Behind the Scenes at the VGAs

(click blog entry title to link to Well's PS Blog coverage)

This is a super cute account of the Spike Video Game Awards, written by Evan Wells. Check it out!

Uncharted 2 Sweeps IGN PS3 Awards

PS3 Best of 2009 Awards - IGN

Uncharted 2 took:

--Best Action Game
--Award for Visual Excellence
--Award for Excellence in Sound
--Best Multiplayer Game
--PS3 Game of the Year

Uncharted 2 GOTY!

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Spike TV's Video Game Awards '09 crowned Uncharted 2 with Game of the Year, Best Graphics, and Best PS3 Game!

Phone-In Podcast Interview with Hennig

(click on blog entry title to link to details)

This Wednesday at Kotaku, 1pm ET (10am PT), there will be a live podcast with phone-in questions for Amy Hennig. Just before the podcast there will be a reminder post on Kotaku with calling information, so go check that out.
I'd probably be too starstruck to spit out anything coherent, even if I did come up with a good question ahead of time.

DLC This Friday!

(click blog entry title to link to article)


This weekend the first DLC launches, FOR FREE, giving us a new multiplayer map-- "The Fort," as seen in the video above. Also the hero teams will be all Doughnut Drakes, and the villain teams will be all Doughnut Lazarevics. Also, there will be new leaderboards, if you care about that sort of thing.

Donnelly and Oppenheimer Slated for Screenwriting

(click blog entry title to link to news)

According to the Latino Review, it appears that Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer, the guys who wrote the upcoming Conan reboot, are replacing Kyle Ward as the screenwriter for the Uncharted movie. Word is that this is because Ward is working on Hitman 2 and Columbia Pictures wants a draft of the script faster than Ward would be able to give it to them.
As other people have mentioned, this means that the producers are looking to get Uncharted moving, most likely to keep people interested in the wake of Uncharted 2. We're high priority, people! :D

Spike VGA Voting

(click blog entry title to link to voting)

Go forth and make sure that Uncharted wins all sorts of cool stuff. And bitch about the fact that it didn't get a Best Cast nomination.

Zero Punctuation Review of Uncharted 2

Oh, Yahtzee. Good thing we love you :)

Poll on New DLC Multiplayer Modes

(click blog entry title to link to news; click Naughty Dog website link to vote on poll)

Naughty Dog is having a poll to see what the players would like to see in a new multiplayer mode.

The choices are:

Plunder Only
All Plunder, all the time. No variations, nothing but capping treasure and shooting enemies.

Crushing: All Game Types
The Crushing variation on all maps with all game types. Crushing is a more hardcore version of our rule set where players have less health and no Boosters are active.

Crushing: Deathmatch Only
The Crushing variation on all maps in standard Deathmatch only.

Skilled Objectives
All Objective game types, but now with a Skill Level. Skill Levels are tied to each playlist, so all players would start with a Skill Level of 1 in this playlist, regardless of the Skill Level already achieved in the Ranked playlist.

Deathmatch Variants Only
All the Deathmatch variants including Sniper/Pistole, Pistols/Grenades, RPG's, and Crushing.

Perhaps You Want More News Updates?

As you've probably noticed, I post a lot less frequently now, especially since most of the news that's coming out about Uncharted stuff are reviews.

But if you want lots of news too, check out this Uncharted LJ community. The mod puts lots and lots of Uncharted news up. You can also link to affiliate fan communities (that I may or may not be involved in).

Double Cash Halloween Weekend!

(click blog entry title to link to blog post)

Happy Halloween!

Naughty Dog has released a download patch to tidy up some multiplayer things, such as punishing people who leave games early.

Also, this weekend will earn you double cash for standard game objective actions (not for medals), and Naughty Dog employees will be playing in droves as ¡SKELZOR! Look for the paw print next to their user names.

And so Draketober comes to a close.

Jackman as Drake?

(click blog to link to MOST DISTRESSING NEWS ARTICLE)

So Nolan North, in an interview with Official Playstation Magazine UK, hinted that producers are looking into getting Hugh Jackman to play Drake in the movie adaptation.

I try to refrain from editorializing a lot on the blog, but I'm sorry, this makes me really really nervous.

As North points out, the idea here is to get a big name to headline the movie, probably to draw in crowds that otherwise might not know the franchise. I understand the inclination to do this, but recent movie trends have shown that even A-list stars don't necessarily make a movie more of a success than anyone else would. Plus, I can't help but think that when people see "Uncharted, starring Hugh Jackman," they're going to get the wrong impression about the film. The average movie-goer is going to think "Huh, Hugh Jackman. Wolverine." Maybe they'll remember The Prestige, or Australia, or Van Helsing, or that he sings; maybe more if they're big Jackman fans. I don't think any of these associations will really be something Uncharted can benefit from. Jackman gets a lot of intense roles, and I'm worried that will give the impression of Uncharted being less light-hearted than it actually is, regardless of whether or not the movie delivers on that front.

I generally support casting lesser known actors for adaptation works; it brings far less baggage to a role that already demands a certain finesse in navigating it. While the internet favorite for Drake has been Nathan Fillion for a while, and while I see his appeal, he also wouldn't be my first choice.

Sorry to be such a nitpicky fan, but what it boils down to is that Hugh Jackman would have to absolutely blow me away for me to buy him as Drake.

Expect a poll on this topic next week :P

All the Behind-The-Scenes In One Place

Blog Talk Radio Interview

Click the link-- I had it embedded, but it autoplays, so I took that out.

One of my comments got mentioned! About how Uncharted has a large female fanbase! Around the 20 minute mark. I felt super cool, let me tell you.
Even though I was kind of like "what, because female gamers aren't hardcore gamers?" And then I felt bad because the mention of the TV commercial that was a little sexist kind of put Neil on the spot.
And I was a little miffed that the interviewers added a little bit on the end of my question that qualified it. As if female gamers only like Uncharted because of the hotness of Nathan Drake, and not because it's, for instance, a FANTASTIC GAME in all its other aspects (music, graphics, flow, pacing, cinematics, etc.-- you know, the stuff it's getting rave reviews on).
Not to get all soapbox on you here, but this attitude towards female gamers is (and has been) a big problem. The great thing about the Uncharted franchise is that it doesn't have that attitude that gaming is a boys club (except in that one TV commercial), but these radio bloggers kind of posited women on the outside-- boys like it cause it's a good game, girls because Nate has a fabulous ass.
Excuse me?

Anyway. Whatever. It wasn't really the right forum for that conversation.

"Thank God, It's Aliens."

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

These guys just missed Amy and Neil when they did their 100th episode a while back (which I actually remember). So they called back!

Notable news is that some DLC is coming out this year, as has been mentioned around, and there's going to be other DLC packages over time.

Please listen to this if you have the time (it's mad long). There's a LOT of cool behind-the-scenes stuff. For example: one of the concept designers early on suggested Thor's Hammer for a MacGuffin, which of course was what ended up being used in Tomb Raider: Underworld.

