Uncharted 3 Multiplayer is Akin to MGSO, First Look

Levels

There are only two levels in the UC3 multiplayer beta, since it’s a beta that’s to be expected.

The Chateau- The Chateau level is a dilapidated mansion full of holes in the walls, broken beams, and fallen stairs. These holes and signs of decay help level out the playing field by making it impossible for anyone to camp in any area, which means that players should always be on the move and keeping themselves alert to anyone that may be sneaking up on them.

The Runway- The Runway level is broken into two sections. In the first section a cargo plane is speeding down a runway while a few flat-backed trucks surround the plane from its sides and its back. The Hero team spawns at first inside of the plane and will have to defend the three entrances (left side, right side, and back) from the Villain team. The Villain team spawns in the trucks and so they must jump from one truck to the next in order to reach the moving plane and get inside of it.

It’s a really brilliant level, and it shows just how much effort and creativity Naughty Dog is capable of. I don’t think I’ve ever played such a fun and perfectly made moving level. The levels only negative side is that it’s very one-sided since the Hero’s only have to defend three entrances and are provided a good amount of cover, while the Villain’s have to keep moving without much cover in order to get inside of the plane. This section of the level seems to always fall in the Hero teams favor.

The second section of the Runway level takes place in and around a warehouse complex.

There are very few tight spaces in and around the warehouse, so most of the time players are traversing through or around the building while putting themselves out in the open. There are a few planes, crates, and forklifts in the level, but nothing really out of the ordinary or eye-catching. There are no turrets so the level is purely player-versus-player.

 

Modes

Free for all- It’s simple enough. Everyone is after everyone and there is nowhere to hide or to run to. In other words it’s complete chaos.

Team Deathmatch- Two teams face off in a simple kill-or-be-killed match of Gameplay. One team is titled the Hero team while the other is the Villain team.

Co-op Arena- In Co-Op Arena a team of 3 players takes on waves of AI enemies. This game mode is made up a few different sub-modes.

Siege: In the Siege mode players must stay within a small designated area in order for their kills to count.  The fighting can get a little fierce in this mode which can sometimes force players out of the designated area.

Survival: Players survive wave after wave of enemies.

Gold Rush: One of the three players must take a small statue to a series of treasure boxes in order to gain points and finish the mission. The statue slows down the player holding it considerably, so it’s up to the other two players to defend them.

Three Team Deathmatch-Three teams of two players face off in a life-or-death battle. May the best pair of buddies win.

Hardcore- A team deathmatch mode where players can no longer use any special customization options, such as kickbacks. It’s just each players skill versus the others.

Gear

Additional gear can be gained in the game by finding treasure pieces that fall from defeated enemies. Each treasure piece that the player finds is part of a set, and once the player completes that set they are given a piece of gear as a reward, such as boots or a stylish new jacket.

Buddy System

Uncharted 3 multi-player uses a system that is more or less the same squad-based system that you find in games like Battlefield Bad Company 2. The Buddy system automatically assigns a player a buddy at the start of team death match rounds and co-op rounds. Having a buddy allows you to be ressurected under certain circumstances by that buddy and be able to spawn on them so you won’t have to use the random map spawn option.

Gameplay

The game play of the UC3 mult-player is heavily reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid Online. You creep around corners, sneak up on other players, and win/lose shoot-outs while taking cover behind anything that you can find. The melee system can be a bit tricky at first, but once you’ve got it down it can be robust and one of the best ways to dispatch your foes quickly and quietly. There are a myriad of weapons that players can use in their multi-player experience . Players are able to use Assault Rifles, Mounted Machine Guns, Grenades, Grenade Launchers, RPG’s, Sniper Rifles, and of course pistols. This variety of weapons makes for a well balanced experience where players don’t have to worry about someone spamming the RPG over and over again since it’s ammo is very limited.

The best and most interesting feature of the game play is that players can climb over almost anything just like in any of the other entries in the Uncharted series. It’s a solid multiplayer experience and a great addition to the upcoming UC3.