Hello everyone!!!
After the hell that was last night the dear people at Naughty Dog delivered the first patch for the Uncharted 3 Beta (updating it to version 1.01); so this morning as I decided to turn my PS3 again and give the beta another go I ran into this on the @Naughty_Dog twitter feed: "If your PS3 reboots - that can happen, up to twice, and it should all still work out normally." this was in regard to when the update is downloaded.
So crossing my fingers I selected the beta from the XMB and after a couple of reboots (This is a problem that I have encountered also in Uncharted 2 since PSN came back up) I was back in the beta. Naughty Dog hasn't given any updates to its feed since last night so we don't know what was wrong with the original release but it appears that most if not all of the problems were solved with the patch. So I can proudly say that I have finally finished some 10 matches and tried every mode at least once.
We'll start today with the changes I have found:
- The interface is more streamlined than in Uncharted 2 giving you the chance to customize your boosters, character clothes, loadouts, etc. while searching for games or in the lobby and using less menus on top of each other, compared to Uncharted 2 this is excellent given the mere seconds that we had to choose boosters and a character (Again, WHERE IS MY HELENA SKIN!).
- Accessing friends lists and sending invites takes only a mere couple of seconds thanks to the new menu system, now we can do it while searching for games, this use of multitasking is great because you can just focus on other things and you do not have to jump to the XMB unless you're in a text chat.
- Kickbacks and boosters are buy-able and choose-able while in the customization menu therefore making the booster store accessible while the game looks for players to start a match, a glad change from Uncharted 2 since we could not buy new boosters while searching for games and having to cancel matchmaking to buy a booster and then start again was a hassle.
- When you finish a match in which you have unlocked something you're immediately informed of the unlocks. Again, good change since if you didn't visit the store in Uncharted 2 you probably didn't have any idea that you could purchase new boosters depending on your level.
- Leveling up is now reported inside the match (but you still don't get the money if you don't finish the match) a little nice bonus compared to other online games.
- Team deathmatch: Our standard five-man two-team deathmatch (heroes against villains), the first team to score fifty kills wins the match. Nothing much to say about this one since it's pretty much the standard type for most online games this generation.
- Three team deathmatch: Three teams of two players battle each other, the first team to score twenty kills wins the match. Anyone for a little Wingman from Gears of War 2? The key to winning this type of game is to keep your teammates' back all the time, if you get separated you're gonna get picked off real easy, best played with a buddy that you're used to play with (a headset is really necessary for this one).
- Free for all (This replaced plunder at the last minute): As the name says you're on your own; no teams, no help, just you. Get fifteen kills and you win.
- Hardcore: Pure team deathmatch no boosters, kickbacks or powerplays, only the best team wins.
- Co-op arena: You and two other friends have twenty minutes to survive various assaults (co-op gametypes) from the enemy mercenaries/pirates. In gold rush you have to get a treasure to to a chest avoiding the various attacks from the enemy, in siege you're cornered and have to stand your ground against wave after harder wave of enemies and in survival the whole map is open kill all the enemies that spawn until there are no more left.
The maps are greatly elaborated in terms of verticality (is that a word?) you can get a drop on anyone if you're in the right place (but it can also happen to you), the biggest problem are spawn points, enemies will sometimes (not too often) spawn right behind you and kill you or you can simply camp the most known spawn points for easy kills (something that wasn't that easy in Uncharted 2). Powerplays are a great way to turn the tide in a match but they can become too much of a nuisance when you're in the winning team and you become the "Marked man" more than once in a match. On a personal note, I found that the maps sometimes felt a little too big for ten people (sometimes if your buddy is dead you spawn at one side of map and have to run to the other end just to find your teammates and probably get ambushed by three people in the way.
As a final word; today has been a little great experience (the lag is gone, no more lockups or hard reboots) I hope we get better maps in the final product, and they overthink the Airfield map (it creates too much advantage for the hero team in the plane chase section). I will continue to play until Saturday but I'll miss the rest because of a trip I cannot move from my schedule, so see ya and have a great beta!!
PS: I will not update this blog in the coming days unless some big update happens, and for those of you who want buddys to play there's always the Uncharted 2 clan page here at GiantBomb to find some great teammates.
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