mattysemo247

Finished this up over the weekend and overall thought it was a solid game (8/10)

Pros: Epic action sequences, voice acting, story, sound effects, sound

Cons: Controls, some of the graphics, glitches, flow of story/game play

Overall I’d rate them Uncharted 2>3>1

RocShemp

The latest update fixed the aiming (although you have to activate it via the options menu), and added back the over-the-shoulder switch (again, via the options menu). They also tweaked the visuals but I'm mixed on those. They tweaked the contrast but I feel they overdid it. Now instead of things being extremely dark in shadowy areas, they look a tad too hazy (could use a little more fine tuning) and they jacked up the anti-aliasing so now things look too blurry in parts.

Artman

What's up with the load times? I'm still in the first 1.5 hrs or so, and I've encountered some pretty major bugs... these shouldn't have happened for such a straight forward game like this. Glad to hear it picks up after awhile, but this is definitely not the start I'd imagined.

Still loading...

Edit: Well now the game won't load at all, even restarting. I have the latest software and firmware update. It appears this is pretty widespread on the PS forum, has no one had this problem here?

tlwizard

I didn't. Longest load time for me was always when I started the game. No problems after that. Are you on a slim or a phat?

slop101

Same here - I zipped through the game last month (had to get it out of the way and make room for SkyRim!), and I had zero bugs or loading issues.

19K

No problems here. As mentioned above, the only load time I remember was when the game started. Pretty much flew through this game. Got the platinum in 4 days, 2+ playthroughs, and zero bugs.

For what it's worth, I've been playing on the same 40gb fatty (with an upgraded 250 gb hard drive) for about 4 years.

RocShemp

No problems here either. The only load times is when initially starting the game (and those can vary in length as they do with all three games in this series).

Artman

I have the 40gb fatboy, seems to be more of an issue with the older models. Disconnecting from the internet worked for some, so I'll give that a try.

davidh777

Just beat the game and enjoyed it. This franchise is the only Day 1 purchase for me so I'm biased. I might have been a little less emotionally involved in this installment (needed more Elena) but thought there was some incredible stuff. The whole cruise-ship stage was crazy, with the realistic water and physics and just the sight of being in the big ballroom when it's completely submerged. I agree the desert sequence was kind of annoying (non-linear might have been bad, though--I'd still be there), and I didn't like the hallucination parts, but they were convincing and different.

mhg83

Why Nathan Drake would make a fantastic homosexual

I was reading this very nice article on Gamasutra about the dearth of legitimate homosexual characters in videogames, and was particularly struck by writer Andrew Meade's suggestion at the end -- make Nathan Drake gay. Now, before you laugh that suggestion off as little more than a silly bit of joking, I would like to state that I agree with Meade -- and I am deathly serious about it.

I am fully aware that the Uncharted series is Naughty Dog's property, and that Nathan Drake is its creation. I would never dream of telling a developer what to do with its character, demanding that it should do something simply because it would make me feel personally vindicated. However, I would like to suggest that Nathan Drake would benefit from coming out of the closet, for a number of good reasons.

It makes sense from a story perspective

As Andrew Meade himself pointed out, the story of a man struggling with his sexual identity would suit the established character of Nathan Drake to a tee. Here we have a man who can't forge a lasting, meaningful relationship with a woman and acts like a dick most of the time. These things would be perfectly explained by making Nathan insecure about his sexuality and attempting to come to terms with it.

Not to mention, such sexual frustration would explain the compulsion to travel the world looking for treasure, putting his life at risk for trinkets and baubles. The sheer amount of physical exertion and mortal danger that Drake subjects himself to could very well be the result of a man torn up by internal conflict.

And, not to sound too gauche, but it would kind of explain the relationship with Sully. That man's too old for Nathan to just "hang out" with.

It would blow Dumbledore out of the water

When J.K Rowling said Dumbledore was gay, it was cute, but it felt a little too much like pandering after the fact. The Harry Potter series was done by then, Rowling made out with her fat loot and wasn't too worried about losing popularity, so it was an easy thing to just randomly pick a character to be gay for some brownie points. It took no effort and required no writing. Easy win.

If Naughty Dog were to have Drake come out in-game, that would become legend. Naughty Dog would secure itself a place in history that I guarantee will be looked in with favor by our socially superior descendants, earning applause for becoming the first Triple-A game to feature an openly gay protagonist -- one who was actually fleshed out and affable, rather than a two-dimensional camp stereotype.

We still talk about the iconic swerve of the Metroid series, when it turned out Samus Aran was a woman. It demonstrated that gender needn't be a barrier to the creation of a strong videogame protagonist, and I like to think that a few kids at the time actually opened their minds a little bit, and changed their perception of gender in fiction. That can happen again, and it would be glorious.

