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Uncharted: Golden Abyss Preview

Scheduled release date:
TBA
Publisher:
SCEA
Developer:
Bend Studio, Naughty Dog
Number Of Players:
1
Genre:
Genre


Welcome to our first game preview for the PlayStation Vita. Obviously, you’ll see a lot more for Sony’s new portable in the near future.

If there’s one game that will help sell the PlayStation Vita right out of the gate, it’s Uncharted: Golden Abyss . Although they don’t technically call it a prequel, this adventure takes place before the first title in the franchise, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune , which released on the PlayStation 3 in 2007. In this gorgeous Vita iteration, we will “uncover the dark secret behind the 400-year-old massacre of a Spanish expedition.” Other characters are Jason Dante (an old friend and current rival) and Marisa Chase (the granddaughter of an archaeologist who mysteriously disappeared).

We’ll travel to Central America in search of a legendary lost city and in the process, we’ll play through some truly breathtaking environments. Many of the lush jungle landscapes remind us a lot of Drake’s Fortune and amazingly enough, Golden Abyss really doesn’t look that much different. It’s pretty incredible. All the footage we’ve seen of this game in action is absolutely mind-blowing; this is a handheld production, and the richness and detail more closely rivals the PS3 than the PSP. And we’ve learned of some eye-opening numbers, too: first, developer Sony Bend has implemented over 3,000 animations and advanced visual technology.

Secondly, creative director John Garvin made an interesting comparison to the relatively accomplished Resistance: Retribution for the PSP. The latter included 50,000 polygons per frame while Golden Abyss features 260,000; Retribution had 10 megs worth of textures, while the portable Uncharted as 160 megs. That’s a lot of beauty to jam onto a 5-inch screen, don’t you think? Also, let’s not forget the gameplay that doesn’t force you to play one particular way. There are two control options:

You can either use the dual analog sticks, which are the most accessible and familiar, or you can utilize the touch-screen functions. The coolest part is that you don’t have to commit to one throughout the entire adventure and better still, you can switch between them on the fly. So if you want to climb along a wall with the intuitive touch-screen control and then switch to the traditional dual analog approach when in a firefight, you can do that. There will be no interruption of the action. This alone is enough to intrigue the open-minded gamer who plans to experiment with the Vita.

There’s no doubt that Uncharted: Golden Abyss will be the system-selling game for the Vita’s launch. That should be some time in the first quarter of 2012 for Western regions; the Japanese release date is set for December 17. We can’t wait to try another fantastic installment in the generation’s most impressive franchise, and we’re even more excited to try the first “killer app” for Sony’s new handheld.

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faraga
faraga
13 years ago

I want this game. Now!

jimmyhandsome
jimmyhandsome
13 years ago

Might be the reason why I take my first handheld plunge. Actually, shouldn't say first; I did have a Gamegear back in the day.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

me too, great mortal kombat on that.

TheAgingHipster
TheAgingHipster
13 years ago

Oh man, GameGear MK… Now there's a winter snowed-in memory I'll never forget.

anjpikapp3
anjpikapp3
13 years ago

Day 1 for me…as the world of handhelds, I have had some game time with the 3DS and I am not impressed.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

It really looks incredible. I remember my black and white gameboy days freshly.

MyWorstNightmar
MyWorstNightmar
13 years ago

Not that freshly. The screen was light green and dark green. 😉

FatherSun
FatherSun
13 years ago

Technicalities Nightmar e? Technicalities. lol..

I remember playing Atari 2600 on a Black and White T.V. Ahh the memories. Screwing in the wires to the back of the set.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

details my man

TheAgingHipster
TheAgingHipster
13 years ago

Hell, my Atari 2600, NES, and SNES are the only reason I still have RF adapters!

