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They have a "news" section there, but it's kind of out of date.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

Collector's Edition Still Up in the Air

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

Naughty Dog said that they have no news on the CE yet, and that box art we saw in the other picture was pretty much a placeholder. While I want to say that no news is good news re: collector's edition, I can't help but think that it might not be good news :(

Graphics Comparison

(click blog entry title to link to forum post)

Somebody over at the VG Chartz forum posted a side-by-side comparison of two screenshots from the E3 trailer and the recently released cutscene. The difference is even more astounding when you see them next to each other and enlarged. The amount of details that have been increased is beyond impressive, and to think they're doing this to the entire game is mindboggling to me.

Promotional Material Arriving

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

Naughty Dog tweeted about the cool cardboard cutout display stand they got(check it out through Twitter, or click here). It's pretty cool. I want it.

The French Know Something You Don't, Perhaps!?

(click blog entry title to link to translated-ish French page)

According to the French game site PS3 Gen, the release date for Uncharted 2 has been leaked and is set for September 30th. This is not too far off from the Game Stop date I've been using as the countdown marker, but Sony had no comment about it.

It seems that the release will probably be sometime around the end of September/beginning of October, but as there hasn't been an official date announced yet, this is all just speculation.

Difficulty Levels Being Playtested

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

Evan Wells posted on his Twitter that they're doing a full playthrough of the game this weekend in order to start adjusting for the different difficulty levels.

As some of you who may have played the game recall, Crushing difficulty was...well, crushing. Many of the @evan_wells replies have pointed this out and are asking for a bit of a break this time around.

While I did think that Crushing was quite a chore, it was also an achievement to be proud of. What really made it difficult was the fact that so much of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a lot of just wave after wave of bad guys who took an absurd number of shots to down. From what we've seen and heard, it's less of baddie grinding this time around, so hopefully the Crushing difficulty will be hard enough to feel like a challenge while not becoming tedious.

GameTrailers TV Inside Scoop!

^_^

So due to certain circumstances I was in fact able to watch this tonight. And let me tell you it looks completely awesome.

Above you can see the whole episode, including the delightful first full cinematic that we've seen. Some things to note:
* The cool old German dude. Dude looks pretty spry for 85+ years old.
* Elena!
* The guide we heard about played by Robin Atkin Downes
* Much of the voice over dialogue from the long E3 trailer came from this cutscene.
* Way to go being a cynical bastard Nate. I missed him so much <3

The new level we get to see is a puzzle/platforming level. Huzzah!
* Puzzles use the other character AI a lot more this time around.
* Much like in the co-op missions, we will need to help the AI characters to accomplish goals and such.
* Nathan's personal journal is used not only to help solve puzzles but also to read information on other characters and settings and so on. Also, somewhere I read that you have to manually flip through the journal to find the solutions-- it doesn't just pop up for you. Cheating takes work.

Other things that I particularly noticed from the full GTTV episode:
* Harry Flynn's appearance is from early on in the game, and is part of the team with Chloe that pulls Nate into the treasure hunt. No word on how long he lives.
* Bruce Straley was obviously mum on whether or not there are "surprise twists" toward the end. That seems like a big YES to me.
* There are more vehicle sections, but the only one we hear about specifically is the train one. That would be enough for me though-- it looks to be pretty big and exciting, no!?
* The cinematic feature of the multiplayer looks to be pretty kick-ass, and useful in analyzing gameplay too.
* Multiplayer can be edited by Naughty Dog without crazy patches. This means they can move around certain set pieces, like small bits of cover and gun/ammo placement, in order to keep the experience fresh.

Super exciting.

Coming Soon to a TV Near You

Video Games | GameTrailers TV | Episode 217 Promo

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Reminding you that this Thursday at 12:30am, GTTV on Spike will be airing the Uncharted 2 episode. I won't be able to see it until Saturday, but it'll be recorded and I'll report back on it as soon as I can. Enjoy.

Best Buy Pre-Order Bonus

(click blog entry title to link to the blog)

Pre-ordering Uncharted 2 at Best Buy will get you redeemable codes for two weapon skins in multiplayer: a gold AK-47 and a gold Beretta.

Uncharted 2 at San Diego Comic Con!

(click blog entry title to link to article)

Naughty Dog is holding a lovely little panel on Uncharted 2 and performance capturing at San Diego Comic Con this year. If you're going, check it out on Thursday July 23, 5:30-6:30 pm.

Soooo wish I could go to that. You have no idea.

Music Being Recorded

(click blog entry title to link to Twitter post)

Evan Wells Tweeted that they're listening through some of the tracks for the game. In addition to highly praising Edmonson's madd skillz and letting us know that the orchestra is mad huge (70 pieces! woo!), it's also a nice timeline update. They're getting close to finishing, but they're not quite there yet.
I'd say they're on track for a possible October release, but not much earlier than that, not if they're only first hearing the score in early July. They still need to mix it and remaster it and fit it with the dialogue and then code it into the game and stuff.
*Crossing fingers for not a November release.*

Multiplayer Demo, Second Time Around

(click blog entry title to link to news)

According to Cinema Blend, if you preorder Uncharted 2 from GameStop you can get access to a timed multiplayer demo from August 19 to September 27th. Not sure where they got this info, but whatever.

Straley and Hennig Interview

(click blog entry title to link to chat log)

Sorry it took me so long to post, I was away for like a day and then my internet was down. I haven't read the chat yet but so far I've heard the following:

*Release date to be announced "soon."
*Round two of multiplayer beta, and for a larger pool of players
*over 90 minutes of cutscenes in the game
*no local co-op, but more levels than what we've seen
*you can record and rewatch old matches you've played

That's all for now, more later.

EDIT: Just finished reading it, I highly recommend you also check it out!
Interesting fact: the first scene they did in mo-cap 11 months ago was with Nate and Elena; they did a great job keeping it hush-hush!