[joe2187]

The most boring and Un-inspired of the series, for a third game it sure felt like I went in a complete circle,

[SteeloDMZ]

Just finished it in two sittings. Fantastic game from beginning to end.

The part that's gonna stick to me the most is the first chapter and the whole shipyard scene.

[jmdajr]

Incredible series. It even has it's own haters fan club now. That's when you know you've made it.

[~Devil Trigger~]

Definitely the best in the series. Enjoy :)

Grrrrrrrrrrr

Among Damn Thieves!!!!!!!!

[Strike]

One of the best games I played last year, but not as good as UC2 in terms of pacing and general polish. That's why I'm glad they're deciding to take their time with TLoU.

[btkadams]

Grrrrrrrrrrr Among Damn Thieves!!!!!!!!

i agree, but the two games are different enough that i could understand some enjoying uncharted 3 more.

[Exterminieren]

This is half of a truly great game; fabulous platforming mechanics, with a great feeling of flow and with some excellent scale.

Unfortunately, the other half is some of the most tedious gunplay that I've experienced in gaming for a long time.

[conman]

An average game with above-average technology. It shows that the uber-talented Uncharted 2 team had already moved on to The Last of Us.

[jett]

I was pretty disappointed with the campaign. One too many scenes where control is taken away from you and you're just pressing forward to witness awesome shit, this is my major complaint. Uncharted 2 really did not suffer from this, the first Uncharted even less so. The cut-scene to gameplay ratio was too high, as well: this is the shortest UC campaign but also the one with the highest amount of cut-scenes, which sucks even further considering the story is one giant mess. It shipped with missing effects, subpar aiming and no bonus stuff in single-player. It's a game that got too big for the time of release they set upon them, it easily could've used 6-12 more months in the oven. So rushed, it could be seen all over, even in small things like the animations for the hand-to-hand brawls. Whereas in UC2 the animation and animation blending was perfect, here things looked janky, right in the first level. They tried to do too much and delivered an unpolished product. I think more than just an unpolished product in several instances.

Multiplayer is a total mess, but it's somehow still entertaining. I don't know how many times they've patched the properties of guns and perks. When they balance one, another becomes unbalanced. :P Base mechanics are good so it's still fun somehow, but it's not the greatness that was UC2 MP.

[Chromax]

Good but not UC2 good. :(

[Stallion Free]

Isn't there a better way to write in a cruise ship setpiece? I was surprised by how lazy that felt for a game that puts so much value in it's story.

[revolverjgw]

Awesome game but lacks the pitch perfect pacing of the second game. There weren't any scenes that I disliked, but it feels so disjointed by throwing you into overly long stretches of just gunplay or just ogling stuff or just puzzles or just fisticuffs... just doesn't mix it up well.

The boat chapters are some of my favorite parts in any action game, though they feel like some sort of fucked up fever dream or something. They're just so out of nowhere.

[EGM1966]

Liked it a lot myself. Not quite U2 levels of like but still enjoyed it a lot.

The sequence on the plane with the descent to the ground is now hands down my favourite cinematic action scene that acts as a chapter bridge at the same time.

It just felt a little rushed next to U2, a little rougher around the edges here and there and not as smoothly paced, that would be my main complaint.

[B.O.O.M]

SP: UC2
MP: UC3, easily

[CerebralTiger]

U3 has some pacing issues and the melee could've been a little less frustrating during crowded combat encounters, but on the whole I found it to be marginally better than U2. Although, the leap from 1 to 2 was far greater than the one from 2 to 3, which is probably why it was a disappointment for most people.

Plus, U3's multiplayer modes were a lot of fun, particularly coop.

[TripOpt55]

I really liked Uncharted 3 a lot. Particularly my first playthrough. Even then I thought it was not as good as UC2, but replaying it really drives that point home. Here are some of the issues I had compared to 2.

-It's a good while shorter. And all the missing extra singleplayer medals and unlockables are a real bummer.

-The pacing is strange. It is sort of this balanced action/adventure game in the first half and then all out action in the second half. I actually really enjoyed the new puzzles, but they are done once it hits Chapter 12 or so. There is also no platforming sequences as good as Heart of Ice. Wish it would have had one.

