From the start, the game puts you in the shoes of protagonist Nathan Drake, who is hot on the trail of his ancestor Sir Francis Drake. Nate discovers that Francis Drake secretly voyaged to Arabia to find the mythical Atlantis of the Sands. This time the adventure focuses on the relationship between Nate and Sully, which is arguably the series' strongest relationship. Supporting characters from the previous games make appearances, such as Chloe and Elena, but they aren't nearly as dominant as they were in the previous games. Throughout the game, Nate is being pursued by a woman named Katherine Marlowe and her protection, Talbot. They're after Sir Francis Drake's ring, an item of great importance that helps to flesh out Nate's personality even further throughout the game. The game is extremely plot heavy, so I'll leave it at that. All you need to know is, this game has the most unpredictable plot in the trilogy.

Naughty Dog always puts a ton of effort into presentation, and this game is no exception. Uncharted 3's characters are wonderfully animated in cutscenes and in gameplay sequences. Everything, from the facial animations during dialogue, to the big explosive setpiece moments, is well animated. Even the little touches, like the way Nate moves his arms while walking near a wall or in tight corridors, are extremely well done. The environments are beautifully modeled and the locales are varied enough to showcase a slew of different moods and colors. The voice acting in the game is great as expected, and the in game banter from the characters is as excellent as ever. I have absolutely no gripes with the presentation, although I'm disappointed that the game doesn't support 1080p.

Now for the gameplay. I always felt that the previous Uncharted games had way too many shootouts. Uncharted 2 took a step toward fixing this problem by adding more puzzles, exploration and setpiece moments. Naughty Dog definitely got the right mixdown for the latest game. They've added a new melee system that uses button queues and environment-based context sensitive elements to create simple but intense hand-to-hand sequences. Also, melee combat varies depending on the type and the amount of enemies you're fighting. The game switches the gameplay up often by mixing some very intuitive puzzles, the new melee system, grand shootouts that don't feel dragged out and repetitive, and some scripted moments (like an amazing horseback shootout towards the end of the game.) The campaign feels satisfying and well paced, so much so that you'll want to play the game multiple times, and not to complete the difficulties, find all of the hidden treasure, and get all of the trophies, but to experience it all again and again.

However, there are a few problems with the campaign. I experienced a few moments where your allies would block your path and refuse to move, making it hard to backtrack. Also, enemies can sometimes get very close to you without noticing your presence. Small things like this can break the player's immersion, but they don't happen often enough to destroy the experience. I was also disappointed in the way stealth was executed. Stealth made its debut in the second Uncharted game, and it needed a lot of work. In this game, you're never sure when it's possible to complete an area without being detected. There were a few parts of the game where Nate implies the player should be quiet, but while sneaking around the enemies will realize that you're present, even if you're behind cover. The way you get through areas has no effect on the outcome of the game, but it would have been nice to know if it was possible.

Rounding out the package is the game's multiplayer suite. Uncharted 3 packs in a nice amount of modes which all add to your experience points. You level up, earn money and buy new guns, attachments, and boosters, which are the game's answer to Call of Duty's perks. Matches are fast, maps are varied and there are plenty of funny moments to keep you coming back. It's a nice change from the PS3's current multiplayer staples, like Resistance and Killzone. The best part of Uncharted 3's multiplayer is the vertical aspect of the maps. The different layers add character to the maps, while also adding a new layer of strategy. Some of the maps have changing environments, like how parts of the Chateau catch on fire and the desert village map has an occasional sandstorm. Variety is the name of the game, and Uncharted 3 pulls it off excellently.

Uncharted 3 is a fine example of what an action game should be. It's linear and immersive at the same time, it keeps the player engrossed in its story, and the characters are worth caring for. Naughty Dog hasn't skimped on any part of this game, and you definitely shouldn't pass on buying it. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is a must-have for all PS3 owners, and is definitely a contender for game of the year.

Final Score: 9.5 / 10