I finally made friends with someone who owns a PS3. After a horrible experience with Genji near the release of the PS3, I had vowed to keep my distance from that console. Fortunately, game developers have been working to utilize the capabilities of the PS3. When I saw the screenshots for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, I wanted to see if the game looked as good as the promotional images. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

The PS3 felt similar to the 360 in terms of next-gen console quality. The PS3 controller was oddly light compared to the PS2 controller, but that was the only significant difference that I noticed. The PS3 start menu seemed confusing compared to the more straightforward layout of the 360 menus but the PS3 menu was prettier. After getting over my fascination with the new and unfamiliar, I started up the Drake’s Fortune demo.

I’ve had limited experience with adventure games that involve a lot of shooting, with the exception of a couple hours with Lara Croft. I didn’t have many expectations beyond the spectacular visuals I’d seen in the screenshots – and the vast jungle scenery didn’t disappoint. The jungle felt lush and alive. The water looked fantastic. It was great to be able to walk into a lake and have jeans appear wet only where my character’s legs were submerged.

The gameplay felt a lot like Tomb Raider until I got into a shooting match. While I could easily run at enemies shooting in the beginning of Tomb Raider: Legend, Drake’s Fortune was more realistic. I had to aim and use more stealthy tactics. I hid behind cover and darted from one area to another as quickly as possible.

The realism in Drake’s Fortune immediately pulled me into the game. The enemies I shot felt like real people, not just faceless alien clones. They would flank and attempt to get closer. There was no health bar, so a drop in health was indicated a loss of color on the screen and a heartbeat when my life was on the line. Health recovered relatively quickly when behind cover, so I never felt like it slowed me down. It was refreshing not to have to worry about resource management for health packs. Fewer fictional elements to manage health systems create a more immersive experience.

While there were a lot of enemies, there were plenty of elements to help me survive. Sounds such as footsteps always alerted me as to enemy presence. There was plenty of cover. This cover would sometimes get damaged due to grenades and other weapons, but there were always sound and visual cues before the grenades detonated.

The Drake’s Fortune demo was a very cinematic experience. The opening cutscene was just the right length and got me straight into the action. From there, I was fully immersed and enjoyed exploring the rich world and fighting off the realistic enemies. I probably won’t buy a PS3 to play Drake’s Fortune since I’m not a big fan of adventure games with lots of aiming and shooting. However, it is certainly a well-rounded game that gives me hope for the capabilities of the PS3.