GodDAMN these games slap. I’m fairly certain I like this more than Uncharted 2. The story in Drake's Deception is far better than the first two games, it's not even close. This introduces far more depth to each character, and heavily questions the motive of Drake's relentless pursuit of treasure (sounds like another more recent Naughty Dog game, I can't remember the name though lol). The writing does feel a little bit retconny at times since there’s depth here that wasn’t really there much before, but it’s a worthy trade off. The story arc is basically the same as the past two games, but I think it works best here.

Drake’s Deception isn’t quite as consistently over the top as Among Thieves, but the superior writing in the former makes up for it. The first third to half of this is definitely slower when comparing it to Among Thieves, but the second half picks up big time, and it’s super badass.

Now on to Uncharted 4, which I’m super excited about. From everything I’ve heard about it I think it’s gonna blow me away.

Lacking in inspiration in almost every aspect, a game that feels perpetually on autopilot. On top of the least responsive gunplay of the series thus far this has a greater emphasis on hand-to-hand combat and somehow feels clunkier than ever. It's hard to muster anymore leeway for the mediocre design choices in these games. It's the same tired formula that the previous two games relied on but here wrapped around a pseudo-serious storyline that attempts a semblance of thematic consistency for these characters and falls flat on its face. Anything worthwhile here is a retread of what Among Thieves does better (outside of the genuinely innovative shipyard/cruise section) and anything fresh otherwise is half assed (considering only half the ND dev team worked on this it makes sense). The game, for all its surface ambitions, is a dull mess. Fleeting pleasures with the ordinarily arresting Naughty Dog presentation, but all in all, exhausting.

While the banter is still good the plot is a step down from 2, it mostly ends up feeling like a poorly connected string of events that makes you go from one set piece to another.
The gameplay is fine, mostly the same as the previous games. Its biggest strength once again lies on its bombastic set pieces, which the game pulls off quite well although none of them reach the greatness of the train sequence in 2.
Overall after playing the entire trilogy I can see the appeal of these games, but I think that for the most part they are just ok. Maybe if I had played them when they came out I would have had a different opinion.

Drake’s Deception takes a far darker tone than previous entries in the series. Drake’s globetrotting escapades are catching up on him and endangering not only his relationship with those around him, but their lives too. The more grounded story is a breath of fresh air and exploring Nate’s psyche is fascinating. However, Naughty Dog’s attempts at marrying the gameplay with this decaying psyche are a bit hit and miss, with slower sections really upsetting the pacing of the game. Moreover, this game feels like déjà vu with many sequences feeling straight out of Among Thieves. Although this stifles the game is some areas, it still means the game maintains the spectacle and satisfying action gameplay the series is so well known for. It even improves certain aspects, with better puzzle design and some great hand to hand combat sequences. Although it does not reach the highs of Among Thieves, Drake’s Deception is still a fantastic game driven by a compelling story.

I can't decide if I prefer this to 2 or not.

It has the best set pieces in the entire series, definitely.

But it's also just.. incredibly similar to 2, and the story tries to be more than a light-hearted romp, but it never really succeeds on rising above that.

On par with the first two instalments, once again Drake's Deception brings a highly cinematic flair to an extremely well designed on-rails experience. Like all Uncharted games, and all good action pieces, the story gives us an insight into our main cast's minds and souls, expanding on their backstory and motivations; while the gameplay gives us amazing, sprawling, awe inspiring set pieces. I found the scares in this one (giant spiders) weren't as poignant as in the first two games, but the last chapter ups the ante in the anxiety inducing department which makes up for it.

My favorite of the series with the possible exception of Lost Legacy. I wish I could specify why, but as mentioned in my other two reviews, the games unfortunately run together in my head because I blitzed through them all with no breaks.

What I thought was a gunplay improvement in 2 is nothing compared to 3. Guns feel and sound much more powerful than before, and the gunplay felt more natural and engaging here than previous installments. I remember thinking 2 was working well and being floored when I then played 3.

The setpieces here are insane but memorable, and other than the slightly annoying wander-through-the-desert sequence, the game is totally thrilling. Even the flashback sections are rewarding and fun in their own right. You get a lot more of Drake's backstory from when he was a kid and also from his and Elena's relationship.

The graphics in 3 are also really, really good. The music in the series is pretty even throughout, but 3 had probably the best sound up to this point. The environments are varied and gorgeous. The climbing and puzzle aspects continue to be refined throughout, and 3's are still great.

All told, I came away from the original three thinking 3 is the best, but I just vibed with it. I can't exactly explain why.

Drake’s Fortune created the cinematic action genre we know today, Among Thieves refined it, but Drake’s Deception is the first sideways step of the franchise. In some ways, it genuinely is better than its legendary predecessor, with more impressive technology, a smoother pace, and the advantage of a more developed cast of characters. On the other hand, some of the plot points and twists are questionable at best, utterly nonsensical at worst. The character of Talbot, for example, is one of the biggest question marks in the entire series. He randomly appears and disappears, is seemingly immune to gunshots, and has mystical powers that go entirely unexplained. The setup seems to be that he’s a supernatural entity misleading the main villain, but that doesn’t actually happen, and fans have endlessly debated what the original plan for his character was. The setpieces are some of the best in the series, but the narrative justification for experiencing them is equally muddled. The best example is a ship graveyard section, which is a fun location for shootouts and has a lot of unique moments, but the only reason Drake ends up there is because he gets randomly captured by pirates you’ve hardly seen before. He escapes, and they have no bearing on the plot from that point forward. It’s still an enjoyable ride from front to back, but Drake’s Deception has a general sloppiness to it that prevented it from raising the bar in the way its predecessors were celebrated for.