Though the multiplayer portion of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was playable on the show floor at E3, I first and foremost wanted to know more about the single-player game. After all, the first one only needed single-player to be one of my favorite PS3 games, and ultimately, that’s why I’m buying the game; everything else is just icing on the cake. Uncharted 2 producer Sam Thompson was nice enough to give us a live demo of a new level with a working title of “Beneath the City”, which wasn’t being shown on the floor. As if I wasn’t excited enough for Uncharted 2 already, now I’m really counting down the days until I can get my hands on the full version.

When I saw Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at New York Comic Con this year, I noticed immediately that the game would feature new environments and take Nathan Drake out of the jungle. That won’t be the only change we see in this sequel. First of all, the single-player campaign will be longer than in the first game, which is great. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’s single-player was a decent length, but I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing something longer. There will be more backstory to explain the characters, particularly new girl Chloe, who, like Nathan, is a career thief. In terms of combat and gameplay, a bunch of new weapons have been added, as well as new melee attacks and combos.



In the level we saw, Nathan was working with both Elena and Chloe. Yes, Elena is back, and a love triangle is clearly developing between the three of them. Elena and Chloe appear to be polar opposites, with Chloe’s personality resembling Nathan’s; they’re from the same world, while Elena is just looking in. Nothing is as it seems, though, and as the player, you won’t know who to trust. One of those lovely ladies could be getting ready to stab you in the back. As the three of them made their way through the level, it started raining, demonstrating the weather and its effects on the characters. The rain soaked the characters’ clothing and drenched their bodies, which didn’t wear off immediately when they got indoors. I love little touches like that, because it shows that Naughty Dog is really paying attention to every detail.

In Uncharted 2, enemies won’t just attack you, but your allies as well. Part of your task will be protecting the people around you, not just watching your own back. Luckily, the AI seems to be more than adequate to protect you as well. Elena was a pretty good shot in the first Uncharted, and it seems that will continue in Uncharted 2; Chloe also appears more than able to hold her own in a fight. Some enemies will be covered in armor, depending on the situation, and you will have to shoot their protective covering off before you can riddle their bodies with bullets.



In addition to a new story and new locations, there are so many small but necessary touches added to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that I can’t imagine it won’t live up to expectations. Naughty Dog seems to fully understand what a sequel should be, and though topping the first game in the series was no easy task, so far things are looking pretty good. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will be out in November, and it’s probably my most anticipated PS3 game of the year.