Uncharted is widely regarded as one of the top five greatest PS3 titles so far. The release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a heck of a way to kick off one of the most exciting holiday seasons the gaming industry has had in recent memory. While the Uncharted franchise may look to some like a wannabe testosterone filled Tomb Raider, even the original game proved to be much more. It was a testament to how the genre could be done. Let’s take a trip with Nathan Drake and crew to find out if the sequel should be held in as high a regard.

The game starts off with Drake waking up, a bloodied mess from a wrecked train in the middle of the snow. Gravity yanks him (and you) into the game soon afterward. This event thrusts you into Naughty Dog’s unique way of seamlessly mixing together both cinema and gameplay, as you begin the game trying to save our hero from a tragic death in a demolished train car. Uncharted 2 transitions from cinema to game without even the slightest warning. It is this beginning sequence and truly amazing story-telling that sets the pace for the game.

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Through twenty-six fun-filled, adrenaline packed, sexy and witty chapters, you’ll follow Drake, Chloe (voiced by Farscape and Stargate SG-1 alumnus Claudia Black), Elena and Sully in an unbelievable quest to solve the legend of Marco Polo’s lost fleet. An accidental lead and unforeseen betrayal sends them on the trail of a fabled dagger and one of the biggest finds in known history. Everything the original Uncharted did in 2007 for story-telling and plot has been done five times better in Uncharted 2.

One of the biggest changes for Uncharted 2 is the combat system. The Run-and-Gun mechanic of the game returns with tweaks designed to make the game more enjoyable and nowhere as frustrating as Drake’s Fortune was. The SIXAXIS dependant controls for both combat and exploration from the original game have been removed making for a more cohesive experience to help keep the pacing of the game fast and coordinated. The hand-to-hand combat system has also seen new design tweaks that sharpen gameplay.

Uncharted 2 is a standout game not because of what it innovates. This game doesn’t introduce anything new to the genre at all. Uncharted 2 simply takes everything that the genre is and does it phenomenally better than any other game that has come before. Its detailed environments hit your senses and draws you into locations such as humid rainforests, lethal ice lands and war-ravaged city streets. Its puzzle solving sequences are not overdone and stay completely on target to the task of pushing along the storyline. The story is engaging and never loses its focus or takes itself too seriously. The musical score is well produced and adds to the gaming experience superbly. You’ll ask yourself why every other game you’ve played isn’t put together this well.

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Brand new to the Uncharted series is the multiplayer mode. This mode is completely online and will have players coming back long after they’ve beaten the single player campaign. With more than eight different maps available and up to six different modes of play (including co-op), players go head to head and compete against each other for the bragging rights of being the best. Even though Uncharted is not a first-person shooter, do not take this mode lightly. You will have to get good at this mode fast if you want to get the most out of it, but once you get the hang of it, it’s truly rewarding.

The reward system returns with all new challenges and more ways of adding depth to the game. There are 100 different treasures to keep watch for as well and 5 different difficulty levels to conquer. Uncharted 2 Among Thieves does the job that Sony and Naughty Dog set out for it. It delivers the adventure game that EVERY gamer craves, and it delivers it without sacrificing the one reason everyone plays video games: fun.