Okay XD
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1st regarding the MP for UC =>
There are a lot of fans for it, including myself: So anyone calling it "garbage" should watch their tounge or add a "imo".
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2nd regarding the UC ranking, IMO =>
UC3 > UC2 > UC1 > UC:GA
Ill just focus on one thing regarding UC3 and UC2 that is kinda factual. I wont go into the story, and all that other subjective stuff.
Instead I will just post a list I made a while ago where I show that UC2 is far more repetetive than UC3 due to the fact that the 10-12 hour ride albeit fantastic consists of much of the same whereas UC3 truly breaks it up more. Here it comes, brace for impact:
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This list is at the very least 95% correct in terms of area 2 area. I have tried to be as correct as possible by checking on each section before writing it.
Uncharted 2's GAMEPLAY Pacing =>I do love the beginning of the game. But halfway in and it kinda starts getting too much. Towards the very end: While it is the end so I can understand the need for more shooting, it is still far too much due to the middle parts being ridicilously high.
UC3 has about 200 less enemies as well.
Notice the lak of brawl, chase, "explore" & setpieces in uc2. There really is 90% shooting and it makes a second run on UC2 very difficult for me personally because they dont mix it up.
Wounded in train:
Platforming
Museum in Turkey:
"Exploring", platforming, stealth, shooting with tranquilizers, platforming x2, chase scene.
Borneo:
"Exploring", platforming, stealth, shooting, "exploring" cave, minor chase scene.
Nepal:
Minor chase scene, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming,
chopper setpiece, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, little puzzle, "exploring" cave, huge puzzle, shooting, shooting,
carrying jeff while shooting, chase scene with elena, platforming, shooting, platforming, shooting
Train to Tibet:
Platforming & shooting/stealth x6 + setpiece (chopper) within a setpiece (train) really. Wonderful environment change. Boss battle in shooting. Some free ways to tackle a situation.
Wounded in train, the return:
Platforming, stealth/shooting.
Tibet village:
"Exploring" which slows down the pace wonderfully after the rollercoaster before it.
Mountains of Tibet:
Loads of platforming and "exploring". Shooting a liiittle in middle and more towards the end. Great change of pace.
Back to the village:
Shooting, shooting, shooting, tank chase, platforming, shooting.
Car setpiece:
Shooting & platforming.
The monastery:
Platforming, stealth, shooting, shooting, platforming, platforming, stealth, shooting, shooting, shooting, platforming, shooting, setpiece with bridge, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, platforming, shooting, shooting, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, platforming, puzzle, platforming, shooting, shooting.
Road to shambala:
Platforming x2, puzzle, shooting.
Shambala:
Chase scene, setpiece, shooting, platforming, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting
Boss:
Shooting
Escaping shambala:
Chase scene, setpiece
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And here's UC3 =>
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London - Brawl introduced. Walk in streets "exploring", Platforming, Seeing jizz view, Puzzle, Killing w/Tranquilzer, Stealth, Shooting.
Colombia - Exploring museum, backstory!! (nothing ever made in UC). Following Sully by going through wonderful environments that REALLY help building the atmosphere of the game. Platforming. Chase scene introduced (UC2 only slightly had it and not in the same way).
France - "Exploring" jungle, platforming, puzzles, shooting, chase scene w/spiders, amazing setpiece.
Syria - Platforming. Stealth & Shootout depending on how you play. Chase scene from rpgs. Sniper killing. Tiny set piece feels here and there. Stealth & Shootout again. "Exploring" cave. Brawl with Cutter. Puzzle solving & platforming. Chase scene.
Yemen - "Exploring", platforming, chase mode that turns into brawl, puzzles, chase scene, shootout, slow walk out again -> "exploring", drug sequence, chase scene, short brawl.
Coast of Yemen - Brawl, platforming, stealth & shoot x2, vertical shooting, more platforming, insane setpiece (racing to cruise) which is abysmal compared to the real setpiece. Overall shooting in this level had a ocean simulated giving a whole new dimension. Swimming also.
Once on boat: "exploring", shootouts, stealth. GREAT setting that slows down after ballroom. Drake walks and disrupts the lightning, snapping a neck. Walks along the corridors... Interacts with environment. Im so immersed at this point due to atmosphere work, seriously. Grand finale setpiece ending that incorporates climbing and platforming with chase scenarios.
Airstrip at Yemen - "Exploring" how to advance, stealth (stealthd this fully), chase after plane, sick setpiece.
On plane - Slow crawl through ventilation. Brawl. Crazy set piece. Platforming. Shooting. Setpiece finale.
Rub al Khali - "Exploring". So immersed, I cared so incredibly much about Drake after what the game had given me.
Village in Desert -
"Exploring", platforming, shooting, horse introduced.
Caravan -
"Exploring" with horse, platforming, shooting.
Desert Storm -
"Exploring", stealth, shooting, platforming, puzzle.
Ubar -
"Exploring", Djinn shooting, chase scene, flashback chase scene, Djinn shooting x2, Shooting, some "Exploring", Shooting x2, Shooting to escape, Platforming, Crazy Setpiece.
Boss - Brawl, Platforming, Shooting.
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All im trying to say is that there's a fine difference between disliking the execution of a game and from actually feeling it was "bad". UC3 is 10 times the more varied experience which has litterary led me to beat it around 27 times whereas UC2 as much as I love it and would call it a masterpiece in my book, I cannot finish more than like.. 4-5 times :P.
Moving on to the topic at hand,
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Is Tomb Raider better?
Personally I would say no. For all the reasons many have stated already and a simple playing both games will rather make it obvious. I am a huge cinematic/linear/story driven/cant put down controller until I see how it all ends type of player. So it should not be any kind of surprise that TR isn't as fun as UC is to me. With that said; I do enjoy TR and if I were to rate the UC games with it (despite them really playing differently to be honest) i'd go with:
UC3 > UC2 > TR > UC1
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