Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive peek at Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, the highly anticipated third game in the Uncharted series created by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation 3. Due for release in late 2011, Uncharted 3 will see protagonist Nathan Drake and mentor Victor Sullivan travelling to desert locales, such as the Rub’al Khali desert, in search of the legendary lost city, the Iram of the Pillars. The plot will draw from the archaeology days of T.E. Lawrence.
Creative director Amy Hennig has explained that the desire for a desert-themed Uncharted stemmed from wanting to push the team creatively and technologically, as “organic” elements such as sand, water, and fire are “technically difficult to credibly render with animation.” The game will also be the first 3D compatible title in the series.
Jimmy Fallon, host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC, said today on Twitter, “Attn Gamers: the first live demo of Uncharted 3 on Mon, Dec. 13th here at Late Night. Set your DVRs.”
The Uncharted series has been critically acclaimed by reviewers and has sold over 6.5 million copies. The first game in the series, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune received numerous positive reviews from critics with a total of 89% on GameRankings and 88% on Metacritic. The second title in the series, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has been met with much higher acclaim than the first title in the series, it garnered a total score of 96% on GameRankings and 96% on Metacritic. The second title has also received numerous awards such as PS3 and Overall Game of the Year of 2009 from IGN as well as overall Game of the Year from the Spike Video Game Awards 2009.
New features in Uncharted 3 will include “enhanced backward climbing” and the ability to fight multiple enemies at once. The multiplayer and co-op features will also be greatly expanded.
Here’s a little more information from the official Uncharted 3 announcement on the PlayStation blog:
UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception features the return of famed fortune hunter Nathan Drake and follows him through a gripping, action-packed storyline that will take you all over the world. In his search for the fabled “Atlantis of the Sands,” Nathan Drake and longtime friend and mentor Victor Sullivan set off on a daring trek into the heart of the Arabian Desert. But when terrible secrets of this lost city are uncovered, their journey becomes a desperate bid for survival that will force Drake to confront his deepest fears.
Throughout UNCHARTED 3, you’ll be taken to spectacular new locations around the globe,that will showcase all of the work we’ve taken on to take acclaimed physics, particle and visual effects to a new level.
Competitive and co-op multiplayer will return as a key ingredient to the UNCHARTED 3 package, where all of the new features we have planned will combine with our signature single-player cinematic gameplay to create a unique action-adventure multiplayer experience that can only be found in the UNCHARTED universe.
Oh, and there’s one more thing – UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception fully supports high-resolution Stereoscopic 3D.
