Treasure hunter Nathan Drake (supposedly a descendant of Sir Francis) and reporter Elena Fisher discover clues that lead to an uncharted island, apparently the location of the lost riches of El Dorado. However, they have to race against a band of cut-throat pirates, and the island’s terrible curse...

Uncharted is the first PS3 game from Naughty Dog, the studio that previously made Crash Bandicoot and the Jak & Daxter series. And, like in those cases, the developer has really pushed out all the stops. The graphics are incredible, the island’s jungles leaping out of the screen; you can almost hear the parrot in your ear. The characters also look incredibly well-detailed, and the actors behind them give astonishingly genuine performances. This feels more like playing your favourite film than a video game. The story is excellent, and further adds to the cinematic feel of the game.

The gameplay is none too shabby, either. Uncharted utilises a cover system similar to the Gears of War series, resulting in some intense shootouts between Drake and his enemies. There are some excellent platforming sections and the puzzles, whilst simple, do provide some well-placed variation. Make no mistake, though: this is definitely an action game rather than a Tomb Raider knock-off.

All in all, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is great value for money and, even after a year, one of the best PS3 games available.

Phil Bayles