Uncharted - the game that just keeps on giving...

You know, as console exclusives go, this was a big loss for Microsoft and the Xbox 360. Normally, I will defend the 360 to the bitter end, but when faced with the quality of the Uncharted franchise, I always come up short. However, for any of those unfamiliar with the series (if so, where have you been), allow me to provide a brief synopsis on the release.

Uncharted follows the treasure-hunting escapades of Nathan 'Nate' Drake, a modern man's take on a path which, until now, had been exclusive to those of a high-societal or academic background. While Nate was always going to draw comparisons from previous treasure-hunting favourites - Tomb Raider's Lara Croft and Harrison Ford's iconic character 'Doctor' Indiana Jones immediately spring too mind - Uncharted's creator, Naughty Dog, wanted to give their character a more accessible persona, one that the common man and woman could relate too. As such, the company based Nathan round a number of culturally-accessible personalities - his appearance and charisma were based around Johnny Knoxville; his gritty determination was reminiscent of such action heroes as Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis; and to say there was a pinch of Cary Grant, a man considered to be one Hollywood's definitive leading men, would be an understatement.

As a character, Nathan himself is a constant reminder to his common-man status, but yet it was his human accessibility that has bode so well with the public. Unlike the likes of Lara Croft, Nate regularly comments of the peculiar situations he finds himself in and seems to have a true understanding of just how unconventional said  situations are. Through sarcasm and witty retorts, Nathan is somehow relatable to us, the gamer, which ultimately adds to the enjoyment and immersion of the game as a whole. Oh, and there is also the small aspect of the games jaw-dropping graphics, phenomenal gameplay and mass depth which may have added to its success.

Anyhow, on the 5th July, Naughty Dog pulled back the curtain and invited gamers across the PS3 spectrum to come and get involved in the Uncharted 3 Beta, an invitation that, to date, has been taken up by over 1.5 million gamers worldwide. However, there has been much confusion as to when the Beta would finish, with the date originally stated as being the 13th July, before being changed to the 14th.

However, thanks to a press statement from Naughty Dog themselves, I can reveal that the Beta will in fact finish on the 15th July - or tomorrow, to the calendar-challenged amongst you - at 12pm PST/7pm GMT. Furthermore, Naughty Dog has created a brand new way for Beta users to follow and check their stats; just head on over to the developer's official site, sign up (it's free!) and enjoy...simples.

So, to all you PS3 gamers out there, enjoy it while you still can. As for myself, I am off to cry over the somewhat disappointing Gears of War 3 Beta...

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR SITE, AT NO COST WITH ONE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK 'LIKE' BUTTON BELOW:

If you're interested in writing for Shadowlocked (disc and screening reviews, etc, or just getting some extra coverage for your extraordinary writing talent, get in touch with us.