PS3 ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ ups graphical ante once again
This generation is finally starting to heat up. Not only is the number of must-have games being released starting to peak, these games are graphically blowing out of the water what has come before. While God of War 3 is looking fine and dandy, it could be that it’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that is set to once again up the visuals ante.
I’m a sucker for graphics. I know they aren’t the be-all-and-end-all when it comes to video games. Hell, if that was the case, would I still play games on the Dreamcast, original Playstation and SNES? Which, let’s be honest, are starting to show their age in the visuals department right about now. They do, however, have an innate ability to turn a mediocre game into a definite buy.
Luckily, when it comes to the first Uncharted, it wasn’t just the visuals on show that made it a definite purchase for any self-respecting PS3 owner. If the oohs and aahs emanating from anyone watching weren’t enough to make it worthwhile, then maybe the Prince of Persia-style leaping and climbing was. Or how about the Tomb Raider-style adventuring? Or the Resident Evil-style shooting bits, complete with zombies in later levels?
A second game in the series, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, had already been announced by developers Naughty Dog but apart from a few vague screen shots very little of it had been seen in the wild. Until the GDC this week when there was a private (supposedly) screening of some footage from the game. And here it is in all its leaked, Technicolor glory.
The gameplay looks very similar, in fact almost identical, to the first game. Which is a good thing in my opinion as there was very little that needed improving. But it’s the graphics that really shine. Even on the poor quality, smuggled-out YouTube video embedded above, you can see how stunning this game is going to look when it finally hits.
Gone is the shimmery, almost old movie quality the first game had, and in its place comes ultra-realistic looking scenery with animations now much cleaner and crisper. It has overtones of Metal Gear Solid 4 with a little Assassin’s Creed thrown in for good measure. All of which makes me almost wet with anticipation.
What do you think? Will it be this game, God of War 3, or another that ups the graphical ante once again? Is the PS3 finally showing its power or is the Xbox 360 managing to keep up with it so far? As always, let us know in the comments section.
Related Posts:
43 Responses to “PS3 ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ ups graphical ante once again”
Leave a Reply:
You must be logged in to post a comment. Don't have an account? Register today!
March 29th, 2009
“The gameplay looks very similar, in fact almost identical, to the first game.” – Uncharted 1.5 anyone?
March 29th, 2009
Harry if it aint broke don’t fix it.
I need to pick up a cheap copy of the first one. Anyone in the UK know of the cheapest deal i could get?
March 29th, 2009
Not bad if I say so myself. Finally a bit of competition for the 360
March 29th, 2009
Be sure to look in Morrisons when looking for a cheap game, Bourne.
Unfortunately it isn’t in all, but some of their stores have stellar games selling well cheap…I don’t think Morrisons understand how cheap they actually are.
March 29th, 2009
For gods sake if you’re a graphics whore why wouldn’t you be using a PC.Graphics have moved on in the last 3 years you know!
March 29th, 2009
Ok, so, according to PS3rd fanboys, if it’s a game that improves it’s predecessor graphically while keeping the same basic control scheme on the 360, it’s game x.5 (e.g you call Gears 2 ‘Gears 1.5′, Halo 3 ‘Halo 2.5′ etc). However if the same thing occurs on the PS3rd it’s a case of ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’. You fanboys crack me up sometimes.
March 29th, 2009
Harry i never claimed anything you quoted there. PLease don’t put words in my mouth. Why does it need to change the control system when it’s fine in the beginning.
March 29th, 2009
bourne check out cheapassgamer.com and their UK equivalent…
now harry… dammit Im gonna sound like a fanboy… I dont see anyone (by that I mean the people in here who have something intelligent to say) comparing gears or halo as *insert number* 1.5
obviously sequels will have the same feeling of the original game… but with tweaks and a new story that makes the game worth your $60… if they completely re-invented uncharted 2 or gears 2 or halo 3… then how can it be linked to the original game? look at Far Cry 2… it is so much better and different than Far Cry 1 that it might have been just called something entirely new…
you can have a sequel with better gameplay and not innovate as much as you did in the original game… god of war 2 was the same as god of war 1… and I still loved it… I can understand that philosophically the sequel wont be as groundbreaking as the first… but its more of the original (which I loved)…
I think youre looking too much into it… blaming ps3 fans for idiotic comments that ivan or kevo makes… I dont associate you with cad or kev…
March 29th, 2009
I hope the cover system is as fast as the Wanted game…
March 29th, 2009
I didn’t see one plant or tree in that video, so the graphics in this game clearly suck balls.