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

I still HAVE those black and white GameBoy discs. They're sitting right behind me. 😉

CrusaderForever
CrusaderForever
13 years ago

@FATHASUN

Oh yeah! Those are the memories to live by! Atari 2600 and Atari 5200! I remember playing Raiders of the Lost Ark, Pitfall and 5200 Pitfall II Lost Caverns endlessly! Atari 5200 and their non-centering joysticks! LOL Good times 🙂

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

I have been holding off on a smart device to pair with my stupid 20$ flip phone. Over the wait time, I've been swayed between eager and reluctant about the Vita, only because I was hoping in getting a state of the art laptop. But, I figured they fulfill separate conveniences, which will be reason enough for me to enjoy the likes of Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048 (not to mention GPS, internet connectivity, etc…). But, yes, here's to Golden Abyss being every bit the production piece as it's forefathers.

FM23
FM23
13 years ago

Instead of making all these games for Vita, how about Sony just release them on the PS3 and stop pushing the Vita…I mean, the fanbase started on the PS3 for most of these franchises. I'm not getting a Vita to play this, but if it came out on consoles…I would be all in.

FatherSun
FatherSun
13 years ago

Gold Sony PSVITA / Uncharted: Golden Abyss Limited Edition Bundle.

Make a Million of these and they will all sell!


Last edited by FatherSun on 9/20/2011 5:25:51 PM

AcHiLLiA
AcHiLLiA
13 years ago

That will be a good strategy.

LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
13 years ago

I'm very happy with what I've seen thus far. I'm interested in utilizing its connection with the PS3. I use the remote feature a lot with my PSP.

ZenChichiri
ZenChichiri
13 years ago

Can't wait to play this game. I didn't think the Vita was going to improve so drastically over the PSP. I remember when the PSP came out I was so surprised:

"OMG teh 3D grafixxxxxx on a handheld!?!"

And now we have PS3 like quality graphics in our hands.

CrusaderForever
CrusaderForever
13 years ago

I truly hope this works out for Sony! It's the Vita exclusive games that will sell the handheld. I really don't think people will buy a game for the Vita if it exists on the PS3 and Vita. I believe the console will win every time. I am sure there are exceptions, for instance the traveler. I just want Sony to succeed. It all fuels the same awesome engine.

GustaveXIII
GustaveXIII
13 years ago

Day 1. i see that Sony Bend made alot of effort to make this game look amazing.

tlpn99
tlpn99
13 years ago

Atari 2600 what a console, tanks and pong brilliant. Blip blip blip blip. Or the Pacman noise waca waca waca waca horizontal, pills not dots.

FxTales
FxTales
13 years ago

I made the decision last night while watching this on youtube that I'd really try and save up for a Vita. I don't want to miss out on this game, and I'll be buying the handheld from Amazon. I'll be saving a bit rather than buying it here.

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
13 years ago

Sony Bend are like the Naughty Dog of handhelds. They ONLY make amazing games. Golden Abyss is looking great and sounding very true to the PS3 series, but I do hope that there are some unique things to the game, besides the touch-screen and setting.

___________
___________
13 years ago

i really hope this being a prequel they flesh out the characters allot.
what makes ME, AC stories so great is the universe and the characters feel real because theres so much history behind them.
the characters feel like they have known each other for so long and theres a massive sense of depth because of some characters coming up to you and talking to you, the reporter in ME2 for example who tells you off for shunning and embarrassing her in a previous interview.
uncharteds characters are the total opposite though, theres no history they just feel like they have been plucked from totally different nests!
drake and sully for instance how do they know each other?
why are they so close?
and what about these shallay girls sully keeps referring to?
thats what i hate about uncharted, besides its typical hollywood flashy predictable story, the characters just have no depth what so ever they feel like they have been plucked from different universes and forced to work together.

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
13 years ago

UC3 is supposed to explore the relationship between Drake and Sully, so maybe we'll see how they met, etc.

Golden Abyss has a whole new set of characters though, so it'll likely feel the same to you.

___________
___________
13 years ago

they better flush out the story better this time, especially that its a prequel!
we NEED that sense of history that makes AC, ME, all the fantastic stories out there so good.
the characters from uncharted feel like they were plucked from different universes!

poisonedsodapop
poisonedsodapop
13 years ago

I want the Vita but I hope they launch it in white. I have a white PSP so I really want a white Vita. I might hold out for the color as silly as that sounds. I got a 3DS on launch too so that's also influencing my decision. But none of my handhelds have ever been black.