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Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is an action-adventure third-person shooter game and the sequel to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It is the third installment in the Uncharted series, released on November 1, 2011 for North America, November 2, 2011 for Europe and Japan, and November 3, 2011 for Australia. The game is the first in the series to support high-resolution Stereoscopic 3D. It also received the "Best PS4 Game" award at the 2015 Spike TV Video Game Awards.

The main plot of the game involves Nathan "Nate" Drake and Victor "Sully" Sullivan trying to find the legendary Atlantis of the Sands.

On October 7, 2015, the game was released on the PlayStation 4 along with its two predecessors as part of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. A sequel and the fourth installment of the series, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, released worldwide on May 10, 2016 exclusively for the PlayStation 4.

Plot[]

The story begins with Nathan "Nate" Drake (Nolan North) and Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Richard McGonagle) entering a pub in London to meet with a man named Talbot (Robin Atkin Downes), who is interested in purchasing Nate's ring. During the meeting, Nate and Sully accuse Talbot of offering them counterfeit banknotes, and a fight ensues. After fighting their way past Talbot's thugs, Nate and Sully emerge in an alleyway, where they are surrounded and subdued by Charlie Cutter (Graham McTavish), Talbot's cohort. They are then approached by Talbot's client, Katherine Marlowe (Rosalind Ayres), who steals Drake's ring. Nate attempts to go after her, but Charlie guns him and Sully down, seemingly killing them.

The story flashes back to 20 years earlier, where a teenage Nathan Drake (Billy Unger) explores a museum in Cartagena, Colombia, in search of Sir Francis Drake's ring, but is thrown out after guards suspect him of being a thief. Intrigued by the actions of Victor Sullivan, who he does not know at this point, Nate follows Sully to a keymaker and pickpockets him, before returning to the museum. He steals the ring, but before he can leave he is caught by Marlowe, her henchmen and Sully, who was working for her. Nate flees with the ring, with Marlowe's agents in pursuit, but Sully rescues Nate from the agents and decides to act as a mentor to him.

Returning to the present day, it is revealed that the meeting was an elaborate set-up by Nate and Sully to get closer to Marlowe, with Charlie being an old friend of theirs. With the help of Chloe Frazer (Claudia Black), they trace Marlowe's car to a hidden library, where they manage to retrieve T. E. Lawrence's notebook and a map showing Francis Drake's secret voyage to Arabia, where he was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to search for the lost city of Ubar which is only mentioned in the Quran. Using these items, Nate works out that clues to the city's location lie in Crusader crypts in a French chateau and a Syrian citadel. Nate and Sully head to eastern France and locate the long-abandoned chateau in a dense forest. They find one half of an amulet inside the crypt, but the two are ambushed by Talbot, who takes the amulet and sets the chateau on fire. Nate and Sully escape and quickly head to Syria, fearing that Charlie and Chloe, who traveled to the Syrian citadel, may have been followed as well.

In Syria, Nate and Sully meet up with Chloe and Charlie, who have learned that Marlowe is the head of an order dating back four centuries. The order seeks to gain power by exploiting the fears of their enemies. During their quest, Charlie gets shot by a dart containing hallucinogens, which forces him to give his gun and notebook to Talbot. The group reaches the second crypt and find the other half of the amulet, revealing the location of the next clue in Yemen. However, while trying to exit the citadel, Charlie is cornered by Marlowe and Talbot, forcing him to hand over the amulet piece. Although Nate, Sully Chloe, and Charlie manage to escape, Charlie breaks his leg in the process, forcing him and Chloe to back out for the rest of the game, while Nate and Sully travel to Yemen on their own.

