Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Review

As I sorted through JC Baz's game collection over the weekend I noticed a game that still had the plastic on it. Very rare in any household where gamers reside. I picked it up and noticed that it was Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (UDF). When he saw that I had the game in hand he mention that he had it for 6 moths and hadn't played it once. So, I decided to give it a try. They say that sometimes great efforts go overlooked and a gem may be right under your nose and you never notice it. Such is the case for UDF.
From the moment I popped in the disc I was immediately impressed by the high level of detail, amazing sound quality, beautiful visuals, and fantastic atmosphere. The game is very vivid and the color palette very robust. If you are a fan of Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones you'll love this game.
The character movements are very fluid and the cut scenes and live action transition perfectly. It's the little things in this game that make it memorable. For example, there is a part in the game where your control Drake through a partially submerged vessel. As he navigates through the doors in the hull he actually ducks to avoid hitting his head. Jump into a river and the character emerges completely soaked, with darker shades of clothing to emphasize the wetness. The levels are vast and cavernous and really make you feel like an explorer.
There are plenty of hidden items to obtain which will add to the replay value and the story is actually decent enough to pay attention to. The A.I. is very intelligent and will try to ambush you, flank you, and force you into the open with grenades.
The character models of the lead cast are phenomenal. They boast realistic facial expressions and realistic movement.
My biggest beef with this game is the off and on shooting style and the camera angles at times. When you are in the midst of a heated gun-fight it can be very taxing to lock on to your target. There is no indicator to let you know when you are aiming at an enemy so shooting from a distance can be a chore. Also, enemies have the grace of a ballerina, ducking shots like Neo in the matrix. The enemy design is nice however you will be fighting the same 5-6 enemies over and over again. The camera makes things frustrating when you simply want to jump to ledge and it zooms in so close to your character that you can't see the ledge that you are standing on and fall over and over again to your death. The camera does make things feel cinematic but doesn't always provide the best view for game-play.
At the end of the day UDF rocks! This is a must have for any PS3 owner. Get it now, I'm sure it's probably in the bargain bin by now. Enjoy. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune earns 9 sunken treasures out of 10.