March 29th, 2009
Royzy’s right. It’s such a shame that Naughty Dog never got kev’s memo…no foliage = doesn’t count.
In other news…Alan Wake news! Well, kinda. Of sorts.
Check it out though…In Alan Wake “rain is going to affect the handling of your car and fog is going to lessen your visibility”!
Wow! Talk about leaps in gaming!
March 29th, 2009
I still dont know what Alan Wake is about… why has it gotten so much hype and so much bullshit from fanboys?
also in adventure games… I see how theres an obvious path one has to take… like a linear path which is always in front of you… in here I didnt know you had to jump on that box thing to the signpost… that surprised me… maybe Im just easilly impressed…
still can not wait…
lemme see… need to buy inFamous for summer and then uncharted in the winter… good enough for me… the rest can be rented… rawr,..
March 29th, 2009
youtube.com/watch?v=pFmtr5SnsWE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fkotaku.com%2F5189415%2Fyoutube-fan-tops-halo-song-spoof&feature=player_embedded
this really does make me want to play halo… sigh…
March 29th, 2009
For ‘leaked’ footage, it sure has stayed on youtube for a long time
Still, looks amazing.
I never really took the time to get into Uncharted 1. I think I’m gonna redownload the demo then mebbe buy it.
March 29th, 2009
I’ve always been wondering on something. How old are the people that posts on Blorge.
Nice video.
March 29th, 2009
I’m amazed to hear so many of you haven’t played the first one. Good story, charming characters, tight controls, and action packed. I highly recommend it.
As far as the urban setting… I would bet that the game jumps around to different locations. It’s nice to see that there will be a variety in the set pieces.
March 29th, 2009
Lordy, so nobody here is claiming that they called those games Gears 1.5 and Halo 2.5? That’s hilarious!
March 29th, 2009
@ DWH, I just took a look at some archived comments, both Lock_Down and phranctoast have called those games that. So you’re calling them unintelligent, huh?? haha
March 29th, 2009
well… I may have commented that OTHER people have called them gears 1.5 and halo 2.5 … thats the typical stuff that comes up in the podcasts… I wouldnt classify them that way because I STILL HAVENT FUCKING PLAYED THEM!
but yeah… if you call then *something* .5… then youre pretty stupid… just dont generalise me with them…
March 29th, 2009
Oh harry, don’t bring me into it…that comment was clearly in jest…
March 29th, 2009
so was mine….adultsheepfinder?? HAHAHAAHA
March 30th, 2009
OMG! That was so funny that spit came out of my mouth onto my keyboard… hahahahahahah…
also check out joystiq… ps2 price drop to $99…
now get this… I can buy a power adapter for my foreign PS2 for $70 from radio shack… or a whole new ps2 for $30 more…
COULD THIS BE THE END OF XBOXES?? RAWR!
March 30th, 2009
ps2 has been about $150 out here for a while? (AU) less now i think?
DWH you keep msg me right as im getting off or while im in the middle of a tourniment, though now ive done most of them, im up for a game
with the whole x.5 thing… i feel that we, the ps3ers, have the only “true” x.5ers with GT prologs that we get, yeah there a new game in theroy… but there in just a taste of what the whole game is?
if they didnt change anything and it still had the same graphics and game play just a different story… well then it be like an expanstion… GTA:VC, GTA:SA anyone?
i wouldnt feel “ripped” by this, you have an exspectation from the first game, so if you wanted something completly different from the first game, then why are you buying something from the same series?
harry, you may only hit me if you also hit manbearpig
March 30th, 2009
Manbearpig? I’m super serial, ok?
March 30th, 2009
you guyyyssssssss
March 30th, 2009
FUCKING HELL mick… I usually cant game on weekdays… thats so fucking stupid since I usually played games all day *sad face*
dude SA and VC are COMPLETELY different… the fact that they created such a huge environment… put in on the PS2… with SOOO much content… that it might as well have been called GTA 4…
yeah… GT 4.5 … FUCK YOU SONY!
the thing is… if millions wouldnt have bought GT prologue… there would have been a GT 5 by now… since so many people are playing it… they have no reason to release GT 5 and instead come up with DLC for GT P…
fucking capitalism…
March 30th, 2009
Simpsons did it.
