Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

It took us about eight hours to get through Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and it was an action-packed eight hours, without much in the ways of load times or informational status screens to break it up. The imbalance between the gunplay and the platforming is jarring but forgivable--but the platforming itself works pretty well and looks fantastic thanks to the game's excellent motion-captured animation. If nothing else, Uncharted is a graphical showcase for the PlayStation 3, and it dazzles the senses at nearly every opportunity.

Here's the thing about Uncharted, the final sum is far greater than the individual parts. Maybe you don't dig the combat or maybe the pop-in gets you down, but the overall package of an endearing story, outstanding score, great performances and fun gameplay should put this title on the top of your holiday wishlist. Say what you will about the PS3, but Uncharted isn't just a standout for Sony -- it's a standout for gaming as a whole.

From the adventure-filled gameplay to the pristine presentation, each of Uncharted's twenty chapters are polished to perfection and will leave you counting the days to the inevitable sequel. Despite packing a lengthy campaign, you'll hate to see it come to an end. Thankfully, collecting Xbox 360-like "Achievements" to unlock goodies--including Elena as a playable character--make a second play-through a no-brainer. Like a lost city of gold, Uncharted is well worth seeking out.