Sony Tackles My 'Uncharted 2' Anxiety List

While I enjoyed the first "Uncharted" game, I -- and others -- had three key problems with it. I asked the sequel's producer how the new game addresses them.

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Sony producer Sam Thompson knows I don't hold back. So I had to make sure that, during a demo of "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves," I gave him some tough questions.

So I rattled off the three things that I didn't like about 2007's "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" -- complaints about the game I'd also heard from other gamers and reporters -- to see how they relate to the sequel.

1) Bullet-sponge enemies: Most of the enemies in the first "Uncharted" could withstand an unusually high number of shots from hero Nathan Drake's gun.  Thompson said this was a known complaint.  As a result, the game's developers at Naughty Dog are "tying to make enemies more identifiable," so players will know which of them are likely to withstand a fusillade of lead and which won't.  "Damage will be much more realistic" in the new game, Thompson added. It sounds like they''re on top of this one.

2) Turning into "Doom": The first game made a dramatic tonal shift for its final act, which I won't spoil for those who haven't reached it yet. Thompson told me he liked it because it fit the story. I couldn't tell how popular it was the last time around but wanted to know if, based on the feedback, it would be the kind of thing done in the new game. Thompson: "I don't think we're actively exploring those themes right now."

3) Anticlimactic final boss: The first game's final boss battle was abbreviated and easy. Thompson defended it to me, saying that for the first game the thrill was "the chase, more so than the catch." Fair enough, but how about for this new one? He explained that the developers have a comprehensive list of gamer complaints and feedback related to the first game and are finding ways to address everything in some fashion. The only thing more he'd say is that, if the first game was a "cinematic experience," the new target for the new game is to ensure that "Uncharted 2" is a "more active cinematic experience."

That was my list of concerns, which was short. It sounds like Sony and Naughty Dog are receptive to criticism of the first game, a good sign for fans who had any issues with the first and don't want a reason to avoid the adventures of Nathan Drake.

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