IGN Australia gets their hands on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and decides to review it.

Their score? 8.9 out of 10. This is higher than IGN UK's score (8.4), but lower than IGN US's score of 9.1 and the IGN reader score of 9.2. Regardless, it looks to be a great game.

Developer Naughty Dog has designed Uncharted to be a gaming equivalent to the great pulp adventure stories of eras past. Think Indiana Jones meets Tomb Raider and you'd be on the right track. As such, the lead character Nathan Drake is something of a loveable rogue; a treasure hunter who's used to operating on the fringes of society and looking out for number one. He's a character everyone is familiar with – charming and funny, the sort of guy who's probably talked his way out of more scrapes than he's fought his way out from, but he's impeccably realised and truly likeable. His laidback, easygoing style fits in well with his 'business partner' Sully, a man of advancing years who's seen his fair share of action (in both senses of the word) and who isn't in the treasure hunting for the fame or the glory. He's in it for the money. The final piece of the puzzle is Elena, a strong-willed documentary maker who has helped fund Drake's expedition.

Despite our complaints, we were thoroughly entertained throughout Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. It effortlessly captures the feel of a classic, rollicking pulp adventure film through charming, fallible characters, great dialogue and voice acting, over-the-top action sequences, and a story featuring plenty of twists and turns. It’s a visual triumph too; as technically astute as it is aesthetically realised. Indeed, there'll be a moment in the game, perhaps after you've climbed a sheer cliff face and have paused to look out across a serene jungle vista while water cascades down from atop the overhang you’re perching beneath, when you’ll realise that the next evolution of the action adventure game is truly here. Naughty Dog just has to perfect it.

Chais via ps3.ign.com »