Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
For: PlayStation 3
From: Naughty Dog
Four and a half stars (out of five)
More eyepopping set pieces, more clever dialogue, more intriguing puzzles, more dazzling scenery, more intuitive gameplay.
In this instance, more of the same is definitely a good thing.
The first two Uncharted games (especially the second) set new standards in the action-adventure genre and, for many, were among the strongest reasons to choose the PlayStation 3 over the Xbox 360.
Treasure-hunting hero Nathan Drake is back for a third quest, and developer Naughty Dog has not let its massive fan base down.
The story starts in a London pub as Drake and his mentor, cigar-chewing Sully, again set off in the footsteps of the great explorer Francis Drake. The goal this time is a lost desert city, the Atlantis of the Sands.
Things start to unfold at a rapid pace as the adventurers traverse the globe, hunting for clues and collecting treasure and trying to stay one step ahead of the numerous baddies who invariably follow.
The formula has not changed.
Drake's main tasks are again to run and climb and jump and swing, to find the correct path, to unearth clues, and the like. It sounds - and has always sounded - so simple, but that does not mean it is boring.
The hand-to-hand combat system has been given a polish, and there are upgraded stealth options in places.
While Uncharted 2 was a significant leap from the first Uncharted in graphical terms, the third game is not a massive improvement on the second. But it still looks lush and gorgeous, and the set pieces still have the ability to make you gasp.
Superb motion-capture cinematics enhance the feeling of being inside an interactive movie.
The single-player campaign isn't massive, but unlockables and higher difficulty modes increase the game's longevity.
Uncharted's multiplayer options have also been upgraded.
