Drake's Fortune
Action AdventureReleases: 11.20.07
SCEA
Naughty Dog Software
ESRB: Teen
Uncharted Drake's Fortune
Not just Lara Croft’s handsome counterpart
by Sarah Schutz 
I was skeptical about Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, since on face value it seems to be lacking the character and charisma of previous Naughty Dog releases. I remained skeptical through the first level since, like many, I was positive this was Tomb Raider all over again with Nathan Drake replacing Lara Croft (yay opposite sex eye candy!). You soon find, however, that Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune has greater depth than first perceived and goes beyond the boundaries of your typical adventure game. I am not sure, in fact, that it is an adventure game (which makes the whole genre definition problematic). The combat system, especially as you progress, is so much more advanced than I initially expected. The duck-and-cover gameplay, similar to that of Gears of War, works well in the intricate environments, allowing you to use rocks, walls, trees and anything else you find as protection from enemy. Drake’s reactions to combat and to his environments are realistic and effective. His responses help you better navigate obstacles. His screams at a recently thrown grenade help you remember that you need to move.
The duck-and-cover combat along with the adventure puzzles make the game’s environments that much more important. While most adventure games involve the surveying of landscapes and puzzles, the environments in Drake’s Fortune are so robust that I did feel as if I was exploring another world. You solve Drake’s real-life puzzles as if you were there; you don’t merely look for the rock ledge that happens to look like a platform. You think critically in order to solve the puzzles and then use technical gameplay savvy to engage in combat. Usually when adventure meets shooter, the results are less than optimal with one carrying the show. Both elements in Drake’s Fortune were achieved near-perfectly, allowing for a striking blend of genres, along with outstanding graphics, that we haven’t seen until now.
Naughty dog learns how to do some next gen graphics.
On top of it all, this gameplay gourmet is chockfull of delicious plotline, which, if you have read any of my previous reviews, is a personal priority. Nathan Drake is more than just a muscled treasure plunderer. While he at first seems like the character you love to hate, he soon becomes the character you hate to love. The storyline plays out before you as you solve puzzles to progress. While the game itself is fairly short, you can unlock other characters and bonuses, which allow for extended replay value. And this will be a world worth exploring again.
Some of it feels a bit too familiar.
IGN
GAMESPOT
PLAY
1UP
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