I'll admit that I felt the first Uncharted was overrated. Heresy, I know, but despite its breathtaking visuals, unbelievable audio, epic platforming, and two of the greatest video game characters ever in Nathan and Elena, I felt that the game had several weak points. I found there was too much emphasis on the sloppy gunplay (needs to be 70:30 adventure:shooter ratio), and the *twist* was a total boner-killer.
That said, the new PAX trailer of Uncharted 2 does get me excited. Not only is the game looking to be perhaps the best-looking console game ever, but I have faith that Naughty Dog tightened the gameplay (the grenades look to be quick-mapped), and I'm hopeful that some of my personal dislikes of the game will have been altered to the point of where I'll tolerate them.
The gunplay in the trailer is exactly the same as in the first game but you called it sloppy in that one. Why are you excited all of a sudden? This blog needs more info.
To be honest I don't think it looks that good. It's just a youtube video I know but it looks like it doesn't get close to the quality of the first one.
@Takeshi: What the hell are you smoking? The visuals are a marked improvement over the first games, and while I can't vouch for the actual narrative or story elements, I can say without a doubt that this game will feature some amazing set-pieces. Shit looks serious.
Come on dude, don't be a downer. You know this game is destined for greatness.
TAKESHI: you should watch that gameplay video that takes place in an icy cave.
this one in HD ice cave gameplay also, WTF dude, this is a ps3 exclusive, so it can only be perfect :p
No doubt about the visuals but I was just talking about the video in this blog. Mr. Novokaine writes about how this game looks way better and show me that video. Now if he had provided the links Mr. Linux here posted I would have agreed instantly. I only watched the Ice Cave Gameplay for 2 seconds and damn! Shit looks gorgeous! See, I didn't want to see any spoilers ridden video's but I decided to click on the video anyway. I wasn't being a downer, I was just commenting on the contents of this blog. Which can be summarized like this:
1st game was shit.
2nd game looks great.
*youtube video*
I tried to lure Novokaine out by expanding his opinion a little bit. I guess my writing was sub-par and directly translated from Dutch to English. Which also automatically answers EDS' question about what I'm smoking. Actually not, because I hate that shit. But yeah... I do live in Amsterdam so it would make sense.
EDS, you bet Naughty Dog is never gonna let us down. The haven't done it before and they never will. It's actually one of my favorite studio's together with Insomniac, MediaMolecule and (biased much?) Guerrilla Games.
You guys have to agree the gunplay in the first game wasn't sloppy at all. I love it, I hope they keep it exactly like it was and by the looks of it they did.
P.S. Novokaine, you can manually change the dimensions of the video. The width of the blog is 620. Just copy/past the embed code and change it (2 times in the code) before you click on the upload button.
P.P.S. Linuxguy speaks the truth. All PS3 exclusives are perfect. Except for Haze but even that's perfect for something; having a bloody good laugh in CO-OP.
The gunplay, or at least enemy balance, in the first game was shockingly bad, I found myself on many occasions to be locked down in the centre of the map, with guys shooting from all directions and no ammo!
I'm normally pretty good at games but this game continued to frustrate me (missing the same vine leap 10 times and assuming it wasn't the right way to go), especially on the goddamn church level near the end, you enter the church and there 4 snipers (another 4 await) and guys running round with grenade launchers.
I really wanted to like the first game, I loved the graphics but the gunplay was too crap and too often, and I really didn't like the way the story played Drake out to be a cool guy but in many situations you find yourself shooting first (a small niggle it may seem but it really took me out of the game)
There is not a single point in the game where you have to be locked down by enemies from all sides. Even the hectic parts after that point of the game (don't want to spoil it) had a little system in it.
The church was really easy. Just take your time, point and shoot. In the head preferable. Don't rush in, in fact, never ever rush in. Place yourself behind a pillar or bench and take out the snipers first. From afar, don't get to close or they will surround you indeed. Let them come to you, so you can pick 'em off and collect the ammo if you're running low. There were a couple of moments I had to rush in, collect ammo and run back to the end of the church to hide behind the big pillar.
That part with the plane in the tree might look like they're rushing you but you can make 'em stand down by covering your ass while shooting at their direction. They'll usually stop and hide. And they come from the front first and only if you've killed them all they come from the back. At least that's what it looks like to me. Maybe I've shot them all before the other enemies were coming but I must've done that all 5 times then because I never ended up being surrounded.