I'm still listening to the interview, so that's really it for me to say for now.

Also, just as a mention, you may have notice I've been posting a lot less. This is probably going to be the case for a while, since I am catching up on all my homework that got put off in the wake of the game's release. So if you're like "hey why didn't she post this thing and that other thing!" it's mostly because I'm busy, and because I don't have a compulsive need to post every teeny tiny thing like I did before when I was starved for Uncharted info.

EDIT: OMG I love Amy Hennig so very much. Why? Because she clearly had some issues with the commercial that I've complained about. It gets briefly mentioned about 5/8ths of the way through (no time mark, sadly).

McConaughey Was Just a Rumor

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

I really liked this interview, and in no small part because Amy Hennig was like "yeah I have no idea why anyone thought McConaughey was in the running for the movie." THANK GOD FOR THAT.

Also, she's totally possessive of Nolan North being his roguish charming self for them and how like every game company and their brother-in-law is trying to cash in on that now. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, AMY. I'd be possessive of Nolan North too.

The Closest I'll Ever Get

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Fortune Hunter Edition) at IGN.com

Check out this video if you want to be envious.

Watch Eye of Indra Episode 1 Here!

(try clicking the link if video doesn't load or whatever)

Hahaaaa check it out.

Some Behind the Scenes Videos

Here are a couple of behind the scenes videos, courtesy of Anonymous. There's a whole mess of them on Youtube, so you can check some other ones out there.

First Episode of "Eye of Indra" Out Today

(click blog entry title to link to Playstation Blog)

So, as the title says, the first episode of Eye of Indra was released today on Playstation Home (for free, btw).

It's pretty neat, as long as you completely ignore the Toyota advertisement in the middle, which is really kind of pathetic. Rika seems pretty cool, I gotta say. She has a sweet shoulder tattoo and huge hoop earrings!

Anyway, check it out.

EDIT:
For a test, they did a motion comic version of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Here it is!


Part 1


Part 2

Naughty Dog on Coin-Op TV

Coin-Op TV Live - Uncharted 2 & Operation Flashpoint

Watch This Episode on www.theStream.tv

The Uncharted 2 section starts at around 28 minutes in.

Video Games Are Harder to Make Than Movies

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Amy Hennig chats about how long it took to make the train level, reassures us about the movie with Columbia, and subtly digs at Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.

Some Amusement For You

(click image or blog title to see whole comic)

Freezing Problems

(click blog entry title to link to article)

It appears that Uncharted 2 is freezing for not an insignificant number of people. Exactly when the freeze happens varies, but it's usually the very start or very end of the game. It's likely not a console problem.

Sadly, this totally happened to me too. It happened on my friend's PS3, and then in literally the exact same spot on my PS3 at home. Luckily I had reached a checkpoint and picked it up without losing anything, but it was most distressing and interruptive. Hopefully there will be a patch soon.

Uncharted 2 is Third Fastest Selling PS3 Title In America

With the Japan and Europe numbers roughly guesstimated, they're projecting maybe a million copies sold by the end of the week, which is completely tubular. Yes, I just used the word tubular.

Aw, Evan Wells Again.

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Evan Wells took a break from his break to do a little interview with these guys over here. He is still a totally diplomatic guy when people ask him about why the Xbox 360 couldn't handle Uncharted :P

Motion Comic Prequel!

(click blog entry title to link to news)

Sooo it looks like Naughty Dog will be making a motion comic prequel about Nathan Drake, giving us a little backstory, using voice actors from the games. It's called Uncharted: Eye of Indra, I'm guessing Sully will be in it, and there's some new girl named Rika. No word on whether or not it's something you have to pay for or what, but uh, I totally want it.

New Commercial Spot

Ok, I've caught up on my life, so I can get back to posting crap. Here's a short and intense little TV spot. Totally looks like a movie ad.

Charted!

Finished the game on Normal this morning at about 7:30am. One sitting, 11 hours and 15 minutes. Fell asleep immediately afterward :P


All posts for the next two weeks or so will have appropriate spoiler warnings. I ask for your cooperation in this as well-- if you comment on something, please also make sure to post spoiler warnings too.

Live Chat With Naughty Dog!

(click blog entry title to link to chat)

There was a live chat with two of the ND team today for the release!
I didn't watch it yet, so I don't know if there be spoilers. I'm literally about to sit down and play so I don't really have time to sum it up for you :P
Anyway you should be playing too! So watch this some other time!

History Is Yours For the Taking

That would be the U2:AT television advert in Europe. Exciting, no?

Also the narrator's voice is kind of hot ^_^

Special Edition Podcast

(click blog entry title to link to podcast, or click link below)

Maybe that video review wasn't enough...maybe you want to listen to GameInformer's fanboyish praising podcast! (Probably Spoilers Within!)

Here's their review of the game too; they gave two perfect scores.

Video Review to Get You Pumped!

Here's one last little video review for all of y'alls. From what we've been seeing, nobody likes the early forced stealth level, but they got over it pretty quickly.

With thanks to d20 Sapphire who sent this my way and made me SUPER SUPER PUMPED.
HOLY CRAP MIDNIGHT LAUNCH IN LIKE 10 HOURS. GET EXCITED, GUYS. GET EXCITED.

Fortune Hunter Edition on Multiplayer!

(click blog entry title to link to PS Blog)

Didn't see this until today, but THIS WEEKEND playing the multiplayer could win you a Fortune Hunter's Edition! 10 people will be randomly selected each day to win it, starting today and going until launch.

Now go play! You don't even have to be good! You just have to be online playing!

Long-Ass Q & A

(click blog entry title to link to Q&A)

Best Buy hosted an online Q&A with Neil Druckmann and Travis Mcintosh last night. It is crazy super long. But chock full of information! I haven't read the whole thing yet, but it's cool.

First Walkthrough Up!

(click blog entry title to link to walkthrough)

Here it is. The first walkthrough/guide (that I could find, anyway).
They don't have a complete guide for all the treasures yet, but the whole game looks like it's up. I REFUSE TO READ IT. So if you want to check it out and find out if it's any good, do so at your own peril. I guarantee there are spoilers up in there.

Uncharted Ads Increase in UK

(click blog entry title to link to article)

This article is pretty self-explanatory--there's going to be a LOT of advertising for U2:AT, at least in the UK, starting next week, including an HD ad to run during the England World Cup qualifiers. It's unclear as to whether or not the ad to run in conjunction with the Discovery Channel programming is also in the US (I don' think it is though). In any event, advertising is good, since a big critique of a lot of PS3 exclusives is that they don't really get a lot of advertising.

More to Come in Multiplayer

(click blog entry title to link to article)

In response to the queries of thousands of multiplayer demo players, Naughty Dog clarified what additional stuff will be available when the multiplayer goes officially and properly live on the game's release date:

# Three more maps
# The full set of Co-op objective levels
# Three more game modes – Turf War, King of the Hill and Co-op Survival
# More skins, boosters and taunts in the ingame Store

Also, Naughty Dog has confirmed downloadable content for competitive multiplayer at least (things like new maps, modes, etc.). Co-op DLC is unlikely at this point.