March 30th, 2009
harry.
please link to where I said halo 2.5 or gears 1.5. I just don’t recall saying that, and would like to see when I did.
Thank you
March 30th, 2009
gta:sa/vc to me just felt like a new story with the same thing… i did feel gta:sa may have been number 4… but vc and both sa and vc stories just felt like .5s…
ive said b4 also… gta4 let me down… i dont think it could have been “4″ more like a 3 revisited?
March 30th, 2009
i also refuse to buy prolog for the simple fact that i feel prolog should b a demo… and not a game itself…
March 30th, 2009
and dwh, i should b able todo this sunday (your saturday) if u wanna lose (yeah i trashed talked)
March 30th, 2009
Don’t buy Prologue. Just download the HD concept demo from the PS Store. There’s a decent amount of tracks and cars.
March 30th, 2009
I don’t regret buying Prologue as all. HD concept is only a fraction of the content of GT5p, and runs off the old GT4 game engine, but its pretty and free. The replay value of gt5p is fairly high with regular updates to the online races and time trials. The $40 bucks I spent on gt5p has given me many more hours of play (and counting) than the 40 I spent on socom
I will admit that I am pretty hardcore about Gran Turismo titles, though, and to the average gamer, GT5p may not be worth the price (though it can be found easily for 20-25 bucks new, as low as 10 second hand around here)
March 30th, 2009
ITS ON BIATCH!
yeah I played vice city and liberty city stories on the PS2… they were like gta with the godfather upgrades… but it was fun… worth the pirated copy… yeah no point in buying prologue…
but I am worried… if GT 5 is built on the same engine as GT P… then there may not be drastic improvements… like damage or better sim kilobytes…
March 30th, 2009
Royzy said: “I didn’t see one plant or tree in that video, so the graphics in this game clearly suck balls.”
Man, Royzy, you almost got me in trouble at work. It was difficult to stifle my laughter.
-Arvis
March 30th, 2009
Dave Parrack:
Thanks i love that little video it made my day whole lot better. The game looks amazing i can’t wait to play on my Bravia. Also the gameplay looks a lot faster than the first Uncharted. He is searching for a girl named Cloey.
God of War 3 Leaked Gameplay HD EXTENDED GDC 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INYhO_HSfWk&feature=channel_page
March 30th, 2009
I think that picking up a used copy of Prologue isn’t a bad idea. I was pretty satisfied with the demo (considering it was a demo).
The game has been in development for so long, I’m not sure what we can expect at this point. I think they did already confirm damage modeling. I would have to bet that the finished game will have a massive mount of content and be extremely polished.
March 30th, 2009
@DWH PD has made repeated comments since GT5p released about improved graphics, game physics, and online versatility in the final product. GT5p is not only an overpriced tech demo to some, but also a beta for the online features, where the players are actually paying to be the testers for PD.
I understand these viewpoints, but I have gotten so much out of the game already, and continued interest in the online, so I can’t agree with them. I am not afraid to admit when I have wasted money, and I honestly don’t feel that gt5p was a waste, but I am a fully admitted GT nutjob, since 1997, bitches.
March 30th, 2009
Kaz has said GT5 will be like GT5P only with more tracks and cars. Though I don’t know what happened to the update they were going to issue to GT5P with damage and other features.
I dunno, it’s just ironic that some people are expecting GT5 to be a lot “better” that GT5P, when Kaz has said that it won’t be.
The more I hear Kaz speak, the more convinced I become that damage isn’t coming to the final game. When you think that it takes PD 6 months to design ONE car, times that by 900 and that’s some serious development time.
And that’s all the cars without damage. I hope I’m wrong though. GT5 with full, equal damage on all cars (unlike Forza) would be amazing.
March 30th, 2009
Well the only thing I care about in all of my games is the physics calculations. Amazing graphics, tight responsive controls, and deep gaming experience do not matter at all…. That’s why I make due with Forza – Kev
March 30th, 2009
Here you go, phranctoast.
http://gamer.blorge.com/2008/12/23/xbox-360-gears-of-war-2-to-flop-in-japan
March 31st, 2009
Found it!
It was clearly said in jest. To think otherwise would mean you’re trying way to hard…. The winky eye is there and everything.
March 31st, 2009
More one-eyed BS for the fanboy element desperate to assert their silly nonsense.
The truth is that the PS3 & Xbox can match each other in almost everything and what few differences there are are very tiny and rare.