-The story is kind of jumpy. I suppose this has to do with it being built around setpieces. They clearly wanted to top Uncharted 2's setpieces. I don't think they did anyway, but they thought up these ideas and then tried to fit the story around them. I do love the Talbot chase even if it was one of these examples. The villians don't get fleshed out enough I don't think. And then there is Chloe seemingly in the game just to be in it. Seemed kind of forced I imagine because people liked her so much in 2. The ending levels are also very similar to UC2's. With the lost city playing out very similarly and the convoy reappearing though they might be better in 3 than in 2 so this is kind of a push for me. The final boss is better in 3 too, but 2's was quite awful. Also the young Drake level was really cool the first time. Really surprised me so I really appreciate that level even if it isn't the most fun to replay. Same with some of the puzzles. I like those additions.

-Aiming was messed up at launch. Combat encounters are sort of hit or miss and enemies don't react as much to your shots which makes the combat not as good as 2 for me. The melee is improved, but it doesn't care about your timing and it has prompts all over the place on non-crushing difficulties which is disappointing. So even that could be better.

-Two many spots have you locked into walking. It happens all the time. I mean if they did it for the desert and say the first chapter with Elena that'd be fine, but it is littered all over the game and just annoys.

-The Multiplayer is just worse. The move to loadouts is probably the biggest issue especially since they can't quite manage to balance out all the weapons. But the pistols aren't very good (or at least not as viable as alternatives to rifles like in 2). It feels like it is so focused on unlockables and all of that too. What I wanted was it to just bring health back up to earlier 2 levels and stick to the pickup based weapon system that made things so balanced. Then everything was even when matches started. It felt more about your skills and knowledge of the maps. I think they should have just kept that got rid of some of the shitty boosters (or all of the boosters) and added in the treasure and customizable characters as stuff to unlock, but really went nuts with that. And modular characters not like it is now where you can change colors for Elena's shirt, but then you have to use a whole different skin for a new outfit. This would hopefully give people shit to unlock and those us who actually just love the gameplay could keep playing because we love the competition and find it fun. I do love 3-team deathmatch and Team Objective. Those are awesome modes.

There is probably some other stuff and surely I understand some of this comes down to preference, but to me Uncharted 2 is just better. It is one of my all-time favorite games though so not being as good as it is not condemning 3 which like I said initially I really liked a lot, but definitely not as much as 2.

[Himself]

I really, really like the game, but it wasn't without issues. My main problems:

-combat kind of sucked because of walking tank men and annoying enemy spawns

-stealth was basically useless for me

-as stated above, too many "walking" sequences. I have no problem with some nice, slow, action-less exploration parts, but these just felt entirely too narrow and too frequent

-the game wouldn't give you time to figure anything out for yourself. That whole bullshit in the first level in the garage with the flashlight and tire tracks was fucking infuriating. Just let me do it god damn it!

I won't even go into listing positives because despite the flaws, the game is still overall pretty magnificent.

[The Xtortionist]

I love the part where they spawn enemies behind you.

Oh wait, that's almost every part

[ThisWreckage]

Not as good as Uncharted 2, but the game was rushed. You'll never see Naughty Dog release a rushed game ever again as a result. Even they admitted that releasing a release date so far in advance was a huge mistake.

[coldfoot]

UC3 has much better combat than UC2, but everything else, mainly the story, enemies, and the crappy post-process AA method is a slight downgrade.

UC2 is great but UC3 is the only cover based shooter I've played besides Vanquish that legitimately tries to mix up the gameplay beyond the usual pop-up and shoot mechanic. Even UC2 SP relies too much on camping behind walls and popping enemies, whereas I love the super-aggressive flanking of the UC3 AI which forces you to move around.

[krae_man]

Not as good as Uncharted 2, but the game was rushed. You'll never see Naughty Dog release a rushed game ever again as a result. Even they admitted that releasing a release date so far in advance was a huge mistake.

Huh? More like making The Last of Us at the same time was why Uncharted 3 sucked so much* Uncharted 2 came out 23 months after 1, Uncharted 3 came out 25 months after 2. They had plenty of time and didn't have to build multiplayer from scratch.



*By sucked I mean nowhere near as good as Uncharted 2. Uncharted 2 stands out as one of the best games of this generation. Uncharted 3, while a good game overall doesn't even come close to that.

