Nathan Drake is back with a vengeance  in Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for Playstation 3. The sequel to the commercially and critically successful Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Uncharted 2 has a lot to live up to. The original Uncharted, heavily advertised as a launch title for the Playstation 3, boasted exhilarating gameplay, a powerful storyline, and wonderful visuals. Can Uncharted 2: Among Thieves match the hype?

Not only has Uncharted 2 matched the hype, it has far surpassed it. I will say straight out that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is simply one of the greatest video games you will ever play. Everything just fits. I dare you to find a better game that is already out or is coming out (yes, including Modern Warfare 2) that is better than Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

We all know that Naughty Dog got something right in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, so the basic gameplay has remained similar to the first one. There have been some changes, though. Platforming is has been thrusted to center stage, with almost everything climbable, both in single-player and multi-player. The cover system is a bit more robust this time round, but it does have its faults. It is a little hard sometimes to switch from one point of cover to another, and other times it is hard just to get out of cover. But other than those minor hiccups, the system works fine. The AI in game is actually very smart; they will try to flank you and frequently throw grenades to flush you out. There’s 26 chapters for you to enjoy, so it’s more than enough gameplay time. The controls for both shooting and jumping just feel right, and everything flows well.

Speaking of flow, the animations in Uncharted 2 are simply impeccable. Everything from the littlest movement to jumping over obstacles looks real and fluid. The graphics and character models are just as pretty. The backgrounds and environments are stunning, whether looking over a war-torn city in Nepal or over a bay on top of a mountain in Indonesia. They really add a sense that you are really there.

One of the most striking features of Uncharted 2 is just how well it sets the mood of the game. The characters feel and act like real people, and their voice acting is absolutely phenomenal. The way characters talk to each other during gameplay makes you feel like they really are people, and not just AIs sent to help you. The camera angles during the cutscenes are incredible, and some moments in game make you scream with excitement, smile, or cry with terror (especially the opening, be prepared for a shock). The plot twists are great, the storyline is superb, the score (composed by Greg Edmonson) is spectacular, and overall the immersion is incredible.

The multiplayer, a feature missing in the original Uncharted, is now a readily featured component of Uncharted 2. It’s got the standard Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, as well as a few other modes such as Plunder (where two teams try to find treasure and return it to their base). Co-op is also a great feature, allowing you and two other friends to duke it out with AI opponents. A rank system is present, and you can spend money you earn in both single and multiplayer to buy boosters (perks) and different character skins. Overall the system works great, and multiplayer is a mode that will greatly increase Uncharted 2’s replayability.

In short, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a game that will have you from the minute you turn it on until the last chapter. And even after that, you’ve still got multiplayer to enjoy. Naughty Dog has crafted something truely extraordinary game that everyone should play. If you have a Playstation 3, go out and buy Uncharted 2: Among Thieves right now. And if you don’t have a Playstation 3, now would be a pretty good time to buy one! Sure it has a few minor flaws (nothing’s perfect), but Naughty Dog has created an incredible gaming experience in Uncharted 2, and it’s one that you won’t soon forget. I know I won’t. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves gets a superb 5 out 5.