Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Preview
These days you can throw a rock in the air and hit a gamer (or game reviewer) who's mad with love for the Uncharted franchise. This unmitigated game-crush on developer Naughty Dog and on hero Nathan Drake has kept many a fan awake at night dreaming of the series' next installment. Well, sleepless Nathan Drake fans will be happy to hear that Naughty Dog's well on the way to bringing them Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and from what we saw of the game at this month's Game Developer's Conference, rumor of the game's excellence is no fabrication.
We and the assembled crowd were antsy to get our hands on the game and were disappointed to find that we wouldn't be able to. All Sony and Naughty Dog were ready to do at GDC was show a trailer introducing Drake's newest nemesis and afterward, play a pre-recorded in-game demo of the game in 3D. Even so, what they had to show looked pretty darn good. The trailer began with Drake and his partner in crime Sully, falling into a dark alley filled with big, burly Brits and having the stuffing beaten out of them. Lying in the grunge and garbage of the alley, Nathan and Sully were then confronted by the thugs' boss, Katherine Marlowe, an imposing elderly woman with a distinctly “Dame Judi Dench” personality. Marlowe, we were told, is the head of a 400 year old cabal running a conspiracy that dates back to Queen Elizabeth I and her famous courtier, Sir Francis Drake. In the trailer, Ms. Marlowe made it plain—with the business end of a pointy knife—that Drake and Sully's interference in her plans (to do something or other with Sir Francis Drake’s ring) is decidedly unwelcome.
After this intriguing cinematic tidbit, the Naughty Dog crew handed out some fancy 3D glasses and repeatedly played the pre-recorded (approximately five minute long) gameplay snippet. Designer Richard Lemarchand claimed that in Uncharted 3, the 3D is more than a gimmick—it's an aid to gameplay. Considering that increased depth perception could be an advantage when aiming a gun or acrobatically traversing a complex space, he might just have a point. Anyway, the demo began with Drake and Sully in what looked like a classic Uncharted space – a sunlit, half-destroyed structure -- a mansion or perhaps a government building. Trying to get through it, Drake had to run ahead and create a path for his less-agile friend by jumping, climbing and balancing. Here we first saw how the 3D can make a big difference. The tech's ability to create depth was especially impressive as Drake crossed a room by hanging from a big chandelier with Sully visible down below.
Uncharted 3’s levels are obviously being designed with 3D in mind, as evidenced by what could be considered a few tricks, like pigeons suddenly fluttering up and into the camera. Sure it’s cheap, but so what when it's all in good fun? What can't be considered cheap is the way the environments are designed and the AI is placed. The many-layered, many-tiered level we saw featured Marlowe's thugs on different floors, hiding behind broken walls and appearing through doorways, and the 3D added much to the realism. It was something to see our heroes fend off their thick-necked attackers both firing across collapsed floors and trading punches up close and personal. Things got particularly hairy when the goons set the place on fire; no doubt at that point, the 3D tech helped us understand just how far in over their heads Drake and Sully were.
The tinder-like building went up like a hairball and suddenly walls became barriers of flame, floors became treacherous crusts of ash and ceilings started falling in. The 3D really added to the sense of urgency in this sequence as Drake and Sully frantically searched for an exit. At one point, Drake shot his way out of a burning room through a weakened wall and as the building collapsed around them, the two of finally dashed to safety through a crumbling hole in the outer wall.
This 3D demo was played multiple times for anyone who wanted another look (and who wouldn't?) and each playing revealed new ways that 3D technology is perfect for Uncharted. Granted, the 3D takes some getting used to, and it's possible some players will even find it nausea-inducing. Nevertheless, if you can give yourself time to adjust to it, Uncharted 3 promises to reward you handsomely. Here's to another spectacular chapter in the Uncharted series and more importantly, here's to hoping Naughty Dog allows us some hands-on time with the game at this year's E3. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is set for release this November 1, exclusively on PS3.
