If you remember the story from the second installment of Uncharted, then you clearly remember the Cintamani Stone and Nathan Drake’s dangerous voyage to get his hands on it. But what if Uncharted 2 hadn’t been about the stone? New information turned up in an interview where Naughty Dog said that the second game almost became centered around finding Thor’s all-powerful and irritatingly selective hammer, Mjolnir.

During an interview with Neil Druckmann, the director for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, GamesRadar discovered that there was more on the table than just the Cintamani Stone when it came to the second game. Druckmann said,

Druckmann had mentioned that they usually start with as many concepts as they can throw on the table and narrow it down until they get to the ones they really like, saying developers brought "as many to the table as possible," and while it "hit a wall here, or lost interest" in others, the Mjolnir idea was briefly explored.

From what I have seen of game development, it’s amazing to see all of these concepts come to the table and watch them grow and morph into this living and breathing being. Despite the thrill around finding Thor’s actual mythical hammer, I’m glad the games turned out the way they did. Discovering information like this is always fascinating because it makes you step back and wonder if one little thing had been different, how would that have affected the entire series, if at all? It’s these little changes that can sometimes make big impacts. Uncharted 4 has been confirmed for a May 10 release date with plans to release DLC.

In case you've been waiting for just the right bundle to pop up before taking the plunge and buying a PlayStation 4, the folks at Sony have prepared a new offering that might finally push you off of the fence: An Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection PS4 bundle, due out on Oct. 9.

Announced this weekend on the PlayStation Blog, this latest PS4 bundle should serve as a nice incentive to upgrade to the current generation of gaming, especially if you missed out on the PlayStation 3's phenomenal Uncharted series.

Most console bundles come with a single game. While that technically holds true for the Nathan Drake Collection setup (since it's all on a single disc), you're actually getting your hands on all three of the original Uncharted games, including Drake's Fortune, Among Thieves and Drake's Deception. Since we now know that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End comes out on March 18, that gives you plenty of time to plow through a trio of last-gen classics before heading into a brand new adventure next year.

Each game in the collection has been upgraded, too, featuring better graphics and sound, as well as fun tweaks like speed-running functionality, leaderboard, easier and harder difficulties and the ability to play as a boatload of characters. Here's the trailer, in case you haven't drooled over it yet.

Along with the game, this bundle includes a 500GB PlayStation 4 console, as well as a controller so you can, you know, actually play the games. There won't be a special paint job on the system but, given recent spelling errors with the Metal Gear Solid PS4, that's probably for the best. All told, you can expect to pay $399.99 here in the States for this bundle, or $449.99 if you live in Canada.

It's hard not to get excited thinking about all of the new fans coming to Uncharted once Oct., 9 rolls around, as they have no idea what kind of over-the-top action they're in for. This is one of those rare series I wish I could forget I played, all so I could experience it for the first time all over again. All three of the PS3's Uncharted games are packed with memorable, explosive moments, and the Nathan Drake Collection crams every single one of them into a single package. The online portion of Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3 will sadly be missing, but you're still looking at one heck of a deal for a console bundle.

After that, it's just a short wait until we can finally get our hands on Uncharted 4.

Movies have long inspired video game creators. In some cases, developers went too far and turned their games into little more than movies with worse acting. The full motion video games from Sega CD like Ground Zero: Texas and Mad Dog McCree still give me nightmares.

However, other developers struck a smart balance. They were inspired by movies but didn't merely copy them. Instead, these studios fused the story-telling style of their favorite films with top-notch gameplay. In doing so, they created truly unique and memorable experiences:

Uncharted 2

The Uncharted series unquestionably owes a debt to Indiana Jones. Each game follows a treasure hunter who can't shave as he races to find some fabled relic before his less ethical rivals can do the same. Said rivals end up beating him to the treasure, but in doing so unleash some kind of supernatural evil that our hero then has to contain. Nonetheless, Uncharted 2 showed that you can tell a great story even while you're biting someone else's style. Nathan Drake's adventure to Shambhala checks off every item on the Indiana Jones checklist (violent autocrats, sexual tension with female companion and daring escapes from crumbling temples) but does so with such verve and skill that Uncharted is now far more than a clone. At the very least, it's now a part-owner of the entire treasure hunting genre.

Sam & Max Hit The Road

Don't let the cutesy graphics fool you into thinking Sam & Max Hit The Road is a kid's game. The adventure game was actually closer in style to a twisted buddy cop movie. Anthopomorphic dog Sam and "hyperkinetic rabbity thing" Max are hired to track down a bigfoot and giraffe-necked girl that escaped from a local carnival. While trying to complete their assignment, the two cause untold amounts of collateral damage. It's surprising there was never a Sam & Max movie because this duo is much more deserving of screen time than a lot of other detective teams out there.

Spec Ops: The Line

Like Uncharted 2, Spec Ops: The Line smells like a clone. The setup is pretty much identical to Apocalypse Now. A three-man Delta Force squad is sent into a ruined city to find Colonel John Konrad, a U.S. Army officer who has deserted along with his unit. Still, this familiar story gets new meaning when grafted onto a shooter, a genre centered around mass killing. The Line is as much an examination of why we play games this violent as it is a look at the horrors of war. It's a dark, disturbing journey that you might find hard to shake off.

Heavy Rain

Quantic Dream has always made games styled after movies but Heavy Rain was arguably their best. The game follows four characters trying to track down the Origami Killer, a murderer who drowns his victims to death with rainwater. The big plot twist gets most of the attention but the truth is there are a lot of great moments throughout the game. The story is as strong during the quiet moments, like a father making dinner for his son, as it is during fight scenes. The game creates heroes we care about and then pits them against a truly unique villain - a feat many serial killer movies simply fail at.

Dead Space

It would be dumb to say that Dead Space is better than Alien. It surpasses a lot of other movies in the space horror genre, though. Player's trip through an alien-infested ship has it all: jump scares, crazy cultists, government conspiracies, and some seriously memorable monsters. The Dead Space series lost its way in later games, as EA tried to turn it into a multiplayer shooter franchise in search of higher profits. They should've stuck with the formula established by the first game: a lone engineer fighting for his life against grotesque creatures.

Sony has been repeatedly criticized for their offerings of content on their digital cloud service, PlayStation Now. A lot of the criticism comes in the form of a lack of content and high prices. Well, at least one of those issues are being addressed with the latest update.

Game Informer is reporting that five games are joining the list of playable titles on the Gaikai-powered PlayStation Now service, one of which includes the highly popular Uncharted 2 from the award-winning studio Naughty Dog.

The complete list of titles can be viewed below.

· Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

· God of War II HD

· Red Faction: Armageddon

· Galaga Legions DX

· Arcana Heart 3

Director of marketing for Sony's PlayStation brand, Peter Jamshidi commented about the new offerings, saying...

As I mentioned before, the two biggest issues with PlayStation Now is content and price. While Sony appears to be fleshing out the content side of things, they're still dealing with a lot of gamers having a hard time ponying up $19.99 a month for older PS3 titles. I mean, by comparison, if you had a Wii U you could just buy some old Wii titles from eBay, GameStop or Amazon for $5 or $10 and you get to keep the games. For the early renditions of the PS3, you could also just plop in your PS2 games and play your library whenever you felt the need. That was also partially true for the Xbox 360, which had some form of backwards compatibility with OG Xbox titles.

Here, we have PS3 games that aren't that old but require a fairly hefty price to play them on newer hardware.

Even though the PS4 now has some form of backwards compatibility, it's not quite up to par compared to what most gamers are used to. There's also that looming feeling of whether or not the price is even worth it. I mean, Steam Machines (on Valve time, of course) are just around the corner and backwards compatibility or monthly subscriptions aren't on the table. No worries about PS Plus or PlayStation Now – there's also the option of emulators for those of you still rocking your original PSX, PS2 and PS3 discs. Real backwards compatibility.

I think Sony just needs to really hammer in a solid line-up of worthwhile games, find a moderate subscription model that won't make people feel like they should start eying Steam Machines, and cutting the monthly costs for some of these console services. An expanded library and a decent yearly subscription might change the tune of some consumers, but for now you'll just have to settle for what's available in the PS Now store for your home console and portable devices. The monthly subscription price for PS Now is $19.99 and the three month plan is $49.99.

Naughty Dog co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra have directly responded to rumors about the departure of Amy Hennig, writer and creative director for the Uncharted series. They insist that she wasn't driven from the company by fellow designers.

Hennig's exit from Naughty Dog was revealed on Wednesday. The initial report from IGN said that Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann had forced Hennig out of the company. Druckmann and Straley, the creative director and game director behind Last Of Us, were also said to be taking over her responsibilities on the next Uncharted.

Naughty Dog's presidents didn't say whether the Last of Us heads are in charge of upcoming PS4 Uncharted game. However, they did assert that the two "were not involved in what transpired." Wells and Balestra added that, as co-presidents, they're "responsible for all studio affairs."

"Normally, we wouldn’t respond to rumors and speculation on matters that are internal to Naughty Dog, but because the personal reputation of two of our employees is being damaged we needed to set the record straight. There is nothing left to be said on this subject. Now we’re going back to what we should be focused on – making games."

IGN hasn't responded directly to Naughty Dog's statement yet. Yesterday they spoke with Scott Rohde, Product Development Head for Sony Worldwide Studios America, who also insisted that there was no scandal behind Hennig's departure.

"Amy’s one of my favorite people. [I] love Amy. How can you not love Amy, right?" Rohde told IGN. "[She was] an amazing contributor to Naughty Dog and PlayStation. I’m always going to have the deepest admiration for her. But things change, and sometimes change involves very high profile individuals. That’s all that’s happened here. There’s nothing else. There’s no more to dig at."

