Grade: A

Uncharted is my favorite video game series of all time. Nothing compares to it. And Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception proves once again why this series and its developer, Naughty Dog Inc., are some of the best in the business.

The third installment in the Uncharted series once again follows Nathan Drake, a fortune hunter, who is searching for the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands” a city lost in the sands of time. Along his journey he must face the cold reality that he can no longer put himself, and his friends, in the dangerous situations he has faced in the past.

This adventure is unlike its two predecessors. The game is more about self-realization for Drake rather than finding meaningless treasure. This time around he deals with a lot more personal tribulations, more than you would expect to see in a video game. And what has always made the Uncharted series such a critically acclaimed success is its use of storytelling and extravagant set pieces. You learn much more about Drake’s past in this story and I really believe the player connects with the character on a much more personal level than they ever did before.

The best part about this game is arguably the graphics. Out of all the Playstation 3 games I’ve played no game looks as beautiful as this one. The set pieces are extremely detailed, the characters interact with the environments seamlessly and the way the lighting is used to accentuate the details of characters’ faces sometimes fool the player into thinking they’re looking at a real person. From time to time there were some rendering problems but nothing that would detract from overall experience. And although I have yet to play it back home in full 720p High Definition the game still looked amazing in standard definition.

Every aspect of this game is nearly flawless. From the intense action, fun gameplay, amazing cinematic approach and the in-depth storytelling, everything about it should make any video gamer want to give it a play through.

I’ve followed this series since its first installment back in 2007. It means a lot to me because the characters are relatable and I often found myself truly caring about what would happen to each one of them and the relationships between them. And while this has not been confirmed as Drake’s final adventure, as is hinted throughout the game, I think it would be a fitting end to one of the best video game series of all time. If you own a Playstation 3 and have yet to play this series I highly recommend checking it out.

If you thought Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception was more of a miss than a hit, give me your thoughts in the comments section below.