The real fun takes place when both the stealth and transversal mechanics are combined. Enemies will often pin Drake behind a piece of cover and slowly advance to flush him out. However, his stealth abilities allow you to sneak out from that cover, climb up a building to a better vantage point, throw an enemy sniper out of the window, and take the mercenaries by surprise from behind. These kinds of scenarios play out often, and really give the player a choice in how to play the game.

While none of the individual components of Among Thieves sound all that compelling, it's truly the sum of its parts that slingshots Uncharted 2 past the competition. The action that ties the whole game together is simply unparalleled. Across the 26 chapters of the game, you'll race across the top of a speeding train, fight inside a collapsing building, drag an injured friend through a war torn Borneo, make a daring unarmed escape while being chased by an armored personnel carrier, traverse a bridge that's falling to pieces below you, and even tango with the supernatural—all this barely scratches the surface of the many epic set pieces. Uncharted 2 should also serve as a model to other developers in terms of pacing—too many games fall into a pattern of action sequence, cool down sequence, action sequence, cool down sequence. The way Uncharted 2's different segments ebb and flow into each other is amazing. The game will put you through a heart pounding platforming section, and as you make your way back through that area to leave, enemies will be introduced. You can then use your knowledge of the area to your advantage, allowing you to sneak around and get a leg up on your opponents. It's an equilibrium that isn't often achieved, but Uncharted 2 manages to reach this nirvana.

And even in the midst of all this action, the PS3 doesn't break a sweat. Except for one occasion, the frame rate stays at a rock solid 30 FPS, and the screen tearing issues from the first game are no where to be seen. All the while, Uncharted 2 delivers on some of the most impressive visuals seen to date on consoles. This feat is best seen while standing on top of a hotel in Borneo—the draw distance extends for miles with no pop-in, while each individual brick has fully detailed textures. Naughty Dog has repeatedly said that they’re using all of the PS3’s SPUs and have come close to maxing out its potential—I don’t doubt it.

On top of the stellar single player experience, Naughty Dog has also introduced multiplayer, featuring your standard array of game modes—competitive, co-op, and a co-op horde mode. What saves it from becoming just another run of the mill online shooter is the verticality that's incorporated from the single player experience. Each level is extremely well designed with lots of platforming elements built-in, allowing for a variety of tactics to be used. Considering that Naughty Dog hasn't made a multiplayer game in over half a decade, they have nailed the balance perfectly, limiting the amount of unfair tactics and over-powered weaponry. The multiplayer portion compliments the story mode nicely, and with the shear amount of content available, it will keep you going long after the 10 hour campaign is over and done with.

All in all, Naughty Dog has delivered on every account in Uncharted 2. Aside from a few minor issues such as the gimmicky stealth section, incongruent violence, and the uninspired story, Uncharted 2 provides a robust and all-encompassing experience that will keep you coming back for more. Earlier I said that I went into Uncharted 2 expecting it to not live up to the hype—I left with a smile from ear to ear.

9.9 Graphics This is unlike any console game you've ever played. 9.3 Sound Well casted voice actors breathe life into their characters and the sound track is nothing short of amazing. 9.0 Gameplay The basic mechanics are far from innovative, but together with some epic set pieces, they provide an unparalleled, memorable experience. 9.9 Replay Value The competitive and co-op modes will keep you coming back for months, especially with the promise of DLC on the way. 9.7 Overall I went into Uncharted 2 expecting it to not live up to the hype... I left with a smile from ear to ear.