Drake reluctantly follows Sully's advice to meet with his wife Elena Fisher (Emily Rose), recently estranged. Though the two argue over the fact that Elena is still wearing her wedding ring, and how Nate seems to be obsessed with his quest, Elena still helps Nate and Sully, giving them a tour of the city. They eventually locate the underground tomb where they discover the location of the lost city, as well as evidence that Sir Francis Drake had also found the tomb, and that what he learned there caused him to abandon his mission. Back above ground, Nate is shot with a dart containing hallucinogens. After stumbling away alone, Nate wakes up outside a cafe with Marlowe and Talbot. Here, Marlowe comments on his past and his relationship with Sully, and even threatens Elena if he does not cooperate. When Talbot gets news of Sully's location, Nate breaks free and gives chase to Talbot throughout the city; however, Nate is then knocked out and captured by Rameses (Sayed Badreya), a pirate working with Marlowe. Rameses interrogates Nate for information about Iram of the Pillars. When Nate refuses to cooperate, Rameses claims to have captured Sully. Nate manages to escape captivity and eventually reach the cruise ship where Sully is captured.

Nate discover Sully sitting on a chair in the cargo hold with a fabric bag on his head, but discovers it is a dummy. Rameses and his men appear and reveal that Rameses never had Sully. Rameses stumbles to safety after being shot by Nate. Nate then throws a grenade in the ensuing battle, which results in a large explosion rupturing the ship's hull. Eventually the excess water causes the whole vessel to roll 90 degrees and begin sinking. After navigating through the capsized ship, Nate finds himself in the over-turned ballroom. A mortally wounded Rameses re-appears and shoots the glass roof, resulting in water rapidly flooding in, killing himself in the process. Nate escapes the overturned ship and washes back onto the shore.

He is reunited with Elena, but she informs him that Sully was captured by Marlowe's men and was taken on a convoy into the Rub 'al Khali desert; but they may be able to rescue him if they stow away on a cargo plane due to deliver supplies to Marlowe's convoy. At dawn, the two of them infiltrate the airstrip, where they eventually reach a high wall. Nate gets to the other side but refuses to help Elena up, and claims he doesn't want to risk losing Elena again. She understands and accepts this, and eventually leaves using a nearby jeep. Nate tries to reach the plane as it begins its take-off run, but ultimately fails. Elena re-appears in the jeep and picks him up, allowing him to enter the plane through one of the landing-gear bay doors just as the plane lifts off. Nate is soon discovered by Marlowe's men on board, and a shoot-out ensues, resulting in a fire on board, leading to massive decompression, which tears the plane apart and sucks Nate out. Falling through the sky, Nate collides with a falling supply crate and deploys the crate's unused parachute; he is able to land safely on the desert floor. Nate finds a weapon in the wreckage and starts to journey through the desert.

After wandering the desert, suffering from heat exhaustion, severe thirst and experiencing hallucinations and mirages, Nate arrives at a ghost town in the desert where he is attacked by Marlowe's men. A troop of men on horseback, led by Salim (TJ Ramini), appear and ride to Nate's rescue. At the horsemens' encampment, Salim tells Nate that the city of Ubar was doomed thousands of years ago by King Solomon when he imprisoned evil Djinn within a brass vessel and cast it into the heart of the city. He agrees to help Nate and leads him to the convoy spotted by his scouts. Nate and Salim destroy the convoy and rescue Sully. Salim then instructs Nate and Sully to follow him into a nearby sandstorm, but the pair lose him amidst the dust and they realize that they have arrived at the gates of Ubar.

Upon entering Ubar, Nate and Sully come across a sophisticated water fountain that Nate drinks from. Suddenly Talbot appears and shoots Sully, apparently killing him. Overcome by rage over Sully's death, Nate gives chase and has to fight more of Marlowe's men, who seem to have been possessed by the Djinn, engulfing themselves in flames as well as showing the ability to teleport. Nate eventually comes to his senses and finds Sully alive. The true mystery of what happened to the people of Ubar thousands of years ago becomes apparent: when King Solomon cast the brass vessel into the depths of the city, it fell into the water and began to taint the water with a powerful hallucinogenic agent. The people were subsequently driven mad, and civilization within the city collapsed. Nate realizes that the vessel is what Queen Elizabeth had sent Francis Drake to find, but after learning the consequences of his quest, Drake abandons his mission and returns to England. Nate and Sully search the city and locate Marlowe, who is using a winch to pull the brass talisman from the water. Nate and Sully destroy the winch and the explosion sets off a chain reaction throughout the entire city, causing it to collapse. Nate and Sully attempt to escape the crumbling city and encounter Marlowe and Talbot shortly before the floor collapses, throwing Marlowe into a pit of quicksand. Nate tries to save her but is unable to pull her out and Marlowe is submerged in the sand, taking Drake's ring with her.

