Uncharted: The Games

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
The Drifter said:
Spoiler warning!
Here's a link to Harrison Ford playing Uncharted 3 in Japan!


Oh, man, is that odd. I like how he seems sincerely impressed with and engaged by it, but is still clearly uncomfortable with how much he needs to speak.
 

Ska

New member
Article on IGN.com comparing the Uncharted series to a certain man seeking fortune and glory...(NO SPOILERS)

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/120/1200944p1.html

Uncharted: Blueprint of a Blockbuster
What Drake learned from Dr. Jones's lectures.
UK, October 19, 2011

With spiralling production costs, there is more than ever before a gnawing impetus within the games industry to get things right - to recoup costs at any price. But this situation isn't entirely without precedent. The sensible journey towards dependable returns was taken over fifty years ago by Hollywood. Facing a similar financial dilemma and a number of changes to how films could be distributed, the major studios chose to reduce the diversity of their output, and concentrate what resources they had into a select number of prestigious titles. As so often is the case, financial pressures moulded the form of cultural production. This is how the blockbuster was born.

So what defines a blockbuster? Well, it's more than just its hefty price-tag. It's the juggernaut that powers the entire project: from the incremental series of trailers that start a year out to the media blitz immediately prior to release. It all generates waves of anticipation, escalating to the point where even the briefest glimpse of, say, Master Chief's redesigned codpiece can temporarily melt the internet.

But the blockbuster also has its downside. It's frequently been seen as the symptom of a risk-adverse industry. For when the stakes are so high, and the margins so slight, originality can prove to be a dangerously unpredictable quality. Better to play it safe. So for every Armageddon, A Bug's Life and Dante's Peak, Hollywood releases a Deep Impact, Antz and Volcano.

The formula to create a truly successful blockbuster is elusive. It must at once be familiar, so as not alienate eager audiences, and striking enough to capture their imaginations.

The Uncharted series, more than any other contemporary franchise, knows what it is to be a blockbuster, taking one of the very best as its blueprint. The adventures of Indiana Jones loom large over Nathan Drake. In no way should this observation be taken as a slur on Naughty Dog's achievements. One of the things that made the Indiana Jones series so instantly compelling was its derivative nature. What Raiders did so effectively was to mulch down the low-rent conventions and stock characters of the Saturday morning serials that Spielberg and Lucas watched as children, and elevate them into something so much more. It's pop-culture alchemy at its most enchanting.

In similar fashion, Uncharted channels Raiders, Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade. But it never slavishly imitates them; it always adds to the point where it overtakes the original in terms of riveting spectacle.

There are, of course, a wealth of similarities between the two franchises: a roguish protagonist, lost mythical cities, crumbling temples, magical artefacts and ballsy heroines. At times, sequences and shots are lifted wholesale. (Think about the rapidly descending ceiling in Among Thieves and Temple of Doom.)

But their kinship goes much deeper, manifesting at the level of narrative. Like those Saturday morning serials, Raiders of the Lost Ark can be divided into episodes, with the close each being punctuated by a cliff-hanger. Uncharted mirrors this form precisely, with each game in the series being split into 22 chapters. Typically, they also conclude in mouth-gaping spectacular, after which Drake and the audience collectively draw breath before the title of the next chapter is revealed. There are no load screens, no intrusive divides, one sequences seamlessly dovetails into the next. The pace never slackens.

There is also much in common in terms of plot, or the lack thereof. It's not that the plots of both franchises aren't compelling (they are), but they exist mainly as a pretext for the exhilarating action. In fact, the action exists because resolution is continually deferred. Explosions, crashes, death-defying leaps, torture, chases, last-minute reprieves, and escapes all get in the way, stopping Drake and Indy from reaching their respective goals. The narrative spurs are nearly always interchangeable. It doesn't matter whether it's the search for the Holy Grail or the lost city of El Dorado, the quest for Sivalinga or the Cintamani stone. It doesn't really matter what Drake or Indy is after. It's what happens along the way that stays with you.

With a few notable exceptions - Nolan's Batman films, for instance - the arms race of the summer has taken the blockbuster to a place where characterisation is on the whole subservient to concussive pyrotechnics. In Uncharted, though, character remains paramount.

Indy chopped and changed his love interests with each film, sacrificing emotional continuity. Uncharted, however, has maintained and developed a small core of characters, adding genuine romance and heart to the blueprint. Elena and Chloe, like Marion Ravenwood, are strong female characters, who endure as strongly in the mind as Drake. They aren't hapless, helpless heroines always waiting for him. They know how to throw punch and hold a gun. Similarly, whereas Henry Jones Snr. only appears in the Last Crusade, Sully has been a gruff paternal presence throughout the whole Uncharted series. In terms of characterisation and the development, Naughty Dog has outstripped its inspiration.

