UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition

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I've only had a PS3 for a few months and to be honest, I wasn't initially that interested in the Uncharted games. But a friend of mine told me that they were the first games I should be playing, saying they were like Tomb Raider with a Gears of War cover system and with voice acting that made it seem as if you were watching a movie. Well, he was right.

While Uncharted was a really fun game, Uncharted 2 surpasses it in every way and wowed me enough to inspire writing this review. While number one took me a couple hours to really get into, number two hooked me from the very beginning. Trying to climb up a train that's slowly working its way to sliding off a cliff in the opening sequence was intense and I enjoyed how the story jumped backward and let you play the events that led up to that point. The story and the characters in this game are also more interesting. Plenty of new and old faces, great dialogue, sarcastic wit, betrayals and everything you could want from a game about pillaging ancient treasure.

What really makes Uncharted 2 shine is the gameplay itself. The fighting feels much more fluid with a lot more variety. Having only six or so weapons in the first game got to be a little boring considering how many freaking guys you had to kill (yes I know it's a video game but how many pirates can possibly be on one island? Even if they found El Dorado, were they planning to split it 500 ways?) In this game, there are plenty more weapons to choose from and a larger variety of enemies to use them on. And the sheer amount of enemies at least makes more sense, being an army led by a mad general and not just some treasure hunting brigands.

The environments were also much more various, as well as the action sequences. The train sequence alone almost makes the game worth playing. Rather than jumping and climbing from one tropical environment to another, you're climbing mountains, jumping through caves, dodging helicopters on rooftops and... well there's also some tropical jungles but, aren't there always when you're hunting fabled treasure?

Graphically... easily the best looking game I've ever played. Sound like a bold statement? Well it's true. What really sold me were the water effects. While everything else looks great as it is, the water was the most outstanding and I've never seen its like in a game. In one of the levels in the city, there is a swimming pool on top of a roof that you can jump in (try it, Drake tries to play Marco Polo with Chloe) and I just sat for a good minute looking at different angles of that pool and marvelling at how amazing it looks. In a game as fast moving as this one, that's saying a lot.

Finally, what has to be said about the Uncharted games is the character of Nathan Drake himself. He is easily one of my top 5 favorite video game characters (maybe just a little bit behind John Marston.) The character's humor, irreverent dialogue, sarcasm and off sense of morals make him just plain likeable. I'd say that I would love to see him portrayed in a movie, but if Marky Mark is going to play him, I'm boycotting. Nathan Fillion should be Nathan Drake in my eyes. (If you don't agree just watch a compilation of Drake quotes and compare it to Nathan in Firefly/Serenity. He even looks like him.)

This game rocks. Looks great, plays great, story is great and so on and so forth. Play it!

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(UPDATE: This review was put up right when the game came out in October of last year to notify current owners who had an interest in the new edition like myself. Item is still a Great Package for newcomers, except that now it comes in a red case for being part of the Greatest Hits Collection now. Red cases are ugly in my opinion. Game can be described as a hight quality cinematic action title at its best. It mixes cutscenes and gameplay very well at a great pace that will make you want to keep on playing. If you don't like long drawn out games, this is quite the opposite. You can probably finish it in 2-3 sittings, but since there are chapters and tweaks you can unlock after beating the game. It has a lot of replay value. There's also online multiplayer for the hardcore gamers, so its got the complete package. It's a game that I like to go back to from time to time.)

Uncharted 2 Game of the Year Edition is a Must Buy if you've never played the game before as it includes almost all downloadable content that later came after its release (Sidekick Skin Pack not included). If you have the original case, beware for you're just buying the same game with a code to get all the dlc. I sold my original copy to get this version and realized there really wasn't much of a difference besides having a new maybe better cover.

If you have the original game, no need to get this version for you really don't lose out. Here's an example. I sold my original copy for 25$. This version costs $49.99 plus tax which comes out to be like $54 bucks or something. That's a difference of $29.00. This edition comes with extra content that values up to $35. If you do the math I really only saved $6 by getting all this content. It'a deal, but not much. Also who knows if you can even get a value of $25 dollars for your original. Gamestop was only going to give me 12 bucks for it. Of course I didn't accept and gave them a big "you know what".

I actually don't mind this purchase at all for I never bought any of the add ons, but I can imagine others who might have or just some. You'll probably be a little peeved after the purchase. To make my point, New Buyers for sure get this version. This game is awesome and it's a Great Deal. Original game owners, just keep your game with the content you bought.

Buy UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition Now

UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Game of the Year Edition.

The DLC content codes shipped with the game expired 9/5/2012. The only reason I purchased this particular version was to get the DLC.

This is one of my first PS3 purchases for the first PS3 bought for the kids.

Very disappointed in my VIP Group Corporation purchase. Really wish I had seen the customer review who already had this issue prior to ordering the game. Buyer beware!

Now I am hoping that the game which arrived on disk is playable and I don't have the problems I am now seeing and reading about on Amazon which others are having once loaded on the PS3.

***UPDATE BELOW*********2013-APRIL-22nd****************>>>

After receiving a comment from another buyer for this same title who was able to activate expired listed codes in his game I tried again last week and the expiration is clearly September 5th 2012 but entering the codes which came with the game NOW DO WORK. I hope this helps someone else who purchased this title if the codes did not originally work. The content appears now, is downloadable and useable.

Read Best Reviews of UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition Here

GOTY Edition review

Apparently Sony thinks that GOTY edition just means including a code inside the case thats only good for a limited amount of time to redeem for the extra content. Problem is, they put no indication on the outside of the box saying its a limited time offer. Once you open the case you will find out the only way to get the extra content is to redeem a code and that theres an expiration date on the GOTY content, and if you buy it anytime after Oct 2012, then you never will be able to get the $35 worth of extra content that was advertised.

Just save your money and buy a used copy of the standard edition. Sony should be ashamed at the bait and switch tactics used

Want UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition Discount?

There is no DLC on the disc itself, all DLC is accessible through a code that comes with the game. All of the codes for Uncharted 2: Game of the Year Edition expired in 2010. In other words, this product NO LONGER EXISTS as advertised. It is simply the standard Uncharted 2 in a different case now. Please be forewarned.