"I'll kick you to sleep!"

There hasn't been a game that's really grabbed me since the brilliance that was Resident Evil 4. So it's not very surprising that the next game to do so could basically be described as Leon Kennedy and Lara Croft's love-child. A very shiney love-child.



I hadn't given much thought to Drake's Fortune. It was just another PS3 release that sounded alright. If it hadn't been for my house-mate giving me a free copy, I probably would never have got round to playing it. But I'm so glad I did. Because it's awesome. Really awesome.


I was never a fan of Tomb Raider (yes I know, gasp, shock, horror...) and I think that's why Drake didn't catch my eye. He really did look just like a male Lara Croft. And he pretty much is. It's just he's better at fighting, better at climbing and better at shooting. He's also much, much better at hiding behind large walls that stop bullets. And then shooting out from behind them. Apparently it's called using cover and people didn't start doing it in games until Gears of War. Seems a little strange seeing as it's pretty logical to hide behind walls when someone's shooting at you.


The game plays rather like a film. An eight hour film, but a film none the less. Which was rather nice. Especially when the credits rolled-up at the end. It really felt at the end like the end of a great adventure. Which it was. There were pirates, tombs, the Spanish, explosions, and... Something else... Something far more sinister and rather brilliant.


Two days ago, the trophies were released for Drake's. The perfect excuse to play through it again. One the second play through it's a much faster-paced game. I didn't realise how many cutscenes there were and how long they were and now that I've started skipping them, it strips the game down to its bare basics. Just shooting, climbing and puzzle-solving. It doesn't need a storyline to be good, but it does make it brilliant.


So go home and and on the way buy this. Sit down, maybe with some friends (as I'm assured it's as much fun to watch as it is to play) and enjoy. And when you hit about 80% complete, prepare for one of the most drastic changes in vibe I've ever seen in a game.