PS3 Poll Police: How was the Uncharted demo?
by Nick Doerr 
{ Nov 11th 2007 at 4:00PM }
The Poll Police have upgraded their patrol cars! Now, instead of rolling around in soapbox racers, they've got Pow-Pow-Power Wheels to help them do their jobs. All kidding aside, this was a fairly good week for news. We had the firmware update and a pretty impressive list of other things. However, one item did stand out in the weekly PS Store update and that is the Uncharted demo. We want to know what you guys thought of it. Be honest, as it is always the best policy when dealing with the long arm of the law.
Our thoughts are to remain secret, as we'll be reviewing the game shortly after its release. We're hoping the final build is even better than the demo, as anyone rightly would. Who would wish for a game to be worse than its demo, anyway? If you're curious about last week's poll results, check it out after the jump.
Yeah, we yanked your chain, pulled a fast one, tricked you, whatever. We knew the firmware update was coming, but with all the hype surrounding it for the past several months, we wanted to see if people were growing more suspicious about the murmurs of 2.00 and from the results, we can see that you were. While the firmware update may not have been what the intertubes shoved down your throats as "what will happen", it's still nice to finally have it so we can lay the rumors to rest. Future updates will probably slowly add the other things we ask for, but until we get them, we simply don't know. Thanks for voting!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dru @ Nov 11th 2007 4:12PM
I normally don't get overhyped about a video game, but if you guys would've had a choice for one of the best damn looking, fun and possible GOTY demos I've ever seen...well that's what I would've voted! Uncharted is definitely on the must-buy list right now.
Jevanzz @ Nov 11th 2007 4:23PM
GOTY contender if not winner for sure :), was astounded by the demo, even my mum took interest in it :D.
Mortimi @ Nov 11th 2007 4:24PM
I wasn't excited about this game but was still keeping an eye on it cos I was so impressed by the look of it. WOW! It's great fun! Superb graphics, Gear of War cover and combat system and a Lara Croft feel! Brilliant combination! I'm definately gonna get this!
blehh @ Nov 11th 2007 4:32PM
i loved it, but i was expecting next-gen movement. it still looks funny when you can run around in circles for minutes and not get dizzy, or just keep running in place next to a wall. iono..
Xoonaka @ Nov 11th 2007 4:33PM
For me, there was way too much shooting and not nearly enough exploring, puzzle solving... and especially... not enough Treasure finding!
The gameplay was fun... I just didn't want to play a shooter.
Joshua @ Nov 11th 2007 4:38PM
It was okay. The presentation was definitely top-notch, but the gameplay wasn't really anything special. Besides, it's just not my type of game.
Samuraidino @ Nov 11th 2007 4:46PM
An excellent demo.
Fantastic to look at,very funny at times,and I must say I enjoy the combat more than gears' (reaction to bullets and a cover system that doesnt feel like your covered in glue and sticking to everything = awesome)
Could have done with a puzzle...though Im sure they dont wanna spoil any of them for us.
OrganicShadow @ Nov 11th 2007 4:56PM
I've been pretty skeptical of Uncharted as far as the gameplay department is concerned up until I got the demo. The AI is awesome IMO, as you can duck behind cover from the main group of enemies, but one or two of them will always try and go around and flank you while the main group slowly gets closer to you while staying behind cover. It's an actual challenge to kill everyone, as it's not a run-and-gun type of situation at all.
The graphics are still pretty good. I really like the visual aspect, but there are some problems I have here and there with it. Nothing that could be considered a deal-breaker though. I enjoy the art direction and animations, but the overall graphical appeal isn't too crazy. Good enough though.
I suck at the hand to hand thing though. I can't time my punches right, as they usually get a shot in and break my combo. Grenades are kinda hard to use to, because by the time I pull one out, peek out from behind cover, and get the arch lined up, im already almost dead from the dead-on accuracy all the enemies seem to have. So I usually just peek out and just throw in their general direction so I don't stick out for too long.
Great so far though. I was surprised at how much it DIDN'T feel like Tomb Raider games, yet it borrowed JUST the right amount from this TYPE of game. Exploration, climbing, paying attention to your surroundings, etc. I'm glad it's linear though, as I would get lost in all of the jungle-ness if it wasn't.
themeanpig @ Nov 11th 2007 4:57PM
Great demo, great gameplay, great grphics and motion blur so great I stopped playing and just soun the camera around for almost 10 minutes.
Neptune @ Nov 11th 2007 5:09PM
I hope there would be 70% of platforming, exploring and puzzles and 30% of shooting, but I'm afraid it will be the other way around. Still the shooting works quite nicely (I love to shoot from cover without aiming).
Uncharted has great "immersive" feeling. The sounds, simplified user interference works great.
Neil @ Nov 11th 2007 5:11PM
Was excellent, I really had fun....but I hope there's more puzzle elements in the full game. Just moving from one area to a next just to get into another gun fight did get a little old after a bit.
ClarkyCat @ Nov 11th 2007 5:20PM
I had no interest in this game before, but the demo was very enjoyable so I'll be keeping an eye on it from now on. A bit more puzzle solving would be nice, it could be a great game if they get the balance right.