After desperately trying to reach the edge of the giant sinkhole that the city has now become, Nate and Sully are intercepted by Talbot, close to the exit. An enraged Talbot attempts to kill Nate and Sully, but after a brutal fight, he is shot by Nate and falls out of sight. At the city gates, Salim rides in on his horse and leads Nate and Sully to safety as the city is engulfed by the desert sands. Nate and Sully return to the airport in Yemen, where Sully explains why he took such an interest in the young Nate. He then gives back Nate's wedding ring, which he secretly kept safe when Drake and Elena separated. Nate turns to see Elena joining them. The two embrace each other and the three fly back home on Sully's new sea plane.

Cast[]

Voice actor(ess) Character
Nolan North Nathan Drake
Richard McGonagle Victor Sullivan
Emily Rose Elena Fisher
Claudia Black Chloe Frazer
Graham Mctavish Charlie Cutter
Rosalind Ayres Katherine Marlowe
Robin Atkin Downes Talbot
Billy Unger Young Nathan
Sayed Badreya Rameses
TJ Ramini Salim

Gameplay[]

Drake's Deception upgraded the features from previous installments, but included new elements, such as an advanced melee combat system that allows Drake to face multiple opponents at once. Players are able to make use of Drake's surroundings to take down foes, such as smashing a bottle into an opponent's face, pulling the pin on a grenade attached to an enemy's waist. The aim reticule seems to have increased its size, there is also a hit marker when Drake shoots an enemy. Naughty Dog has added automatic pick up for any weapon the player is holding. Players can also take weapons from defeated enemies by using melee. The player can also throw back grenades although you have to time throwing it back by pressing the triangle button at the right time when the cursor is on the white. The player can drop onto enemies right below them and take them out via hanging from a ledge and pressing circle to drop onto the enemy below. The player can now also do an aerial attack to take out an enemy by pressing the square button when the prompt appears when the enemy is at a certain distance and when the player is at a certain height.

Multiplayer[]

Uncharted 3's multiplayer will expand on Uncharted 2 in both cooperative and competitive play. Newweapons and gametypes have been revealed, as well as both weapon and character customization. Naughty Dog confirmed the maps will be more dynamic and interesting. Co-op has again been split into three modes, Hunter, Adventure and Arena. Medal kickbacks and power plays are both new features for the Uncharted franchise.

Sony ran a competition to find a new character for the multiplayer game. Combining 6 finalists from America with 10 finalists from Europe, Amy Hennig, Justin Richmond, Emily Rose and Nolan North made up the judging panel that auditioned the finalists at Sony Studios on 28 March 2012.

As of Flashback map pack #2, all Uncharted 2: Among Thieves multiplayer maps are available for this multiplayer, along with the original and Drake's Deception Map Pack.

Development[]

Soundtrack[]

The original soundtrack contains the music that is featured in Drake's Deception. The majority of the music was composed by Greg Edmonson, who also composed the soundtracks for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, with additional pieces by Azam Ali, JD Mayer, and Clint Bajakian.[1] The soundtrack was released on November 15, 2011[2] and contains 44 tracks on two discs.

