Uncharted is one of my favorite Sony games and franchises for the PlayStation. Now it’s also available on the PlayStation Vita. It was one of their launch titles and one most likely on everyone’s wishlist. Being a launch title, it does showcase some of the more impressive things that can be done with the Vita. Uncharted: Golden Abyss also gives you some decent back story about Nathan Drake since this story takes place before the first Playstation 3 game Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.
For a launch title, Naughty Dog and SCE Bend showed some impressive things that can be done in Golden Abyss. They utilize the touch controls for almost everything. If you swipe your finger across a ledge, either up or down, Nathan will follow that path and you can sit and watch the magic happen. You can use the back touch controls to make him go up and down the ropes, tap on the screen to switch weapons, dust off clues and artifacts, using the screen to zoom in/out with the sniper rifles, and flinging grenades with your finger. It all seems to work seemlessly and makes a good case for the touchscreen and back panel. The possibilities are endless. These are the things I like about the game.
I will say the storyline isn’t bad. But it just doesn’t seem to catch my attention like the PS3 Uncharted games. There are so many cutscenes in Golden Abyss, I may as well be watching a movie. The tightrope walking across stuff is probably the most annoying aspect about the game. I used to hate it in the other versions of UC and would turn it off. There doesn’t seem to be a option in this one sadly. Another option that doesnt seem to have a turnoff is the forced swipes you have to do if your cutting vines with machetes or the hand to hand combat. The finger swiping just seems to slow the game down and isn’t fun. The hand to hand combats were always good because they were fast and to the point.
For Uncharted’s first outing on the Vita I would say it isn’t a bad one. Touch controls bring a new feel to the game, but also hurt it a little bit. Storyline could be more interesting. Graphically looks impressive. I can see improvements on the second go round with this franchise (I mean why wouldn’t they right?).
Uncharted: Golden Abyss is available in various game retailers now.
