If you’re reading this and you’ve not yet played the beta, then yes, either by robbing a bank or bribing Naughty Dog you somehow need to get into the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta right now. It’s that good. For those who have pre-order Uncharted 2 or managed to snag a beta key, access is granted from September 15th. I’m led to believe that general availability of the beta is September 29th.
My initial thoughts: graphics are dripping with quality, gameplay is solid and spot-on, and overall it’s serious fun!
I dn’t know where to start with this initial hands-on look. I suppose I’d like to mention first that I was very, very sceptical of the prospect of multiplayer within the Uncharted franchise. After all, the original Uncharted remains my favourite game so far, and going through the single player adventure was enjoyable, but it was my experience, and so Uncharted felt like my personal, special game and I didn’t really want to share it with anyone.
Now that my disclosure is out of the way, I’d like to tell you right now that everything I thought before was wrong. Naughty Dog have treated the Uncharted franchise with continuity, fluidity, and respect. So much so that the multiplayer experience behaves and feels like the authentic Uncharted experience you remembered from the first game: perfect. Added game mechanics, such as grabbing riot shields for cover, and lugging around heavy relics, feel like natural extensions to existing abilities.
Continue reading Hands-on with the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta