Uncharted 2

[Asher]

Sony has some savvy advertising to go with this now:

[Wiglaf]

Dr. Spike is a moderator?

[UnOrthOdOx]

My wife went out an bought it at midnight last night. She's off all day from work, and intends to play it as much as possible.

I can post her thoughts this evening.

(I have no plans to start even attempting to play anything till after October, though, ideally, my final big project will be completed tonight. Weather permitting)

[UnOrthOdOx]

My wife's somewhere around 1/2 way through the thing.

She's not sure whether she likes it better than the first one, but, at the same time, has not put it down all day.

She does note that it seems to play more fluidly, but also seems to be slightly easier, but is unsure if that is simply due to the fact she's more experienced with the general controls having gone through the first game a dozen times to earn all the trophies.

From the ~10 minutes I've kinda sorta overseen (busy building something, so not really paying close attention), the graphics are not "oh wow, better" really, they just seem a tad more finished. Not the (minor) glitches that the first one suffered, especially around the eyes and mouths during the speaking. My color blind ass isn't the best judge of the finer details of graphics, admittedly.

SOUND seems to be much improved, though. Echoes in larger chambers are noticeable, and more distinct and differentiated sounds from the guns. I did chuckle at the grenade sound, though. It sounds like it's ripped straight from star wars, rather out of place...

[Asher]

This is the first game on consoles in years that had my jaw on the floors with the visuals. Incredible.

[DrSpike]

I want this game. I think I'll treat myself to a PS3 in the New Year sales - I'm moving in a couple of weeks so I'll be buying a new AV unit to house my stuff anyway. And a blu-ray player wouldn't hurt now that blu-ray prices are no longer silly.

With Uncharted 1+2, Killzone, and GT5 on the way, and the slim model being released, the case is building strongly.

[Asher]

I'm about a third of the way through it now. It's just getting better.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Meh.

I'm only on chapter 5ish, and there's been enough control and camera issues (same as the first suffered) to make me question why the hell they couldn't have fixed some of that instead of improve the graphics.

Other silly annoyances include a near-complete lack of headshots counting as kills. It might be a part of the code messing with single player to balance the MP side. But, come on, grenade launcher to the face and he hardly staggers?

A couple of groaner moments from watching my wife include a couple puzzles pulled straight out of Tomb Raider Underworld, and the same helicopter battle we've seen in dozens of games.

So, while it doesn't feel like a total money grab on the title, it does feel like it could have had a lot of improvement.

And whatever idiot decided "let's have a blue light and make them follow a blue path on the floor" should be shot. A section my color blind ass just has no chance of completing...Fortunately it's short, and my son is more than happy to play that section for me.

[Asher]

I can safely say "WTF" to every single sentence in your post. Are you sure we're playing the same game?

[UnOrthOdOx]

You're telling me you've never had any issues with the camera or the controls? Never had to try several times to get it to jump the right direction? Scaling a wall, have to jump back, but the first several times you try to get him to look back to make the jump he climbs back down instead? Never had the camera at a forced angle that makes the controls screwy? Maybe you're not climbing after all the treasures yet. Forced camera angles in these kinds of games suck. Period. Especially when they make the controls incomprehensible. (One area "Up" on the controler was left. Didn't help me till I had already died by pushing left, as would make sense, and had to climb back up to it again.)

I'm not sure if you're to the temple that is straight out of tomb raider (or if you played that tomb raider to even notice it's near identical in the 'puzzle'), or to the helicopter yet, which is the same battle I've played in countless games dating back to the NES.

And, perhaps you have not encountered the "armored" guys just yet where head shots mean nothing. My wife's played through the game 3 times already, so I've seen it at all chapters.

I know you passed the blue torch area at the beginning that is hell on colorblind folks, but probably paid it no mind.

[Asher]

You're telling me you've never had any issues with the camera or the controls?

Yes. Even going back to the original.

Never had to try several times to get it to jump the right direction?

Once or twice, no big deal.

Scaling a wall, have to jump back, but the first several times you try to get him to look back to make the jump he climbs back down instead? Never had the camera at a forced angle that makes the controls screwy? Maybe you're not climbing after all the treasures yet.

I have 100% of the treasures up to my point (35 in total). No widespread issues like you discuss.

Forced camera angles in these kinds of games suck. Period. Especially when they make the controls incomprehensible. (One area "Up" on the controler was left. Didn't help me till I had already died by pushing left, as would make sense, and had to climb back up to it again.)

Sounds to me like you have fundamental issues with control schemes in games like this. The left thumbstick doesn't control the literal direction of the character, it controls it with respect to the camera angle. Sounds like you have issues navigating with that, I'm very much used to it after a lifetime of gaming...

I'm not sure if you're to the temple that is straight out of tomb raider (or if you played that tomb raider to even notice it's near identical in the 'puzzle'), or to the helicopter yet, which is the same battle I've played in countless games dating back to the NES.

