Uncharted 2 MP demo (+other demos this week, NGS2, Brutal Legend, etc.)

[duckman2000]

I'm stuck on one map, no matter what. I picked SVER, and it seems like this is the only battle currently open for my faction. God damn it.

Then again, I really suck at this game. I think I need more distance from COD4 before I can start getting even half ways good at it. I keep getting killed, and I have no idea how it happens. And then there is the damned controller itself, which ends up with me accidentally nudging the poop-triggers while using the ironsights. But that's got everything to do with my fat monkey fingers.

Yeah, I could see this being a Very Important Game, on the right platform. It's very ambitious, doesn't seem to lag much even with large numbers of players, and the core is pretty good.

[bork]

Is the Uncharted beta available to everyone yet?

Not until the 29th.

[cool breeze]

Great.  I hit lvl 11, buy myself a new gun and I realize it's close to 4pm, meaning no server for 4 hours.  Like I said before, I'm liking it more today.  I've understood most of what it means to be a grunt soldier.  Take orders, head to the flashing objective to get double points and all that.  Upgraded my healing gun all the way so I can revive teammates, so that's my main role.   Still don't know if I will buy it or not.  If it was on PC, I could really get into it more.  It's just a lot more convenient to jump in and play a quick game or two on PC compared to consoles.  

Once you learn how it plays, which it doesn't do a good job at showing you, there are some good ideas there.  They basically make following orders and playing your role the best way to earn xp.  You can run off and do what you want, or follow orders and earn double points per each action.  Healing people also gives you as many points as killing.  Reviving a Team Mate is 10 points, killing an enemy is 5 points.  There doesn't seem to be any extra points for headshots or what CoD does, it's more role specific.  I also like how the game sees how you put together your load out and how you play to judge your class instead of just picking it.  I've noticed that I'm labeled a medic, and I thought it's because I chose it instead of the repair gun or anything else.  But other guys are running around with healing guns too, they aren't listed as medics.
 
And I think at times there is lag, they just do a good job at hiding it.  There were times when I knew where a sniper was, I ran behind a wall and it said I was shot.  I know it was impossible to hit me from his location, so it was most likely him hitting me before I ran behind the wall, the effect happening once I was behind it.  What amazes me is that it's a large scale game with really good infantry combat.  I've said before that I consider Battlefield games to be the best mulitplayer games, but the infantry combat is kinda bad; it's how the infantry and vehicles work together that make the series good.  MAG has a larger scale and, apparently, some vehicles, yet the infantry combat is great.  I say "apparently" because I haven't seen any vehicles yet.

[duckman2000]

I noticed in the deployment menu that there are dedicated training missions for each faction. That's a good idea, it's just a shame they aren't available now. I'll give it more playtime next time it's open.

[Third]

Just for you Metacritic

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. It looks amazing, plays like a dream and the voice-acting/story-telling will hook you in right from the off. PS3 officially has its killer-app and a million tears are shed by 360 fanboys.

http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/uncharted-2-among-thieves/review/uncharted-2-among-thieves/a-2009091875511998094/g-200812159395546092/p-1

 

[bork]

That's how I feel about it.  I love the multiplayer in the UC2 beta/demo.  The game play is superb and it controls far better than any other 3rd-person shooter-- if only Lost Planet 2 played like this.  If the single player is up to par, then yeah, I can see this being the "killer app" or "Halo" that the PS3 finally has after three years.

[duckman2000]

Got a 9.5 from IGN

http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/142/14225971/vids_1.html

[Bebpo]

So I haven't played either BL demo but what is the deal with sound effects being worse on the PS3 demo?  I mean are they the same sound effects, just at a lower sample rate or mixed at a wrong level?  I thought the PS3 version boasted DTS Master Audio for superior sound?  I wonder if they had to do a quick compression to get it to demo size since HD-audio takes up ridiculous space and that's the issue?

[Third]

Got a 9.5 from IGN

http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/142/14225971/vids_1.html

Awesome. But fuck, that's a video review.

Avoiding that...