# Song title Length
01 Nate's Theme 3.0 1:48
02 Atlantis of the Sands 2:33
03 The Setup 2:29
04 Small Beginnings 2:16
05 Bazaar Brawl 2:49
06 The Settlement 2:59
07 Badlands 2:44
08 As Above, So Below 2:05
09 Iram of the Pillars 2:58
10 Arachnophobia 2:05
11 The London Underground 2:25
12 Mind Games 2:53
13 Sink or Swim 3:06
14 The Empty Quarter 2:24
15 Boarding Party 3:04
16 Second-Story Work 2:06
17 Maritime Malfeasance 2:35
18 Drake's Return 3:43
19 Shootout 2:37
20 Oh No Chateau 2:46
21 Science and Magic 3:04
22 Museum Bust 4:46
23 Searching for Sully 3:18
24 The Caravan 3:18
25 Pursuit 2:54
26 Something Better 2:33
# Song title Length
1 East End Boys 3:50
2 Marlowe, I Presume? 2:23
3 Cruisin' for a Bruisin' 3:03
4 The Rub' al Khali 2:05
5 The Secrets of Ubar 2:04
6 Reckless - Powerplay (Thorn Remix) 2:28
7 Secret Order 2:39
8 Marlowe's Revenge 1:58
9 Dreamers of the Day 3:50
10 Science and Magic - Powerplay (Buresh Remix) 2:20
11 Ambushed 2:26
12 Abducted 2:15
13 Reckless 3:00
14 A Plane to Catch 1:18
15 Nowhere to Run 3:50
16 The Streets of Yemen 3:04
17 Stowaway 2:32
18 Iram of the Pillars - Powerplay (Bricker Remix) 3:06

Downloadable content[]

There have been several downloadable content packs released via the PlayStation Network for Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, all are listed here in order of release. The Fortune Hunters' Club was a discount program that sold the first 14 DLC packs in a bundle for $24.99. As the DLC packs that were part of the club have all been released, the program is no longer available.

A bundle that includes all DLC maps (both Flashback packs and the Drake's Deception map pack) and DLC gametypes (Shade Survival and The Fort) released for Uncharted 3 on the North American PSN as of April 17. It does not appear to be available elsewhere.

Patch 1.13 enabled the use of numerous customisation items, which will be released in waves over the weeks after the patch goes live. The available items include cosmetics that affect stats (such as a gas mask for Marlowe or Elf Ears for Drake) and new taunts. All items in the first wave had to be bought from the PSN, while future waves will include items that can be unlocked through level progression.

The following Taunts are available to buy from the PSN: Arm Wave; Beat It; Facepalm; FFFUUUUU-; Haka; Heisman; Most Triumphant; The Carlton; The Spinner; Throat Slit and Take a Bow.

Pack Contents Date released in US (MM-DD-YY)
Classic Skin Packs (3 separate downloads)

25 skins total


(7; 10; 8)

11/1/11
Killzone 3 Accessory Pack (was not originally included in the 14 pack count for the FHC, but is still free for members.) 1 skin and 2 clothing accessories 11/15/11
Flashback Map Pack#1 4 maps 1/17/12
Prelude - Fort 1 co-op adventure mission 2/7/12
Rogues Packs (separate downloads or 2 bundles) 14 skins total 2/7/12
Doughnut Pack Adds 5 skins 2/7/12
Flashback Map Pack 2 Adds 4 maps 2/21/12
Avatar Packs (separate downloads or 2 bundles) Adds 10 avatars 2/28/12
Co-Op Shade Survival Adds 1 gametype 3/13/12
Drake's Deception Map Pack Adds 4 maps 4/10/12

Editions[]

The special editions of the game were revealed on June 2, 2011.

Collectors Edition[]

U3 collectors edition

North American Collectors Edition.

The collectors edition will cost $99.99 and will contain:

  • A Sideshow Collectibles Nate statue
  • A replica of Nate's belt buckle
  • A replica of Francis Drake's ring and necklace strap
  • A "Steelbook" game case
  • A "traveling case" for storage[3]

Special Edition[]

Uncharted-3-collector eu 1080p

The Special Edition.

The game box is designed like Nate's diary and will contain illustrated pages and artworks. Inside is a PSN voucher which gives access to the following:

  • Multiplayer skin and weapon - "Suited Drake and Pirate AK-47"
  • Multiplayer Upper Cut Taunt
  • Cash Multiplier
  • Special Edition Decals Pack

Explorer Edition[]

UC3-ExplorerEdition

The Explorer Edition.

