Sony and developer Naughty Dog have begun to slowly take the wraps off Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, the upcoming sequel to one of PS3’s most popular exclusive franchises. They’ve also announced that the Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta will commence on June 28.
Select members of the gaming press were recently given an opportunity to take a pair of Uncharted 3 multiplayer maps, The Airstrip and The Chateau, for a test drive. The Airstrip is especially intriguing as the action begins around a cargo plane speeding away from pursuing trucks, and then shifts midway through to a hangar bay after the cargo plane has taken off.
Naughty Dog also revealed some new multiplayer gameplay types being built into Uncharted 3. Late Join, becoming more and more popular games, will be included, as will Three-Team Deathmatch which is exactly as it sounds. Both of these gameplay types will be available via same room split-screen play that allows for separate PSN ID logins on the same console.
A new Buddy System will allow you to partner up with someone and share your success with one another. You’ll also be able to spawn on top of your Buddy assuming they are located where you would want to reappear. If it’s in a bad spot, you can use a new Sprint button to run for cover.
Customization will also play a big role in Uncharted 3, from character skins to highlighting your favorite loadouts. Rewards gained during missions, such as from treasure chests, and for victories can all be used to beef up your character.
Uncharted 3 aims to go where no game has gone before with its multiplayer Facebook integration. Other games let you post updates or videos to Facebook, but Uncharted 3 will bring up a menu that shows you which of your friends on Facebook are playing. After a match, an in-game gift might be awarded to the first person or maybe five people who “Like” a post about an achievement a friend made. The aim is for Facebook’s friend system within Uncharted 3 to be as useful as PSN’s.
You will be able to record and upload videos to Facebook and YouTube. In a twist, there are extensive video editing tools you can use to change angles and add voice-over. The best videos will become a part of “Uncharted TV” which will stream and play in the bottom right corner of the pre-game menu.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception with 3D support releases exclusively on PS3 on November 1, 2011.
Pre-order Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception at Amazon.com.