What we're left with is IGN's word versus Naughty Dog/Sony's. If you were hoping for a definitive explanation of Hennig's exit, you're out of luck for the meantime. The companies probably won't say anything else on the matter unless additional evidence comes out to support the initial report. Hennig, meanwhile, is likely bound by a confidentiality agreement.

When word first broke of Hennig leaving Naughty Dog, Sony said that "the development timeline of Uncharted will not be impacted." Sony and Naughty Dog have yet to announce a release window for the new PS4 game, which the studio started in 2011.

Hennig hasn't revealed what she'll be doing next. Her resume, which includes the original Uncharted trilogy as well as the Legacy of Kain series, should make it pretty easy for her to find a new gig, though.

Leaping from ledge to ledge at staggering heights, escaping a collapsing building as it falls to pieces around me and killing more pirates than scurvy. When I look back on the seventh generation of game consoles, Nathan Drake and Co. hold a special place in my heart and, of their trilogy of adventures, standing head and shoulders above the other two is my game of the generation: Uncharted 2.

Picking a favorite game from the past 10 years is surprisingly easy, as it is typically the first game that pops into your mind. We're not trying to debate which game is arguably “the best” game to come out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and PC since 2005. Nor are we trying to pick which game had the biggest impact on the landscape of gaming in general. Everything from Angry Birds to BioShock fits snugly on that list and, let's be honest, it's all subjective anyway.

Instead, I asked myself: Which game am I going to remember? Looking back on previous generations and given the added benefit of time, it's easy to narrow down the games that served as landmarks for a given console or cycle. They're the ones that instantly rise to the surface because they're the ones that, unadulterated by peer pressure, review scores and the like, you're most likely to think of because of the special period of time they sliced out of your life. When I think of the SNES, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island instantly jumps to mind. When I think of the PlayStation, it's Metal Gear Solid. So when I decided to mull over my favorite game of the past era and Uncharted 2 instantly leaped into my brain like the series' treasure-seeking hero trying to outrun a chaingun-wielding soldier of fortune, I figured there was no point in arguing with my subconscious, debating the pros and cons of other choices or rooting through my library to uncover some obscure, almost forgotten gem. It's Uncharted 2, and for a number of good reasons.

I often argue that video games don't have to be fun to be successful but, let's face it, that infamous “fun factor” plays a large part in determining how much you get out of a game in the long run. A good comparison would be developer Naughty Dog's other seventh generation knockout, The Last of Us. That game features some of the best storytelling the medium has ever known, some of the best voice acting and animation, etc. But it's hard to describe my experience with The Last of Us as “a jolly good time.” Its somber and dramatic tone and more than a few gut-wrenching turn of events are absolutely worth discussing and 100 percent memorable, but I don't think those moments are going to sizzle in the back of my mind quite like the amazing set-pieces, chases and death-defying antics of Uncharted 2; which absolutely reveled in its bright colors, fast-paced action and enough clever quips to fill a season of Friends. When you have a smile on your face and the adrenaline is pumping, the game you're playing tends to leave a deeper impression. And when that game does all of those things a game should do so well, it becomes a benchmark of a generation.

And that's exactly what I got out of Uncharted 2, a game that also does an admirable job of telling a great story full of wonderfully realized characters and grand moments.

You know how every now and again you'll play a game that just clicks with you, delivering an experience that almost feels like it was made specifically with you in mind? Well, that's exactly how I felt while playing Uncharted 2, the only game of this generation to bring me back for a second and third playthrough. Every aspect of the game felt like the team at Naughty Dog got together in a room and said, “Okay, what, exactly, will Ryan enjoy,” and then they implemented it into Uncharted 2.

My girlfriend likes to tease me about the game every now and again, dramatically asking, “Hey, Ryan? Can you imaaaagine?” The joke is that I unknowingly said those very words to her about a million times while playing Uncharted 2, as I was constantly awed by the jaw-dropping locales and explosive moment-to-moment gameplay. It's also one of those rare games that she was excited to watch me play, which only speaks further as to just how good U2 is.

I know I'm getting into the nuts and bolts of the game a bit too much here, but that's because those types of things are so easily quantifiable. It's so much easier to say I loved how the game looked, played and sounded than to try to find some sort of deeper meaning as to why I hold it in such high regard. It didn't come into my life during a particularly rough spell, as was the case with Metal Gear Solid, so I can't even say that the game “got me through some pretty tough times.” Several later games borrowed from what made Uncharted 2 so successful, but it's not like it completely redefined its genre, brought scores of former non-gamers into the fold or anything like that.

In truth, it was just a hell of a lot of fun to play, kept me entertained, lasted a good long while and kept bringing me back for more with some of the most underrated multiplayer goodness out there. Years from now, Uncharted 2 will be the game I bring up when people ask me, “Hey, do you remember the PlayStation 3?” Well, that and Deadly Premonition. But that's for a completely different set of reasons.

For those who jumped on the Uncharted bandwagon a bit late, wisecracking adventurer Nathan Drake’s earliest PlayStation 3 romps will soon be available for download as part of this week’s upcoming PlaySation Network update. Both Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted: Among Thieves will be available for purchase on PSN this Tuesday, June 26.

PlayStation 3’s flagship series had humble beginnings. Unchartedfirst appeared on the scene back in 2007, receiving critical success but little fanfare. But word-of-mouth worked wonders for Naughty Dog’s little shooter that could, eventually making Drake’s Fortune the go-to title for showing off what the PS3 was all about.

By the time Among Thieves was ready for the limelight, the developers had managed to build up quite a bit of steam thanks to the steadily growing fan base and an E3 showing featuring a now legendary firefight breaking out in a crumbling building. The press was floored and, by the time reviews started to roll in, it was clear that Drake had found himself a home alongside the greatest icons in the industry.

Now all of those breathtaking moments can be added to you digital collection as players are being given a chance to revisit the hunt for El Dorado and Shambhala in this week’s PSN update. No price point has been officially announced, though these types of digital releases usually go for $19.99 to $29.99.

If blasting shambling zombies in government facilities is more your speed, then you can also check out the Move-infused, HD-ified version of Resident Evil Chronicles: HD Collection, also a scheduled part of this week’s PSN update. This light gun game will have you shooting holes in the undead through dozens of levels spanning Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3.

For more information on this week’s releases, head on over to the PlayStation Blog.

Richard Lemarchand, a long-time member of the Uncharted team at Naughty Dog, has revealed that he's leaving the company. Lemarchand will be joining the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.

Lemarchand joined Naughty Dog in 2004. He came there from Crystal Dynamics, where he contributed to the Legacy of Kain and Gex series. He started out his Naughty Dog days on the Jak 3 and Jak X: Combat Racing. He then served as lead game designer on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and co-lead on Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3.

"I was involved with the development of the Uncharted series not quite from the beginning, but almost... and even though the Uncharted series isn't intended to be viewed as a trilogy, maybe there's something about the number three that felt... there is a certain amount of completeness for me," he told Gamasutra.

At USC, Lemarchand will be teaching in the Interactive Media Division. He won't stop designing games, though. As a research project, he'll also create several experimental games.

"I've always loved the experimental and avant-garde. I wanted to try to make a game in that sphere for the best part of a decade, now."

"Some are to do with procedural narrative; some are to do with space and exploration," Lemarchand said of these experimental games. "I've always been very interested in the power of environmental narrative."

Naughty Dog released Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception this fall. They haven't announced a follow-up yet - they're currently working on Last of Us - but Uncharted is a huge franchise so they'll no doubt revisit it eventually. Looks like they'll have to do it without one of the key members of their team, though.

Following the announcement of the Uncharted franchise selling more than 17 million copies, Sony has unveiled an infographic for Naughty Dog's series detailing Nathan Drake's journey and overall player statistics that many gamers might find intriguing.

The infographic reveals a slew of intriguing multiplayer statistics accumulated throughout the three main Uncharted games, as well as overall trophy stats. Protagonist Nathan Drake has also been showcased in the image detailing his journey from Uncharted: Drake's Fortune until Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. You get a nice, full graphical rundown of how the titular hero evolves over the course of the game's illustrious trilogy.

As displayed in the infographic, Sony recently confirmed the latest sales figures for the Uncharted IP. It's currently sold 17, 320,000 copies since the first installment that released in 2007. Accompanying the news was confirmation of a Game of the Year edition for Uncharted 3, so gamers will get even more bang for the buck when the GOTY edition releases later this year. The special edition will include all of the previously released downloadable content packs for the PlayStation 3 exclusive.

Sony has announced an impressive milestone for Naughty Dog's Uncharted series. The PlayStation 3 exclusive franchise has surpassed 17 million copies sold since 2007's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

Sony provided an exact figure of "over 17,320,000" as of April 12th, 2012. The series' inception occurred back in 2007 during the PS3's infancy with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Following that two years later was the universally acclaimed Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The most recent main installment, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, released during November, 2011. PlayStation Vita's Golden Abyss, a spin-off of the IP, launched alongside the Vita in February.

During the October of 2011, a press release by SCEJ confirmed the franchise accumulated eight million sales with the first two installments. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves claimed 4.9 million units from that figure.

Following Uncharted 3's release, meanwhile, Sony confirmed it sold 3.8 million units on launch day which was followed by a 13 million copies sold figure for the franchise.

Elsewhere, Sony announced the recently outed GOTY edition of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The special edition, which remains undated, will bundle all of the previously released downloadable content packs. These are:

• Classic Skins Packs 1 – 3
• Multiplayer Accessory Pack
• Flashback Map Packs 1 and 2
• Drake’s Deception Map Pack
• Fort Co-Op Adventure
• Co-Op Shade Survival
• Doughnut Skin Pack
• Rogues Skin Pack 1 and 2

Overachieving PS3 gamers have been hunting Trophies since 2008. The most coveted trophies are the Platinums, rewarded after a player earns all of the lesser Trophies in a game. Today Sony revealed the ten games that players have earned Platinum in.