A hybrid of the "Collectors" and "Special" editions, featuring the "Special Edition" as described above, and the "Collectors Edition" as described above, excluding the "Traveling Case." A case is being designed for this edition, although it is unknown if it is the same case that will be used for the "Collectors Edition."

Collector's Pack[]

According to EB Games Australia if you pre-order the special editions in Australia you will have an exclusive "Collector's Pack" that includes the following:

  • PS3 Console Decal
  • The "Creepy Crawler Kickback" Multiplayer DLC
  • "Callout Mod" for the AK-47
  • A Nathan Drake Replica Ring with Necklace Strap

Donut Pack[]

Donutpack

The Donut Pack is a DLC skin pack for Drake's Deception.[4] It includes fat versions of some the main characters from the Uncharted series. Sully, Salim, Cutter, Eddy and Rameses are the characters in this pack. Its price is $1.99, or free for Fortune Hunters' Club members.

Limited Edition DualShock 3[]

Uncharted 3 DualShock 3 controller

The Uncharted 3 controller features Drake's Ring in the right handle, and a compass rose at the D-pad. The controller is based on Drake's map.

On November 2, 2011, the same release date for the game releasing in Japan, a limited edition DualShock 3 was also released, but the controller is only available in Japan.[5]

Game of the Year Edition[]

On April 24, 2012, Sony announced the Game of the Year edition of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The Game of the Year edition released on September 21, 2012 in Europe, and September 25, 2012 in North America. The Game of the Year edition includes the full game as well as all of the DLC released (up to 14 pieces of content in total), which was previously available as part of the Uncharted 3 Fortune Hunters' Club.

Uncharted 3: Race to the Ring[]

Uncharted 3 Race to the Ring main title

GTTV Presents: Uncharted 3: Race to the Ring (usually shortened to Uncharted 3: Race to the Ring) was a one off reality game show special which aired October 31st 2011 on Spike TV at 11:30pm. It was hosted by Geoff Keighley. It served to promote the release of Drake's Deception. Described as a "blockbuster TV special," the show saw contestants compete in various challenges in order to win an Uncharted themed prize package, including a Sony home theater system. Shooting of the show took place the week of October 3rd, 2011.[6]

Several eligibility requirements must be met to have been selected as a contestant:

  • You must be 21 years of age or older at the time of application.
  • You must be legally able to work in the United States, and have a valid United States government issued driver’s license.[7]

If these requirements are met, applicants must complete a questionnaire, not only containing personal questions, but Uncharted related questions such as:

  • Which “Uncharted” character are you most like and why?
  • What do you have in common with Nathan Drake?[8]

Finally, applicants must sign an authorization disclosure form. [9]

Reception[]

Publication Score
Computer and Video Games [10] 9.5/10
GameSpot [11] 9/10
Game Informer [12] 9.5/10
GameTrailers [13] 9.5/10
IGN [14] 10/10
Guardian [15] 5/5
Machinima [16] 9.5/10
Official PlayStation Magazine 10/10

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception received universal critical acclaim, receiving numerous "Game of the Year" and "Best Visuals" awards. The game holds 91.76% on GameRankings, based on 70 reviews,[17] and 92/100 from MetaCritic, based on over 90 reviews.[18] The first review of Uncharted 3 came from the Spanish magazine Playmania, who awarded it 9.9/10, the highest review score they have ever awarded to a game.[19] Greg Miller from IGN awarded the game a perfect 10/10 in all aspects, earning the title: "Masterpiece" Saying " Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is the reason I play video games." [20] Official PlayStation Magazine UK gave Uncharted 3 10/10 and a gold award , stating "Welcome to the new platinum standard".[21] The Guardian magazine gave the game a perfect score of 5/5, stating "Uncharted 3, perhaps for the first time, represents what we all hoped games would eventually evolve into. Its production values are sky-high, and it puts you at the center of a gloriously rich and irresistible world, controlling a character who is heroic, but also convincingly human. It's also mildly didactic, and feels less dumbed-down than any mainstream movie we've come across in years." [22] Destructoid gave the game 10/10, stating "Uncharted 3 jumps from one extraordinary set piece to the next, pushing the way a videogame narrative can be presented. Equal parts exhilarating and emotional, I can't say I have ever played a more perfectly paced game." [23] GamePro gave a 10/10 too, stating "Overall, the combination of a robust multiplayer, a surprisingly compelling co-op adventure, and a thrilling ten-hour single-player campaign add up to a title that is, quite simply, a must-own."[24]

