Story isn't good in either title.
Does not matter if you believe the story is crap on both. Uncharted 2 story is simply better when put side by side. I wouldn't bother playing Uncharted past 2 hours of my time if it wasn't for the story. Same as the new Tomb Raider - more so than ever, contrary to old ones.
It's a simple question of: Why is s/he here? and, why should I care to continue pressing buttons?
These games are largely story-driven. So NO.
Pacing is an entirely different category.
Even if so. Uncharted 2 is better at managing the high and lows of the story and keeping you engaged. Not surprisingly, the lows are usually platforming/puzzle time complementing the action that comes after - enemy encounters. From time to time, ND even mixes it up and puts some sense of urgency in both (flooding, spiders, scarabs, gunmen etc)....
I'll give it that. Not necessarily 'development', but plain presentation of the characters is a lot better. Top notch, really. Its something I think Naughty Dog does better than anyone, in my opinion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characterization
Characters... presented by means of description, through their actions, speech, or thoughts.
For example: Lara Croft in new TR is presented as a recent college grad in archeology who in a matter of seconds becomes super girl handling bows, guns, melee etc. Some dude(captain?) keeps justifying her nature/new found skills throughout the story saying she's a Croft - never doubt. A skill tree system kind of hurts character development here, despite objectively adding more gameplay depth- IMO.
Personally, I feel like UC2's set pieces are very 'cinematic', but I think Tomb Raider does them with more drama and impact.
A matter of taste. There are lots of impact/drama moments in Uncharted set pieces and cinematics too. I could do a list but not worth my time. Uncharted 2 is full of it. Same as in UC3.
Well yes, the bow counts as a plus because its fucking fun. Sorry that Drake with a bow makes no sense, but you cant fault Tomb Raider because its entire gameplay premise involves more fun elements.
I am not faulting TR for it. I'm merely saying it's an indifference factor. I don't fault TB for having strict QTE melee combat unlike Uncharted. That in a way makes Uncharted melee combat encounters more fun, even if it also has QTE's, albeit much less. Why do I feel TR strict QTE melee combat is an indifference factor? Well because I don't picture or find near as believable that Lara could go head-to-head with the many male thugs she faces on a fist fight. Maybe in isolated encounters this could happen (probably scripted) but not at large. Thank god for the axe though... triangle wasn't it? Press it twice at an unsuspecting enemy and bamn. Press once more to finish....
Melee combat in Uncharted is simply better. Likewise for platforming, and its lack thereof in TR - relative to Uncharted. Uncharted platforming is also an indifference factor... despite being more abundant.
Like I said, the axe mechanic, taking everything into consideration (the bow), gives TR a slight edge but I do have my reservations. I guess I'm trying to be PC in something I am not really sure I believe in - except that I found the axe climbing mechanic a clever way of tacking rock-climbing platforming. I think the guys at ND did too - hence U4 demo. I am not too sure if this axe mechanic was borrowed from other games. I do remember something similar in MW2(ice climbing), and Far Cry 3? probably has it...not sure. Lets just say I found its inclusion in TR well executed.
Tomb Raider simply does combat encounters more entertaining anyways.
A matter of taste. Gunplay and melee combat in Uncharted, the constant swapping of these two is extremely fun. There are also more dynamic combat encounters in Uncharted as in say - more variety. You'll have encounters in rooftops, moving trains, horse riding, flying airplanes, inside hotels, in streets, ships, barges, hanging from ledges etc etc etc etc. AI is arguably better too.
FUN. Combat encounters are not part of the gameplay mechanics topic - per say.
While Tomb Raider isn't up to the standards of old Tomb Raiders, it still blows UC2 out of the water here. No if's, and's or but's about it. Uncharted 2 is extremely linear and has little to no exploration. Tomb Raider is adequate here. Not great by any means, but it does have worthwhile exploration and levels open enough to be meaningful in ways.
Hyperbole.
I see it as a trade-off proposition, a balancing act. Tomb Raider is Uncharted meets Far Cry - a blend. In my personal experience, exploration in Tomb Raider has one sole purpose - collectibles. It helps that this happens in a secluded island and not a modern city of sorts (GTA) or constantly changing world locations (Uncharted). TR does not have to deal with civilized standards that would make you question some of her abilities to move around and use of the bow - that is, the areas that the developers tailor made for you to "explore". It's of no surprise to me that instead of going full Far Cry they decided to put story pieces as gatekeepers for other "open areas/skill tree progressions". They're still very much restricted.
Yea, for Tomb Raider, the 'tombs/puzzles' were poor as shit. Super disappointing.
But UC2's puzzles aren't exactly anything to brag about. They are very direction driven with pretty much no clever thinking necessary.
Well, strictly speaking of Tomb Raider, the tomb and puzzles SHOULD be the center piece of the story w/ Lara at the helm. The new Tomb Raider is more "The Life of Lara Croft" w/ optional tombs so that we can call it Tomb Raider on the box-cover. It should be a "Lara Croft" game, not "Tomb Raider" per say.
Uncharted puzzles are very accessible - purposefully, to avoid it being a detriment to story progression by the user. I mentioned this example before: I know a person who quit on UC3 because he couldn't finish a damn puzzle. Says a lot about "We" are not everyone.
Haven't tried it, but I don't doubt it.
Sure. Again, haven't tried it, but Tomb Raider doesn't even have co-op, right?
It's no contest when it comes to MP and Tomb Raider does not have CO-OP. CO-OP is a missed opportunity if Crystal Dynamics were to focus on Tombs...that could totally be do-able.
To each their own, though.
We can have tastes, Yes.