A Guest Entry!

So I managed to obtain a pair of reservations and convince an acquaintance of mine from Chicago to go to the Chicago cinema event on Monday! And he wrote a little piece for the blog for me!

It's more a review of the game than coverage of the event, and it's definitely an unbiased opinion, which is probably a good thing to have on this blog every now and then :P


Even though this article constitutes impressions of a game that many people are no doubt eagerly anticipating, I should warn you that some fanboys reading this might not like some things I have to say. I am not a Sony fanboy, in fact I have only owned a PS2 and PSP for a combined total of about a year, I stick mainly to PC now.

Still, being an avid gamer with an open mind I can admit that even though I don't own a PS3 there are many games I wouldn't mind trying on the system when it gets to a price I can afford. Somewhere in my mind, between Killzone 2 and Little Big Planet, is Uncharted, a game that looked amazing when it was released earlier in the console's life cycle. It's sequel, Uncharted 2, is being released October 13th. There was an event held in Chicago and I attended eager to try the title, and finally get to see a PS3 outside of a store kiosk (none of my friends own one).

I took a guest with me to the event, he's a friend who didn't mind the PS style controller (I don't like how the analog sticks are placed on PS controllers, preferring Gamecube or 360 style layouts), and who also is an avid gamer completing more action titles than my exploration/puzzle/RTS playing self could ever hope to complete.

Seeing as how this is an Uncharted 2 blog I assume all of you are familiar with the storyline and gameplay of the first game. My friend and I have no experience with the PS3 really, nor did we know the original Uncharted's storyline or gameplay style. What follows is our impressions of Uncharted 2 from our short time with it.

I'll start with the bad, as my friend put it, the game does nothing new, but everything it does do it does very very well. From shooting to maneuvering around the environment the controls were very responsive, and he never had any problems doing what he wanted. We did see other people having issues with getting off of a ladder (they would drop off the ladder and then start climbing before dropping off again and finally walking past the ladder like they wanted), and having issues with object interaction (i.e. trying to interact with an object and then getting into a cover position instead against the object), but these happen in any game so I can't find fault with Uncharted 2 specifically in this regard, for all intents and purposes the game plays amazingly well.

From a technical standpoint the game is gorgeous and utilizes many nice buzzwords like HDR lighting, realtime shadows (these are all affected by dynamic lights like the ones on Nate's belt), and ambient occlusion. From an artistic viewpoint the water and snow are absolutely jaw dropping, though water still is a little too thin (I have no idea how else to describe it, it's almost like the water reacts too much in some cases, but that is coming from someone who is picky about everything). However, don't believe anyone telling you this game is photo-realistic. It is amazingly detailed and looks great in motion, but it is stylized and it's not going to look real. However it is very easy to just fall into the games visuals and be immersed, perhaps more so than Mass Effect, the last game I found myself so drawn into visually. Everything from a setting sun to bullets ricocheting around to items toppling off a table all help suspend disbelief and make the world seem more real that anyone would have dreamed possible only a couple years ago.

We got to only play one area sadly, and couldn't really hear the character voices or music so I can't comment on that aspect of the game, but in general from what we heard from tvs while wandering around the event the acting is some of the best in recent memory, perhaps only being beaten out by Halo3:ODST (though it's a tough call for us and if we had a better environment to play in it is possibly Uncharted 2 might just win that category)

The area we played in was a jungle setting, we tried to not pay attention to the storyline much, as we both still want to play the first game and don't want many spoilers, but the exploration to me seemed limited, almost as if the game held your hand by making your path obvious. As someone who plays Fallout 3 and Elder Scrolls 4 for the open ended exploration aspects I found this to be a big issue, but my friend, a more seasoned vet of more scripted games like Call of Duty found no issues with the limitation. He was more accepting of the tightly crafted action sequences to the open ended exploration I was hoping for and he also pointed out the major benefit of this limitation is the pacing of the game is amazingly well done, never really making you frustrated but also never leaving you bored.

Overall, the game seems derivative in gameplay, and the fact that some people are giving it more than 100% in ratings (one french magazine has given is 21/20) shows how easily people are being led by graphics and it being a admittedly awesome game. Is it the best game ever? No, there is no such thing, but it will be an amazing game and one that a vast majority of gamers should experience if they can. Sony fans can justifiably hold this game up as the one of the greatest achievements this generation just based on how well the game plays and looks, not even taking into account the storyline. I do believe that as soon as I have the disposable income I will be buying a PS3, and this game has helped me with that decision.

--The author would like to remain anonymous, but you can check out his blog here.

Interview with Claudia Black

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Here's a nice little interview with Claudia Black. I think she's got a lot of really good insights into gaming and where it's going, as well as acting and playing a tough but believable, likable female character, which Chloe definitely is.

How To Kick Ass at Multiplayer

(click blog entry title to link to guide)

Here's a cool little strategy guide for how to maximize your skills at deathmatch multiplayer. Take notes everyone!

Cinema Event Day One

(click blog entry title to link to blog)

So last night was the VIP Cinema event, and tonight's the one open to the public, if you happen to be lucky enough to live anywhere other than the East Coast (I'm not bitter or anything :P )

There's some coverage following the link, and here's a video interview with Amy Hennig about the fact that they gave away copies of the game. EARLY.
JEALOUSSSSS.

Dougnut Drake and Sir Francis Drake Skins

(click blog entry title to link to news)

MTV Shows

LOL

About the Poll Again

Wow! Last week's poll had more responses than any other poll-- 50 in total (for those who missed it, Chloe got 13 votes and Elena got 37).

The current poll question is about the blog in general: I'd like to know what all of you thought of it. Ultimately it was a project that I did for myself more than anything else, but I know there have been at least a few people who got something out of it, and I'd like to hear your opinions on it.

I'd also like to take the opportunity to say that yes, this blog will continue after the game is released. Some of the stuff I'll be collecting will be reviews, fan-works, videos and screenshots, multiplayer news, and any information we get on possible sequels or the movie.

If you want to leave your thoughts, opinions, critiques, suggestions for improvement, or whatever, feel free to do so in the comments, or shoot me an email at redflame8839@aol.com.

Thanks for sticking with me! ONE WEEK LEFT TO GOOOOO!!!
=D

Sweet Screenshots, ¡en Español!

(click blog entry title to link to screenshots)

Here's just a bunch of screenshots, many of which are some nice close-ups of characters that we haven't really gotten to see much of, like Jeff the Cameraman!

Game Trailers Video Review-- NOT Spoiler Free

Holy crap you guys, I'm gone for a day and all this news drops. Oh wait maybe it's because the game comes out in little more than a week!?