[Third]

If you're reading this, it was unlikely that you weren't already going to buy Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on day one. Really, you just wanted to know how good it is, and fortunately I can say that it's very, very good. It's easily one of the best games on the system, blending fantastic presentation and visuals with gameplay that is practically second to none. And then there's the stellar multiplayer which you'll probably be playing until Uncharted 3 ships. No, Uncharted 2 is not perfect, but it's closer than pretty much any other game out there these days.

Another Take

Roper's right; Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is fantastic. I'm probably one of biggest fans of the franchise in the office, but even I had trouble believing that Naughty Dog could surpass its original gem. I mean, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune had one of the best stories the PS3 has ever seen, it packed some of the best graphics I had ever seen, and it was some of the most fun I have ever had in a videogame.

Uncharted 2 keeps all of that and builds on it.

There came a point when I was early in the game, and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face as I took cover, shot bad guys, and did all the stuff I remember making the first game great. This was like putting on an old pair of jeans or picking up one of your favorite books again -- it just felt right. Toss in the fact that the new stealth kills are awesome and reward you for being sneaky, the game's prettier than ever, and that this game gives us an ending cinematic that's the perfect nightcap to this chapter of Drake's story, and you've got something amazing.

Admittedly, I think I set my expectations a little too high. The reappearance of rooms filling with waves and wave of baddies was annoying, the story felt a bit too familiar at times, and the fact that I would've liked to have seen some new Trophies dampened my spirits a bit, but there's no denying this is one of the best games on the PlayStation 3.

Oh, and the multiplayer is awesome enough to get a loner like myself out of the single-player campaign and chasing the next rank online.

9.5    Presentation
Fantastic cutscenes tell a very good if not perfect story.

10    Graphics
Absolutely the best of the best these days. Your jaw will drop.

9.5    Sound
Great weapon effects, fantastic voice acting and a mostly brilliant (though sometimes overdone) soundtrack.

9.5    Gameplay
Great gunplay, stealth works very well (mostly), the puzzles are rewarding and, maybe even best of all, a killer online component.

9.5    Lasting Appeal
The game is give or take about 10 hours in length, which feels right, but then there's the multiplayer. Yes, you will be hooked.

9.5
Incredible    OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/102/1026373p4.html


GOTY

[Bebpo]

I still think Uncharted 1 is an amazingly awesome adventure experience.  My only complaint with it was the 6 hours length.  So if this one really is longer and not bullshit-padding longer, then yeah I'm going to love this.

[cool breeze]

I played Uncharted three or so times, once fairly recently.  Always was around 8 hours for me.

and it's IGN.  Means nothing.  I'm sure it's going to be great, but yeah, IGN.com

[bork]

Dudes, 21/20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[cool breeze]

what is that from? I've seen that posted before

[bork]

what is that from? I've seen that posted before

Some Spanish PS3 magazine that no one's ever heard of before or gave a crap about until they gave the game that ridiculous score.

[duckman2000]

Some irrelevant Playstation mag, think it's the one that keeps pushing rumors as "confirmed news!"

Many fanboys got excited, many fanboys of the other sort got mad.

Game looks damned good, though. And they even fixed the tearing.

[bork]

Ah, sorry.  It's PSM3, a French magazine.



MONSTRUEUX!!!!!!!!

[Agent Whiskers]

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/102/1026373p1.html

IGN Reviews Uncharted 2 - 9.5

[Third]

Ur late

Official Playstation* Magazine gives the game a 100%

*lol

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/uncharted2amongthieves?q=uncharted

All the good reviews mean I'm going to be disappointed by the game. 

[demi]

i'm sure theres some zombies in this game too

[duckman2000]

All the good reviews mean I'm going to be disappointed by the game. 

That only happens to nerds

[Third]

All the good reviews mean I'm going to be disappointed by the game. 

That only happens to nerds

 :'(

[cool breeze]

Two really annoying things about MAG.  The spawn timer auto-spawns you, hitting X takes you into spawn/weapon selection.  Every other game ever made you press X or whatever to spawn.  Natural instinct is to hit X when the time is down, but that causes me to go into the menu and reset the time.   The other is that people are fucking idiots and bleed out when you're running towards them.  You can pan the camera around to see if medics are there ffs.

