Hands On With Uncharted 3’s Deathmatch, Free For All Killfests

My first few minutes spent playing Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception in the game’s multiplayer mode was dedicated to making my Nathan Drake and my Victor Sullivan look different from all the other Drakes and Sullys I was fighting against. I put a fisherman’s hat on Sully, gave him a blue Hawaiian shirt, decked him out with rings. My Drake wore aviator sunglasses and wore a brick-coloured shirt, half-tucked, of course.

This was just one of the things that made Uncharted 3 feel different from its predecessor and made my player character feel more personal, more customised. I toyed with different weapon load outs – Uncharted 3 multiplayer supports up to four – and new mods for my guns. I preferred more accurate aiming for my pistol, a faster rate of fire for my AK-47.

I selected my Boosters, the player perks that make a character heal faster, respawn more quickly, or carry more ammo. I breezed through the long list of Boosters, the ones unique to my player, the others that tap into the game’s new Buddy System and the one-time use Medal Kickbacks that turn collectibles into power ups.

Uncharted 3’s customisation options were a highly entertaining diversion while I waited to join others in Three Team Deathmatch (that’s 2 vs 2 vs 2) and eight-player Free For All. But none of that customisation was as enjoyably time-killing or addictive as Uncharted 3’s better than ever multiplayer modes.

We had access to just two maps during our hands-on time with Uncharted 3 multiplayer: Airstrip and Chateau. If you’ve followed Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, you’re likely familiar with the latter. It’s based on the single-player level that’s been showcased for its fire effects.

The Chateau, a blown out mansion with a sprawling courtyard, burns in multiplayer like it does in single-player. Maybe not as dramatically, but you’ll see that building go up in flames. Outside, there are mounted turrets and treasure chests. It’s filled with great sniper perches, but is also laced with pathways that let players sneak up on each other.

Airstrip is unique for its cinematic introduction. The multiplayer map starts with a chase, with players riding in trucks that race down an airstrip in pursuit of a huge cargo plane. Here, players leap from truck bed to truck bed, hoping to make their way to the cargo bay of that plane where they’ll have a better defensible position. After a brief cut scene, players will be transported to the second half of that map, an airfield with tighter quarters, dozens of hiding spots and plenty of upward mobility.

Oh, and occasionally, a plane will strafe the airfield. Like the trucks, it’s not player controlled, simply an environmental hazard that can very easily lead to your death.

In Airfield, we got a sense of how instrumental the Buddy System, Uncharted 3’s cooperative incentives, will be to gameplay. You’ll always be able to see your buddy’s location on the map, thanks to a unique identifier (a green square that shows their position). Perhaps the most useful aspect of the Buddy System is the option to respawn at their location, provided they’re not currently engaged in combat with another player.

Players can also tap their buddy to help them earn more ammo or medals, one of the currencies in Uncharted 3 multiplayer. Those collectible medals, which can be secured through treasure chests and other means, can be spent on Medal Kickbacks. I tried out Smoke Bomb, which with a tap of the d-pad upward, lets you vanish in a puff of smoke, should you find yourself outnumbered.

I also tested the Carpet Bomb Medal Kickback, which lets you toss three grenades at once. Others let you double your cash earnings or curse other players. There’s a long list of Medal Kickbacks, Boosters and Buddy Boosters, which we’ve listed out at the bottom of this post.

Uncharted 3 multiplayer is quickly addicting, heavily customisable stuff. Mechanically, it’s not that different from the multiplayer feature set of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Much of the action still plays the same, but is now complemented with new features like the Buddy System, environmental destruction, load outs and weapon mods. (Yes, you can still pick up weapons dropped by foes or nestled in certain spots on maps, but you may want to pick up better modded guns for a tactical advantage.)

Booster Slot 1

• Come Here – See the opponent that killed you up to 15 meters until they die
• Let Me See – Every two deaths allow you to see all opponents for 8 seconds
• Regeneration – Recover from wounds 70% faster
• Beast Mode – Move faster with heavy objects by 10%
• Scoped In – Reduce pain wobble while scoped in
• Fleet Foot – Move faster while aiming
• Retaliation – Spawn with limited ammo when killed with a Power Weapon
• Cloaked – Opponents will not see your player arrow and you are difficult to hear
• Weapon Expert – Add on additional MOD slot to all pistols (Required Rank: 5)
• Explosive Expert – Carry an extra grenade
• Endurance – Decrease sprint recovery time by 20% (Required Rank: 7)
• Booty Buddy – Share what is found in chests
• Stealth Buddy – Fill your Medal Kickback when your buddy gets a stealth kill
• Sugar Buddy – Receive cash when your buddy does
• Thanks Buddy – Shared medals

Booster Slot 2

• Back in the Saddle – Respawn time reduced by 2 seconds
• Monkey Man – Climb faster
• Lucky Me – Increase the [chance]of getting goods from chest by 10%
• Bargain – Decrease Medal Kickback cost by 1
• Deposit – Earn more money for objective medals
• Treasure Hunter – Increase the chance of getting treasures from chest by 10% and see cursed treasures
• Ammo Award – Receive ammo for getting kills in a row
• Daredevil – Taunt over an opponents body to receive ammo (Required Rank: 5)
• Team Safe – Explosives do not knock you down and teammates only receive 1/2 damage from your grenades
• Overstock – Medal Kickback limit increased by 3
• Power Hunter – See the location of Power Weapons within 10 meters (Required Rank: 7)
• Kickback Endurance – Increase Medal Kickback times by 10%
• Revenge – Drop live grenade upon death
• Explosive, Buddy – Get a grenade for each of your buddies’ explosive kills
• Kill, Buddy – Receive ammo for each kill your buddy gains
• For My Buddy – See the location of the opponent that killed your buddy until they die

Medal Kickback

• Militia Man – No reloading for 30 second. Costs 5 medals.
• Disruption – Nearby enemies cannot see player arrows for 45 seconds. Costs 6 medals.
• Smoke Bomb – Vanish in a puff of smoke. Costs 7 medals.
• Cursed Idol – Trow an idol that releases a cloud of gas that curses anyone who enters it. Costs 7 medals.
• Cash ’em In – Double your cash earnings for 30 seconds. Costs 7 medals.
• Carpet Bomb – Throw 3 grenades at once. Costs 7 medals.