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[Absoludacrous]

I think part of the reason the whole marriage thing flew by so many people was the lack of weight they gave it. I thought it was cool how they brought you in after the fact and expected you to catch up, but typically an estranged marriage carries a lot more emotion than what they show. You get a couple quick fights and that's it, it's quickly dropped into the background in favor of the less interesting Sully arc.

Given the importance of Drake and Elena's relationship through the series, you would think a marriage and subsequent estrangement would have gotten a lot more attention throughout the plot.

 

[Patapwn]

I think part of the reason the whole marriage thing flew by so many people was the lack of weight they gave it. I thought it was cool how they brought you in after the fact and expected you to catch up, but typically an estranged marriage carries a lot more emotion than what they show. You get a couple quick fights and that's it, it's quickly dropped into the background in favor of the less interesting Sully arc.

Given the importance of Drake and Elena's relationship through the series, you would think a marriage and subsequent estrangement would have gotten a lot more attention throughout the plot.

I'm pretty sure they weren't married, only engaged

 

[BobTheFork]

I'm sure this has been asked but did I miss a huge cut scene? WTF was up with the Tarrot cards, Talbot being shot by Charlie and being ok, and the fucked up henchman of her's they found before the rest of them got there? I swore they were going to do some kind of angle with that but it just died.

 

[chessnut]

I'm sure this has been asked but did I miss a huge cut scene? WTF was up with the Tarrot cards, Talbot being shot by Charlie and being ok, and the fucked up henchman of her's they found before the rest of them got there? I swore they were going to do some kind of angle with that but it just died.

Forgot all about that card...weird they never elaborated on that.

but about Charlie being shot. I'm assuming the effects of the drug wore off, just like it did with Drake in the end of chapter 21.

 

[Absoludacrous]

I'm pretty sure they weren't married, only engaged

They were married. Guys don't wear engagement rings, and typically an engagement for a girl has a diamond in it. Granted those aren't hard and fast rules, but if you're going to make the player infer these details, you're going to use what's established.

 

[hamchan]

I'm telling you guys, it would have been better if Marlowe and Talbot were vampires. Would give more meaning to Marlowe saying "We've waited 400 years for this", and that dead Talbot goon corpse in the chateau could have been like that because Talbot sucked up his life juice. Would have explained how Talbot survived being shot by Charlie. Would also have explained why the goons weren't running away when the ancient city was going down, because they were all compelled not to! Also they dressed super stylish and you know who dresses like that? That's right, vampires.

 

[squidyj]

You know what's funny? Drake wears that badass bandolier throughout the final act and the only time he ever uses it is... to try and save Marlowe. That was literally it's only purpose (other than looking awesome).

He also never uses his scarf, wtf?

 

[BobTheFork]

Forgot all about that card...weird they never elaborated on that.

but about Charlie being shot. I'm assuming the effects of the drug wore off, just like it did with Drake in the end of chapter 21.

No, not charlie being shot, Talbot. They were all standing there and all saw charlie shoot Talbot right after he had the gun to Drake's head. He even comments on it. Marlowe had that weird line to about 'looks like it was all in the cards..' and then they pull the card of The Tower off charlie after he fell off the tower. I'm convinced they had a totally different plot end that got dropped honestly. I assume she could use some kind of magic or was keeping her henchmen alive or bring them back to life.
It's not just that, I assumed the cards had to do with how they some how found Drake and Chloe in the two different locations without following them or having the de-coder. It never made sense.

Edit: The cards are on the splash screen of the game too in the XMB...somethime more must have been there.

 

[Sullichin]

No, not charlie being shot, Talbot. They were all standing there and all saw charlie shoot Talbot right after he had the gun to Drake's head. He even comments on it. Marlowe had that weird line to about 'looks like it was all in the cards..' and then they pull the card of The Tower off charlie after he fell off the tower. I'm convinced they had a totally different plot end that got dropped honestly. I assume she could use some kind of magic or was keeping her henchmen alive or bring them back to life.
It's not just that, I assumed the cards had to do with how they some how found Drake and Chloe in the two different locations without following them or having the de-coder. It never made sense.

Edit: The cards are on the splash screen of the game too in the XMB...somethime more must have been there.

I agree. Did they ever explain the zombified henchman in the chateau?

 

[hamchan]

I agree. Did they ever explain the zombified henchman in the chateau?

No, but maybe it was the spiders?