Earlier, I wrote that the essence of a great blockbuster is to be simultaneously familiar yet different. Star Wars did it by setting ancient archetypal mythology amidst the stars. Jaws achieved it by taking the classic tale of man confronting the monster and setting it in a parochial seaside town. Uncharted is doing it by learning from one of the very best.

Nowhere is this debt more pronounced than in the multiple scenes in which Drake runs towards camera with peril nipping at his heels. You can't help but think of Indy fleeing from that gigantic boulder. Initially, it was an affectionate allusion, but now we've reached the point where the Uncharted series has made this sequence firmly its own, to the point where I no longer think of Indy first; I think of Drake.
 

Ska

New member
And I kept misreading the line about Sully being a character throughout the Uncharted series and was thinking it was a typo that should have said Indy series. Because I kept reading Sully as Sullah. I now realize how similar the names are and wonder if this was done on purpose on Naughty Dog's part as an homage to Indy's sidekick.
 

WitAndAWhip

New member
The Drifter said:
Even more footage that's never been seen before! I love the horse-riding bits!
Judging by the new trailers it looks like we may get to do quite a bit of it.

Are you guys still playing the demo? I kind of stopped after a couple days cus I'd prefer to wait until I have the full game in front of me to play much more. It's getting close!!!

Oh and just out of curiosity has anyone actually read the Fourth Labyrinth yet? Just curious if it's worth picking up.
 
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The Drifter

New member
Ska said:
SPOILERS (if you think a review is a spoiler):

IGN.com gives Uncharted 3 a 10 (out of 10)

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1210241p1.html

I seen that. Perfect tens in every category!
Well, like I did with Uncharted 2, I am going to post the titles of each chapter. There's no spoilers really (not that I see, at least)

Chapter 1- Another Round
Chapter 2- Greatness From Small Beginnings
Chapter 3- Second-Story Work
Chapter 4- Run To Ground
Chapter 5- London Underground
Chapter 6- The Chateau
Chapter 7- Stay In the Light
Chapter 8- The Citadel
Chapter 9- The Middle Way
Chapter 10- Historical Research
Chapter 11- As Above, So Below
Chapter 12- Abducted
Chapter 13- Rough Seas
Chapter 14- Cruisin' for a Bruisin'
Chapter 15- Sink or Swim
Chapter 16- One Shot At This
Chapter 17- Stowaway
Chapter 18- The Rub' al Khali
Chapter 19- The Settlement
Chapter 20- Caravan
Chapter 21- The Atlantis of the Sands
Chapter 22- The Dreamers of the Day
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
The Drifter said:
And, we'll find and post Uncharted news just fine.

Since you haven't been keeping up with the avalanche of information out there, you're forcing me to break my rule.

On the heels of IGN's article, 1UP posted an in depth article on the making of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. I've gone through it, and there's nothing spoiler-like in it unless you really don't want to know what Uncharted could have become instead.

1UP said:
Hennig's aim for casting Nathan was as follows: "We knew it was going to be hard to cast the role of Drake, because we wanted that intangible quality that beloved actors of the genre had, like a Harrison Ford. And the reason he has the appeal, staying power, and relatability is because he's vulnerable. Most people we brought in played up the tough guy or the snarky funny guy. But you can immediately see some flawed vulnerability, doubt, just in the simple audition. In the audition you did, you got that this guy was the protagonist hero of the game, but he could easily be surprised by things, taken aback by things, and hurt by things. Nolan understood that.

You can read the full article here. They've also posted their review if you're interested. It's unread by me, so proceed with caution.

Read it here.

We're also entering the fourth and final week of the Subway Taste For Adventure Multi-player Experience. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, message me or head down to the nearest Subway and pick up a 30oz cup to secure your copy of the multi-player component!

Eric Monacelli said:
For week four, we?ll be rolling out the revamped Museum map. If you were lucky enough to attend our AMC events and make it to the final round you might have gotten a chance to play on this map. If not, you?ll have a few days of practice ahead of you before the full retail release of Uncharted 3.

Full blog post is here.

This weeks pro-tip: Way of the Iron Fist! Embedded below for your viewing pleasure.


Ars Technica has also posted their review. You can find it on their site. I scanned it, and there are some spoilers in it. At one point the reviewer talks about some of the game's puzzles.