[Croc]

I just finished this today and I pretty much agree with the complaints about it so I'll skip talking about those. There were some things that stuck out to me that I liked better than 2 though.

The first was the way the game ended. I hated the final boss of 2, it just felt so out of place and was so troublesome. The last fight of 3 fit much better into the pace of the game and felt much more like a resolution.

I also really liked how there was much less of a "fantasy" element in it than the first two. My immersion in the first two was completely cut whenever it introduced some fantastic element such as those zombie things or the blue dudes. I was super disappointed when they introduced the teleporting dudes in 3, but when it all turned out to be a hallucination I was relieved (and much more satisfied).

Overall I really enjoyed it. Not quite as much as 2 but it's still a great game.

[krae_man]

I just finished this today and I pretty much agree with the complaints about it so I'll skip talking about those. There were some things that stuck out to me that I liked better than 2 though. The first was the way the game ended. I hated the final boss of 2, it just felt so out of place and was so troublesome. The last fight of 3 fit much better into the pace of the game and felt much more like a resolution. I also really liked how there was much less of a "fantasy" element in it than the first two. My immersion in the first two was completely cut whenever it introduced some fantastic element such as those zombie things or the blue dudes. *SNIP*. Overall I really enjoyed it. Not quite as much as 2 but it's still a great game.

Dude that's a pretty big spoiler.

It's because some of the content simply does not make any sense. Talbot taking a bullet but being fine. No explanation. The odd tarot card stuff. No explanation Also, the extremel rushed ending and crappy, crappy, end boss fight. The way the entire ending was played out in cutscenes, in what could have been great intense moments turned into a 2 minute movie. The death of Marlowe. These things really pulled a fantastic game down a bit for me, and others.

I too felt a huge chunk of the end of the game was cut for time.

[Vustadumas]

I just finally got around to starting this myself. I loved Uncharted 2, one of my favorites of this gen, for sure, but something is completely off, with this game. Maybe it's because it's the 3rd time I've done, mostly the same thing. Though this game seems to have way more cinematics, which constantly slow down the pace of the game. I'm early in the game Paris jungle house, but man, nothing is clicking.

Really not sure if I'll even bother continuing on. I'm so put-off by the game, not sure I can reconcile my disgust with it.

[IdreamofHIME]

Can't believe how much I hated this game, considering how much I loved UC2 and liked UC1.

Ramming the story down my throat and limiting my movements/exploration sure didn't help and the weirdo aiming soured that side too.
But still, I can't think of much nice to say, where as UC2 is like this divine thing in my head that's perfect.

Crazy.

[Lingitiz]

UC3 is a good game but it just didn't manage to achieve the same feeling that UC2 had. When I first played UC2 (and even on subsequent replays), it felt like a game that was begging to be beaten in one sitting. It was paced so perfectly, and each shooting segment felt fresh enough to the point that I found it really hard to put the controller down. In comparison, UC3 had me dreading alot of the long winded sections, while also feeling rushed during the ones that I enjoyed (latter half of the game).

On paper, Uncharted's individual mechanics are nothing special, but UC2 managed to put them together into a game that was greater than the sum of its parts. UC3's jumpy storyline and frustrating shooting sequences moved away from what made UC2 fantastic.

[Raonak]

I found the first half of the game kinda off, pacing was all over the place, but the second half was amazing. from the shipyard to the end of the game was just amazing.

It has the MGS4 effect for me, higher highs, but lower lows. U2/MGS3 was more consistent, but overall i liked U3/MGS4 more.

[Toppot]

More impressive set pieces, but lacking as a game compared to Uncharted 2. Still a good game in its own right.

The online, like Uncharted 2's, keeps dragging me back, its very enjoyable, more rewards and collectable but worse balanced.

Still overall a very good game worth picking up.

[Man]

+ The shipyard is the best Uncharted level ever created.
+ The visuals of the final level with all the sand coming in was the best visuals in the series.
+ Flashback chapters to Drakes youth was a very nice touch.

- UC3 got a complex but ultimately glitchy animation system. Like the OP mentions, it looks like he's drunk or falling often. This was my biggest fear for Last of Us but they have seemingly handled the challenge.
- There's something about the AA or lighting that can make the game look unattractive at times, the castle at night and French chateau comes to mind.
- Overall not paced as well as UC2 which is a classic.

