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Uncharted 2's Stellar Storytelling

Posted by Matt Birchler
— 1 min read

"That movie looks like a video game" is one of the harshest criticisms you can level against a film. Video games are traditionally terrible story delivery mechanisms, and we've only recently gotten anywhere near having stories that aren't embarrassing1. Even games that are considered to have good stories nowadays are relatively poor compared to the best films out there.

I was playing Uncharted 2 again this week and was taken aback at just how good the storytelling is in this game. Watch the clip above and tell me that doesn't hold up against the best adventure movies you've ever seen. The dialog is sharp, funny, and always driving the story forward. The characters are distinct and likable, which is good because you're going to spend about 10 hours with them.

Uncharted is always one of those game series that comes up when talking about video game storytelling, and I think it stands above just about anything else in the genre. The above scene is great, but the game is full of quality in-gameplay and cinematic storytelling that makes it a true video game classic and one of the best adventure stories I've ever experienced.


  1. There were exceptions yes, but the vast majority of games for decades had stores that were atrocious.