Here's the Game Trailers video review, courtesy of d20 sapphire. They gave the game
story: 9.2
design: 8.9
gameplay: 9.3
presentation: 9.8
overall: 9.3

Their biggest issue was that the gameplay is completely unoriginal, just done very very well. Also they didn't seem to favor the linear level progression. Everything else was pretty excellent, though.

There are tiny clips in here that do actually spoil some things, so approach with caution.

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Review

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Behind the Scenes Videos: Now Spoiler Free!

(click blog entry title to link to videos)

There were too many videos to embed here, so I just linked to them all above. Haven't watched them yet, but they are said to be spoiler free. The article even says so right there on the top! Dive right in!

U:DF Trophies = $$$

(click blog entry title to link to blurb)

For those of you who slaved and sweated to get that Platinum trophy in U:DF, your efforts will not go unrewarded. According to Playstation Lifestyle, having trophies saved on your account yields you cash monies to spend in the Uncharted 2 store thing, for stuff like multiplayer boosters, skins, behind-the-scenes videos, etc.

Character Bios

(click blog entry title to link to bios)

Thanks to Anonymous, who hooked me up with this link to some brief character bios. Much of this can be found on the official Uncharted website, which you can link to from the toolbar on the right there.

Uncharted 2 Helping to Push PS3 Slim

(click blog entry title to link to news)

The PS3 Slim marketing campaign is being co-promoted with Uncharted 2, as you can see in the commercial below.



I guess it's an okay ad, the only thing is that I'm a bit irked at the gender aspect. The article says that "the campaign should help promote these products to a variety of demographics." Except, apparently, the whole "dumb girlfriend who can't figure out that Uncharted 2 is a video game" demographic. The graphics and storyline are as good as a movie but, you know, no way she'd want to play it herself or anything :/

I wouldn't mind so much if I could see a parallel ad that pushes the game to girls based on the fact that Nathan Drake is a total hottie. I think that would make up for it, and acknowledge the fact that not all girls who are interested in Uncharted 2 are dumb girlfriends, and us lady gamers are indeed 50% of the market.

Chatting With Wells Some More

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Nice little interview with Evan Wells, which amusingly mentions that Naughty Dog "would love to see Uncharted grow beyond the PS3" aka go on the PSP, which is pretty much in direct opposition to what was said a couple months ago. But hey, whatever!

First 10 Minutes Leaked

(click blog entry title to link to video...IF YOU DARE)

Some Dutch website posted some (excellent quality) footage of the first 10 minutes of the game, much of which is cutscene. But uh, it goes without saying: SPOILER ALERT.

I watched it. I am weak.

Awards For Draketober!

(click blog entry title to link to review)

Reviews are trickling in, and so far U2:AT is pulling a 97 at metacritic, a website that compiles most official reviews. Not bad!

Also. I'm totally calling it Draketober (a name that a very wonderful friend of mine came up with). She made a list of ways to celebrate Draketober, which you can find (along with a most handsome holiday banner) here. So get excited!

A Small Explanation

I just wanted to say something about the poll over there on the sidebar. I've been saving this poll question, and as there's only two weeks to go 'till release, I figured now was as good a time as any.

I'm sure you've all figured out that I'm a complete Nate/Elena fangirl, but I've been warming up to Chloe over the last few months, especially as a dynamic and engaging character who is going to really affect the way the story unfolds. That's why I didn't want to pin down any particular question.

So the question can be whatever you want it to be. It could be who you think is prettier, or who is more badass, or who would win in a fight, or who has better dialogue, or something else entirely.

So. Choose.
Chloe? Or Elena?

What Are You Reading This For? Go Play the Demo!

Sorry I totally forgot to mention this, but for those of you who did not pre-order from GameStop, the Multi-player Demo went live today.

Twitter Apparently DOES Piss Some People Off

(click blog entry title to link to PS Blog post)

Evan Wells posted an update about the Twitter functionality-- the chapter completion updates are going to be disabled for a while, and there will be a downloadable patch to turn them back on.

Japanese Box Art

Anonymous gave me the link to this snapshot of the Japanese cover.
It's uh...Japanese.

AP Article on the Actors

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Here's just a little article about how the actors get to work together and improvise and get the lines just right for the characters.

Missed One

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at IGN.com

Somehow I missed this interview with Richard Lamarchand.

I Can't Even Imagine

(click blog entry title to link to news blurb)

So it had been stated that Uncharted can be a franchise as long as it is in demand, which was basically like saying "yeah, we can totally do an Uncharted 3."

Neil Druckmann apparently stated that Uncharted 3 would probably look better than Uncharted 2.

HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE.

There We Go

(click blog entry title to link to news announcement)

According to this source, at least, we've got an earlier date for the UK release: October 16th, 3 days after the NA release.

X-Play Videos

(click blog entry title to link to videos)

The X-Play episode aired last night, and you can watch pretty much all of it by following the link. Hopefully that link will stay relevant, but those first 6 or 7 videos are all from the episode. Enjoy.

Hennig Tweet-Interview

Another interview with Amy Hennig, this one with questions provided via Twitter.

Uncharted 2 Special on X-Play

(click blog entry title to link to announcement)

Next Tuesday, September 22, at 6:30 pm on X-Play will be a special on U2:AT, probably similar to what we saw on GameTrailers TV

First Machinima Mode Video

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)



Here's the first product of the Machinima mode. Not too bad, I think.

Watch/Read This Review. Now.

(click blog entry title to link to print review)
*YARRR THERE BE SPOILERS*

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at IGN.com

This is a fabulously helpful review. It actually gives us some most excellent information about the game itself, as well as honest-to-god critiques of the game, which I really appreciate.

Also it gave me this screenshot, which must be shared with the world.


Overall it got 9.5, plus Editor's Choice. Not too shabby.

Also, Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

The Rave Reviews Begin

(click blog entry title to link to review)

GamesRadar gave it 10/10. Reading their review made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They also provided the hilarious clip from the game (see below), reminding me just why I love Sully so much, as well as a cute little easter egg that I can't wait to find :D

Naughty Dog REALLY Loves Twitter

(click blog entry title to link to article)

I'm still a little hazy on how it works because I haven't tried it yet, but apparently you can set up the multiplayer demo to tweet every thing you do.

I can see this being useful if, for instance, you check Twitter compulsively and you see that your friend just logged on, so you rush home to play. Also I can see this pissing people off immensely.

No "Precise Ninja Powers"

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Nice hefty interview here, mostly about hardware and how the animation works and so on. Good discussion of the technical aspects of the game, and of course a little about how much we love Drake, how he's fallible, character-driven story etc. etc.

Also, here is a video interview as well.

More Uncharted 2: Among Thieves News & Previews

Multiplayer Demo Live Today

(click blog entry title to link to blog)

PS you guys, if you pre-ordered from Game Stop, the multiplayer demo went live today.

Now stop reading this blog and go kick some ass.

Reviews Begin

(click blog entry title to link to blog post)

Playstation Blog reviewed Uncharted 2, gave it 5 out of 5, and also gave it Editor's Choice of the month. Yay!

