In ten years time, when we look back at the successes of the current generation, the Uncharted series will still be prominent in our minds. Nathan Drake's thirst for exploration, charming good looks and quick wit make him one of the most likeable characters ever produced in gaming. Of course, it helps that his first two adventures have been explosive affairs. Where Uncharted ushered in a stellar blend of action and exploration, the sequel's ambition and execution pushed the series to greatness. In many ways, Drake's successes echo that of Lara Croft, who established herself with the same confidence as Naughty Dog's hero. For a year that's seen some impressive third iterations, Drake's return is hindered with some fundamental problems.
 

First-fights are QTE heavy and plentiful. Luckily, they're also brutal...

Quite surprisingly, it doesn't take long to realise Uncharted 3 has some issues. A thoughtful opening explores Drake's past, reintroducing players to the frantic climbing mechanics that have served the series so well. Compared to the first level of the previous game, it's extremely reserved, but well-placed nevertheless. As you stumble into the first proper fire-fight, a handful of bizarre design choices begin to seep through. Uncharted has never possessed gunplay that's as tight as aspires to be, but for the most part, the excellent pacing of previous titles have allowed this to be overlooked. The problem is, when this leniency wanes, Drake's performance is frustratingly disappointing.

A large proportion of the game is set in tightly-constructed arenas, trying to fight off droves of insistent Brits. As usual, ample cover is provided, and the friendly A.I do a decent job of helping Drake eliminate foes. Naughty Dog has tried to make this a more direct affair, putting players into shoot outs that are more intense than we've seen in the series before. Unfortunately, the way the developers try and implement this is contrived and thoughtless. Enemies will consistently storm your position, forcing you to engage in fist-fights. This obviously pulls Drake out of cover, providing the goons with an open target to obliterate. When you consider they're pretty accurate on the tougher difficulties, this becomes extremely irritating.

Alongside these persistent flaws, there's plenty of other niggles to get to grips with as well. When aiming, Drake's sight often seems too low, pointing towards the crotch of his unlucky foes. Bruiser type baddies slowly stalk Drake's whereabouts, aimlessly ploughing through as many shotgun bullets as they can. This isn't new for the series, but when you consider the rush tactics everybody else uses, it only adds to the annoyance of being flushed out of cover at every possible moment. Run to another hiding place? They'll follow you straight there. The enemy A.I are also hilariously suicidal, often throwing grenades at the cover they sit behind, forcing accidental deaths that border on the ridiculous. This is something we've seen in a number of underwhelming titles across the last year (including the abysmal Bodycount), and for such a big release, it's amazingly sloppy.
 

Stunning set-peices interrupt some frustrating design choices

With this said, there's a lot of fun to be had with Drake's journey into the desert. As ever, the narrative is interesting and well-educated, placing players into a number of beautiful tombs. Although puzzles are relatively straight forward, there's a cleverness to their design that is missing from the action sections. The feeling of not knowing what's beyond the next test of logic is an exciting one, as the game excels when Drake's hunting for clues and tidbits to progress his furore across the globe.

Location wise, this is very much a mixed bag. The brilliance of the desert is contrasted by bland boat yards and other uninspired designs. The developers really do cover both ends of the creative scale, seemingly matching each of their good ideas with something terrible. Many moments take on the familiar 'running away' sequences that Naughty Dog have loved to utilise since the days of Crash Bandicoot, and although these are visually thrilling, they lack any real substance. Essentially, the player will engage in a game of hurdles as they sprint towards the camera. It's cinematic, but a greater level of interactivity wouldn't have gone amiss. This is reinforced as the game reaches its conclusion, where there's a stunning moment of escape. Here, the player is granted full control and must traverse obstacles as they continue to viciously shift. The lack of consistency underlines the entire product, as Naughty Dog fail to establish a set of rules that the player can adhere to.

In terms of wrapping up the expansive story arc, Uncharted 3 leaves many loose ends open for no apparent reason. Supporting characters Chloe and Cutter leave the main cast after the latter gets injured, and that's it. Did they get home safely? Probably. Or maybe not. Who knows. A feeble attempt is made to introduce opponents who break away from the human mould, but all this amounts to is a quick invasion of Ghostrider lookalikes. Even Nicholas Cage would have turned down this inclusion, as it lacks the shock-factor from the previous game. Although the action in the final scenes is some of the best the title has to offer, the delivery of the narrative's closing stages is rushed and ultimately seems rather weak.

A co-op mode has been installed for longevity, and it certainly performs well. Mini-missions allow players to competitively compete while searching for treasure and racking up points. It really is great fun with a friend, as the nature of Uncharted makes for a dynamic jaunt into co-op play. For those who don't fancy working as a team, the multiplayer realm returns fully intact, and it's just as fast-paced as before. There's no doubt both of these modes provide worthwhile extra-portions of Drake's much-loved world, and should keep series aficionados occupied for a fair while.
 

Let's hope Drake's new-found desire to fondle everything doesn't ruin any pivotal relationships

Uncharted 3 may have its problems, but it's still an enticing roller-coaster ride throughout. The title never lives up to the verve of its middle brother, often clouding the boundary between engaging cinematic visuals and frustrating gameplay a little too far. It seems the comparison to Lara Croft isn't a weightless one, as her series also eventually suffered after some poor design choices. It's not his best showing, but Drake's third release is certainly a worthwhile addition to the series, even if it's just to witness the set-pieces alone.

Top Game Moment: There are some great cinematic moments in this game, all things considered.