
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Tomb Raider meets James Bond in teen action game.
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Based on 18 parent reviews
Not Bad, But Has Room To Improve!
Mild violence and language
What’s It About?
UNCHARTED: DRAKE'S FORTUNE really gets going about two hours into the game, when agile treasure-hunter Nathan Drake and a female videographer crash land on a dangerous isle in search of the legendary El Dorado. This PS3 exclusive is played from a third-person perspective in which you control Nate as he swims rivers, jumps chasms, swings from vines, and exchanges fire with mercenaries -- all without losing his charm while trying to impress his reluctant sidekick, Elena Fisher.
Nate can duck for cover by tapping the O key on the controller, and then twist around to aim (L1) and fire (R1) at enemies using a variety of weapons. If you get shot too many times, the screen begins to fade to black and white with a red border, which means you better find cover before it's "game over." Fortunately, the auto-save feature does a great job at picking up where you left off. Along with exploration and combat, Nate must also be adept at puzzle-solving as he inches toward the fabled treasure.
Is It Any Good?
Despite some shimmery edges around parts of the environment, such as trees, the graphics are great, especially the fluid character animation and huge outdoor levels. Plus, every few minutes you will be treated to a short cinematic interlude to help push the story along. There are more than 100 minutes of these high-quality non-interactive sequences and they help add to the suspension of disbelief.
The high production values will attract you to Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, but its tense gameplay will keep you glued to the TV. Armchair adventurers might feel a bit of deja vu with the many borrowed Tomb Raider -like elements, but you won't be disappointed with this polished and immersive single-player journey.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Nate Drake, the protagonist, would be as cool if he didn't swear so often or if he tried to use non-violent approaches. He appears to be a scruffy, charming, and insubordinate treasure-hunter, so perhaps it fits his image, but would the game be as fun if it were rated "E" or "E10+" with less violence, swearing, and smoking?
Game Details
- Platform: PlayStation 3
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Release date: November 16, 2007
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: T for Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
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