You would think that the list would be dominated by some crappy kids' game with really easy Trophies. However, that's not the case. They're all popular, well-reviewed games:

1. Assassin’s Creed II

2. Modern Warfare 2

3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

4. God of War 3

5. Resident Evil 5

6. inFamous

7. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

8. God of War (GoW HD Collection)

9. Borderlands

10. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (The Sly Collection)

Sony's Jeff Rubenstein points out on the PlayStation.Blog that all but one of these games was released in 2009 or earlier. This means gamers have had plenty of time to work on knocking out all the Trophies. Furthermore, the games on the list have very few multiplayer Trophies, which tend to be a time sink.

To my eternal shame, I've racked up zero Platinum Trophies in spite of owning a PS3 since Trophies went live. In truth, I probably won't earn any. I'm more of a "finish the campaign and move on to the next shiny toy" type. Shooting for Platinums sounds like a smarter financial move, though.

The PS Vita shipped with Trophy support as well. I suspect a few of its games might creep onto the list. I get the vibe that Trophies will be a bit less time-intensive on a handheld.

While you wait for Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, you may as well play the first two games. Sony's making it easy by offering a value bundle of both Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

The Uncharted Greatest Hits DualPack will arrive tomorrow in North America. No word on whether other territories should expect the bundle. It's priced at $39.99 here in the States.

The DualPack includes both games as well as a "Super Voucher" for DLC. The voucher gives you all of the DLC from the Uncharted 2 Game of the Year Edition. You'll also get two downloadable extras based on Uncharted 3: a Nathan Drake PSN Avatar and a Dynamic Theme.

A trailer for the bundle is below.

Sony is adding five more PS3 games to their Greatest Hits collection. These titles will be available in new packaging for $29.99 in the U.S. and Canada.

The new entries in the Greatest Hits library are God of War III, Heavy Rain, ModNation Racers, UFC Undisputed 2010 (THQ), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Game of the Year Edition. The UC2 Game of the Year Edition contains the game as well as $35 dollars worth of bonus downloadable content. The Greatest Hits Heavy Rain ships with Move support.

If you're a PSP gamer, note that Sony added six games to the PSP Greatest Hits collection and five to the Favorites collection this week as well.

For the next twelve days, Naughty Dog is running a special event for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves's multiplayer. Cash rewards have been quadrupled and they've loaded up special multiplayer modes.

The following modes will be available during the holiday event:

• Shotguns Only
• Plunder Pistols Only
• No Power Weapons
• Desert-5 Shootout
• Deathmatch – No Boosters

You can play these gametypes in The Lost City, The Plaza, The Sanctuary, and The Temple maps. The event ends on January 3rd at 10 AM PST.

News broke that despite a Twitter campaign and many no-life Whedon fans vying to help Fillion’s career jumpstart with him taking the starring role in the Uncharted movie, it was a no-go. The Serenity star lost out in fulfilling the role of Nathan Drake in the upcoming game-based movie of the PS3 exclusive, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Instead, Mark Wahlberg will be reprising the role of a video game character, despite completely flopping already with a character that most people thought you couldn’t really mess up on the big screen. It’s too bad Fillion was passed on because he really does seem to have the charm, depth, characteristics and actual acting chops to play someone like Nathan in a silver screen adaptation of the Indiana Jones meets Tomb Raider action-hybrid.

Nevertheless, there’s very little hope that the Uncharted movie won’t suck and there’s even less hope with Wahlberg being in the lead role, and here’s a few reasons why.

For one thing, Wahlberg doesn’t look like a charming, nice, friendly guy. Heck, maybe he is or maybe he isn’t but he always looks like he just stepped out of a room with a bunch of sweaty, smelly guys who forgot to shower and then he decided to eat a spoiled pickle to sweeten the mood. In other words, Wahlberg always looks pissed. So why on earth is he playing a guy who’s trying to get away from the pickle-faced, sour-mood, pissed-off pirates that Wahlberg would be better suited playing? The thing is, Fillion would have been perfect for the lead role because he looks like the guy trying to stay out of the way of the pirate with a pickle-face. That’s sort of a necessary trait for Nathan Drake because, after all, he was supposed to be the unlikely action-hero who isn’t Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charles Bronson or Sylvester Stallone. I’m sorry to say but Wahlberg is the pissed off action hero who looks like a pissed off action hero. Drake is the tough guy who gets going when the bullspit hits the fan; Wahlberg is the guy who kicks the spit back into the face of the guy who threw it on the fan. See how how it all just falls apart?

Reason number two: With Wahlberg in the role of Nathan Drake there’s going to be that nagging inclination that for the third game Nathan may have to take on the looks or personality of Marky-Mark. You know how Lara Croft had a few “realistic” makeovers to embody aspects of Angelina Jolie after the Tomb Raider movies? Yeah, we really don’t need that happening with Uncharted. It’s going to be torture enough seeing Mark butcher lines and try to pretend to be a nice, “good” guy. Remember how that worked out in M. Night's The Happening? Blame Mr. Night all you want but it was Mark up there on the screen, butchering lines and being all ham-fisted with the acting.

Let’s be honest, there’s really no good to come out of this movie for Wahlberg. He’s already a superstar. Is it his life’s goal to ruin video game franchises by playing lead characters people don’t expect him to fully realize? Really? We all had high hopes that he could have brought respect to the gaming genre by embodying one of gaming’s most complex characters in Remedy’s highly praised Max Payne series. Unfortunately, the former leader of the Funky Bunch decided to one-note his way through the movie as if he was given acting instructions from a cardboard cut-out of a director and then decided he was just going to wing it the rest of the way for the money. Maybe it was also to prove to some douche-bags that video games are just bad imitations of art with a lot of shoot-e’m-up, bang-bang moments and little or nothing else to them. Nevertheless, if Max Payne: The Movie was Mark’s interpretation of a guy brooding after losing his family, hooked on painkillers and struggling with the death of his best friend all while wrapped up in a conspiracy to suppress a new, volatile drug, then I’m truly convinced he either a.) didn’t understand the character or b.) really does want to ruin video games by playing lead characters in the worst way imaginable in pitiful game-to-movie adaptations. If he's not careful his career could go the way of Mark Dacoscos after he did the movie Double Dragon. Everyone who asks "Who's Mark Dacascos?" you just proved my point.

The final reason isn’t really a look at how Walhberg would so much mess up the franchise as it is a missed opportunity to actually excel the franchise outside of being a fanboy fan-favorite PS3 game and a subsequently sub-par movie (because let’s face it, there’s no way this movie is going to be good). With Fillion playing Nathan Drake we could have finally seen the guy excel at what he does best: playing the go-getter that never quite gets it. In a way, Nathan Fillion’s career is almost an ideal representation of what Nathan Drake is fighting for (and chasing) in the game: A little part of self lost amidst the great adventure of life. The problem is that Walhberg is basking in a full career, and unless the director takes him aside and gives him a good lashing (which I doubt he will, given that Walhberg looks like he eats dumbbells for breakfast) we’ll just see another sub-par outing from the former dancer/rapper-turned-actor that won’t do much for his career and will leave a foul feeling inside the minds of gamers for the rest of their lives. So Mark Walhberg, you really have to ask yourself, do you really want to ruin gamers lives and a franchise that didn’t do anything to you? Really? Do you? Let’s hope the answer is ‘no’.

The first-year anniversary of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a few weeks away. Sony will be celebrating the occasion by re-releasing the game.

The Uncharted 2: Game of the Year Edition ($49.99) will arrive on October 12th in North America. Along with the game, it includes a download voucher for the following DLC:

• PlayStation Heroes Skin Pack
• UNCHARTED: Drake’s Fortune Multiplayer Pack
• UNCHARTED 2 Siege Expansion Pack
• Currency Multiplier which grants Double XP up to level 10 in Multiplayer
• Golden Guns option for the AK-47 and the 92FS 9mm pistol for use in Multiplayer
• Early access to “Revenge” Booster – you still have to purchase it with in-game cash!
• UNCHARTED: Eye of Indra – Motion Comic Bundle (which includes Episodes 1-4)
• UNCHARTED: Eye of Indra – Rika Raja and Daniel Pinkerton Character Skins
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Avatar Pack 1
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Avatar Pack 2
• UNCHARTED Avatar Pack 3
• UNCHARTED Avatar Pack 4
• Pinball Heroes – UNCHARTED for the PSP

Naughty Dog is also planning some special events for October 16th to celebrate UC2's anniversary. For example, they'll run a special, one-day playlist of experimental game modes. More details will be revealed closer to the date.

Well, now you've got a tough decision to make. Around the same time Modern Warfare 2's Double XP weekend went live, so did a Double Cash weekend for Uncharted 2.

Naughty Dog will also be rolling out another experimental "Lab" game mode this weekend. The latest "Lab" mode is 3 vs 3 Team Deathmatch. These matches have a 25 kill or 20 minute limit. All boosters are disabled for this playlist. It's playable on the Sanctuary, Train Wreck, and Jungle maps.

The 3v3 Team Deathmatch will be playable from now until 10 AM PDT on September 7th. That's probably about the same time the Double Cash event ends, too.

Next week, Naughty Dog will publish two more pieces of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves downloadable content. They've got a multiplayer skin pack and dynamic theme locked and loaded for an August 17th release.

The Sidekick Skins Pack adds eight new skins based on characters from both Uncharted games. By paying $8.99, you'll get the following skins for online play:

• Heist Chloe
• Borneo Chloe
• Borneo Sullivan
• UDF Sullivan
• Winter Sullivan
• Wetsuit Elena
• Dillon
• Mac

The new dynamic theme is based on the "Train Wrecked" chapter from UC2, in which a badly wounded Nathan Drake stumbles through the snow. Riveting. It'll cost you $2.99.

