afraid while I was playing because I didn´t know how that loving triangle was going to end, but I must say Naughty Dog hasn´t disappointed me, the game ended as it should. An incredible and awesome end for the best game ever.
I can´t understant how people can critice a game like this, because nobody ever will be able to make another one which can at least approach to it.
So thanks to Naughty Dog for creating a way of entertainment such as great as this. I hope we can hear from a new Uncharted game very soon. =D
fahhhhhhhhgs… gets lives your horrible worthless poeces of ass.
Halo blows big style, uncharted didn’t really set a new bench mark but did make for an enjoyable experience, i went through the game a few times to get the plat trophy and thus marco polo and gangus khan, fantastic game that does suk u in to the plot, halo on the other hand is great if u like jumpin around like a kangaroo on speed, plus i have more wepons in my sock draw, woth he sci fi aspect could of been alot more free woth what they did rather than taking some of the best aspects of FPS and trying to role them into 1
I agree completely. The thing that most annoyed me about this game however is the lame attempt at boss fights (and mini boss fights.) As far as I’m concerned, boss fights should have been left in the last generation. They are cheesy affairs that almost always only manage to annoy the hell out of me. I played the entire game on normal right up until the absolute last part (boss fight crap) where I switched to Very Easy out of sheer annoyance. Now I’m annoyed that it counts the game as having been beat on Very Easy and it only allows me to buy the one cheat. I thought the cheats would make the game more fun but I could not be bothered to beat that stupid boss fight on normal just to get cheats.
The last few levels are an epic fail in my book. The game went from fun but occasionally tedious to highly irritating smash your controller while screaming type events.
When it all comes down to it, I will not remember the good parts of Uncharted 2. I will remember the horrible junk that came at the end. It has sullied the experience.