If you want more ammo you need to punch those guys in the face. Brutal punches work like a charm. It took a while before I had that under control. It's more like press Triangle and rub your finger over the Square button immediately, then pause for a moment and press Triangle again. At first I thought it was more like a tap... tap... tap... sort of combo. It takes a bit of timing but even in a hectic gunfight you can kill someone in one punch from the back.
I had a problem with some of the vines too at first. But then I looked at what Nathan was actually doing when I jumped of one. It looked like he was off the wall instead of jumping along it. I guess that's because of the different camera angle or something. But pressing right isn't really only pressing right. It's right and toward you. So I tried it again without pointing him in a direction. Worked like a charm. So basically swing from left to right and if you've got enough speed just let go of the analog stick and press the jump button. I never missed another vine again.
Hell, I'll stop now before I make somesort of a weak guide.
One more thing that made me enjoy the game much much more. Once I got all the treasures and I was only focusing on killing the enemies and beating the platform sections. It was a great and felt like I was finally playing the game like I was supposed to.
So to cut a long story short (too late for that): I see what you mean but if you change your method of play a bit you'll see everything works out great. Sometimes the game is like a maze. You go left, right, right, left, left, right and although you came a long way through the maze you stumble upon a dead end. Just change your route and you'll see it works out. I hope you get what I'm saying, I'm sorry if nothing makes any sense to you whatsoever.
As long as the firmware patch hits before October, so I can finish the first one. I got as far as the beginning of chapter 11, Trapped!, before downloading 3.00. It freezes as soon as the last enemy goes down in the big atrium gunfight, every time.
And I do agree about too much gunplay. Maybe if there was more variety in the weapons or enemies, or if they didn't spawn in so many waves . . . sometimes it feels like they just added a second or third wave to extend gameplay.
I'm enjoying it for the most part, though. The gunplay isn't bad. Just wish they kept it fresher throughout.
I did try to take the game slow, but got frustrated because I would spend 10 minutes clearing out a room and then get pot shotted by some lucky turd across the map, punching guys is easier said than done when guy with grenade launchers are waiting for you.
Overall I Just found the gunplay to be dissapointing, I dreaded it when I was playing the game, as soon as I heard all of the guys coming I'd get disappointed that I would have to engage them.
And this is all not even a fraction of how bad the jetski bits were, that was an utterly useless way of getting from A-B, I have to watch out for the current taking me back down river, guys with grenade launchers AND exploding fecking barrels.
I see what you mean about hitting jump in the right direction, but the fact I have to do that whilst the camera is cocked to the side is bad game design. The game should realise that if I've spent ages climbing to the top of this wall I sure as hell don't want to jump off it.
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Also, nothing calls adventure better than a jungle.
Cannot wait for this game.
And good thing for the grenades change, I struggled trying to use them in the first game.
To be honest I don't think it looks that good. It's just a youtube video I know but it looks like it doesn't get close to the quality of the first one.
Come on dude, don't be a downer. You know this game is destined for greatness.
It's Naughty Dog. They would never let us down.
Right?
this one in HD
ice cave gameplay
also, WTF dude, this is a ps3 exclusive, so it can only be perfect :p
No doubt about the visuals but I was just talking about the video in this blog. Mr. Novokaine writes about how this game looks way better and show me that video. Now if he had provided the links Mr. Linux here posted I would have agreed instantly. I only watched the Ice Cave Gameplay for 2 seconds and damn! Shit looks gorgeous! See, I didn't want to see any spoilers ridden video's but I decided to click on the video anyway. I wasn't being a downer, I was just commenting on the contents of this blog. Which can be summarized like this:
1st game was shit.
2nd game looks great.
*youtube video*
I tried to lure Novokaine out by expanding his opinion a little bit. I guess my writing was sub-par and directly translated from Dutch to English. Which also automatically answers EDS' question about what I'm smoking. Actually not, because I hate that shit. But yeah... I do live in Amsterdam so it would make sense.
EDS, you bet Naughty Dog is never gonna let us down. The haven't done it before and they never will. It's actually one of my favorite studio's together with Insomniac, MediaMolecule and (biased much?) Guerrilla Games.