Secura @ Nov 11th 2007 5:56PM
To the people saying it had too much shooting:
It was a DEMO to demonstrate that aspect of the game primarily obviously. Why would they put puzzles in the demo? It would just spoil the fun when you go through the full version.
doc j @ Nov 11th 2007 6:10PM
I would be lying if I said I hadn't had my eye on this title for a long time, but I was going to wait until Christmas and con someone into getting it for me. Now it's a first day purchase.
Kiddie @ Nov 11th 2007 6:24PM
man that was a fun demo! youve got to play it on hard mode though. im still playing through ratchet & clank right now but so far im finding it a bit too easy for my tastes.
i think theyve achieved a perfect balance with this game though (on hard mode) just the right amount of difficulty without the need for any controller throwing (so far :).
i wonder if theres going to be animals in this game too. i loved fighting giant bears and lions and such in the first tomb raider, especially when they snuck up on you while you were doing a puzzle or casually exploring a tomb.
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Nov 11th 2007 6:38PM
I felt it had too much shooting too.
The controls works well though. And it's pretty.
Service_Games @ Nov 11th 2007 6:47PM
IMO, meh at best.
SG
Kevin @ Nov 11th 2007 7:04PM
The demo was a litle short for the size but the demo overall was awesome.
Popfrogs @ Nov 11th 2007 7:09PM
Judging by the poll, there are 117 Xbot trolls that voted today.
Xoonaka @ Nov 11th 2007 7:21PM
@Secura
To me, a demo should demonstrate the game as a whole. All it demonstrated was shooting and some mild platforming. If that's all the game is, I most certainly don't want to pick it up.
I don't think showing one puzzle will spoil anything.
bish @ Nov 11th 2007 7:40PM
Yeah I really had no interest in this game either and after playing the demo I've done a complete 180 and I plan to buy it when it comes out.
It just looked amazing and I think what I enjoyed the most is that the controls were really intuitive. It actually reminded me of the first time I ever played the first Tomb Raider (which is a good thing).
frankym @ Nov 11th 2007 8:04PM
Demo was very fun.
Controls have a very natural feel to them. The water effects are the best ever. Textures are also top notch. Only thing that needs a bit of work is the leaves/foliage and frame rate (to improve mild screen tear). This game is going to be a blast to play through. I hope the game sites do not find another imaginary critical flaw with the game and give it poor reviews since this game is truly outstanding.
DEMAN @ Nov 11th 2007 8:42PM
awesome demo of a an awesome game
Phil @ Nov 11th 2007 9:18PM
Graphics looked great.
Gameplay was just "meh". I'll still buy it, mainly because there's nothing else out for the PS3.
seansloan @ Nov 11th 2007 9:35PM
Great fun now i just wish i could afford it.this has been an expensive month with COD,Ratchet and clank,mass effect,guitar hero etc...
JaseH @ Nov 11th 2007 9:37PM
Nothing else out for the PS3?
You F'n Idiot.
mccomber @ Nov 11th 2007 10:40PM
Great game all around, and I'm sure the full game will have more puzzles and exploring. I'm sure they gave us the action-heavy demo since that's a little easier to just pick up and play, and because that's really where a lot of gaming is at right now. I'd be surprised if the full game didn't have plenty of platforming, exploring and at least a few great puzzles to round out the very good shooting.
Hoffer @ Nov 11th 2007 10:42PM
I didn't really care for the demo. As a shooter, I hated the controls. I have Ratchet & Clank and a bunch of games for my 360 to play. I'll be skipping Uncharted.
Shadowen @ Nov 11th 2007 10:51PM
the demo is way too short to really judge the game, kinda like heavenly sword without the sexy action
Kevin @ Nov 11th 2007 10:55PM
Is it just me or was dodging grenades really easy?
Osman @ Nov 11th 2007 11:23PM
Great game overall but I think the hand to hand combat system needs a bit more responsiveness and variation.
John @ Nov 11th 2007 11:40PM
Um... it was too hard.
I've tried it three times, and I can't seem to hide, and get my bearings, and memorize the controls.
Typical Jak and Daxter 2 type stuff, but then, they've always been sometimes significantly harder than Ratchet and Clank.
So it's gorgeous, and feels good, and when I was shooting, I could actually aim... so eventually I'll do it, and may even buy it because I can tell it's quality, so the game may make me ante up, be a better player, just so I can enjoy it (I had to do that for Jak and Dax and it was worth it).
Feebledorf @ Nov 12th 2007 12:14AM
I thought this game was unbeleivable. Its graphics are superb, some of the best i've seen, its obvious they used zbrush. Its cover system is awesome and the gameplay is just fun in general.
ibelli @ Nov 12th 2007 1:52AM
The graphics were definitly impressive. Im sure that the size of the Demo file had something to do with the sharp textures they used in the game. The motion blur was used practically and not gratuitously, which is something to appreciate.
