I had to look it up: the last time we gave a game a full 10/10 was almost two years ago, on 11 December 2007. The game? 'Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'.

The only other title in the history of iafrica.com game reviews to garner that kind of accolade was 'BioShock' — incidentally a mere two weeks earlier.

In 'Uncharted: Drake's Fortune' we were introduced to a game that at first looked like a 'Tomb Raider' clone — albeit with a male protagonist — but which proved to be so much more, featuring interesting, continuously changing gameplay and a cinematic atmosphere.

'Drake's Fortune' was one of those games that you just wanted to continue playing because you were having yourself a ball. It didn't have any major frustrating niggles or even poor design choices to hamper your fun.

'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves' is even better — way better.

Of all the games I've played this year, 'Uncharted 2' stand out like a pillar of brilliance, not because it's perfect, but because the different elements blend together perfectly in a game that sets a new benchmark for others to live up to.

Veteran players of the first title can expect a game that follows the same recipe and is very familiar as a result, but just better in every possible way. It's more varied, more ingenious, looks better, and the characters are more three-dimensional.

One thing that 'Uncharted 2' does especially well is to keep your interest throughout, whether it be through clever dialogue (Nathan Drake's one-liners and banter with the other characters are seriously hilarious at times), jaw-dropping visuals, or the masterful use of music and lighting to create the atmosphere.

But it's through the varied gameplay that developer Naughty Dog really keeps you going, artfully changing the pace whenever even a hint of boredom rears its head. It has the same third-person, shoot from cover, platforming type of gameplay, but you never know what's going to happen next.

One moment you'll be gingerly climbing up the side of a train wreck dangling off the edge of a mountainous precipice, and the next you'll be jumping from truck to truck in a mad rush to evade an army of soldiers shooting your ride to pieces below your feet.

In many ways, 'Uncharted 2' draws huge inspiration from games like 'Tomb Raider' (treasure-hunting through cavernous underground chambers) and 'Gears of War' (a brazen fire fight on a moving train), but I promise you've never seen it done this well in either of those.

Even in its most copycat moments the pace of the gameplay, the great atmosphere and the brilliantly conceived characters make it all entirely forgivable as you marvel at the sheer radiance of what is one of the best (if not the best) games of 2009.

If you have a PlayStation 3, this exclusive title is a must buy. And if you don't, then this is possibly the best reason you're ever going to get to ask for one under the Christmas tree this year.

10/10

Buy it: PS3

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