Yes, I'm at the temple (and that means yes, I've done the helicopter battle). Yes, shooting Helicopters down has been done in games before but WTF? It's a 45 second gameplay scene that takes place in the most stunning if video game vistas I've ever seen with some terrific action and a helluva lot of fun.

And, perhaps you have not encountered the "armored" guys just yet where head shots mean nothing.

If you're referring to the guys with the PROTECTED HEADS, the initial head shots don't do nothing -- they shoot off the helmet. Subsequent headshots kill them.

I know you passed the blue torch area at the beginning that is hell on colorblind folks, but probably paid it no mind.

I'm not colorblind, so no, I didn't pay it any mind. I actually thought it was quite cool -- using the blacklight to follow a trail of blood. Sucks you couldn't see it, but this -- along with the rest of your complaints -- are over the top ridiculous.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Once or twice, no big deal.

That just means you don't find it a detriment. The issue is there and you have chosen to ignore it. It's easy to do, the game really IS fun. But, I personally find dieing, even if it's once or twice, to a guy jumping a direction other than controls would logically dictate to be a detriment. And, this issue is most prevelant on those long climbing sections.
[quote]
I have 100% of the treasures up to my point (35 in total). No widespread issues like you discuss.[/quotes]

Sounds like you're using a guide. We're not, just trying to climb everywhere and find them. It's a sure fire way to find issues and glitches. Got on the 'wrong' side of a wall last night somehow and had to reload the checkpoint as I was completely trapped.

Sounds to me like you have fundamental issues with control schemes in games like this. The left thumbstick doesn't control the literal direction of the character, it controls it with respect to the camera angle. Sounds like you have issues navigating with that, I'm very much used to it after a lifetime of gaming...

Depends on "these types of games" means. I'm a Tomb Raider vet (which some of those games are 10x worse in this area), but have little experience with shooters, propper. Be they 1st or 3rd person. No, 90% of the game, you have the camera free roaming and the controls are very logical. Specific sections, however, the camera becomes FIXED, and the control scheme changes for some unkown reason, and up is no longer up relative to the camera angle. I've encountered it twice so far (chapter 8 now), and it's brief, but annoying each time. Both happened to be areas I was climbing in an attempt to find treasures, and found nothing in either place, so it might just be one of those areas I'm not really supposed to be getting to.

Yes, I'm at the temple (and that means yes, I've done the helicopter battle). Yes, shooting Helicopters down has been done in games before but WTF? It's a 45 second gameplay scene that takes place in the most stunning if video game vistas I've ever seen with some terrific action and a helluva lot of fun.

Well, I discovered last night while playing there's numberous temples and numberous helicopter battles. The one I battled last night was rather enjoyable. There's one later in the game that is the traditional sidescroller helicopter battle with the missiles slowly winding their way 'to' you, and you have to shoot them down whilst also shooting the helicopter. It's noticeably blah, despite the graphics, but perhaps that's more to do with how nice the rest of the game is.

If you're referring to the guys with the PROTECTED HEADS, the initial head shots don't do nothing -- they shoot off the helmet. Subsequent headshots kill them.

Never knew ski masks were 'protection'. I actually scored the 20 head shot medal last night, on a headshot that didn't kill the guy.

I'm not colorblind, so no, I didn't pay it any mind. I actually thought it was quite cool -- using the blacklight to follow a trail of blood. Sucks you couldn't see it, but this -- along with the rest of your complaints -- are over the top ridiculous.

Yep, a section completely unplayable by a portion of the population is a ridiculous complaint.

I'm not saying it's a bad game. Far from it. It's the first game in quite a while where I can look up and say "crap, it's been 2 hours already?" Combat, especially, is far more polished and enjoyable than most games out there. I just find it sad that the rest of the game, the exploration portion, didn't get the same polish the combat did. It's identical to the first game, with a graphical update only.

[Asher]

Yep, a section completely unplayable by a portion of the population is a ridiculous complaint.

A very, very small portion of the population. I'm sure blind people have an issue with it, too. Can't cater to everyone.

It's identical to the first game, with a graphical update only.

And a co-op mode, and an online mode, and better combat. It's a great sequel that improves on the original in any way.

BTW, if you've just now got the 20 headshot medal I'd wager the reason why your headshots aren't killing is because they're not headshots? I don't know how far you are into the game, but I've got 100 headshots already at the 35% mark.

[DrSpike]

Yahtzee didn't like it.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1078-Uncharted-2-Among-Thieves

[Wiglaf]

I want this game. I think I'll treat myself to a PS3 in the New Year sales - I'm moving in a couple of weeks so I'll be buying a new AV unit to house my stuff anyway. And a blu-ray player wouldn't hurt now that blu-ray prices are no longer silly.

With Uncharted 1+2, Killzone, and GT5 on the way, and the slim model being released, the case is building strongly.

I mean, what the hell. Is this forum your public shopping list? I swear to god.