Pros: True replay value and great graphics
Cons: Maybe a tad too easy, but just a tad.
The bottom line: This is a must have game.
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is one of the best games I have ever played. Drake’s Fortune (a Blu-ray Disc) boasts incredible 720p graphics, Dolby Digital surround sound and DTS Digital Surround, the perfect mood-setting surround music and sounds, great voice acting, precise control and, last but not least, replay value. If you like Indiana Jones and National Treasure, you’ll probably like the premise of this game.

Drake’s Fortune, from Naughty Dog, stars the reluctant hero and treasure hunter, Nathan Drake, who is a fictional descendant of Sir Francis Drake, the famous English privateer who fought the Spanish Armada. Drake is after his ancestor’s legendary lost treasures of El Dorado. Of course a hero needs a sidekick; enter Victor Sullivan, a rough around the edges adventurer with a heart of gold and a penchant for making bad deals. And what story is complete without a love interest? Elana Fisher is a young but tough as nails reporter who is out for the story of a lifetime. All the elements of a good story are there, so buckle up Dorothy 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye.

Drake’s Fortune is a mixture of action and adventure. Most of the action takes place as a third-person shooter (the point of view is from behind Drake so you can see him). The puzzle-solving is also third person but the camera also pans out as Drake hops from ledge to ledge or swings from a vine. This enables you to see where to direct Drake.

The action is actually very good, and I’m not even a fan of first-person shooters. You control Drake as he runs around ducking for cover and taking out the bad guys as they try to kill him and take the gold for themselves. Aiming Drake’s weapons is spot on, but a little slow sometimes. Most of the time, you’ll hide behind large rocks, crates or walls and swing out to shoot the plethora of enemies that try to swarm you. It really is a fun experience diving behind a low wall, standing up and taking a few shots at the enemy before ducking back down to avoid their return fire. The fact that you have to be a little conservative with your ammo helps put you into the action. You don’t have to horde it, but you can’t just empty your clip into one enemy. However, should you run out of ammo (Drake can carry one handgun, another larger gun and 5 grenades) you can pick up more from your fallen foes or use hand to hand combat.

Drake also has to use his problem-solving skills to get to most areas. You have to figure out which part of the scenery is there for Drake to climb on and jump to or from. Drake can hang from ledges and scoot himself along, jump from ledge to ledge or swing from vines to get where he has to go. Sometimes it’s a little challenging figuring out where to go, but never frustrating. Along those lines, if you do happen to die, you don't usually have to start very far back.

The scenery does change a little, from boats, to the jungle, to a monastary, a library, a church, dungeons and a really creepy area that I won’t discuss here because it involves an unexpected plot twist at the end. The graphics are incredibly detailed. Naughty Dog did an especially fine job on the water effects. Drake actually looks soaked after he goes into water. People raved about the graphics on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but I think Drake’s Fortune takes top honors.

There are of course many little hidden treasures to find and meta-game goals you can complete to unlock numerous extras and features. For instance, you can find 60 hidden treasures which only appear as a slight glint until you walk over it and are directed to pick it up. After playing through the game twice, I’ve only found 40 of them without using any guides or cheats. You don’t have to find them but it’s a little something extra. Once you complete the game you can play again and all your accomplishments and treasures you found are saved, so you don't have to find them all in one go.

I have a hard time putting the controller down when playing this game. I first completed the easy level and then the hard level and I find myself wanting to play it yet again. The challenge is just right to keep it interesting, and I can’t wait for the sequel. I'm well on my third time through this game.