Update 1.09 for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is now live. The update makes a few fixes and adjusted the cash rewards for multiplayer.

The list of fixes now live are as follows:

• Changes made to multiplayer character skin system to allow for voices to be included with future skins
• Made changes to character game mechanics to prevent players from using exploits
• Fixed ability for players to “super throw” the treasure in Plunder matches
• Cash awarded per kill in Elimination has been increased to $750 per kill
• Enabled the ability for Naughty Dog to easily alter the amount of cash earned for individual Medals on a playlist or gametype basis and per-kill

Furthermore, Naughty Dog rescaled the cash rewards given by medals in Objective-based modes. To keep you on task, they reduced the cash rewards for individual medals while beefing up the rewards for objective-based medals.

Uncharted 2's experimental "Lab" playlist is back for another weekend. This time around, "Lab" matches will be Shotguns and Pistoles only.

"There are no grenades and no power weapons available for pickup on the map - in fact, there are no other weapons available on the map at all," wrote Naughty Dog. "On the other hand, riot shields and propane tanks are available on the maps."

The playlist uses the Temple, Village, Train Wreck and Ice Cave maps. It will run until Monday, June 14, at 10 AM PDT. You can give direct feedback to Naughty Dog about this game mode on the company's forums.

This is the second iteration of the "Lab" playlist. Naughty Dog runs a new "Lab" with different gameplay variations every other weekend. The first "Lab" was 2v2 Team Deathmatch.

This weekend Naughty Dog will be running an experimental playlist on Uncharted 2. The playlist is called, appropriately enough, "The Lab."

"During each weekend 'The Lab' is active, we’ll be running a playlist featuring one or more custom-tuned gametype variations from the tons of variables we can tweak in our multiplayer gameplay settings," wrote Naughty Dog on PlayStation.Blog.

Naughty Dog plans to run a new Lab playlist every other weekend. The first 'Lab' playlist, running from today until June 1st, is 2v2 Team Deathmatch. Two sets of players battle it out for 15 minutes and try to rack up 25 kills. Even if this mode doesn't sound like your bag, Naughty Dog's instituting a Double Cash Weekend so you'll have a reason to play anyway.

If you're an online shopping addict, your willpower will be sorely tempted today. GameStop offering several big releases from late 2009 and early 2010 at a discounted rate.

For the next 24 hours, they've got 16 games on sale. PS3 exclusives God of War III and Uncharted 2 are only $34.99 and $39.99, respectively. Xbox 360 gamers, meanwhile, can grab BioShock 2 for $24.99 and Mass Effect 2 for $39.99.

These deals will expire at 11 am CST on May 13th. Also note that they're only available online; the standard prices will still apply if you buy these games at a store.

Next time you die in Uncharted 2, you may end up in an unfamiliar place. Naughty Dog has release an update for the game's multiplayer spawn points.

The update is designed to prevent "unfair" spawns. It was applied to all maps and all game modes except for Plunder. Naughty Dog explained the reason for excluding Plunder on their blog:

Will new spawn points reignite your love for multiplayer? Probably not. However, maybe it'll tide you over until the Siege expansion pack arrives later this week.

Earlier today, Sony announced the Siege expansion pack for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Pricing details weren't revealed in the announcement but Blend Games was able to dig them up for you.

A Sony spokesperson told us that the Siege expansion, which includes Trophies, maps, a new co-op game mode and skins, will cost $5.99 to download. The content will only be available as a bundle; it's worth pointing that out because the components of the last DLC pack were sold separately.

The expansion hits PSN on April 22nd. Full details and screenshots can be found here.

Update: Oh, and if you live in Europe, you'll have to fork over €5.99 / £4.79.

Today Sony revealed that a third batch of downloadable content is on the way for Uncharted 2. The Siege Expansion Pack, slated for an April 22nd release, adds a new co-op game type.

In "Siege" matches, two or three players must capture and hold territories while waves of increasingly difficult AI attempt to stop them. All team members must stay in the territory in order to cap it. One territory must be captured per round and its location changes each round.

The expansion also adds two new maps, six skins, and eleven trophies worth 180 points. Here are the full details.

Multiplayer Maps

• The Highrise - "Towering over the streets of Nepal, The Highrise is a map with plenty of opportunities for players to get the high ground on their opponents. Set on a series of destroyed and under-construction buildings, players need to be on their toes as there are many different jump locations and paths around the map. Players should also watch out for the incoming airstrikes, as they can clear the rooftops in seconds."
• The Museum - "Set at dusk amongst the courtyards and display cases at the site of Drake and Flynn’s heist, The Museum provides players with a mix of intense gameplay covering traversing across rooftops, dodging gunfire through twisting corridors, and close quarters fighting. Players need to watch their backs as there are numerous flank routes in all parts of this circular map. Players should also learn the secret climbing routes that will allow them to get the drop on their opponents."

Multiplayer Skins

• Wetsuit Drake
• Baseball Shirt Drake
• Prakoso
• Platzor
• Glowzor
• Dead Explorer

Trophies

• You Can’t Break Me – Complete all 3 co-op objective maps on Crushing
• Under Siege – Finish Wave 10 in 1 Siege game
• Speedy – Get 10 First! Medals
• I’ll Cover You – Get 50 Defender Medals
• Fallen Angel – Get 50 Afterlife Medals
• Not So Fast – Get 20 “Shut’em Down Medals
• Jack of All Trades – Get 15 Triple Threat Medals
• You Run, I’ll Shoot – Get 10 Protectorate Medals
• Back At Ya – Get 50 Retaliation Medals
• Kneel Before Z… – Get 5 Put-em Down Medals
• Rock a Rhyme – Get 100 Tricky Medals

No price was revealed for the pack. Screenshots of the new maps and renders of the new costumes can be found below.

On Thursday Naughty Dog will release the next update for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. They also revealed some changes that they'll be testing.

In addition to a couple "under the hood fixes", Title Update 1.06 will make the following alterations to the game:

• Removed automatic shoulder selection when players click the L1 shoulder button to aim
• Delayed the appearance of the scoreboard to allow time for players to view any medals received simultaneously with player death

Once the update goes live, Naughty Dog will begin testing the following tweaks:

• Adjusted hitbox attributes so that players will take less damage to the character’s legs
• Decreased kill radius of grenades by 1 meter
• Decreased accuracy of Down the Irons by 15%
• Reduced rate of fire of the FAL by 10%
• Reduced rate of fire for the Dragon Sniper by 10%
• Collision and geometry changes to “The Fort” to prevent intentional glitching by players

"Intentional glitching by players"? Who would dare bring such dishonor to themselves?

This afternoon Naughty Dog released Title Update 1.05 for Uncharted 2. The update adds thirteen new multiplayer medals as well as a number of tweaks.

• Weapon damage and attributes have been rebalanced
• On-screen display of medals awarded during a match has been updated
• Implemented detection and removal of flagrantly idle players from the active matchmaking player pool
• Cash penalty for leaving matches has been adjusted and is now tiered by player level as follows:
• Levels 1 – 20 = -10,000
• Levels 21 – 40 = -20,000
• Levels 41 – 60 = -40,000
• Updated player networking protocols to remove all occurrences of “error syncing player data,” Level resets and Ranked playlist Skill Level resets
• Added crawling ticker display of leaderboard statistics to the multiplayer menu screen
• Updated multiplayer menu screen to include a “Trophy” selection to enable players to display and track progress on the new Trophies included in the Drake’s Fortune Multiplayer Pack
• Collision and geometry updates to various multiplayer maps
• 13 new medals have been added
• Defender - Kill a player that is actively shooting one of your teammates
• Finish Him! - Get the last kill of the game
• First! - Get the first kill of the game
• Fly on the Wall - Kill a player who is climbing
• No Cigar - Kill the treasure carrier while they are about to score the treasure
• None Shall Pass - Get 5 Kills while in the hill during a King of the Hill game
• Protectorate - Shoot and kill 5 enemies that were damaging the treasure carrier
• Put’em Down - Kill someone in the knockdown state with a pistol weapon
• Retaliation - Kill the last player that killed you
• That Was Embarrassing - Earn a shutout in plunder
• Tip Off - Be the first player to grab the treasure in a plunder match
• Tricky - Kill a player with a pistol weapon while hanging
• Unlucky - Die 5 times in a row without getting a kill

Next week, Naughty Dog will release new maps and skins based inspired by the first Uncharted. More details on that can be found here.

On February 25th, Uncharted 2 will get a batch of new multiplayer DLC. The new content includes Trophies, maps, and skins.

The six new skins are all based on characters Uncharted: Drake's Fortune: Drake, Elena, Atoq Navarro, Eddie Raja, Gabriel Roman and the pirate Javier. The maps are based on the first Uncharted as well. "Sunken Ruins" takes place in and around the customs house during a lightning storm, while "The Facility" is set inside a submarine pen.

Twelve new Trophies and multiplayer medals are also up for grabs. IGN's got the full list of each. Don't bother trying to grind up the prereqs for each before February 25th, as they aren't retroactively applied.

The skins and maps can be downloaded as a bundle for $5.99. Alternately, you can buy the skins separately for $2.99 and the maps for $3.99.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves at IGN.com

The Writer's Guild of America will be giving out another Best Videogame Writing Award this year. Tonight they revealed the five nominees for the prize, which will be doled out at the 2010 Writers Guild Awards on February 20th.