[cajunator]

3 has some really great setpieces, but ultimately I enjoyed Uncharted 2 much more.

[AgentP]

I just finally got around to starting this myself. I loved Uncharted 2, one of my favorites of this gen, for sure, but something is completely off, with this game. Maybe it's because it's the 3rd time I've done, mostly the same thing. Though this game seems to have way more cinematics, which constantly slow down the pace of the game. I'm early in the game Paris jungle house, but man, nothing is clicking. Really not sure if I'll even bother continuing on. I'm so put-off by the game, not sure I can reconcile my disgust with it.

The two games are so similar, so close in in every way; quality, visuals, story, etc. I have a hard time believing if someone loves one they can dislike the other.

[bangladesh]

Uncharted 3 didn't even have much story, most of it was just filler on what's happening with Drake after 2. And the little story it did have with Drake's origin seemed like a cheap explanation for Drake's past and does not make sense for the character before Uncharted 3's release. Suddenly he's looking back at the past after so long and Drakes relationship with Sully becomes closer than we really think? It just doesn't fit at all. It's tone was awkward and did not match the attitudes of the previous games or it's characters.

[BrassMonkey1010]

I know I am in the minority, but Uncharted 1 is actually my favorite...

[Himself]

Video games tend to be at their dumbest when they try too hard to explain all the crazy shit that goes on. In some cases, it's much better that they leave some stuff unexplained and left up to the imagination, wether the developers know the secret explanation or not.

[Neiteio]

Watched my brother play the horseback-riding sequence yesterday. GLORIOUS OCULAR MANA.

I know I am in the minority, but Uncharted 1 is actually my favorite...

That's scientifically impossible.

[reKon]

So people the the campaign of 2 better overall, but I don't agree with it being far ahead of Uncharted 3. Also if you want to include the multiplayer aspect of both games, Uncharted 3 destroys Uncharted 2 from that alone.

Also UC3 had Cutter, enough said. GAF is full of too much exaggeration sometimes..

[Mileena]

GOTY of last year. I wish I could play it again for the first time :(

Really just one of the best games this generation.

[MoonsaultSlayer]

Isn't there a better way to write in a cruise ship setpiece? I was surprised by how lazy that felt for a game that puts so much value in it's story.

It was brilliant. Many people don't understand that Deception is a major theme of the game. With the sleight of hand, the optical illusions, the mind control drug, the tripping balls sequences, the oasis, and everything like it all plays into that theme including the warped sense of pace and the narrative of that cruise sequence. We're lead to believe the pirate is going behind Marlowe's back to get the info for himself and even uses Drake's emotions by deceptively tying up a fake Sully. But listening closely to the conversations of the grunts and you understand in later playthroughs that it's just a ploy to trick Drake. Love it.

[Net_Wrecker]

Can't believe how much I hated this game, considering how much I loved UC2 and liked UC1. Ramming the story down my throat and limiting my movements/exploration sure didn't help and the weirdo aiming soured that side too. But still, I can't think of much nice to say, where as UC2 is like this divine thing in my head that's perfect. Crazy.

Same for me. The gameplay in this game was just so annoying. I went back one time to test the aiming patch, but haven't touched the campaign since then. I could deal with an underwhelming experience as Uncharted 2 was just phenomenal and expecting another one of those is ridiculous, but for the game to ANNOY me was a huge shocker. Not only was the magic not there, but I just wanted it to be over by the end, and that's with the game being 3 hours shorter than U2.

The two games are so similar, so close in in every way; quality, visuals, story, etc. I have a hard time believing if someone loves one they can dislike the other.

Believe it. Aside from the set pieces, the gameplay is quite different with the rushing enemies and new melee system. Add enemies not reacting to bullets and that's a cocktail of crap that grinds my gears.

[UnlovedJew]

The fixed aiming did wonders for the game. It's now easily hands down my favorite in the series (excluding Golden Abyss, which I haven't played). It really is an awe-inspiring game. The multiplayer is my favorite out of any PS3 game on the market right now.

[TripOpt55]

So people the the campaign of 2 better overall, but I don't agree with it being far ahead of Uncharted 3. Also if you want to include the multiplayer aspect of both games, Uncharted 3 destroys Uncharted 2 from that alone. Also UC3 had Cutter, enough said. GAF is full of too much exaggeration sometimes..

