S&S Review: Uncharted Golden Abyss

Title: Uncharted Golden Abyss

Format: PS Vita

Release Date: February 14, 2012

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer:  Sony Bend

Price: $49.99

ESRB Rating: T

Before you guys start wondering, I do not own my very own Vita yet.  I am fortunate to have "rich" friends that don't mind me using it.  I have about 2 weeks of hands on time with it, and I'm going to try and cover as many games as I can.  I can say so far, that my excitement for the Vita was well worth it.  Nathan Drake is back again for yet another installment of the Uncharted Series, and just because its on a portable, doesn't mean it has to play or look  like one.

 

Presentation/Story:
Presentation in Uncharted games have always been a high priority, and Golden Abyss doesn't disappoint.  The team at Sony Bend( Resistance: Retribution) have squeezed every life of power out of the Vita and it shows.  The green leafy environments on the lush screen will make your eyes melt.  Now the game doesn't look as good as Uncharted 3, but it comes extremely close.   Drake is beautifully mo-capped and voiced by none-other than the great Nolan North.  The eyes of the characters look a little weird at times, but the character models are all highly detailed.  Audio is great, with stellar voice acting throughout.  A smooth orchestral score always makes an appearance in an Uncharted game, including this one.   Story-wise, Golden Abyss is set as a prequel to the first game.  New characters like Dante and a new pretty lady for Drake, Chase, adds new personalities to the story.  The game's story is pretty standard, you start off looking for ancient relics, then something goes wrong. I won't spoil it for you though, so you'll just have to play it to find out.  Like previous entries in the franchise, the presentation is stupendous.

Core Gameplay:
Golden Abyss, for the most part, stays with the original formula of previous games.  Although it does take advantage of the new features of the Vita.  This is one of the only gripes I have with the game.  Cleaning off relics with your finger and opening locks with the touchscreen really don't add to the overall immersion like they'd hoped.  These new "innovations" really feel like a chore, but they don't detract from the game at all.  Platforming, on the other hand, feel great using the touch controls.  Swiping along ridges to make Nathan automatically climb along high cliffs,  are a great addition to the formula.  Shooting feels great in the game, the dual analog sticks of the Vita make this happen.  Melee is also controlled with the touchscreen, which is actually pretty cool.  The gameplay of the console versions are translated beautifully, and keeps the famous gameplay smooth and fun.

Final Thoughts:
Uncharted Golden Abyss is a great portable game, and serves as a great handheld version of Uncharted.  With no multiplayer, its still worth the $50 price tag.  I had a few gripes with the gimmicky touchscreen controls, but thats expected with any new console.  Any fans of the series should already have this, and if you don't, you need to pick it up as soon as possible.

Final Score = 8.75/10

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