Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Preview
Quest for the fabled treasure of El Dorado.
by Deis
previewed on PS3
Graphics
Although the graphics provide realistic face movement and lip-synching, in some areas they seem slightly blocky. Certain areas of backgrounds lack the finesse seen in other games. So while the details are good, there is something missing around the edges. Don’t get me wrong; leafs in the jungle and stones in walls are lushly rendered, but some things just don’t look right when taken as a whole. That said, some areas of the game are simply breathtaking, so this may just be an effect of the game being in development.
Movements
Certain movements, such as basic walking and running aren’t interesting, and I would go so far as to say that they look a bit clumsy at this time. More complex movements have obviously received a lot more attention. One of the best examples I have seen is when your character squeezes past a NPC in a narrow space. It looks so fluid and smooth that it is an almost natural rendering of the real thing. The muscles moving beneath the skin and all the other things which we take for granted in real life suddenly seem far more amazing when seen in pixels. There are numerous other examples. During the rather impressive combat sequences Nathan’s various punches and kicks elicit a wide variety of reactions from his opponents. I have yet to see two enemies die in the same way. Movements and actions will often be blended into one another and this is done perfectly, without even the slightest pause. It is a joy to watch.
Voices
Going back to lip-synching, it looks and sounds good. The voice actors really try to convey emotions and urgency. It is not anything to write home about, not after Koudelka’s impressive voice actors almost ten years ago and the numerous other examples since then, but it is decent enough to warrant a mention. Some of the cut scenes literally made me laugh out loud, mostly due to the combination of the voice acting and the characters facial expressions. You probably won’t forget you are playing a game, but chances are that at times you will find yourself so absorbed that you won’t care.
In summary, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune looks like a promising addition to Naughty Dog’s repertoire, following in the footsteps of such franchises as Jak and Daxter and Crash Bandicoot, with a more Lara Croft feel for a different kind of gamer.