[FatalT]

I think level 20 might be the max level in the beta. Lame.

[duckman2000]

On the other hand, I had three (3) medics run past me as I was bleeding to death on the ground. So yeah, I'm not sure if I care to stick around longer than necessary.

[cool breeze]

I had a guy run past me, but he eventually came back and revived me before we were both hit by a rocket.

and the game was acting up and wouldn't connect.  Last game I was playing dropped for me.

[SantaC]

so according to IGN it is around 10 hours now, so that means 5 hours in reality. 9.5 in  Lasting Appeal? 

[Third]

so according to IGN it is around 10 hours now, so that means 5 hours in reality. 9.5 in  Lasting Appeal? 

multiplayer is also taken into consideration

[cool breeze]

is this guy for real?

[duckman2000]

so according to IGN it is around 10 hours now, so that means 5 hours in reality. 9.5 in  Lasting Appeal? 

multiplayer is also taken into consideration

Do not engage it.

edit: SantaC = darkwing?

[AdmiralViscen]

Reviews? I thought this game was like a month away.

[SantaC]

so according to IGN it is around 10 hours now, so that means 5 hours in reality. 9.5 in  Lasting Appeal? 

multiplayer is also taken into consideration

I know, but most games have multiplayer these days. It is more the rule than the exception.

[Third]

Batman Arkham Asylum received a 9.0 for Lasting Appeal.

Batman has a very short singleplayer and no multiplayer options.

Seeing how IGN's lasting appeal rule works, the 9.5 is a good score for Uncharted 2.

[AdmiralViscen]

Whgat the fuck at this MAG beta.

I gameshare it to my friend. I haven't played it yet. They let him download it, and let him install it, but when he tries to load it he says that his PS3 is not eligible to play the beta.

So then I try to go in it on my PS3, and it says that someone tried to play it on another PS3 so I have to wait 24 hours before I'm allowed to play.

Fuck this console.


BTW this worked fine for KZ2 and Uncharted 2 betas. I guess MAG is a real sacred cow.

[duckman2000]

Eh, nothing about that sounds weird. It's a beta, they are keeping a check on who gets to play it. I'm surprised it worked with Kz2.

[Third]

MAG is shit anyway. Don't bother.

[duckman2000]

MAG is shit anyway. Don't bother.

Bull. Unless by shit you mean great pretty alright.

[Third]

I just wasn't convinced by the beta. There are too many annoying issues surrounding it.
The game needs a lot of work.

[duckman2000]

Well, yeah. And I haven't played enough of it to give it a verdict, but the core mechanics are in place, and everything seems to work as it is supposed to. The biggest problem it has is that it has so far failed to deliver many OMFG moments, and that's crucial for a game like this. I don't have time to get into it for the sake of stats and accomplishments, so it needs a strong hook.

[duckman2000]

Some updated impressions. I still suck at the game, but that's nothing out of the ordinary. Starting to get a grasp of the gear, and the upgrade path is pretty awesome. Got to try a few other maps, and aside from being absolutely massive, the new maps are also less ugly. It suffers from a really weird LOD system, and the grain filter makes the skyline boring, but it's a lot less ugly, and it runs pretty well.

I don't know how it will be once it launches, but right now, the in-game chatter is like the promotional videos of other games, with ample and relevant communication between players. Pretty cool.

The benefit of the high player count becomes apparent when there is only on defensive point left, and all the players from the other team launch a straight assault on that one point.

The biggest gameplay issue is the lack of damage feedback. You get a directional indicator, your health goes down, and you're dead. That's not enough, in my opinion. Needs some kind of rumble response to damage.

Liking it, but I don't think I have it in me to get involved enough to get the most out of it.

[duckman2000]

Finally got to check out a 256 player game, and it was pretty insane. In a good way, I think, but I just can't wrap my head around all the objectives and features. Capture the cooling tower, destroy the sensor, destroy the burner, etc.

And then all of a sudden there is an artillery strike on our position, followed by a strafing run with an A-10. Cool, but very confusing.