• Assassin's Creed II, Story by Corey May, Script Writers Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem; Ubisoft Entertainment
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Written by Jesse Stern, Additional Writing Steve Fukuda, Story by Todd Alderman, Steve Fukuda, Mackey McCandlish, Zied Rieke, Jesse Stern, Jason West, Battlechatter Dialogue, Sean Slayback; Activision
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Written by Amy Hennig; Sony Computer Entertainment
• Wet, Written by Duppy Demetrius; Bethesda Softworks
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Script Writer Marc Guggenheim; Activision

They did a better job with last year's slate of nominees, to be honest. There's some pretty notable omissions on this list, like Brutal Legend or Dragon Age: Origins. Also, I'm not sure how you can give an award to X-Men Origins: Wolverine - I mean it was pretty much just a straight adaptation of the film of the same name.

I suspect the reasons for any snubs are procedural. The game has to be sent in by the developer/publisher or by the writer's representatives so it's possible that no one entered Brutal or DA:O for consideration. Also, you need to be a member of WGA's Videogame Writers Caucus or in the application process for said caucus for your game to be submitted for approval.

Some PS3 owners might think Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was perfect but Naughty Dog didn't. In a new interview, co-president Evan Wells revealed what bugged them about the game.

"That's a pretty easy one, because we got called out for it in some of our reviews...it was the museum," Wells told G4TV

"We knew it wasn't 100% polished but we had to get it out there. We playtested it and knew there was going to be some hang-ups there, but we just didn't have the time to address it."

Judging by some of the Game of the Year lists floating around, I think gamers have forgiven you.

Today the Game Developers Conference organizers announced some of the lectures that will be held at GDC 2010. Uncharted developer Naughty Dog and Brutal Legend studio Double Fine Productions are among the companies slated to give presentations.

Naughty Dog will be giving at least five different lectures at GDC that pertain to Uncharted 2 and its production. For example, UC2 director Bruce Straley and co-lead designer Neil Druckmann will be discussing how they integrated story-telling with gameplay. Art directors Robh Ruppel and Erick Pangilinan, meanwhile, will discuss the game's - well, I'm sure you can guess.

Though Naughty Dog seems to be the most highly represented company in the schedule thus far, there's going to be plenty of other presents on hand. Indie designer Jonathan Blow will discuss the programming that powered his time travel platformer Braid. Double Fine's lead platform programmer Peter Demoreuille, Lead Platform Programmer and technical/VFX artist Drew Skillman will chat about Brutal Legend's visual design. These talks are geared toward developers but with any luck some information of interest to the rest of us will be revealed as well.

GDC 2010 will be held from March 9th-13th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Additional events will be added to the convention's schedule over time.

Naughty Dog announced today that two changes are coming to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves's multiplayer this weekend. The first is a new playlist and the second is an experiment with the game mechanics.

The "Plunder Only" playlist is exactly what it sounds like. You'll have the option of playing matches just in the Plunder game mode. The second change, which Naughty stresses is temporary, is a health reduction. Player health in all matches will be reduced to 65% of normal.

The health change will be in effect from Friday, December 4 at 10 AM PST to Monday, December 7 at 11 AM PST. They'll then look at gamer feedback through their blog and a poll to determine whether to make a permanent tweak to player health.

Naughty Dog announced a pretty sweet Black Friday deal today. Starting that day, you'll be able to download a new multiplayer map for Uncharted 2 for free.

The map is called "The Fort" and it's based on a chapter from Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It will be playable with the Competitive Playlists and the Co-op Arena Playlists. It will be part of a larger multiplayer update that adds leaderboards and player cards that provide snapshots of your stats.

This is the first downloadable content to be released for the game. Here's a video of "The Fort" in action.

The work week's pretty much over for a lot of us Thanksgiving-loving Americans but not so for Naughty Dog. It seems they're set to reveal something new for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves's multiplayer within the next few days.

"Things are looking up that we're going to have something quite awesome lined up for multiplayer at the end of this week," tweeted Naughty Dog earlier this evening.

Naughty Dog promised that downloadable content would be released for the game's competitive multiplayer modes by the end of the year. If they want to deliver on that promise, they'd need to at least announce the new DLC soon.

The NPD Group has released the October retail figures for North America. The Wii continues to sell like some sort of warm pastry while critical darling Uncharted 2 smoked the competition on the software front.

Hardware

• Wii – 506.9K
• DS – 457.6K
• PS3 – 320.6K
• Xbox 360 – 249.7K
• PSP – 174.6K
• PS2 – 117.8K

> Software

• Uncharted 2 – PS3 – 537,000
• WiiFit Plus – Wii – 441,000
• Borderlands – 360 - 418,000
• Wii Sports Resort – Wii – 314,000
• NBA 2K10 – 360 – 311,000
• Halo 3: ODST – 360 – 271,000
• NBA 2K10 – PS3 – 213,000
• Forza MotorSport – 360 – 175,000
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days – DS – 169,000
• FIFA 10 - 360 – 156,000

The strong showing for Borderlands is a bit of a surprise, considering it's a new IP. 2K Games definitely gave it a good marketing push though so it managed to make a respective showing. It explains why Gearbox Software considers a sequel to be a "no brainer".

You won't have to wait too long to get more Uncharted. Naughty Dog Creative Director Amy Hennig says that downloadable content will be released for the game before 2010 rolls around.

"We're working on that now, and what we're prepared to say is that there will be DLC available before the end of the year," Henning told IndustryGamers. "Without going into specifics, it'll involve new maps, new characters, things like that. Some of it will be free of charge and some of it will be purchasable."

Naughty Dog stated in the past that the downloadable content would be for the competitive multiplayer rather than co-op. They also mentioned that new modes would be released.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves's only been in stores a couple days but Naughty Dog is already tweaking the game's multiplayer. It fixes a common gripe among beta players: the playlists.

The new update adds two playlists, Elimination (Elimination matches only), and All Competitive Modes (every Deathmatch and Objective mode). In addition, they tweaked the Deathmatch playlist so that it's solely "vanilla" Deathmatches without any variations. Hopefully these changes will make it a bit easier to get the exact multiplayer experience you're seeking.

Still on the fence about Uncharted 2? Check out Blend Games' review for reasons why you should go pick it up.

If you're reading this review solely to get more ammunition for your discussion board fight, here you go: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a five-star game and arguably the best PS3 exclusive to date. Now run along while I tell the genuinely curious what in fact makes the game so great.

Uncharted 2 stars Nathan Drake, treasure hunter and purported descendant of English privateer Francis Drake. Two old friends ask him to help break into a Turkish museum in order to steal an artifact, which in turn will point the way toward Marco Polo's lost treasure. It wouldn't be a video game if this plan went smoothly so it doesn't. The ensuing story will be quite familiar to anyone who's seen an Indiana Jones film or played any of the Tomb Raider games - Drake and his gorgeous female companion(s) travel the globe trying to stop a madman from getting his hands on the treasure. Somewhere along the way, there's a "Oh, I meant the beautiful mountainside was a nice view, not your ass, busty generic female companion" joke. It's not the most original story but it's nonetheless compelling because of the endless string of tight spots that Drake manages to get himself into. If Uncharted 2 were a book, I would describe it as "page-turner." Even if I wasn't really that keen on Drake, but I still felt the urge to make sure he survived each cliffhanger (literal and figurative) and ultimately I finished the 11-12 hour campaign in two sittings. The dialogue, decently clever and performed well by the voice actors, makes everything more palatable.

One of the nice things about roving treasure hunts is that they take you to really exotic locations. Drake's quest will take you through cities, ruins, jungles and mountains. The character models look nice and all but they're nothing compared to the scenery. You probably won't pay it any mind while you eagerly race through the game's campaign but seriously, just take a few moments to enjoy the view. A lot of praise was lavished on the graphics of another PS3 exclusive this year, Killzone 2, but Uncharted 2 looks a whole better in my opinion. That might just be because UC2 takes you to nice-looking places like the Himalayas and Borneo while KZ2 was set on a war-torn industrial world. Point is, the game looks purty.

Because Uncharted 2 is set in the real world (give or take some weird shit toward the end of the game), you're not going to see as diverse a collection of enemies as other shooters like Gears of War 2. For the most part, you'll just be fighting mercenaries. Though there are a couple parts in the campaign where it can get repetitive, for the most part the combat stays fresh because of the well-designed levels. The enemies might not change much but you'll fight them in many strange, exciting circumstances - on the back of a train, in a collapsing building, etc. You can only carry two weapons at a time (a pistol and a long arm weapon) so you're almost always on the brink of running out of ammo. Sure, you've got plenty of cover to hide behind but there's often situations where enemies attack from two or three directions. Enemies will group up and advance on your position so you can't just pick them off at your leisure, either.

What's interesting about the campaign is that it has many stock video game moments but they're executed here better than they've ever been done anywhere else. For example, in one level you're fighting on the back of a truck. Other trucks filled with enemies drive by and you need to shoot them. This has been done numerous times before but there's one big difference here - you have to constantly switch trucks because the ones you're riding keep getting blown up by enemy fire. This is all manual jumping too, with no Quick Time Events or anything like that. There's little mini-cutscenes throughout the game, don't get me wrong, but the game keeps you in the driver's seat in a lot of situations that other games might just cover with a lazy QTE.

As a tightly-scripted third-person shooter with a cover system, UC2 is going to draw a lot of Gears of War comparisons. However, it's a lot more agile than Gears. UC2 features a lot of platforming action, with Drake climbing up cliffs and swinging across chasms and that's integrated into the combat as well. As with fellow PS3 exclusive inFamous, there's a lot of vertical combat where you're fighting enemies above and below you. You're able to hang off ledges for cover and attack enemies while dangling. In one of the most cleverly crafted gunfights, Drake is attacked by enemies on all sides while hanging from a high street sign. You're forced to slide back and forth along the sign and climb over to the other side as needed to avoid the incoming gunfire.