But These Go to Eleven!

(click blog entry title to link to news report)

Apparently the French PSM3 magazine did a review of Uncharted 2 and gave it 21/20.

Yes. That's what it says. 21/20.

Ahhhhhhhh that's kind of glorious. As these guys phrased it, it means that Uncharted 2 is MORE THAN PERFECT.

:D

Trophy List

(click blog entry title to link to article)

So the list of Trophies got leaked, and it looks pretty similar to the Trophy list from U:DF. There's one for finishing an online competitive game and an online co-op game, but it's not like "50 kills in one game" or anything stupid like that.

Multiplayer Round 2

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Plaza level fly-through:

More Uncharted 2: Among Thieves News & Previews

Temple level fly-through:

More Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Info

The first video is the level we've seen already; the second is the Temple level that we will have new access to, along with the Ice Caves, in the second wave of multiplayer demo/testing what-have-you. There will be the two old game-modes (Deathmatch and Plunder), plus two new ones: Elimination (defeat the entire opposing team) and Chain Reaction (Capture the Flag, but you have to get the flags in a particular order).

The money/store option will be available, as will the Cinema mode, new skins, and most of the unlockable boosters.
After the game's release your account will be reset, with levels and boosters wiped, but if you link your Twitter account to the game you can Tweet your accomplishments for posterity.

Gone Gold!

(click blog entry title to link to PS Blog announcement)

In addition to letting us know that U2:AT has gone to print, the PS Blog also announced that there will be four sneak peek events of the game on 10/5 and 10/6.

Chicago Area – Rosemont, IL, Muvico Theater

LA Area – Thousand Oaks, CA, Muvico Theater

Seattle Area – Bellevue, WA, Lincoln Square Theater

San Francisco – Landmark Embarcadero

No Northeast area event, sadly :(

They also recommend keeping your eye on this website for more info.

I Want to be Amy Hennig

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | PAX 09: Creative Director Interview HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

She seriously has the best job ever.

Foul Play!

(click on blog entry title to link to news)

THE UK GETS A PURCHASABLE SPECIAL EDITION.

RUDE.

First Look at the Score

Thanks to Anonymous for finding this YouTube video. You'll notice all the clips are stuff we've seen, because the point here is that this is the first time we've gotten to hear any of the score on its own. We've got almost 5 full minutes of music uninterrupted by dialogue or sound effects or anything. It is just as lush, energetic, and moving as the first game's soundtrack.

Bigger and Longer

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Not sure if I've posted this information yet, but it's been confirmed that there's going to be about 100 minutes of cinematics in U2:AT (as opposed to about 50 in U:DF).

I can't seem to find the Amy Hennig interview that they mentioned though.

TRAAAAAAIN.

More Uncharted 2: Among Thieves News & Previews

FINALLY.

Wow. That helicopter is a total bitch.

HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS.

(click blog entry title to link to some kind-of-a-big-deal news)

So. Collector's Edition. According to our poll last week, people want it.

Well it looks like most or all of us are going to be disappointed by this, because the most amazing Fortune Hunter's edition can only be won. And no word yet on how to do it.

Most news on this when we get it.

UM. THAT LOOKS COOL.

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)


SWAAAAAAG. (From the Playstation booth at PAX)

I think that's supposed to be Nathan Drake on there, but it's kind of hard to tell. Plus he looks kind of skinny, yeah? Drake totally beefed up for U2 so I'm like what's up with the peanut arms?

Still. Do want.

Not-So-New Box Art

So here's the box art that isn't actually new, but now matches the new Playstation 3 game box design.

That's it, really.

Eek. How Unfortunate.

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Apparently playing Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on the PS3 Slim's Firmware 3.0 is causing the game to freeze and go all buggy. No one's got any comment, and this kind of sucks since it was implied that new PS3 Slim customers were going to be a big market for U:DF, in order to get them excited for U2:AT next month.

Exactly What It Says on the Tin

Perhaps you were saying to yourself "man, I really wish I could have seen what the Sony/Uncharted 2 booth looked like at GamesCom. Also, I have a strange desire to listen to pseudo-Tibetan trippy adventure music. And NO commentary is necessary, thanks." Look no farther, my friend. This video delivers.

Singleplayer + Multiplayer = A Whole Uncharted Experience

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Here's a really neat article about the multiplayer and some of the cool stuff we haven't really had explained much.

For instance, remember how there was a cash system mentioned that you could use to buy new upgrades and such? Well the single player campaign also earns you cash, and you can use it to buy skins and art as well as the player upgrades. Also some other neat stuff, like talking through the headset animates your characters lips, as well as the frequently mentioned cinema mode where you can edit games to look awesome.

Part of me keeps thinking "this is so ambitious, it's probably going to fall short in some way." But I'm crossing my fingers that Naughty Dog is as awesome as they usually are.

EDIT: Anonymous sent me to a video of an interview about cinema mode Check it.

Apparently Tomb Raider Has the Monopoly on Puzzles

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Here's just a tiny little article blurb thing, but it appears that someone asked a question of Evan Wells that implied that Uncharted 2 is "slowly becoming very similar to Eidos' Tomb Raider series, as it placed a bigger emphasis on puzzle solving." Wells defended by saying that it's a 60/40 split-- 60% action, 40% adventure.

Now stop me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that including puzzles to solve in order to advance does not make a game a Tomb Raider knockoff :/

I Can't Place His Accent, But He Has A Lot to Say

(click blog entry title to link to Evan Wells' tweet about the following video interview)


This guy is the fastest talker, and the most adorable dork I've ever seen. Also he says "character" about 16 billion times but GODDAMNIT that's what I love Uncharted for, so that's totally okay with me.

Naughty Dog Lets PS3 Owners Feel Smug

(click blog entry title to link to article)

In case anyone had any lingering doubts, Uncharted will NOT be ported to Xbox. This surprises and disappoints no one but rabid Xbox fanboys people who forgot that Naughty Dog is fully owned by Sony.

As mentioned, Naughty Dog's job with Uncharted 2 is "to make the PS3 shine."

And shine it does, Mr. Balestra. Shine it does.

How'd I Miss This One?

Here's another interview with Arne Meyer at GamesCom. You have to sit through the slo-mo trailer again but hey, it's totally worth seeing again.

Also, I didn't realize that this was the very first time the single-player was available to play for the average gamer. I keep forgetting that video game journalists get exclusive gaming privileges, and the only thing that normal people were playing was the beta. Now I know what I want to do when I grow up :P

Chloe Cinematic

*SPOILER WARNING*
If you're paying attention, this cinematic actually DOES have what seems to be a tiny plot spoiler. It's little, and you may not catch it, and it may not mean what I think it means, but it is there.

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | GC 09: Chloe Cinematic (Cam) HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

So this isn't actually a trailer, but rather a cutscene from the game. We've seen what leads up to it, and what comes after it, but now we've got a little bit to tie them together. I noticed that we haven't seen their trip to the hotel, which makes me wonder if that's when we encounter Elena and Jeff.

