Quick Reviews: Volume II

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform: Sony PlayStation 3
Release Date: November 19, 2007

Naughty Dog's first venture into PS3 territory comes in the form of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a game that follows Nathan Drake and his epic search for the statue of El Dorado, as left behind in diary clues by Nate's ancestor, the legendary Sir Francis Drake. With inspiration drawn from the Indiana Jones films, Uncharted is good a game as any, and very reminiscent of Naughty Dog's earlier Crash Bandicoot offerings. The gameplay is great, the story is nerve-wrenching, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the graphics are among the best I've ever seen. Uncharted plays out as a big-budget Hollywood production, with memorable characters voiced by some very convincing actors. This game is rare in the sense that, over time, you actually feel sort of engrossed in the story and the adventure seems all the more real. The game's a bit slow at times in terms of action, and the gunfights may feel repetitive, but rest assured Uncharted is a game worth checking out. With a sequel already in production, I certainly can't wait for what the future holds for Nathan Drake.

RATING: 9.0/10

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008
Publisher: THQ
Developer: YUKE'S Co., Ltd.
Platform: Every console and handheld you can think of. I'm not kidding.
Release Date: November 13, 2007

With each passing year, YUKE'S pumps out another SmackDown game, with increasingly less development time and increasingly more platforms to develop for. SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, their latest effort, doesn't offer much beyond the traditional wrestling experience we've come to expect over the years. SVR08 is an enjoyable game, but the lack of effort really shows through the God-awful 24/7 mode and lackluster roster. Since the release of Here Comes the Pain in 2003, it seems that each subsequent SmackDown game takes two steps forward and one step back. SVR08 is no exception. The touted "ECW invasion" consists of a paltry five playable ECW characters and a rushed, albeit fun, ECW Extreme Rules Match. If you're a diehard WWE fan, then the game is worth checking out, but for the rest of you, I'd stay away until YUKE'S is able to deliver a new WWE experience worthy of competing with some of their older releases.

RATING: 7.0/10