On the upside, it never once felt like a meatgrinder, in part because of the squad separation, but also due to the ridiculous size of the map, and because of the objective based format. The engine was real shaky in this game though, can't have been running at more than 20fps. A steady 20fps, but still.

[The Fake Shemp]

A steady 20fps, but still.

 

[cool breeze]

yeah, I played one of those huge matches since I still didn't get ODST in the mail ( :'() and it was pretty great.  Even BF2 didn't have a lot of scenes where you have dozens of people rushing in.  One part I remember was healing a guy outside of our little cover area, getting shot down myself and seeing a good 15 or 20 guys on the other side.  That was a time when I felt I should bleed out.  This game is a lot better than I expected, but still probably won't get it.  For what it's worth, I'm a bit more excited for Dragon's Age since that was another game I ragged on based on content put out there.

and yeah, the frame rate is complete shit during those times.  Another reason I wish this was on PC.

My favorite thing about the game is probably the way you upgrade and purchase weapons.  It feels a lot better than most games since it lets you create your own role in each battle.  It's not like Battlefield or Killzone 2 where the Medic can't have access to other weapons.  Here, you can be a medic/engineer if you wanted.  Or a medic sniper.  Whatever.  And in general I like how you unlock upgrades for your gun.  Each set of upgrades being part of a class, only needed to spend so many points to upgrade the class and all that, and parts/abilities that transfer with weapon types.

[duckman2000]

This game is a lot better than I expected, but still probably won't get it.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel. I think they have pretty much succeeded with what they set out to do (well, within the confines of a platform that just plain shouldn't be running this), I'm just not convinced that the game is for me. Too much going on, everywhere, all the time. It's not chaotic, but I can tell that this is going to require a lot of dedication, and I'm just not that hooked by it.

[bork]

I'd like to try MAG, but I don't want to download that 2+ GB patch.  Especially when you have to do it through the game and can't even do it through background downloading.

[pilonv1]

I gave my code away. Fuck wasting 5+gb of my download quota or of my 40gb hard drive (:'() on it.

like duckman it sounds awesome but i would never get into it due to not having enough time

[duckman2000]

I haven't been able to figure out the vehicles, at all. I spawned into a helicopter that I assume was called in by the squad leader, but I was stuck with either operating the guns, or leaving the chopper. I don't think you can pilot it, as it just hovers there a bit above ground. Operating the chain guns would have been completely lame hadn't it been for the slight motion of the helicopter.

The existence of a chopper and the map size just make me long for a game about attack helicopters. Why in the hell aren't we given any such games? Fuck infantry, I want to command an Apache.

[duckman2000]

I guess the framerate of the massive action game component wasn't limited to the map, as it's just as bad on the refinery map. I hope they fix that, because it's rendering a well designed game unplayable. Maybe they should drop the uber-detailed look of the game, and go for something more akin to Warhawk.

edit: on a related note, this is why fanboys shouldn't be allowed in beta testing, at least judging by how things go on NeoGAF. Somehow, no one except me and TTP are capable of spotting the framerate problems.

[demi]

Brutal Legend demo locked up on me LMFAO

What a piece of shit. I'm so glad this will bomb.

[Third]

Lol, Brutal Legend. Jack Black being in it makes it the worst game of this generation.

[Don Flamenco]

LP2 demo...kinda bad.  unmarked death pits?  really? 

[duckman2000]

MAG is actually really good in Acquisition mode, at least on this Corvus map. Reasonable size, decent performance, not bad. Starting to get some better upgrades to my weapons, which is obviously making the basic shooter bit a lot more fun. I foresee that this step will turn away a lot of newcomers, though.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Loved the Brutal Legend demo.  I had only a cursory interest going into it even though I've loved Psychonauts and had liked Schafer's previous stuff but the game's setting seemed to me to be 10 years too late to be ironic and Jack Black's schtick is long past old.  The demo won me over though in the end.   Tons of personality, fun, albeit simplistic, combat system, interesting graphics, pretty decent music, and it looks like it's going to be a pretty big adventure.  I'm down with Brutal Legend now.  Sign me up.