I'm kind of amused at the way I've been trying to piece together all the stuff we've seen into a coherent narrative flow. I think I've got a rough outline of the physical traversal, but obviously all the fun stuff with characters is missing.

Speaking of missing, where's Sully in these levels?

GamesCom Coverage and Interview

FYI: The level that was demoed at GamesCom was what we saw at the beginning of July on G4 TV, the "Heart of Ice" puzzle level. There isn't any footage of it, but here's a write-up on it.

You Climb Up the SIDE of the Train

(click blog entry title to link to new screens)

You can take a look at the set of 9 new screenshots, but the ones I'm REALLY interested in are the train-related ones (because the train level has the potential to be the most badass thing ever coded in the world). The particular shot linked to above shows Drake climbing DESPITE HIS CRAZY WOUND ("That's a LOT of my blood.") ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRAIN. Plus, check it out! Remember those rusty yellow pipes from outside the bunker in the first game? They make a cameo! How's it going, guys?

I get more excited every day!

Trailer #3- "Fortune Favors"

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | GC 09: Fortune Favors Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Thanks to my compulsive need to check Twitter, I can bring you the new trailer for Uncharted 2 from GamesCom.

HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS. LOOK AT THAT. SO BEAUTIFUL.

Also, let me note that the PS3 Slim has been officially announced to launch September 1st, as well as a price drop to $299. For those of you who've been beating around the bush in buying a PS3, this fall isn't a bad time to do it.

EDIT: I just noticed that Sir Francis Drake's ring is back. Nate wears the necklace in quite a few scenes in the trailer, although not all of them. This is veeeery interesting because we haven't seen it in any U2:AT promotional material yet; I'd assumed he didn't have it anymore for some reason (which was also my reasoning for the theory that this was a prequel, way way back in January when the only info we had was the first teaser trailer). This is something I'll be keeping an eye out for.

Location Comparisons-- Just Like Real Life!

(click blog entry title, or photo link below)

Again, some interesting side-by-side comparisons. This time, it's real locations in Kathmandu up against images from the game. Click here to observe the insane amount of detail Naughty Dog put into constructing a virtual world that evokes the actual city.

EDIT: People comparisons as well: here you can see just how much the character design has improved, particularly the polygon count and textures. The hair looks AMAZING.

Screenshot Comparisons

(You don't have to click through the link to see this cool business, but out of journalistic integrity I provided my source.)

Through some dude and some website called Neogaf or something this other website came across a most excellent image where they put screenshots of the original Uncharted promo video up against shots from U:DF, up against screenshots from U2:AT.

Click here and be AMAZED.

LOOK AT THAT. THAT'S INSANE. It's hilarious how people were saying when the first video came out "oh, it looks so realistic!" I know I was saying that anyway. Then the finished product came out and it was even crazier. And now U2:AT is arriving and it's all "BITCH PLZ, YOU AIN'T SEEN SHIT!!!"

One thing though-- I miss Nate's baseball shirt and Converse sneakers. I always play U:DF with the baseball t-shirt skin. Way awesome, let me tell you.

Revenge Will Be Sweet

(click blog entry post to link to news article)

If you were wondering what the "Revenge" attribute reward thing from pre-ordering at GameStop did, read about it at the above link, or in the next sentence.

Apparently if you have it equipped and get killed, it drops a live grenade that goes off 3 seconds after you die, probably killing the player who just kicked you to sleep.

This will make me feel way better when 13-year-olds sneak up on me and generally be d-bags.

Old Footage, New Commentary

(click blog entry title to link to blog post with footage...or watch below!)



What we have here in this video is "new" game footage that we actually have seen before. BUT here you can watch it with commentary from two fellow nerds who point out some cool stuff.

Now I was impressed that the dude here caught Elena in the corner-- I didn't see her there originally. But I'm pretty sure that he's wrong about this being the first time they see each other. Elena clearly already knows Chloe at this point, and if you will recall the footage from the E3 trailer it was sunny out and our adventurous trio was going through the introductions. So they've CLEARLY already met up before this point. But I'm just being nitpicky now :P

Another cool thing is that stuff changes as you play-- you can either kill the dude attacking Chloe or not, and she'll kill him herself. This goes along with the gameplay we saw in the Helicopter Roof Fight level where depending on when and where you enter, furniture can help you take out dudes as it falls out the window and such. Similar goes for the rocket launcher dude who blows open the gate (presumably).

Now one more thing I noticed here this time around-- I'm wondering if perhaps this is a point where Chloe betrays Nate? It seems that she was trying really hard to get them to GTFO as fast as possible, maybe because she had some kind of deal with whoever has showed up at the end of the clip, and now that they couldn't get out she needs to make it look like she has them trapped and will hand them over. So maybe she WAS being altruistic to Nate by trying to get him out of there before the dudes showed up and forced her hand. Maybe.

How Appropriate!

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Manveer Heir at Gamasutra wrote an interesting article about the topic that just so happens to be this week's poll question. Without giving too much away, he did not like "the twist" because it forced him to drastically change fighting styles.

This pleases me because it gives me an excuse to talk about my personal Uncharted experience, which was altogether a hilarious occasion, provided you weren't ME.

When I first encountered the Wham Level I was too scared out of my pants to really notice or care that the fighting style had changed. In fact, I immediately adjusted to it out of necessity. Dammit, something's charging me? SHOOT THE FUCK OUT OF IT HOLY CRAP AHHHH!!! My guy friends actually started screaming because I was screaming so much (in the girly, jumpy scared way) that it freaked them out just as much as it did me. And I was so scared of it that I HATED it (my friends found the whole thing quite entertaining though).

It wasn't until much later I read someone's analysis that basically pointed out the gameplay change, and how in the level leading up to the church shootout with Sully you are forced to switch between tactics as the two factions fight each other (a gameplay mechanic that Hennig and Wells mentioned in the interview, btw, will be returning in U2:AT). And then it hit me: what a great idea! Changing the tactics made the initial level scarier; you're being thrown out of your element, forced to adapt. After that point, when the supernatural shit has fully hit the fan so to speak, the gameplay reflects this by forcing you to switch and know what's what and how to deal. BRILLIANT!

Now when I play it, knowing what's coming, it's way more fun and tolerable. Still freaky, of course, even though it's lost that initial horror that you get when you're first watching a scary movie and you don't know what to expect. But far more doable now that I know what I'm doing and, more importantly, why.

So I'm sorry to have to disagree with Mr. Heir, but I'll be looking forward to a similar twist in the sequel, one that forces me-- after the initial rush of the story has subsided-- to step back and actually think about the game I'm playing, and evaluate what the game designers want me to experience and learn and why they chose to do what they did. It's called intelligent gaming, my friend. And I like it.

Nathan Drake's Resume

(click blog entry title to link to resume)

"Saved entire world from unknown ancient disease."
L. O. L.