Gameplay-wise, I felt good, but there were a few things that I will have to get used to. Being a fan of the Metal Gear series, I feel like it needs an element of stealth. Not to say that the game should play like MGS, but that the enemies should in some way rely on "line of sight" to locate Drake as opposed to bearing down on him immediately. On that same theme, I would also like the ability to duck without being behind cover.
The sound was amazing. The sounds of the jungle really came alive via the surround sound. The gunshots were jarring, sharp and stunning. The enemies and banter were mixed wonderfully.
I am excited to see how it turns out.
db cooper @ Nov 12th 2007 9:14AM
How come there's no coverage of the Time Shift demo on PS3Fanboy? I downloaded it this weekend and was blown away - it is superior in every way to Uncharted. Can't wait to see the full game, even if it does seem derivative of HL2.
Uncharted was underwhelming by contrast.
AG23 @ Nov 12th 2007 9:34AM
Uncharted is a definite Game of the Year contender if the complete version is like the Demo from start to finish.
The motion is Fluid, AI is smart, controls work excellent, and Uncharted has the best graphics I have ever seen on any console game ever.
One thing is for sure, you can always count on Naughty Dog and Insomniac to make Amazing Games.
Good Job Naughty Dog, Good job!
adorna @ Nov 12th 2007 10:33AM
looks really nice and seems overall nice but its too much shooting and climbing for me.
Cool game - just not my genre
Popfrogs @ Nov 12th 2007 10:23AM
@35: You're the only person I've heard say that, and this game is a totally different genre. It's a platformer/adventure game with some guns. It's not an FPS with broken controls and confusing gameplay.
I still haven't heard one good word about Timeshift. I guess you're the first.
davebo @ Nov 12th 2007 10:33AM
The demo looked great and the gameplay was nice, but did anyone else find the tilt-sensing kind of odd walking over that log? The characters' movements just didn't seem to correspond at all with how I was holding the sixaxis. Aside from that I'd buy it if I didn't thumb my nose at any kind of aiming/shooting on consoles. As it stands, Rock Band and its downloadable content will be monopolizing my holiday gaming time.
Nate @ Nov 12th 2007 12:09PM
Really liked the lighting. The graphics were nice and I really like the characters. I wish there had been more story in the demo, but I guess you don't want to spoil everything. I do think there was a hell of a lot of shooting, I mean, damn, what was that, like 20 guys? Still, fun, and I hope the story and characters will be as good throughout the story and not get overshadowed by too much gun play.
Not having played Gears of War, I was unused to the cover system, but picked it up fast enough. After getting toasted trying to run around a bit too much the first time, I did much better with the slow and steady method the second time around.
I love that there's almost no HUD.... the last thing I want distracting me from an immersive experience is a huge block of numbers and symbols and crap.
Overall, I think it shows the game has great potential.
watcher @ Nov 12th 2007 12:14PM
I thought the demo was awesome. Guys remember, this is a demo of a section of the 4th stage! We don't know what percent of the game is shooting compared to puzzles; we can't judge the whole game on a demo! A demo is supposed to give you an idea of what the game is like; it's not the full game.
For those who said the game is too easy, making the fights any harder would change the title into an all out fighting game and that's not what many want out of this. The fights were harder at first, but were toned down when people who played the E3 demo stated that it took too much to kill a pirate. I think the combat difficulty is just right on normal. If you want more of a combat challenge, play it on a harder level.
I agree that introducing puzzles in the fourth stage would ruin some of the story, so ND just made a demo focusing on fighting. A game with a good story unlocks a portion of the plot as the player solves a particular puzzle. If Capcom made a demo of Resident Evil, guess what area of the demo they would focus on; Yep, getting keys and zombie killing. Uncharted is on track to being one of the best PS3 games this year. I look forward to it.
SIR BRIAN @ Nov 12th 2007 2:32PM
I have the demo on my PS3. I thought that the graphics were sick but the gameplay just sucked. It feels like GTA in shooting, some stuff from Gears, and didnt have that fun factor from all of them. Like the other comments I read on here there should be some dynamics to his movements. That would probably make it better to me and also if it was a FPS like FAR CRY was...i dunno thats my opnion.
andrew @ Nov 12th 2007 10:38PM
I liked the demo. I shot one of the bad guy's arms while he was pulling the pin to throw a grenade and he dropped it. Overall very pleasing experience.
Starfire @ Nov 13th 2007 7:15AM
Graphics and sound were nothing sort of amazing- you really feel immersed in that jungle setting. The detailed textures, waving trees and ambient sounds are about the best I've seen, so I think exploring the world there will be a lot of fun.
As far as moment-to-moment gameplay goes, though, nothing really new on offer and the action didn't excite me all that much. Perhaps when you play the full game, with less emphasis on shooting, you'll get more of a thrill of discovery from all the new areas.
Larz @ Nov 13th 2007 12:49PM
At first I thought "nice graphics, very impressive mechanics (trouncing through water makes your clothes wet, legs interact with the environment very well, standing on one foot, etc), taking cover is cool, shooting is fairly controllable, not enough exploration--too much shooting... overall, meh." But then I found myself with 5 min here and there and going back to play the demo again and again. Now I'm pretty convinced that it's awesome since I can't stay away from the freakin demo.