Top 25 Must-Play Video Games: Uncharted Drake’s Fortune (#6)

Next at number 6 we have Naughty Dog’s action-adventure, platform, third person shooter game Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, a game that single-handedly revived the action-adventure genre and the game industry itself!

Hello everyone and welcome to Top 25 Must-Plays, the place where you can read about video games, well-known and well-hidden!

All of these choices from number 25 to 1 have well-shaped characters, immersive story lines or something unique that really sets them apart from everything else. Each weekday a new game will be revealed until we reach #1.

Play video games for an immersive experience? Then hopefully you will enjoy these recommendations!

Naughty Dog’s 2007 action-adventure, platform, third person shooter game exclusively for the PS3 platform – Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.

Check out the trailer!

Uncharted-Drake's-Fortune-cover-art

One ordinary man… one extraordinary adventure.

A 400-year-old clue in Sir Francis Drake’s coffin sets a modern-day fortune hunter Nathan Drake on an exploration for the fabled treasure of El Dorado.

But stranded on a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Nathan’s search turns deadly. Hunted by mercenaries, outnumbered and outgunned, Nathan and his companions must fight to survive as they begin to unravel the terrible secrets of the mysterious island…

A pulse-pounding blend of exploration, action and adventure, you can easily lose yourself in the exotic locations, intense shootouts, high-speed chases and plot full of intrigue and humor! Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune single-handedly revived the action-adventure genre and the game industry itself – achievements that put this title at number 6 in this count-down!

The gameplay of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune really fine-tuned the action-adventure genre.

A great touch to the gameplay was Nate’s ability to improve as the game progressed! This really established the ‘every man’ character Naughty Dog aimed to create but also worked well in gameplay. For example, when the player is introduced to the combat it’s all new and Drake reflects this; his aiming at the beginning is a little off, action-based moves are sloppy and evading is a slow endeavor. But as the game progresses he can shoot the wings off a fly and dodge-roll with the best of ’em!

The platforming was a nice addition to the game. Jumping, rolling, rope swinging, balancing, swimming, crawling etc. were all very smooth actions to complete. Drake could also make use of a Jet Ski in-game – a level that played as effortlessly as the platforming. Though not as varied as the newer titles in the series, these elements are a nice mix of play-styles.

The third person shooter element was also fine-tuned near perfection. Nate could pick up a wide variety of firearms as well as grenades (though he could only carry one primary weapon at a time). He could duck and cover whilst shooting using walls and surrounding objects. Cover tactics ranged from basic actions to more complex moves though the player had to discover these through playing as opposed to inputting specific, control-based, formulas – another nice touch!

During the main quests, there were also plenty of treasures to be found, medals and rewards to earn. Keep an eye open and you can spot lots of sparkling trinkets and statuettes cleverly concealed within the exotic locations. Achieve specific goals such as “relic finder” -awarded if you can find a strange relic- and view them in the bonuses menu. Achieve a great number of these medals and you can unlock rewards! Some of these included “Making Of” featurettes! Players could also unlock past cutscenes, which they could view at their leisure! These little extras were a marvelous addition to the gameplay and really gave more complexity and depth to the overall experience.

I think though what really puts the cherry on top of this double ice-cream sundae is the writing, story and characters.

A game with a block-buster movie feel that was reminiscent of classics like Indiana Jones: Raiders of The Lost Ark, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune brought the summer blockbuster into the gaming platform! Watching a cutscene back had all the effects of a great movie. It made you laugh, rage at the screen, get all teary-eyed and cheer. But the witty banter and ad-libs during levels really created a memorable experience.

Elena Fisher the unconventional beauty who “not only produces but presents her survival reality show”; Victor Sullivan a “seasoned adventurer and explorer” who is the “consummate con-man”; and of course Nathan Drake the every-man hero of the piece who works in the “murky world of international treasure seekers”; together they created the best comedy trio the games industry had ever seen. It wouldn’t be too much of stretch to declare that these characters alone could carry the title if the gameplay wasn’t up to snuff.

Uncharted Drake’s Fortune was the start of what would become a practically legendary franchise. It has spawned a sequel and much-anticipated third installment, but this game is where it all began.

The writing was witty, the direction was superb, the chemistry was undeniable and the results are in the game’s success with sales over 2.6 million. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune should not be missed!

uncharted-drake's-fortune-screenshot

Interested in this game? Try Play.com if you’re living in the UK or Amazon.com (US) for some great deals!

Happy treasure-seeking!

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Check out Rob’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune 2008 review!