Another deviation from the standard third-person shooter mold in this game is the stealth system. For the most part you don't need to be stealthy but it's a good way to thin down the enemy ranks before the shooting begins. You can perform silent takedowns on enemies by pressing the Square button. The takedowns are context-sensitive so they're a lot of fun to watch. Creep up behind a guy standing on a ledge and Drake will simply shove him off. If you're climbing up that ledge, you can grab him by the shirt and yank him down. The stealth is pretty forgiving, too; if the enemy sees you before you land your takedown, you can fist-fight him and knock him out without alerting anyone.

Hand-to-hand combat is controlled by two buttons: Square for attacking, and Triangle for countering enemy blows. It's not all that complicated but its animations are as great as the takedowns. It's good that it's simple because you'll often find yourself brawling in the middle of a gunfight - again, the enemies tend to charge your position. The seamless transition between melee and ranged combat is nice in single-player and a godsend in multiplayer.

Uncharted 2's platforming is on the whole very smooth. The camera behaves itself for the most part and though there's a lot of crumbling ledges and falling rocks to encounter, they're usually visual flourishes and can't hurt you. The only challenge comes from figuring out what types of environment you can climb; whenever I plummeted to my death, it was generally because I was trying to jump and grab an unclimbable wall. Even this problem didn't crop up much because Drake has a companion for many of the platforming sequences so you can merely follow that person's path through the level. You could say that these segments of the game are sort of pointlessly unchallenging but as someone who has generally terrible reflexes when it comes to platforming, I'll offer this silver lining: UC2's climbing sequences provide a change of pace from the combat.

The game's puzzles are kind of in the same boat. It's almost like Naughty Dog knew that most people were playing the game for the shooting so they kept everything else relatively painless. There's probably like three or four large puzzles in UC2, generally centered around some elaborate mechanism in an ancient temple. For assistance, you can consult Drake's journal, which usually has a diagram or two that shed some light on the puzzle. Drake himself will say something like, "Oh, I get it, each symbol on the floor corresponds with a different switch" (or whatever) to goose you along as you flip through the journal. You can also get a hint from the game by pressing the up button. Rather than simply telling you what to do, the game provides you with little bits of information so you can figure it out yourself. All the puzzles are pretty easy, though, and generally aren't reflex-based. There's only a couple of moments where you've got to pull some switches and then quickly climb/jump to the next location. The puzzles are very impressive setpieces though and they're a necessity in any treasure hunting epic.

As you play through the single-player campaign, you'll earn money for kills and other accomplishments (like killing three guys at once with a grenade). A store accessible from the game's menu allows you to spend this money to unlock costumes, weapons, visual modes (ex: black and white), behind-the-scenes movies, art galleries, and cheats. The extras could make for an entertaining second play-through but you can use this money on the multiplayer store so most people will probably just do that.

Like Metal Gear Solid 4, UC2 is going to be viewed primarily as a single-player campaign but it boasts an impressive online component as well. There are six competitive multiplayer modes to be played on seven maps for up to ten players. The staple multiplayer shooter modes are all represented here: Team Deathmatch, Plunder (capture the flag, with a heavy piece of treasure), and Turf War (capture and hold as many territories as you can). The other three are slight variations on these modes. Elimination separates Team Deathmatch into rounds, with no respawns until the end of each round. King of the Hill tasks you with capturing and defending a single spot on the map. Points are awarded for every few seconds you defend the spot and once your team has been driven off it, a different location is designated "the hill." Finally, there's Chain Reaction, another "capture the territory" mode in which you must capture each point in a designated order. None of these are all that different from what you've seen in other games but the maps are modeled after locations from the campaign so you've once again got plenty of the vertical combat going on.

Naughty Dog also included three co-op multiplayer modes. The first two are called Gold Rush and Survival and are a bit like Gears of War's Horde mode. You and two other players must fend off waves of enemies. In Survival, the wave of enemies is finite and you simply have to kill all of them to advance but in Gold Rush they'll keep coming until you steal a piece of treasure and bring it to a chest on the other side of the map. You can revive downed teammates and you're given two retries per match if you all die. These matches capture what I like best about the campaign: those back-to-the-wall moments when ammo is running low and a squad of enemies is advancing on your position.

No doubt someone will ding Naughty Dog for not adding co-op support to the full campaign. They do offer a decent consolation prize in the form of Co-op Objective, though. Co-op Objective has three standalone missions playable with up to two other people. They're based on parts of the campaign but devoid of the storyline so you won't spoil the single-player experience by playing them. The three missions are not as well-scripted as the campaign and, even combined, are only a fraction of its length. However, I suppose there are some spots in the single-player campaign that wouldn't have really worked for two-player co-op, like the puzzles. These missions are a fun hour or so diversion and earn you some good cash for the multiplayer store. It's unfortunate that you can only play them online and not through split-screen, though.

The multiplayer store, like its single-player counterpart, allows you to unlock new skins. You can also grab weapon upgrades for co-op mode, taunts, and boosters. Boosters are like the Perks from Call of Duty 4's multiplayer. Mostly they're bonuses to your reload time or accuracy but there are a couple standouts, like "Situational Awareness" (allows you to see enemies through walls while standing still). There are also Badges of Honor, which take up Booster slots but actually give you a penalty of some kind; in exchange for wearing a Badge, you receive more money for your accomplishments. While you'll have a lot of money on hand from the campaign, you won't be able to buy all of this stuff until you reach the appropriate rank (determined by money earned through multiplayer matches).

Unlike some shooters, you don't earn new weapons through UC2's multiplayer. Weapons are sprinkled throughout the maps in classic deathmatch style. There's about twelve guns in the game in total, which probably isn't enough to make unlockable weapons feasible. I'm not sure if I'd keep playing just to earn a Booster that makes me run quieter. The wide range of modes available through the game's online component will keep you entertained for at least as long as it took you to get through the campaign, though.

Every time a PS3 or Xbox 360 exclusive turns out to be great, there's a temptation to say some melodramatic bullshit like "A great blow has been struck in the console war!" I didn't feel bad for Microsoft or Xbox 360 owners when I played Uncharted 2, though. I felt bad for Eidos. They've been trying to breath life back into Tomb Raider for years and along comes Uncharted 2, a similarly-themed game that trumps Lara Croft in every way. UC2 features many elements from other recent action games but Naughty Dog has pulled these various old ideas together to create something new and great.

Players:1-10 players

Platform(s):PS3

Developer:Naughty Dog

Publisher:Sony Computer Entertainment

ESRB:Teen

Rating:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves isn't in stores yet but gaming journalists, insatiable bastards that we are, are already bugging Naughty Dog about downloadable content. Here's what they had to say.

"What you'll probably see is more of the competitive [multiplayer] type: more maps, more modes, stuff like that," Naughty Dog multiplayer designer Justin Richmond told Eurogamer. "The co-op stuff is hugely time-intensive and the size of it - the physical download size - is huge, so that's probably not an option."

Added Richmond: "I'm not going to say never but for the foreseeable future we're not going to be doing that."

Uncharted 2 hits North America on October 13th. Europe gets it on the 16th.

It’s probably not what you think or maybe it is, either way Sony has taken their HD action-adventure game to select movie theatres and invited press to experience the game on the big screen.

According to Hollywood Reporter…

The event will mainly be for press and feature five-on-five multiplayer deathmatch competitions for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Tickets are available at the aforementioned select theatres for the blockbuster movie price of $15.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is due out exclusively for the PlayStation 3 on October 13th. For more gaming news, updates, info and insight, be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games.

Naughty Dog announced today that the Uncharted 2: Among Thieves multiplayer demo, previously only accessible by pre-order customers, is now open to the general public. The 1.5 GB demo can be picked up through PSN.

The demo is significantly larger in scale than the >multiplayer beta from the beginning of the summer. Compared to the beta, the demo contains two more maps, two more competitive game modes, and one additional co-op mode. You'll also get the chance to try out the cinema mode, which allows you to record and watch your multiplayer matches, take screenshots, and make your own machinimas.

Unfortunately, demo will only be around for a limited time. Naughty Dog will take it down when the game is released on October 13th. Don't embark on any masterpieces with the cinema mode as any user-made creations from the demo won't be compatible with the full version.

Naughty Dog brought Uncharted 2: Among Thieves to Penny Arcade Expo and showed off a new mission from the game. As you sleuths may have inferred from the headline, the mission takes place on a train.

Drake starts out doing the standard stuff - running along the roofs of train cars and shooting anonymous henchmen. Then a helicopter shows up and things get a little hectic. You can tell it's hectic because Drake starts doing his usual pissing and moaning.

Gotta love raw gameplay footage. Uncharted 2 hits North America on October 13th.

Video Games | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | PAX 09: Exclusive Train Gameplay

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

This is the second week in a row where Grand Theft Auto IV headlines the Blend Games Weekly Recap. This time, however, it’s all about the new Ballad of Gay Tony DLC trailer and screenshots. The first week of September wasn’t just about Gay Tony, though. Assassin’s Creed 2 first gameplay-only trailer was released, Alienware announced a new TactX line that includes a keyboard, mouse and the ability to test this stuff out with a new concept store. And, of course there’s the new adult-only SexBox game console that was recently announced for all your interactive pornographic needs.

In addition to the interesting, lurid and fascinating news stories that happened during the week that began on August 30th and ended on September 5th – we also have a bevy stockpile of new game trailers that you may have missed including Funcom’s amazing looking Secret World CGI trailer, a new dev doc for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 and new video trailers for Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles. These stories and more in the Blend Games Weekly Recap.

Sunday

Review For Batman: Arkham Asylum. The week kicks off with an in-depth look at how the Dark Knight handles the loonies from Arkham Asylum.