I have little doubt that, one day, a game will be brave enough to do it. Naughty Dog could have that game.

It could potentially change attitudes

While I am sure a fair few idiotic gamers would be grossed out by the idea of Nathan being gay, I am also certain that a lot of them would think, "Hey, Nathan Drake is gay, but that has not changed what kind of character he is, or why I like him." As I stated before, Samus Aran opened minds up once before, so surprising us with Nathan's sexuality could make that sweet lightning strike twice. It would make a real statement that gay characters can be heroic, interesting, funny protagonists as well. Being gay doesn't stop Nathan being all the other things you liked about him. I think that would be a superb message to send to fans.

Perhaps I am still just a little too optimistic about people, but I like to think that folk who are scared or hateful about the subject of homosexuality simply don't realize that being gay doesn't change who a person is, or are learning secondhand information about LGBT people from outdated, poorly translated, often misrepresented doctrines. Nathan could be a good conduit through which a little education might flow.

It wouldn't hurt Naughty Dog

Gamers have demonstrated that very little can stop them buying games. EA can screw customers over with online passes, make them jump through hoops with extraneous extra services, and charge obscene amounts of money for DLC, but people still buy its products. Bobby Kotick could strangle a puppy with his bare hands, but Call of Duty would sell gangbusters regardless. The Uncharted series is massively popular among PS3 fans, and the gameplay is something they're hooked on. I do not think having Drake come out would dramatically alter that.

When you remember that videogame boycotts usually fail miserably, and that people who promise not to buy a company's game end up buying it anyway, this is one situation where the spinelessness and slavish devotion of the gamer community can be used for good instead of evil.

Few studios have the power Naughty Dog has. Few games ever become popular enough to inspire guaranteed loyalty and are therefore in a position where they could get away with something like this and have it be a riskless gamble. It is not Naughty Dog's responsibility, nor its obligation, but since it has the power, it would certainly be awesome to utilize it.

It would mess up the minds of genuinely homophobic gamers

Okay, the last point is petty and vindictive, but why not? Those PS3 gamers who genuinely hate gay people but love Uncharted would be mentally torn to shreds by the idea that one of their favorite game heroes was a "***." Perhaps some would grudgingly start to admit that Nathan's still cool. Others might just have a mental breakdown and post ridiculous, poorly spelled tirades on GameFAQs, but it would be terrific to witness either way.

I bet the most insecure ones would even start to question themselves and wonder why they liked Nathan so much. I mean, they've just spent three games staring directly into the ass of a gay man for hours at a time, cooing over the PS3's impressive graphics as Nathan's shirt gets all wet and clings to his toned, glistening torso.

Why were you looking at Nathan that way? Did you feel it? Just a little pulse ripple along your shaft? Just the once? Did you? You can't be sure, can you? What does it mean if you did? If Nathan Drake just started stroking your face, would you stop him? Would you close your eyes? Oh God, you don't know. Why don't you know what you'd do? Why does it feel like Old Snake's wearing nothing at all? Nothing at all? What are you going to tell Mom and Dad now?

At least, that's what I'd like to think they'd be saying to themselves.

http://www.destructoid.com/why-natha...l-218743.phtml

Drexl

Yeah, it could be the first with an OPENLY gay protagonist. Kirby, I'm looking in your direction.

JasonF

RocShemp

So basically Indiana Jones and every globe-hopping adventurer in books, movies, TV, and videogames is gay.

davidh777

I guess this would explain why Elena

dsa_shea

Well, he is always on a quest for booty.

Artman

Absurd.

PopcornTreeCt

I think Solid Snake would make for a better homosexual. The video game character not the poster.

RocShemp

I dunno. Have you read his posts in the Expendables threads? He may be well on his way.

Solid Snake

you son of a bitch.

Noonan

I was given a copy of this for Christmas and I was able to get though it on Normal in 3 sittings. Great game but I don't understand the amazing praise for it. The controls were a bit clunky and it's way too short to get a 10/10 in my book; even with the available multiplayer.

Deftones

pretty spot on. i enjoyed it, but it was nothing compared to the 2nd one or even many of the other "adventure" games released this fall.

RocShemp

I'm still wondering why Naughty Dog downgraded the graphics from what we saw in the E3 trailer.

E3 Trailer:


Actual Game:

Noonan

So the 2nd one was better? I never played that one and was tempted to pick it up used just for the story. Is it worth the ~$20?

Sweet Baby James

Fuck yes!!!

Noonan

Good to know. Looks like I'll be heading to GS to pick up a used copy. I'm sure I can finish it within their 7 day return period for pre-owned games.