1Up continues to entertain me. And also provide with tiny excellent details, like the fact that Nate and Sully totally opened a bar between games, the rather aptly named "Sully's Bar" (presumably the Playstation Home bar).

Nice screenshots too, if you click on the links included in the resume.

It's Officially Known As "The Three-Quarter Tuck"

(click blog entry title to link to interview)

Please check out the Hennig/Wells interview. It is quite funny, and has lots of excellent information, like speculation on whether or not Drake is a sociopath, why there won't be a single-player demo, how many languages we'll hear, and the difference between player choice versus player interpretation of character arcs. Plus a little commentary on "the half-tuck."

2. The Uncharted 2 Blog Doesn't Take Itself Too Seriously

(Click blog entry title to link to Day 2 of Uncharted week)

Today at 1Up, a cool long post about a visit to Naughty Dog.

Feel free to peruse it at your leisure, but here are some highlights:

--The combat-to-puzzles/exploration ratio in U2:AT will be closer to 60/40, or ever 50/50 depending on how you play (as opposed to the 70/30 ratio of U:DF).
--Drake is exploring with someone about 75% of the game. Amy Hennig continues to be the coolest person ever, claiming that this is so Drake doesn't look crazy anymore by shooting off one-liners when no one is around to hear him. (EXCEPT I DO THAT TOO. I thought it was okay cause Drake did it. I guess I'm crazy as well.)
--Not lame "boss battles," aka not quick-time event battles.
--Drake does not drive vehicles in this one. Only shooting. Probably cause it's manlier than driving a jet-ski.

If you've ever wondered what Drake looks like with a legit beard, this is it.


Also, if you will examine this photo of the junk in the men's room for long-hour-working programmers, I would like to call attention to the Windex. Apparently this counts as a hygiene product? I guess Naughty Dog employees are fans of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

And I particularly love this photo, which is where the entry title comes from.

Uncharted 2 Week at 1UP!

(click blog entry title to link to article hub)



Once again, Twitter directs me to some awesome media coverage.

Today we get some nifty factoids (over 30,000 cans of soda [and 1 bottle of bourbon] were consumed over the 2 years of Uncharted 2's production!) and some new screenshots (including the train!).

You can click through the link to the hub and check out what they've got coming this week, culminating with 5 minutes of new game footage on Friday. I'll be posting all of the coverage here as well of course.

Also, HOW COOL is the cover story image!? It's like an awesome pulp magazine cover. Love it.

I Need A New Title for Screenshot Posts

(click blog entry title to link directly to screenshots)


(click image to view full size)

These screenshots aren't really new; they're all screencaps from the E3 trailer. But they are REALLY nice quality screenshots, many of which would make excellent desktop wallpapers. The detail in them is superb.

First Limited Edition Info

(click blog entry title to link to blog post)


This (sadly poor quality) image is rumored to be the box art for the Collector's Edition that we have only been teased with.

Hopefully there will be some info soon about it.

For Convenient Desktop Counting

So let's say that you, like me, have a rather pressing need to know just how much time there is until the Uncharted 2 release, down to the last second. It's quite helpful, then, that I have installed a nifty little countdown clock at the top of the blog, wouldn't you agree?

What's that you say? You have neither the time nor patience to access the internet and navigate to this delightful little blog every time you want to check how much longer you must wait until gaming Nirvana is achieved? WELL my friend, have I got news for you!

Informing me via Naughty Dog's Twitter feed, it appears that "Lord Error," another hardcore Uncharted fan who uses his free time in similarly fangirlish constructive ways, has created a most excellent Uncharted 2 release date countdown widget for your Mac or PC.

It comes in large and small sizes (for those with limited desktop space), and has a cool little treasure chest that will open upon release date (the release date can be adjusted for those in the EU). The animation also accumulates snow that can be cleared off by clicking the chest, and after the release you can continue to use it as a normal clock.

Please enjoy. I certainly do.

Uncharted 2 at Lollapalooza

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

In shame and remorse for slipping in my bloggy duties regarding All Points West, I bring you news, via Twitter as per usual, about Playstation's presence at another music festival.

Presumably Sony is helping to sponsor Lollapalooza, as there is a Playstation tent there this weekend (starting Friday, August 7th). Uncharted 2 will be available for demo play all three days. If you are in the Chicago area, please check it out!

The Last of the SDCC Stuff, I Swear

(click blog entry title to link to video)

Here's some more video highlights from the SDCC panel (found through Twitter), as well as the Japanese version of the E3 trailer (also found through, you guessed it, Twitter).

Nobody Told Me This!!!

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

Apparently there was a Playstation booth at All Points West, which is a big music festival that was in Jersey this weekend. And according to this Twitter post by Naughty Dog, Uncharted 2 was there for demo playing. This is the very first I'm hearing about it, and I'm REALLY upset I didn't know because I was thinking about going this year but decided not to because the only things I kept hearing about APW was that Coldplay was there who I do not like. If I had known about any sort of gaming presence I would have gone.

Super disappointed in myself over this, especially since this is also important news that I didn't have posted on time. Sorry about that you guys.

If You're The One Person From Mongolia, Let Us Know!

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Yesterday, ND co-prez Christophe Balestra told us through Twitter the numbers on the beta, specifically how many people used it and where they were globally. There were 130,543 gamers total, 63% of which were in America.

It's Lazarevic!

(click blog entry title to link to IGN podcast past, or link directly to the podcast mp3 here)

Anonymous once again provides links to delightful stuff. IGN: Podcast Beyond's 100th episode features an interview with Evan Wells, who has not bought any yachts. It's about 5-10 minutes in, after they bitch about the Watchmen Blu-ray. It's pretty neat! Definitely check it out, it's about 20 minutes long maybe.

Official Uncharted 2 Website Launches

The official, Playstation website for Uncharted 2 went live today. You can link directly there using this entry's title, or go to the Uncharted hub (for U:DF and U2:AT) using the link in the sidebar.

They have a "news" section there, but it's kind of out of date. Not that it's a big deal; you know where you can go for all the up-to-date news :P

Just Some Little Tidbits

(click blog entry title to link to news post)

Sony did some press stuff earlier this week. You can read *real* coverage at the link above, but here's the basics:

--Beta feedback helped ND tweak gunplay: the FAL is NOT a close-range weapon (thanks for teling me that NOW, guys...no wonder I sucked so much), so single-player will teach you how to use it right. Also, the AK-47 aiming is getting improved.
--No Six-axis. We knew this re: grenades, but something that wasn't mentioned was that this also applies for beam balancing.
--No jet-skis :P

Kind of a Slow Week, Huh?

(click blog entry title to link to blog post and larger versions of screenshots)



Two new screenshots, one of the rainy escort level. It's so cute how the author of the post is like "Oh, that looks like Sully!" when we've known it wasn't for forEVER.

Anyways. Enjoy.

