Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Preview
Quest for the fabled treasure of El Dorado.
by Deis
previewed on PS3
El Dorado
The Playstation 3 exclusive Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune focuses on a descendant of the historical explorer and sailor, Francis Drake. When Nathan Drake finds out that his ancestor faked his own death, he begins searching for the fabled treasure of El Dorado. On his quest he discovers a previously unknown island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The storyline looks to be a relatively strong part of the game. Although the use of a historical figure may irritate those of us nerdy enough to care about anachronisms, so far the game looks interesting.
Storyline
In an interview at E3, the developers stated that they wished to achieve a cinematic effect, with the storyline unfolding like it would in a film. It is debatable how well this will work. After all, games and films are different media, and a linear storyline is something a lot of game design companies are moving away from. However the same interview stated that despite the storyline being linear, the developers have tried to make the game play itself more organic. Meaning that although there is only one way through the actual storyline, there will be numerous ways to solve puzzles and get from A to B. We will have to wait and see how well they can pull it off. It was said that Naughty Dog were aiming for a 40-30-30 mix; 40% combat, 30% exploration, and 30% puzzle solving.
Comparison
Speaking of game play, the game is most easily compared to the Tomb Raider series, albeit with a male central character. Although for some reason it is also oddly reminiscent of Squaresoft’s aged effort Vagrant Story in some of the locations. The levels I have seen so far take place in jungles, tombs and ruins. While your hero climbs over things, swings on vines, jumps from platform to platform, and -of course- shoots at things.
Nathan fights using a wide variety of guns, as well as indulging in hand-to-hand combat with a diverse selection of punches, kicks and other movements to take on his opponents. These actions often look stunning, almost like a dance, with Nathan and his opponent seamlessly flowing from movement to movement. Nathan Drake can switch instantly between weapons and fighting styles and reload while running, a motion which looks absolutely beautiful.