I like my vampire theory better.

 

[Anteater]

I agree. Did they ever explain the zombified henchman in the chateau?

I thought it was the spiders that poisoned/killed them or something

 

[KingK]

No, not charlie being shot, Talbot. They were all standing there and all saw charlie shoot Talbot right after he had the gun to Drake's head. He even comments on it. Marlowe had that weird line to about 'looks like it was all in the cards..' and then they pull the card of The Tower off charlie after he fell off the tower. I'm convinced they had a totally different plot end that got dropped honestly. I assume she could use some kind of magic or was keeping her henchmen alive or bring them back to life.
It's not just that, I assumed the cards had to do with how they some how found Drake and Chloe in the two different locations without following them or having the de-coder. It never made sense.

Edit: The cards are on the splash screen of the game too in the XMB...somethime more must have been there.

Yeah, I agree that it feels like there was a plotline that got axed at the very end. It also seemed to me like there should have been another level or two towards the end in the desert and in Iram, so maybe there were a couple levels they had planned that would have had explanations of those earlier plotlines, and for whatever reason those levels got axed so they had to change the end plot.

 

[hamchan]

Also that Salim guy was pretty lame.

Tenzin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that guy.

 

[Sullichin]

No, but maybe it was the spiders?

I like my vampire theory better.

I did think for sure there would be a lazarus pit type thing going on.

 

[jax (old)]

-pirate situation explained just a bit more to fit the sequence better and after that,how you get ashore to the town.(a boat finding you in a 5seconds cut scene would be enough....)

They made it clear how he got to town. He clung onto a piece of floatsam. What got me was the convienience of it being where elena was. There's a lot of convieniences in UC3 like this. Like the ease by which drake found the desert town. Um, right. after 2 days of wandering. I kept thinking of bear grylls - you'd think jake would take the turban off his neck and wrap it around his head to stop the heat.

When swimming in the shipwreck dock, then it was like some textures in the water didnt activated when i was under water. The water was darker than usual.

I had this as well. water map didn't load. looked odd.

 

[KingK]

Also that Salim guy was pretty lame.

Tenzin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that guy.

I thought Salim was cool, but I agree that Tenzin is way better. Nothing is as bad ass as Tenzin jumping on the back of a Yeti and stabbing it multiple times with a big machete.

 

[storl026]

Also that Salim guy was pretty lame.

Tenzin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that guy.

TRUTH.

 

[Trick_GSF]

Wasn't too keen on that Salim fellow either, he was alright, but I agree Tenzin was better. Then again Tenzin had bucketloads more screen time.

For me, disregarding our established heroes and villains, the stand outs in the game, new character wise where Cutter and Talbot, respectively.

 

[EloquentM]

the dead agent was from the spiders. one thing that was hinted about talbot throughout the whole game was him being some sort of magician. when nates beating his as he exclaims "where's your magic now mr. magician" or something along those lines.

 

[tch]

Also that Salim guy was pretty lame.

Tenzin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that guy.

This. You kinda get the impression that they wanted a similar character. Extremely lame.

Also, they never explained the spiders. How were they in locations all over the world? Were they related to the tainted water? Etc?

 

[Deleted member 30609]

I thought it was the spiders that poisoned/killed them or something

This is definitely what it was.

 

[Trick_GSF]

Amy Hennig actually confirmed the Spiders got the agent. And also gave some info on Talbot getting shot.

From her Twitter:

"Hey - I saw people are also confused about Talbot getting shot, and disappearing... maybe I can elaborate a little...

Marlowe's crew is supposed to be a highly-trained clandestine organization, with roots stretching back to Elizabeth I and earlier. Sort of like CIA/MI6 secret intelligence service type ops... so the idea is they have lots of means to confound their enemies like a secret arm of the CIA or MI6 might, for example. Like Cutter says, manipulating their enemies through espionage, deception, fear.

This is based on real-life clandestine ops, and "the art of deception". Groups like the CIA really used magician's tricks as well as drugs, etc. to trick and frighten their enemies. So - you can assume there's a rational explanation behind these mysteries... e.g., a bulletproof vest, an escape rope/wire, whatever--which looks "magical" but has a rational explanation, just like a magician's trick.

Magic, tricks, deception, illusion, perception vs. reality - these are themes throughout the game. Abra-godd*mn-cadabra."

(After a question on the Spiders/dead agent).