Eric Monacelli said:
Nathan Drake?s adventures are never easy: There?s danger around every corner! As you may remember from our casting call, Spike TV developed a blockbuster reality competition that brings that action to life in the UNCHARTED 3: Drake?s Deception Race to the Ring TV special that airs on Spike TV Monday, October 31st at 11:30pm Pacific Time (10:30pm Central).

Read the full blog post here. Check out the Race for the Ring trailer below!


Finally.

Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, Glory, Blood Diamond) shot a mini-documentary on what it means to be a hero. There's nothing spoiler-ish in it, as they discuss heroism in a general sense and what it means to us, the audience.

The Hero's Journey


Also:

6254980823_4904a4b949_z.jpg


Eschewing the "Season Pass" nom du guerre, Naughty Dog & Sony are offering the most dedicated of fans to join The Fortune Hunters Club.

Mick Perona said:
The Fortune Hunters? Club DLC program entitles you to the first four multiplayer map packs and the first three multiplayer skin packs for UNCHARTED 3: Drake?s Deception with the first DLC release coming in November. Pre-order now for only $24.99 and immediately score the exclusive Fortune Hunters? Club THEME, then with each DLC release you will receive an XMB message on your PS3 linking you directly to the content on the PlayStation Store! Valued at over $45.00, these DLC releases will be must-haves for any UNCHARTED fan.

Full blog post here.

It should also be noted that several Naughty Dog luminaries have once again torpedoed the chance of any single-player DLC. Multi-player is all you're going to get.

WitAndAWhip said:
Oh and just out of curiosity has anyone actually read the Fourth Labyrinth yet? Just curious if it's worth picking up.

I've read the first ten pages, and it's well written. I would have done more with dialogue, but it does draw you in.
 

WitAndAWhip

New member
Le Saboteur said:
I've read the first ten pages, and it's well written. I would have done more with dialogue, but it does draw you in.
Thanks, I'll definitely pick up a copy when I get a chance. I'm not expecting Kipling or anything but I'm always up for a good story, particularly one within the world of Uncharted.

As for the reviews that are trickling in, it seems that Uncharted 3 is living up to the reputations of the first two, if not surpassing them...I think I might have to go into a hole til November 1st though just to be sure I don't find out too much.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Midnight release tomorrow. Who's going? Other than myself of course.

In the meantime, there's a rumor floating around that all the redeem codes from the Subway Multi-player Experience will expire once the full retail game hits store shelves. And even though I have yet to win anything, I keep playing on the off chance that I'll win a trip to Nepal.

I otherwise have no use for these, so please use them. Or give them to friends who might enjoy them.

Subway Drake

4EK9-8JN7-C628 ~ EAF4-3RND-8RM6 ~ CLCD-NQNC-5NQR ~ LJT4-HCND-2THJ ~ LM5E-N3NJ-M3CQ

Drake's Deception Dynamic Theme

QJ3G-JRNR-J97P ~ QE2F-42N9-QAM3 ~ 8G2E-T9NH-MR54 ~ 5HKD-B3NC-JHGH ~ EPTR-F2NE-ERDL ~ RQC8-DBNR-R4DT

Drake's AK-47

8ND9-6MN7-3KQ8 ~ F97P-CENF-NAGQ ~ C5K6-MGN5-NNPG ~ R2MA-G9NP-HJRP ~ 4L3D-KGND-R5QG ~ KK7R-6NNG-8292 ~ 9HPG-EDNJ-TF4K ~ 2G94-HAN3-MTFT ~ 7NCK-6HNA-23JN ~

And in other news: I haven't seen these posted anywhere yet. It would seem that the Uncharted comic is still flying below the radar at the moment. And while we've already seen the Adam Hughes cover for Issue #1, here are the covers for #2 & #3!

20891_400x600.jpg


21010_400x600.jpg


The six-issue mini-series goes on sale 30 November 2011 at a comic shop near you followed by Issue #2 on 28 December 2011 and Issue #3 on 25 January 2012.
 

WitAndAWhip

New member
Le Saboteur said:
Midnight release tomorrow. Who's going? Other than myself of course.
I was debating it but the place I pre-ordered from isn't doing a midnight release now, I'm assuming cus it's a PS3 exclusive...Just as well.

Can't believe we're only one day away!
 

The Drifter

New member
Sadly, I won't be able to make it to a midnight release, but I'll have the CE tomorrow evening.
It's been a real pleasure keeping up with Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3 with you guys. Hopefully, we'll all gather to await a part 4 in the future.
 

JackBurton

Active member
What a great game.
I finished it today and I think it's equal to the second part. Very well scripted, a lot of WTF moments and also a lot "Indy" moments. Really worth the wait and highly recommended. I love it. (y)

And now I wait for the comic and the novel.
 
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