BitSnark

Probably the game of the show for me in terms of sheer visual impact and kinetic action, Naughty Dog saw fit to grace us with its presence at the conference to demo Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

What we saw was simply incredible.

Keeping the accomplished combat system of the first one and only applying minor improvements, but ramping up the aesthetics massively paid off dividends for Naughty Dog as Uncharted 2 looked like a sequel in the truest sense of the word.

Starting off at the top of what seems to be a penthouse suite (complete with swimming pool) overlooking a town simultaneously showcased two things namely the incredible draw distance and just how effortlessly the PS3 deals with huge amounts of geometry without slowing down in the slightest. Moving further into the demo, our wisecracking hero comes under attack from an attack helicopter which quite literally destroys the right side of the building, forcing him charge through the crumbling building and take cover behind various bits of ruined furniture whilst mercenaries attack him from the front.

Wheeling around to the north side of the building, the helicopter lets rip yet again, this time blowing out the back wall and sending huge chunks of concrete into the backs of the unsuspecting Mercs, killing them instantly. As Nate works his way down through the crumbling remains of the building he comes under fire from yet more mercenaries, prompting him to mix up cover and shoot tactics with good ol’ hand to hand combat to get through.

The best thing about all of this is that none of these events are ‘canned’ in anyway, as show goers who have played through the demo multiple times have alluded to the fact that the things never happen the same way twice. For example, the mercs who get killed by the flying concrete in the demonstration, don’t always get killed as sometimes they just aren’t there.

There is so much good to say about Uncharted 2 that it hurts, but one thing is clear, Uncharted 2 forms part of a staggering line up that Sony should be very happy with for 2009 and beyond.

Oh, and the multiplayer might even rock too.