Gay Marriage Still Under Consideration In Tales Of Pirates. IGG’s Project Manager for Tales of Pirates, Neil Chan, further clarifies what happened with the whole same-sex marriage scenario after the original interview.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad Of Gay Tony Trailer. The trailer is now up for viewing.

Revenge Of The Balloon Headed Mexican Announced. Strap on the sombrero and get ready to exact some Balloon headed revenge.

Red Vs Blue “Guys Like Us” Halo 3: ODST Trailer. The Red Vs Blue crew take a look at the competition from ODST.

DarkEden Extreme Merges With DarkEden Genesis. The vampire hunting/slaying MMORPG has merged with another server offering more online goodness than ever before.

Postal 3 Will Offend Scientologists, Animal Lovers And Al Gore. That’s what Running With Scissors is all about…counter-culturism. Find out what else the developers have planned for Postal 3.

BITMAPS 91: In Defense Of Whores. It must be read to be understood, as the editorial goes over some compelling topics over at TheGameReviews.

Monday

Champions Online Blood Moon Announced, Five Screenshots Released. Expansion packs are already in the works and the game is barely out. Nice.

Buy One Interplay Game Get One Free At Good Old Games. Fancy some play time with an Interplay game? Well, get one and you get the other free. Good deal at GOG, eh? Click the link for the rest of the details.

BioSHock 2, Max Payne 3, Mafia II And Red Dead Redemption Confirmed For Early 2010. 2K Games has confirmed pseudo-release dates for all the games in the link. That’s good news for everyone interested in the games mentioned in the posted link.

Mad Skills Motorcross Gameplay Media Blowout. Utilizing the likes of the Wii-mote via Bluetooth, gamers can rekindle some nostalgia with this physics-based side-scrolling racing game.

Alienware Introduces New TactX Keyboard, Mouse And Concept Store. Live in New Jersey? Well, you could be one of the first to check out the gamers-only concept store by Alienware.

2BeeGames Extends $10,000 Indie Game Competition. Indie game designers have up until September 15th to turn in submissions. Best hurry to win that $10,000.

Tuesday

Interview: Neil Chan Talks About Restructuring Tales Of Pirates. New graphics, new gameplay, new UI and new characters. It’s all changing and Blend Games has the scoop.

Gran Turismo PSP Entertainment Pack Announced. Sony is offering a new bundle pack for the PSP…maybe now it’ll catch the DS in sales? Nah.

Captain Blood Debut Trailer For Xbox 360 And PC. Swashbuckling fun arriving on PC and Xbox 360. It’s actually a lot better than it sounds.

Ratchet And Clank Future: A Crack In Time Release Date Confirmed. Sony has let the lid off the release date for the upcoming action game.

Dead Space Extraction Is Gold; Pre-Order Bonuses Detailed. Wii owners rejoice, hardcore gaming will be returning soon.

Champions Online Dev Doc Media Blowout. This is actually a really awesome game and Cryptic further explains on why this deserves the attention it has been receiving.

No God Of War 3 Demo In God Of War Collection. Aw, fail. Anyway, it’s still cool that PS3 owners can at least play the first two games from the PS2.

Wednesday

Street Fighter IV Plot Explained In Giant Chart. Confused about the plot details that weren’t properly explain in SFIV? No worries, a giant graphical chart is now available to explain ALL the plot details.

Demon Soul’s Gameplay Walkthrough Video. PS3 fans can get a glimpse into the upcoming open-world Atlus game.

Assassin’s Creed 2 Gameplay Trailer Premieres.

EA Says No NASCAR Game Planned. Apparently EA is getting tired of recycling the same-old garbage each year across multiple divisions. Thank goodness.

OnLive Public Beta Begins. The death of gaming consoles begins with the birth of the OnLive public beta. Kiss console sales goodbye Microsoft and Sony, a new player has entered the game.

World of Warcraft Cataclysm Official Forum Opens. Complain about nerdom, fandom, and geekiness all in the one place.

Thursday

Grand Theft Auto IV Gets Title Update. What’s the new update do? Can you say “Banned Cheater”? If so, then you already guessed what the title update is all about.

Rocksteady Studios Talks Arkham Asylum Sequel. The game is already a hit success and has surpassed the stigmata of licensed property-to-interactive game. So the team is talking sequel.

Warhammer Online Now Only $14, Includes Free Month. Still fairly expensive but the free month of playtime might be worth it.

BioShock 2 Multiplayer Trailer Released. Need to get a fill of multiplayer in BioShock 2? Just click the link.

Limited Supply Of PS3 Slims Available AT AllAmericanDirect.com. In case some retailers are out, there’s always the lesser known but fairly reliable online alternatives.

New Age Of Empires Coming? Well, why not? Those games are extremely popular and there just can’t be enough resource management games.

Rock band Wireless Wooden Fender Stratocaster Now Available For Xbox 360. As long as the name is for this guitar controller peripheral, it’s actually worth checking out…despite the hefty price.

Friday

Splinter Cell Conviction Vs Uncharted 2: Final Round – Immersion Factor. The votes are racking in and it’s not looking good for Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Secret World’s Eerie CG Trailer Kicks Butt For PC And Xbox 360. It really is an awesome new trailer for this unique new MMORPG by Funcom.

Rumor: Casual Star Wars MMO Planned By Sony. If this is true then Star Wars will truly become the most milked franchise of all time.

Halo 3: ODST Live Action Trailer. If the Halo movie is anything like this trailer then it won’t be a problem making $100 million at the box office.

LucasArts Digital Announcement Tomorrow. What does George have in store? Read on to find out.

Rock Band Fender Precision Bass Guitar Announced For PS3. It follows on the heels of the Xbox 360’s Stratocaster guitar. It looks real nice, too.

First Look At L4D2’s Dark Carnival. Blend Games’ Mark Barley talks a bit about the new Dark Carnival stage in Left 4 Dead 2.

Boondock Saints 2 Video Game Possible. Whether you thought the original was cheesy or not, it’s definitely material that could fit well in the world of video games.

Saturday

Uncharted 2 Fortune Hunter Edition Not Sold In Stores. Find out why one of the most anticipated games of the year won’t have the highly prized Fortune Hunter Edition sitting on retail shelves.

Bust A Move Now Available For iPhone And iPod Touch. Electronic Theatre lets gamers now that they can bust some moves on their iPhone or iPod Touch.

Review For Section 8. Pete Haas explains why this game isn’t Halo 3:ODST but it is the game where you burn into the atmosphere like Halo 3: ODST.

BlizzCon ’09 Interview With StarCraft II’s Lead Designer, Dustin Browder. TheGameReviews talks StarCraft II in an exclusive interview with Dustin Browder.

SexBox: The Adult Gaming Console. A game console that combines interactivity and pornography. It’s like every male gamer’s fantasy come true and it happens to round out the week ending on September 5th.

Hope you enjoyed this edition of the Weekly Recap here at Blend Games. We leave you with 10 minutes of in-game footage of Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles for the Nintendo Wii. It’s an awesome game that’s shaping up to be one of the better additions to the Wii’s large but quality-lacking library. Be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games for further news, updates, info and insight regarding all things gaming.

Joined by Electronic Theatre’s ManPac And Kev J, we’re up to the final round of Splinter Cell: Conviction Vs Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. In case you missed them, you can check out the first two rounds here: For Replay Factors and Multiplayer Versatility. In this final round we’re going to take a look at both games and what they have to offer in terms of gameplay and cinematic immersion. And you the reader can vote on which game seems to offer the more immersive experience you’re looking forward to the most.

So what is the Immersion Factor in this final round between these two third-person shooting games? Well, it’s all about how each game takes the player deep into its respective lore and world, and how well the characters will coincide with making it all seem authentic, plausible and that much more fun when playing. So let’s get this started.

Splinter Cell: Conviction

BG – William: Like previous games in the series, players will venture around the world trying to gain retribution for the conspiracy involving Sam Fisher’s exile from the NSA during his deep undercover assignment in Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The “immersive” elements come in the form of the various cities that Sam will venture to and the civilian occupation of each destination. Players will have to use cunning and wit to trap enemies, interrogate bad guys and ultimately vindicate Sam and exact revenge for the death of his daughter, Sarah. One of the highlights of the game’s storytelling aspects come in the form of in-game cinematic sequences that take place during the actual gameplay. While running, shooting, talking or interrogating NPCs, players will sometimes see flashbacks or important information happen concurrently either in the background or across a wall, etc. The cinematics are extremely stylized and the first of its kind to be featured in a stealth-action game.

ET - Kev. JSplinter Cell: Conviction is set to break new ground when it comes to gameplay immersion. Seemingly fed-up with complicated HUD impressions and overly patronising mission objectives, the development team have decided to create a system in which everything you need is in the environment. By now, we’ll probably all be familiar with the on-set project of new objectives, but thinking beyond the aesthetics and about the way in which this is incorporated into gameplay offers a refreshing glance at dynamic structuring of videogames.

You needn’t check a menu to see which direction you should be heading in, nor which bad guy you should be attempting to extract information from. Sam Fisher knows these details before he enters that mansion/warehouse/docking yard, and so do you. Sam Fisher knows how his enemy thinks, and with the last known position mechanic, so do you. Sam Fisher knows he’s involved in what is possibly one of the most immersive videogame experiences on the Current-Generation yet, and so should you.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

BG – William: Drake makes his return in his second outing for the PlayStation 3, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The sequel takes place a few years after the original game and features a few new cast members in addition to many returning faces from the first game and sees players venturing across the globe, this time in search of information from Marco Polo’s missing fleet in order to uncover a near-priceless, wish-granting gem. The immersion factors for Uncharted 2 fall in line with the game’s seamless transition of cinematic sequence to actual in-game play (yes, the graphics are that good). While it may not have the snazzy flashback/in-game cinematics featured in Splinter Cell: Conviction the game still features quality voice-acting throughout and dialogue exchanges that blend between cinematics and actual in-game play with movie-like panache. All the special effects and environmental detail is also top-notch, and even in the parts that don’t sport interactivity the quality of the design is still showcased with amazing cinematography.