"Yeah, the spiders got him. (If you can manage to get a peek at Agent Harris' body in the crypt puzzle room, he looks the same."

 

[RamzaIsCool]

I think the game was rushed. Just to many things that seems unfinished or out of place.

A few examples on my part:

- why only one little Drake chapter? They had one at the beginning, then totally ignored it till a trip sequence at the end. They should have done more with it, but they didn't.

- weird transitions between locations. I had the feeling a couple times that stuff got cut. At the end of Syria when they entered the bus, I really thought "cool, chase sequence". But it didn't happen even thou everything was set up to have one. Even the line that Drake says "I think we lost them", kinda implies that there have been a chase. My take on this is that there was originally a chase, but for some reason it got cut. The most absurd transition is the boat to finding Elena transition. Could be lazy writing, but it also could be that there was something planned, but in the end taken out of. That whole sequence plays out like they had 3 scenes, but the middle part was axed and they had to stitch the remaining scenes together. And then there is the Iram part. I read in interviews that Amy Hennig would have liked that the Shambala part in U2 was longer. If that's the case, why make it even shorter in U3? The whole ending feels rushed and kinda anticlimatic. Something an ending in a Uncharted shouldn't be like imo.

- then there are other things like: tarrot cards? What the hell was up with those. Chloe And Cutter dissapearing halfway thru. Main villians being seriously underexposed, like WTF under. The random popping in of characters. Salim and the pirates anyone?

The whole thing is a mess imo. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome game. But could have been so much better. I suppose deadlines are a bitch!

 

[Loudninja]

Their were 2 young drake chapters and I though that was enough.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Amy Hennig actually confirmed the Spiders got the agent. And also gave some info on Talbot getting shot.

From her Twitter:



(After a question on the Spiders/dead agent).

Yeah, that was my impression as well, so it didn't bug me.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

Two chapters of paper thin gameplay was more than enough for me.

 

[Jarmel]

Amy Hennig actually confirmed the Spiders got the agent. And also gave some info on Talbot getting shot.

From her Twitter:



(After a question on the Spiders/dead agent).

Erm. Not sure how I feel about the Talbot bit. I think that's a case of trying to cover up for poor writing.

 

[Rated-Rsuperstar]

I'm surprised that when Drake got drugged he didn't get attacked by any clowns. That would have been some scary shit.

 

[BocoDragon]

I'm surprised that when Drake got drugged he didn't get attacked by any clowns. That would have been some scary shit.

They wouldn't do that.

It would have been rated 'C for Clowns' and that kills sales

 

[Loudninja]

Erm. Not sure how I feel about the Talbot bit. I think that's a case of trying to cover up for poor writing.

What? didn't Drake go though the same thing when he thought Sully was dead?

Hell Drake though he seen a freaking eclipse and flame head monsters.

 

[RamzaIsCool]

Ah yeah 2 little Drake chapters (2 and 3), my bad!

I agree that they aren't the best in the game, but still would have liked to see more. After U2 came out we had a couple of topics on what we would like to see in U3. I remember writing that I wanted to see young Drake, because gameplay would be platform/ exploration focused. Something I found lacking in U2.

 

[Jarmel]

What? didn't Drake go though the same thing when he thought Sully was dead?

Hell Drake though he seen a freaking eclipse and flame head monsters.

So Talbot had a bulletproof vest on when Cutter shot him but all of a sudden doesn't when Sully shoots him. Okay.

 

[Loudninja]

So Talbot had a bulletproof vest on when Cutter shot him but all of a sudden doesn't when Sully shoots him. Okay.

Eh did you even read that post? they didn't say he had one they gave examples.

 

[Jarmel]

Eh did you even read that post? they didn't say he had one they gave examples.

The only one that makes a lick of sense is the bulletproof vest. We see Talbot body's spin from the recoil of the impact.

 

[Loudninja]

It was the drugs you may have fire is gun but he could have missed ad assume he hit him.

 

[SolidSnakex]

So Talbot had a bulletproof vest on when Cutter shot him but all of a sudden doesn't when Sully shoots him. Okay.

Sully shot him in his shoulder. Cutter shot him right in the chest.

 

[Jarmel]

It was the drugs you may have fire is gun but he could have missed ad assume he hit him.

So the narrative switches to Cutter's perspective despite them never doing this before and after? That's awfully convienent.

Sully shot him in his shoulder. Cutter shot him right in the chest.