No, There ISN'T Madatory Installation

So my inbox was filled with some lovely blog posts from assorted gaming websites that were all going "Oh noes, Uncharted 2 takes up a required amount of HDD space on the PS3 and it's a mandatory installation blah blah blah."

Naughty Dog shot that shit down in a heartbeat via Twitter.

Yay Twitter. Debunking rumors since 2007.

Gold Rush Review

(click blog entry title to link to review of Gold Rush co-op)

Something I picked up from this review is that Gold Rush seems to require communication to do particularly well. This means headsets. I only recently figured out how to use them, and most of the time they're irritating because I kept getting like 10-year-old kids in Death Match who apparently were playing video games in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner, what with the amount of voices in the background. But one time I got a pair of awesome guys in Co-Op who were really into it and incredibly helpful, and the headsets helped us communicate and work as team way better than in any other match I played. So. Point is, headsets/teamwork/communication seem to be pretty important to the multiplayer.

Slightly less related is this article, which gave a run down of what we know about the game already, but it also included this picture, which is the first screenshot I've seen of gameplay from the train, IIRC


(Maybe we've seen it before, but if so I don't remember. Whatever, it's worth a second look.)

Amy Hennig at SDCC

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | SDCC 09: Development Interview

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Nice little chat here with Amy Hennig, who we don't really get to hear much from all the time.

Like You Were Right There In The Thick Of It!

(click blog entry title to link to videos)

So this guy over here recorded a nice chunk of the panel. Excellent sound quality! Check it out!

Thanks to Anonymous who hooked us up with this link.

Video Bonanza!

(click blog entry title to link to many videos!)

I totally found these on my own through Twitter.
There's a lot there; gameplay, panel footage, mo-cap stuff, etc.

Have fun!

More Coverage From SDCC Panel

Hopefully this video will stay up for a while. It's gameplay leading into a cinematic we've already seen, but it's still cool, if low-res and a bit shaky.

Also, some commentary on a funny bit of ad-lib dialogue that will hopefully make it into the final game is here.

Live Blog From Uncharted 2 Panel

(click blog entry title to link to blog archive)

Thanks to Anonymous who found this Live Blog/Chat-looking thing. It's sort of like a loose transcript of the panel last night. It turned out to be incredibly popular.

They talk about animating, ad-libbing, mo-cap, the game engine, and the movie. Apparently they also showed some new game footage that leads into the escort mission section. Hennig accidentally confirmed Uncharted 3 :P

It looks like it was a very fun and funny panel. Wish I'd been there.

Here's a little more information on the panel and gameplay being debuted there.

Co-Op Mode: Gold Rush

The multiplayer mode that is being debuted at Comic-Con is, essentially, the Treasure Plunder mode of competitive, only as co-op rather than competitive. This looks like the one I'm going to be playing a LOT of, since I loved both Plunder and the co-op.

Basically, it's capture the flag, except against the computer. Also you can play through multiple times and it gets harder each time.

Download Code: Navarro Skin for Multiplayer

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

If you happened to be at SDCC today, you could pick up a download code at the Playstation Booth that would enable you to get Navarro as a skin for multiplayer.

Check Out Naughty Dog's SDCC Photos

(click blog entry title to link to Flickr page)

Naughty Dog has posted 2 pictures from their San Diego Comic Con booth. They're demoing a new co-op level called Gold Rush, and presumably we'll see more pictures over the next few days.

EU Release Date

(click blog entry title to link)

Uncharted 2 comes out in Europe on October 23rd.

EDIT: It was recently announced that Oct. 23 IS NOT the EU release date. You'll know the real one as soon as I do.

Awesome. Merchandising Has Begun.

(click blog entry title to link to Playstation Blog)

Um apparently Naughty Dog paired up with some toy company guy that I've never heard of to make limited edition Nathan Drake vinyl figurines. I'm not sure what constitutes a "vinyl figurine" but I'm guessing it isn't plushy. And it comes in some weird ass colors.

Yeah, so I don't know whose idea it was but even though it isn't plushy I am totally going to buy one of these. Because if it wasn't completely obvious yet, I am a loser, and I can't really think of something that would make me happier than a soft cuddly chibi Nathan Drake doll. I'll take a figurine instead though.

EDIT: I was about to write "OMG I'LL JUST MAKE ONE" but I don't think that makes me look any cooler.

Release Date Announced!!!

(click blog entry title to link to FABULOUS WONDERFUL ARTICLE)

Thanks to Evan Wells' mad Twitter skillz, we have been directed to the above article, wherein deets on the pre-order goodies, multiplayer demo, and RELEASE DATE have been graciously supplied to us!

The multiplayer demo runs for GameStop customers starting on September 9th. The demo opens to the general public on September 30th and runs until release date.
Release date is OCTOBER 13th (countdown has been updated).

Here's a list of the downloadable pre-order bonuses that are available, so you can pick and choose accordingly.

* Amazon.com - Exclusive UNCHARTED 2 Treasure Map
The exclusive UNCHARTED 2 Treasure Map allows players to discover hidden treasures throughout the game.

* Game Crazy - Exclusive Currency Multiplier for multiplayer online use
The UNCHARTED 2 Currency Multiplier allows gamers to gain in-game currency and unlock bonuses faster than their opponents for a limited period.

* GameStop - Exclusive first access to the Multiplayer Demo and the downloadable Revenge Attribute
The Revenge Attribute is one of the last boosters that you can unlock in the multiplayer campaign. This bonus allows you to unlock the "Revenge" booster right from the start of your multiplayer campaign.

*BestBuy -- Exclusive gold skins for Baretta and AK-47 for multiplayer online.




And here's the box cover:


You're welcome!

New Gameplay to Premiere at San Diego Comic Con

(click blog entry title to link to announcement)

If you happen to be going to San Diego Comic Con this week, you'll have the chance to try something "brand new and hands-on" from Naughty Dog. They're at Booth 5200.

Also, a reminder that there is an UNCHARTED 2 Panel Discussion, Thursday, July 23 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.:

"Listen in as Naughty Dog demonstrates the performance capture process for UNCHARTED 2 and discuss how they deliver the active cinematic experience. The panel will include a Q&A with cast members and Naughty Dog staff including: Nolan North, Emily Rose, Claudia Black, Gordon Hunt, Steven Valentine, Amy Hennig, Josh Sherr, Taylor Kurosawa."

I REALLY wish I was able to go this year, but sadly San Diego is incredibly far away from me. Expect plenty of posts this coming week, just like what happened with E3.

If anybody who is going wants to send pictures, or do a guest review of Uncharted 2 @ SDCC, feel free to send me your shots or write-up at redflame8839@aol.com.

Metal Gear Sold 4 vs. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

(click blog entry post to link to Metal Gear Scholar blog)

So we're still waiting for some confirmation news on release date (besides reassuring us that they're still releasing in 2009), so I figured I'd let you guys take a look at this one blog's match-up between Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It's an interesting read.

Also, I just started doing a speed run-through of U:DF to see how fast I could get through it :P