Edge magazine gave the game a 9/10, stating "The present console cycle is expected to last nearly a decade, and there will inevitably be developers advocating the need for more sophisticated tools. But just like Machu Picchu, the Pyramids and every other engineering marvel of antiquity, Uncharted 3 will stand as a reminder to future generations of gamers that enough problem-solving imagination can turn any old trowel into a magic wand." [25] Eurogamer gave the game a much lower score of 8/10, stating "As a slice of one-view entertainment, Uncharted 3 is peerless... As an expression of all that a video game could be, however, Uncharted 3 is narrow, focused and ultimately shallow." [26]

Released content[]

  • A dynamic theme, a static theme and two avatars have been released. The Dynamic Theme and Drake Avatar are available on the PSN store, while the static theme and Uncharted 3 avatar are available through a code which is received when you sign up for updates at the game's official site.
  • In December, shortly after the announcement of Uncharted 3, Naughty Dog released part one of a behind the scenes video. Part two has not yet been released.
  • On March 8, 2011, Naughty Dog released a cutscene which introduced the villain of Uncharted 3, Katherine Marlowe.
  • On April 18,a multiplayer trailer was released as well as an interview showing off some of the new features that will be available in the Uncharted 3 multiplayer.
  • During E3, a new trailer was released, showing the return of Elena and Chloe.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Image of disc one info from iTunes
  2. http://www.amazon.com/Uncharted-Drakes-Deception-Greg-Edmonson/dp/tracks/B005L3HL8A/ref=dp_tracks_all_1
  3. http://ie.ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1172151p1.html
  4. PlayStation Blog - New Year Brings New UNCHARTED 3 DLC, Fortune Hunters’ Club Grows
  5. http://kotaku.com/5837459/japan-gets-official-uncharted-3-control-pad/gallery/1
  6. http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/08/30/apply-now-for-the-uncharted-3-spike-tv-special/
  7. MTVN_BALA-#532767-v2-Eligibility_Requirements_-_Uncharted_3__Race_to_the_Ring.pdf
  8. MTVN_BALA-#532771-v3-Uncharted_3__Race_to_the_Ring_-_Questionnaire_.pdf
  9. Participant Auth Disclosure Form.pdf (All .pdf files referenced can be downloaded here)
  10. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/323193/reviews/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review/
  11. http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/reviews/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review-6341906
  12. http://www.gameinformer.com/games/uncharted_3_drakes_deception/b/ps3/archive/2011/10/24/uncharted-3-rev-dummy.aspx
  13. http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=14237
  14. http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1210241p1.html
  15. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2011/oct/25/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review
  16. http://www.insidegamingdaily.com/2011/10/24/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review/
  17. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps3/615426-uncharted-3-drakes-deception/index.html
  18. http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/uncharted-3-drakes-deception
  19. http://gamingeverything.com/10506/first-uncharted-3-review-is-in/
  20. http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1210241p1.html
  21. http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/review/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review/
  22. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2011/oct/25/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review
  23. http://www.destructoid.com/review-uncharted-3-drake-s-deception-214385.phtml
  24. http://www.pcworld.com/article/243732/review_uncharted_3_drakes_deception_is_challenger_for_game_of_the_year.html#gpr
  25. http://www.edge-online.com/review/uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review/
  26. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-21-uncharted-3-drakes-deception-review
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