ET – ManPac: Immersion in videogames is based upon the ideal that you, as an active participant, care about what happens in the game. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves intends on taking this theory and running with it, as the single-player campaign ties Nathan Drake’s fortunes to that of what will almost undoubtedly become his love interest, the passionate Chloe Frazer. A storyline filled with twists and turns sees you hunting from Marco Polo’s lost treasure, along with a psychopathic war criminal named Zorin Lazarevic. Players will become embroiled in a chase across cities and snow-capped landscapes to find the secret of Marco Polo’s last voyage before Lazarevic, and it’s this storyline that will tie the player to the game. Dynamic set-pieces and dramatic, scripted events are great for the back of the box, but the real gem hidden within Uncharted 2: Among Theives is that of the charimatic Nathan Drake himself.

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Welcome to round 2 of our three part series of “Vs” articles between Splinter Cell: Conviction and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

In the words of Ryan Rigney from last week’s round, “What a ridiculous comparison! How can you compare a third person shooter with climbing mechanics to a third person shooter with climbing mechanics and an outdoors setting?!"

Well, it’s true Ryan, we are comparing these games despite their vast dissimilarities of climbing up ledges and shooting people and stealthily climbing up ledges and shooting people. Nevertheless, that’s not stopping us from distinguishing one game from the next and seeing which of the two gamers are looking forward to the most. So without further ado, let’s get this thing started.

Which game do you think will be more likely to be replayed? Which game will offer more single-player goodness or multiplayer greatness that just keeps drawing you back in? Which game will be less likely to collect dust? Well, describing these features for both games is something we couldn’t just tackle alone, so joining us in this comparison is Electronic Theatre’s ManPac and Dan. You can read up on the details below, check out the videos below the details and vote below the videos.

ET – ManPac: Splinter Cell: Conviction has been a long time coming. Originally unveiled back in 2005 prior to the launch of the Xbox 360, the game disappeared off the radar only to reappear earlier this year in a totally new guise. This new presentation has taken so long to reach a presentable format simply because of how open the game appears to be. The player is allowed to tackle each mission objective in any way they see fit; fancy interrogating an enemy via a face-to-mirror combination? How about the sink? Maybe a knee to the crotch? While each opportunity may lead to similar end results, players are set to be granted an unprecedented amount of freedom within a world set against them. This, of course, opens each and every objective up to repeated playthroughs, as each time you may wish to take a different course of action.

BG – Willam: The Last Known Positon™ and multiple ways of interrogation definitely add a new sense of replayability to the game. The real question is how many times can you smash a man’s head against the window before it gets boring? Nevertheless, the fact that Splinter Cell games always offered up multiple ways of tackling a stage, the single-player portion alone should measures up to at least three play-throughs given the open-world structure and the newly added takedown mechanics.

ET – Dan: I love Uncharted. I love the level design, the longwinded mission structure and the extreme Platforming. I replayed my favourite levels in the first Uncharted more times than I care to remember. Now imagine this with co-op. Add in multi-player supporting ten players through a variety of game modes, and you’ve got one hell of a varied game packaged. The Uncharted 2: Among Thieves beta gave us a taste of what to expect, and being as sweet as it was there’s no doubt that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves will take over my life when it launches. Buy it, and it will own yours too.

BG – William: I might have to give this round to Uncharted 2. I think that despite Splinter Cell’s multi-approach to each level and ability to stealth or gun through a scenario, Uncharted’s epic movie-like approach to the general gameplay design is more than likely to influence people to play the game again. It’s almost like watching a favorite movie every so often that you just can’t get enough of…and that’s exactly how the replay factors seem to be for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

You’ve read the details and the videos are there for you to check out below. Time to pick which game you think you would be more likely to play again and again and again. And remember to stay tuned in with Blend Games for our final week in comparing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves with Splinter Cell: Conviction.

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Welcome to another addition of the Blend Games Weekly Battle. This time around we’re previewing and comparing the upcoming Splinter Cell: Conviction and the remarkably well-crafted Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Like before, we’re joined by a few staff members from the reputable UK online gaming news outlet, Electronic Theatre.

So here’s how this will work: there will be three rounds, and one round per week. We’ll compare the features of both games and take a look at what makes one more buy worthy over the other. You can further voice your opinion with the poll or comment box provided below. And as if the headline and images weren’t obvious enough this week we’ll be covering multiplayer versatility. All right, let’s get this thing started.

BG – Ryan: These games are way too different to compare! Climbing up a ledge and shooting a guy in Splinter Cell is so much more of a unique experience than climbing up a ledge and shooting a guy in Uncharted!

ET - Kev J: Splinter Cell Conviction is about to change the way you look at multi-player spy games, and that’s even with the PlayStation 3 exclusive The Agency on the calendar. Featuring a co-operative mode entirely removed from the single-player campaign as well as versus bouts, in areas populated by civilians, Splinter Cell: Conviction builds on everything you’ve experienced in previous games with the added grunt of the Current-Generation’s horsepower.

BG – William: Aside from agreeing with Ryan, I think Splinter Cell may differentiate itself more-so with multiplayer from Uncharted 2 than with the single-player. Mainly because the inclusion of civilians and the option to utilize the environment against foes adds a whole new depth and layer to the basic co-op modes and deathmatch. Side-by-side I’d have to tip my hat in favor of Conviction only for the fact that standard run-and-gun is an option, but the inclusion of multiplayer stealth amongst a throng of people in the streets is kind of original and cool.

BG – Ryan: What a ridiculous comparison! How can you compare a third person shooter with climbing mechanics to a third person shooter with climbing mechanics and an outdoors setting?!"

BG - William: Even though you climb around on things and shoot people in both games the action is a little more frantic in Uncharted 2. This faster pace is probably the bigger cooperative difference between Splinter Cell: Conviction, despite the fact that the gameplay and character operation in Conviction is far more acade-y than previous Splinter Cell games. Even though both games have cover mechanics and melee attacks, I think Uncharted 2 seems more multiplayer friendly given its fluid control scheme and butter-smooth animations. However, I think it may lack some of the depth for playing-style options and environment manipulation featured in Conviction.

ET – Dan: Co-operative play, team-based multi-player and Deathmatch modes are promised for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, with much more besides. Gunplay works well enough in the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and in the beta test we’ve already seen it works even better here. Players need to take advantage of cover, hiding behind brick walls, firing blindly when it's needed. Platforming action is even involved, giving you an advantage just when you need it most, but exposing the player whilst on the way up. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves plays like a cross between Gears of War’s gunplay and Prince of Persia’s Platform action in multi-player, and offers one of the most diverse set of tactics imaginable because of it.

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While big announcements and huge reveals were far and few between the conferences at GamesCom this year, there was one thing apparent from all publishers involved: Heavy promotion of upcoming games. Some of the best game trailers released this year are coming out of the GamesCom 2009 event. One of those trailers happen to belong to the stunning Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

The new footage isn’t really all that new, but primarily there are glimpses into scenes we may not have seen before in prior trailers. The music and dynamic movie-presentation really helps push the game beyond the spectrum of being “just another shooter”. Heck, this game could potentially be the best of the year based on what has been shown off so far. The fact that it comes with multiplayer also puts it right up there alongside Grand Theft Auto IV, insofar that the multiplayer option isn’t necessary but always welcomed.

You can check out the new footage of the game below or visit the Official Website for more info on the game. Be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games for further news, updates, media and insight regarding all things gaming.

Sony recently released a new (yet old) trailer for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for the Japanese version of Naughty Dog’s action-adventure game. The trailer is from E3 and features Japanese voiceovers. You can check out the trailer right here at Blend Games.

Already, Uncharted 2: Drake’s Fortune is gearing up as being one of the best games of the year. Featuring a wide array of gameplay features that include intense platform action, running-and-gunning, some vehicle play and some of the best graphics featured in a third-person action game.

Now if you’ve already seen the E3 trailer (and I’m sure most of you already have) you can compare and see if the game trailer sounds any better with Japanese voiceovers in the new video. Just for comparison purposes the English version of the trailer is also viewable below.

For more gaming news, info, updates and media, be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games.

Heavy Rain and God of War 3 won't make it in time for Christmas but another PS3 exclusive, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, definitely will. Sony announced today that the game hit stores throughout North America on October 13th.

If you're interest in pre-ordering, there's several different deals being offered by retailers. GameStop, as you may already know, offers an exclusive multiplayer demo and "revenge" attribute. Best Buy pre-order customers will get golden Barettas and AK-47s for online play. Amazon will be giving out an exclusive video that shows you where hidden treasures are located throughout the game. Game Crazy, meanwhile, will give you a Currency Multiplier (temporarily boosting your progression in multiplayer) if you reserve a copy with them.

The picture on the right is the final box art for the game. You've undoubtedly seen that shot a few thousand times so no shock there. Now you'll know exactly what to look for in stores, though. Memorize its features.

The Uncharted 2: Among Thieves multiplayer beta wrapped up on Sunday and if you missed out, don't worry. There's going to be another chance to try the game before its release.

Pre-ordering Uncharted 2 through GameStop will get you access to a timed multiplayer demo. You'll be able to download and play the demo from August 19th to September 27th. In addition, you'll get an in-game attribute called Revenge to help you out in your multiplayer battles.

Gamers were granted access to the Uncharted 2 beta by vouchers included with copies of inFamous. Uncharted 2 will be released this fall. GameStop's got it listed at an October 1st release right now.