Sully shot him in the vest area, assuming the vest itself is kevlar.

 

[EloquentM]

So the narrative switches to Cutter's perspective despite them never doing this before and after? That's awfully convienent.

Lol what do you have to prove? its just a game

 

[Loudninja]

So the narrative switches to Cutter's perspective despite them never doing this before and after? That's awfully convienent.

Whatever man believe what you want to believe.

 

[Jarmel]

Lol what do you have to prove? its just a game

So that excuses writing now?

 

[EloquentM]

So that excuses writing now?

It doesn't excuse anything but uncharted has some of the best writing of any video game series, so I'm sure you can overlook a few minor writing faults.the lack nitty gritty details are something to be desired but I already assumed everything amy explained. it wasn't hard to formulate and fit the pieces together on your own, though it was good to get some clarification (or confirmation) on what people didn't suspect. people need to stop being so nitpicky about this series. you act *insert favorite game* doesn't have faults either.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Sully shot him in the vest area, assuming the vest itself is kevlar.

The way he reacts suggests that it got him in his shoulder. He immediately grabs for it once the shot hits.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

and the thread officially leaps through the looking glass

 

[Jarmel]

The way he reacts suggests that it got him in his shoulder. He immediately grabs for it once the shot hits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHnuWvhaiEU&feature=player_detailpage#t=1324s

22:04 It's clearly in the vest area.

It doesn't excuse anything but uncharted has some of the best writing of any video game series, so I'm sure you can overlook a few minor writing faults.the lack nitty gritty details are something to be desired but I already assumed everything amy explained. it wasn't hard to formulate and fit the pieces together on your own, though it was good to get some clarification (or confirmation) on what people didn't suspect. people need to stop being so nitpicky about this series. you act *insert favorite game* doesn't have faults either.

Never said that my favorite franchises don't have writing faults. It's important to point them out.

 

[MeBecomingI]

Erm. Not sure how I feel about the Talbot bit. I think that's a case of trying to cover up for poor writing.

Amy Hennig explained it exactly how I understood it in the game... the entire theme of the game was deception, confusion and fear. There are numerous moments in that game that make you question legitimacy and reality. I can't say for sure if they purposely left out explanations because they want the player to be just as confused as the characters are when they question what the hell is happening, but I could certainly understand them if they did. Naughty Dog to me, understands that not everything has to be told explicitly and that much of a good story comes from leaving decisions and thoughts to the reader. Naughty Dog seems to have chose to have put faith in the player to understand these themes and concepts and apply to the various story elements. Likewise with the entire plot line of the marriage between Elena and Nate. They put faith in the player to understand and be aware of the ring and that both have one and that it is a wedding band. It is up to the player to understand these.

Basically, most of the complaints I am reading come down to people wanting something to be told to them directly. Maybe I just see things differently than other people, but I never really had any issues with anything in the story nor have I really found any substantial plot holes. Sometimes when people think there are plot holes or the like, there really isn't but instead it is nuanced writing that leaves much of the responsibility to the player.

I don't know... I never had issues and I quite enjoyed the story. We all see things differently though. Personally, I think Uncharted 3's story was more enjoyable than Uncharted 2, partially because of the little details and subtle development. I really, really liked it. Uncharted 2 was more blunt and I quite like "fuller" stories.

 

[hamchan]

How come Sully goes to ends of the earth for Nate in this game, but in Uncharted 2 he was happily willing to ditch him and go on vacation?

 

[Loudninja]

How come Sully goes to ends of the earth for Nate in this game, but in Uncharted 2 he was happily willing to ditch him and go on vacation?

This is different since Marlowe is involve, this concerns him much more this time.

 

[thetrin]

How come Sully goes to ends of the earth for Nate in this game, but in Uncharted 2 he was happily willing to ditch him and go on vacation?

Because we all complained that there wasn't enough Sully in Uncharted 2.

 

[StuBurns]

How come Sully goes to ends of the earth for Nate in this game, but in Uncharted 2 he was happily willing to ditch him and go on vacation?

That was kind of odd, last time we got the whole "I'm too old for this shit" thing, now he's knee deep in the slaughter.

 

[Jocchan]

Because we all complained that there wasn't enough Sully in Uncharted 2.

Ding ding ding.
So they centered this game around the relationship between Nate and Sully to make the fans happy (but now we're complaining that there weren't enough Chloe and Elena).