Right on the heels of the PS3's big exclusive, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Uncharted: Drakes Fortune gives PS3 owners yet another reason to rejoice. Taking the core elements of Tomb Raider and Gears of War, Drake's Fortune provides a thrilling experience without ever feeling like an inferior copy of either of those aforementioned classics. Add incredible production values, likeable characters and an exciting story and you've got one hell of an adventure.

You play the role of Nathan Drake, a charismatic young adventurer who believes he's a direct descendant of Sir Francis Drake. Following clues from Drake's journal, Nathan finds himself searching for an ancient relic with the help of his fast talking friend, Victor Sullivan, and an assertive TV reporter, Elena. On the surface the plot appears to be simple, but there are a few twists and turns along the way. The story is solid, but it's the endearing characters and snappy dialogue that carry the weight. Also, influences from action movies are apparent; this game has all the makings of a blockbuster action flick - a wonderful main character, a hated villain, huge explosions, wry humor and a blooming romance. Think of it as a modern day Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The core of the game revolves around three gameplay elements; cover based shooting, platforming and hand-to-hand combat. The latter isn't much of an option however, as you'll usually be pinned down by enemy gunfire. Melee attacks consist of a few simple button combos and taking down enemies with your fists looks good, but doesn't feel very rewarding. Instead, most people will find themselves letting the bullets fly. The gunplay in Uncharted is fast and intense, using a cover system that's similar to Gears of War, so you'll have to make use of pillars and the like to conceal yourself from enemy fire, pressing the L1 button to pop out and take some shots. Sure, this has been done before, but it works very well in Uncharted. There are various weapons to choose from, including pistols, shotguns, grenade launchers, sniper rifles and assault rifles. It's surprising that such a substantial amount of weapons are in a game such as this, so you're sure to find your perfect match. You've got a lot of firepower, but you'll often find yourself in some tricky fights, due in large part to the tough enemy AI.

Throughout the game you're up against pirates (no, not the ones that wear eye patches and have big hats), but these aren't your typical sea dogs. They often flank your position and throw grenades to lure you out. Unfortunately, the difficulty can be a bit much when so many enemies are thrown your way; I know I found myself sighing when I had to take down another dozen or so enemies, as I thought the last twenty were enough! Also, these guys don't go down easy; sometimes it takes a half a clip of ammo to kill them. Some may find this to be a welcome challenge, but others will find it frustrating. Your trusty companions help lighten the load though. There have been so many games where the non-playable characters get in the way, but you'll want Sullivan and Elena along for the ride. If you put a few bullets in one of your foes, Elena doesn't just stand there, she finishes them off, while Sullivan helps you with puzzles that require two people. It's a rare occurrence when you find non-playable characters with good AI but Uncharted has them in abundance.

That all sounds great, right? Well, there's a whole other side to the game with the platforming elements. Borrowing from the Tomb Raider formula, Uncharted has Nathan leaping across ledges, swinging from vines and climbing various obstacles. But unlike Tomb Raider, these aren't frustrating tasks. Uncharted doesn't require that you get the timing exactly right or make the perfect jump. Basically, all you have to do is find the ledges to jump on and you're set. Sometimes certain ledges can be tricky to spot, but this isn't much of a problem. It may sound like the platforming has been simplified too much, but it's a nice contrast to the formidable gunfights and it feels more natural than pretty much any other game I've played; the interaction with the scenery is fantastic and you really feel like you're making the most of your environment to progress past obstacles like locked gates.

You're probably wondering about the puzzles too - a game like this has got to have them, right? Uncharted does feature puzzles, but they're few and far between. Plus, they don't require you to think too much, because Sir Francis Drake's journal gives you clues for each one. It'd be going a bit too far to say these are mundane tasks, but they're a walk in the park compared to other games. Uncharted does try to offer more variety with some vehicle sequences though and they're done very well. A couple of them involve you driving a jet ski while Elena provides gun support and one particular highlight of the game has Nathan at the turret on the back of a jeep in a high speed chase sequence. Put all of these gameplay elements together and everyone is sure to find something that they enjoy.

When it comes to presentation, Uncharted is a visual masterpiece. Those who have seen the screenshots and videos already know this, but actually seeing it on your TV is really something. Most of the game takes place in lush jungles and the vivid colors really stand out; I was in awe of the lighting and shadows in particular. Other environments include worn down forts and eerie catacombs. The attention to detail is impeccable wherever you go; when you brush past plants, they move realistically. When you enter a river or lake, Nathan's clothes are wet when he emerges, clinging to his skin until they dry over time. All of these wonderful little touches start to add up and you begin to really appreciate the effort put in. What really stands out however is the spot-on animation. Developer Naughty Dog sought out the talents of real actors and actresses to do motion capture and it works wonders; seeing Nathan struggle to hold onto a ledge after a huge leap is very convincing. The best part is that it helps bring the characters to life.

Another contributing factor to giving the characters life comes from the voice actors, who do an excellent job of injecting personality into their 3D counterparts; Nathan's sarcasm and Elena's confidence are easily apparent just because of the voice work. But that's just one aspect of the spectacular audio. The score has an epic grandeur to it, but doesn't feel like it's taking from all of those action movies out there today. Also, the sound effects are perfect, whether it be the blast of the shotgun or the ringing after a nearby grenade explosion. Put together the audio and visuals and you've got a game world that you can easily immerse yourself in.

Uncharted's length is one if its few downsides. The game's twenty-two chapters only take about eight hours to complete. There are a slew of enticing treasures to find (sixty to be exact) and completing tasks, like getting fifty kills with a particular weapon, unlock rewards that are similar to Xbox 360 achievements. These result in little goodies such as new costumes, concept art and behind the scenes videos. This doesn't add a whole bunch of replay value, but it will convince you to come back at least a second time around, especially as the whole gameplay experience is so compelling.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune isn't a clone of other action adventure games. Yes, it borrows certain elements from its peers, but it combines them together into a wonderful package that's unlike any other game out there. The variety in gameplay is sure to leave just about everyone happy. If you don't like the combat then you'll enjoy the platforming, or it could be the other way around, although the majority will probably feel that both aspects are great. Either way, Uncharted draws you in with its movie-like atmosphere and provides you with a memorable videogame experience from beginning to end.

Reviewed by Anthony LaBella for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).