Early Uncharted 2 multiplayer was much better than Uncharted 3 multiplayer in my opinion. By a large margin.

[MoonsaultSlayer]

Uncharted 3 didn't even have much story, most of it was just filler on what's happening with Drake after 2. And the little story it did have with Drake's origin seemed like a cheap explanation for Drake's past and does not make sense for the character before Uncharted 3's release. Suddenly he's looking back at the past after so long and Drakes relationship with Sully becomes closer than we really think? It just doesn't fit at all. It's tone was awkward and did not match the attitudes of the previous games or it's characters.

Well the game does show the people around him maturing and second guessing the quest. This must trigger something in Drake to ultimately grow as well.

I know I am in the minority, but Uncharted 1 is actually my favorite...

Deep down, it's mine too. That small adventure in a jungle that becomes so much more is amazing. The tonal shifts were a work of art.

[acevans2]

I love the series, and I love Uncharted 3. I'd put it right about on par with Uncharted 2. The only thing I can say for sure that Uncharted 2 did better is pacing of the campaign, and the cheats available to unlock. Uncharted 3 has it's own strengths, including awesome chapters like all the ones involving water.

I remember playing Uncharted 1 and thinking how the series had a huge amount of potential, and Uncharted 2 and 3 both took things farther than I ever hoped. Naughty Gods indeed.

[likedamaster]

Good ride, decent game. Far from the best in the series, though. Personally prefer the first but I'm alone on this one.

I'm of the U1 camp as well. U2 put me off with all the cutscenes, story was a tad too long. 3 was more of u2 with an even more outrageous story and more enemies showing up where they weren't supposed to be. To each their own, though.

[HawksWinStanley]

I had mixed feelings on this game. I mean I liked it a lot but I just didn't have as much fun with it as I did in the 2nd game. The puzzles seemed really bleh and the "supernatural" enemy that they always stick in these games wasn't nearly as good as the first two. It's the only Uncharted so far that I haven't had the urge to play again.

edit: Another vote for U1 here ^ as that game absolutely blew me away. It's what made me buy a PS3. U2 was a worthy sequel but U1 just has a certain charm to it that didn't seem to carry over to the sequels.

[ryushe]

I think Golden Abyss is a better game than U3 in every way expect for the obvious.

Am I crazy?

Chapter 19 in U3 literally killed the game for me. And this is after hating the shipwrecked level with every fiber of my being.

[Vustadumas]

The two games are so similar, so close in in every way; quality, visuals, story, etc. I have a hard time believing if someone loves one they can dislike the other.

Believe.

Like I said, 3rd time I feel like I'm doing the same things, which just adds to my unwillingness to keep going. Story and graphics really don't make that big of difference to me, if the gameplay feels, more or less, the same.

Not saying it's a bad game, it's just that I guess I'm done with Uncharted.

[SteeloDMZ]

I wonder where they will take Uncharted next. A search for the real Atlantis would be awesome.

[Basch]

Uncharted 3 is to Uncharted 2 what a low budget made to tv movie is to an incredible summer movie

Uncharted 2 is more like The Hurt Locker than a summer movie... in terms of quality. Uncharted 3 was more like a good character study with some excellent action set pieces: The Empire Strikes Back. No, Golden Abyss was the low budget made for TV movie. And by the way, TV isn't bad. Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad are all better than almost every movie that come out in any given year.

I think Golden Abyss is a better game than U3 in every way expect for the obvious. Am I crazy?

No, you're not. But it sounds ridiculous. I still haven't finished GA: incredibly mediocre. 3 looks infinitely better in comparison.

[CraftySkills]

What I said in another forum

But what really made me dislike the game was they lost the sense of adventure and progression the previous two had. It was only until you got to the Rub a Kahli that it seemed like you were playing an uncharted game. Untill then it was just boring warehouses and other lame environments. Remember how in two how the progression naturally just took you to each new location. From the city to the train yard which then takes you to the top of the mountains, it all felt very natural. In three it's just like well your in london, and now france, and then some boring museum. Not to mention they repeated the same scenarios and set pieces so blatantly that even the characters comment on it.