Searching for Gold: An Uncharted 2 Wishlist

Hola kids. You may remember a while back I posted an article on collecting trophies. Well, after beating “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” almost five times, I’m only one trophy away from 100%, and, after all this time, I’ve really started to separate the things that made the game enthralling to play through, and the things that I could do without. So, pulling from all my experience with the original, I present to you a brief list on things I hope “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,” will contain, or omit when it comes out this fall.

First off, I’ll start with the end of the first game; the final boss fight. I got through all 22 chapters, all of which had a nice increase in difficulty, and introduced new ground dwelling enemies in an unforgettable fashion. I experienced one climactic event after the next, and when I got to the end of the game, all I got for a boss was a lame shootout and a less-then-exciting, button pressing minigame. “Uncharted 2″ has promised to be a more story-driven, cinematic experience than the first, and when the game finally reaches its finale, I hope to see a more worthy adversary than Navarro awaiting me at the end. Even on the harder difficulties, the strategy of beating the boss remains the same since all one really needs to do is memorize his firing patterns. LAME.

Secondly, I’d really like to see some improved controls. During my first run though the game I remember it to be quite thrilling; running and gunning about with such freedom. But, as I go back and try to finish the game on harder difficulties the controls seemed to lack fluidity. In the midst of heated shoot-outs I often found myself diving into gunfire, when all I wanted to do was to break cover from the wall. The climbing and platforming sections for “Uncharted” were, for me, one of its strongest draws. Control-wise, I very rarely missed a ledge or jumped at the wrong time, but, while in battle such precision got lost, and I met death more times then necessary.

Third on the list of improvements are the game’s vehicles. The section in “Unchrated” where you piloted a gunner on the back of a jeep which was being driven by Elena, was awesome, but way too brief. Then there were the jetski parts of the game, and those were… well, let’s just say I was happy to get back on land. The “Uncharted” franchise is one that’s dying for an amped up amount of new and improved vehicles. I even thought the player could have been given control of the plane in the first “Uncharted”, right before Drake and Elena are gunned down. I’ve only seen the quick teaser trailer Naughty Dog showed off late last year at the VGA’s, but Drake was surrounded by snow, so therefore, could snowmobiles really be too far behind? Whatever vehicles you decide to introduce, Naughty Dog, just promise to make them handle better then the jetski.

Number four on Drake’s to-do list is the partner system. This really isn’t a complaint as much as it is a point of interest. The new female lead in Drake’s life is Chloe Frazer, and she, reportedly, is every bit of kick-ass as our hero is… apparently, even wielding a rocket launcher at times. This is something that we would never have seen Elena do, as she barely knew how to use a pistol. However, it makes me wonder if Elena will even grace the second game at all. Just because she couldn’t keep up with Drake on the battlefield doesn’t mean you can’t like a girl. She was kind, sweet, and witty at times when things started to get rough in “Uncharted”. So, if Elena is gone, she will be sorely missed, but that Chloe Frazer girl (pictured above) is looking mighty impressive, and may have me forgetting about Elena relatively quick, wouldn’t you agree?

Finally, numero five is more of an idea then a fix. Collecting treasures in the first “Uncharted” was fun, if nothing else, and also provided Easter Eggs for those who collected the “strange relic”. However, I thought it would’ve been cool to be able to use those treasures to better Drake, somehow. Least creatively, the player could sell them and buy better weapons, ammo, etc… But wouldn’t it have been interesting to use those as a way to level up. Perhaps they could increase Drake’s speed, for a short period of time, or outline his enemies in a different color hue to see them easier in the depths of the jungle. This would also allow for the writers to attach some sort of lore to each treasure, making for a deeper experience. That’s just my two cents but regardless of what they decide, I hope the treasures are back for the sequel.

The few gripes listed above are minor at best and the game is still one of my favorites for the PS3 today. If you haven’t taken “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” for a spin, gimme a call. I’ll loan it to you… OK, I was kidding. I don’t need you young whippersnapers calling me at odd times during the night. But give it a try. It offers an interesting story with characters that deliver, and the sequel is shaping up to be a must have this holiday season.

Related Posts:

• April 27, 2009 -- Uncharted 2 Now Featuring Multiplayer
• October 20, 2009 -- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review: Almost Perfect
• June 10, 2009 -- Uncharted 2 Multiplayer Impressions
• March 17, 2010 -- Kratos Brings Chaos In God of War III Launch Trailer
• March 15, 2010 -- God Of War III Midnight Release – Bronx, NY