You guys have to agree the gunplay in the first game wasn't sloppy at all. I love it, I hope they keep it exactly like it was and by the looks of it they did.
P.S. Novokaine, you can manually change the dimensions of the video. The width of the blog is 620. Just copy/past the embed code and change it (2 times in the code) before you click on the upload button.
P.P.S. Linuxguy speaks the truth. All PS3 exclusives are perfect. Except for Haze but even that's perfect for something; having a bloody good laugh in CO-OP.
I'm normally pretty good at games but this game continued to frustrate me (missing the same vine leap 10 times and assuming it wasn't the right way to go), especially on the goddamn church level near the end, you enter the church and there 4 snipers (another 4 await) and guys running round with grenade launchers.
I really wanted to like the first game, I loved the graphics but the gunplay was too crap and too often, and I really didn't like the way the story played Drake out to be a cool guy but in many situations you find yourself shooting first (a small niggle it may seem but it really took me out of the game)
There is not a single point in the game where you have to be locked down by enemies from all sides. Even the hectic parts after that point of the game (don't want to spoil it) had a little system in it.
The church was really easy. Just take your time, point and shoot. In the head preferable. Don't rush in, in fact, never ever rush in. Place yourself behind a pillar or bench and take out the snipers first. From afar, don't get to close or they will surround you indeed. Let them come to you, so you can pick 'em off and collect the ammo if you're running low. There were a couple of moments I had to rush in, collect ammo and run back to the end of the church to hide behind the big pillar.
That part with the plane in the tree might look like they're rushing you but you can make 'em stand down by covering your ass while shooting at their direction. They'll usually stop and hide. And they come from the front first and only if you've killed them all they come from the back. At least that's what it looks like to me. Maybe I've shot them all before the other enemies were coming but I must've done that all 5 times then because I never ended up being surrounded.
If you want more ammo you need to punch those guys in the face. Brutal punches work like a charm. It took a while before I had that under control. It's more like press Triangle and rub your finger over the Square button immediately, then pause for a moment and press Triangle again. At first I thought it was more like a tap... tap... tap... sort of combo. It takes a bit of timing but even in a hectic gunfight you can kill someone in one punch from the back.
I had a problem with some of the vines too at first. But then I looked at what Nathan was actually doing when I jumped of one. It looked like he was off the wall instead of jumping along it. I guess that's because of the different camera angle or something. But pressing right isn't really only pressing right. It's right and toward you. So I tried it again without pointing him in a direction. Worked like a charm. So basically swing from left to right and if you've got enough speed just let go of the analog stick and press the jump button. I never missed another vine again.
Hell, I'll stop now before I make somesort of a weak guide.
One more thing that made me enjoy the game much much more. Once I got all the treasures and I was only focusing on killing the enemies and beating the platform sections. It was a great and felt like I was finally playing the game like I was supposed to.
So to cut a long story short (too late for that): I see what you mean but if you change your method of play a bit you'll see everything works out great. Sometimes the game is like a maze. You go left, right, right, left, left, right and although you came a long way through the maze you stumble upon a dead end. Just change your route and you'll see it works out. I hope you get what I'm saying, I'm sorry if nothing makes any sense to you whatsoever.
And I do agree about too much gunplay. Maybe if there was more variety in the weapons or enemies, or if they didn't spawn in so many waves . . . sometimes it feels like they just added a second or third wave to extend gameplay.
I'm enjoying it for the most part, though. The gunplay isn't bad. Just wish they kept it fresher throughout.
Also, bravo for Drakes on a Train.
I did try to take the game slow, but got frustrated because I would spend 10 minutes clearing out a room and then get pot shotted by some lucky turd across the map, punching guys is easier said than done when guy with grenade launchers are waiting for you.
Overall I Just found the gunplay to be dissapointing, I dreaded it when I was playing the game, as soon as I heard all of the guys coming I'd get disappointed that I would have to engage them.
And this is all not even a fraction of how bad the jetski bits were, that was an utterly useless way of getting from A-B, I have to watch out for the current taking me back down river, guys with grenade launchers AND exploding fecking barrels.
I see what you mean about hitting jump in the right direction, but the fact I have to do that whilst the camera is cocked to the side is bad game design. The game should realise that if I've spent ages climbing to the top of this wall I sure as hell don't want to jump off it.