Uncharted 2: Among Thieves opens with a man bleeding on a train. The train is hanging off a cliff in the Himalayas, and the man is Nathan Drake, the game’s hero. He is not having a good day. Neither is the player, because the scene is a flash-forward, and the game then cuts to Drake waking up in a Turkish prison three days earlier. It is a cold open that promises chaos, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves delivers on that promise for the next twelve hours.
The 2009 PlayStation 3 exclusive was Naughty Dog’s follow-up to 2007’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. That first game was a solid action-adventure, but it felt like a proof of concept. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the full statement. It takes everything the studio learned and pushes it into a bigger, smarter, and more cinematic shape. This is the game that made the PlayStation 3 feel essential, and it remains a high-water mark for the medium.
Trailer, via Naughty Dog.
The Train and the Museum
The most famous set piece in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the train sequence. It is not a cutscene. The player climbs through a derailed train carriage that is sliding down a mountain, with the world tilting and shaking around them. Crates fall, windows shatter, and Drake has to leap between cars that are bucking like horses. It is a masterclass in pacing, because the game does not let the player rest. The sequence is a series of timed jumps and quick reactions, and it works because the controls are tight enough to make every leap feel earned.
Before the train, the game opens with a heist in a museum. Drake and his partner, Harry Flynn, are stealing a Tibetan artifact from a Turkish exhibit. The level is a tutorial disguised as a thriller. The player learns to sneak, to climb, and to shoot, all while guards patrol marble halls. The museum is quiet, and the tension is social rather than explosive. It is a clever way to start a game that will end with a helicopter chase through a war-torn city.
Characters Who Carry the Plot
The story of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves involves Marco Polo’s lost fleet, a legendary gem called the Cintamani Stone, and a warlord named Zoran Lazarevic who wants to use it for power. The plot is pulp, but the characters are not. Nathan Drake is charming without being smug, and his banter with Elena Fisher, the journalist from the first game, feels lived-in. The new addition is Chloe Frazer, a thief with her own agenda, and the love triangle between the three is handled with restraint.
The villain, Lazarevic, is a hulking brute with a scarred face, and he is less interesting than the people around him. He is a force of nature, not a person. But the game knows this, and it keeps him off-screen for long stretches. The real conflict is between Drake and his own impulses. He wants the treasure, but he also wants to do the right thing.
That tension is what makes the story work.
Combat That Feels Alive
The shooting in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a major upgrade from the first game. Drake can now take cover behind walls and cars, and the enemy AI is aggressive. They flank, they throw grenades, and they call out positions. The player has to move, not just camp. The guns feel punchy, and the sound design sells every shot. The game also adds a stealth option, where Drake can sneak up on enemies and take them out silently. It is not a full stealth game, but the option gives the player choice.
The combat is at its best in the open arenas, like the Tibetan village or the Nepalese streets. These spaces are multi-layered, with rooftops, balconies, and alleys. The player can approach a firefight from any angle, and the game rewards experimentation. There are also set-piece battles, like the one on a moving truck, where the player must shoot while the world rushes past. The difficulty is fair, though the game has a few spikes where the enemy count feels overwhelming.
Puzzles and Platforming
Between the shooting, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves offers puzzles and climbing. The climbing is the game’s bread and butter. Drake scrambles up walls, swings on ropes, and shimmies across ledges. The animations are fluid, and the player rarely feels stuck. The game is good at showing the path without making it obvious. A white handhold is never highlighted; instead, the environment is designed so the player naturally sees where to go. This is a subtle art, and Naughty Dog mastered it here.
The puzzles are simpler. They involve rotating statues, aligning symbols, and lighting braziers. They are not brain-busters, but they are satisfying. The best puzzles are integrated into the environment, like the one in the temple where the player must use a beam of sunlight to trigger a mechanism. These moments break up the action and give the player a chance to breathe.
The Nepal Chapter
A standout level in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the Nepal sequence. The player arrives in a city that has been torn apart by fighting. Buildings are collapsed, cars are burned, and the streets are littered with debris. The level is a mix of stealth and combat, and it is where the game really opens up. The player can move through the city in multiple ways, and the verticality is impressive. Rooftops offer vantage points, and alleys provide cover. The level also introduces the game’s best enemy type: the armored soldiers with shotguns. They are slow but dangerous, and they force the player to change tactics.
The Nepal level also contains a memorable chase scene. Drake is running from a helicopter, and the player has to sprint, jump, and slide through a series of collapsing buildings. The helicopter guns down walls behind the player, and the camera shakes with each explosion. It is a thrilling sequence, and it shows off the game’s technical prowess.
The Visuals and Sound
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was a technical marvel in 2009, and it still holds up. The character models are expressive, and the environments are detailed. The snow, in particular, is rendered beautifully. Footprints appear in the powder, and the player can see breath in the cold air. The lighting is also top-notch, with sunsets and shadows that feel natural. The game runs at a steady frame rate, and the loading times are minimal.
The sound design is equally strong. The score, composed by Greg Edmonson, is a sweeping orchestral piece that evokes adventure films. The main theme is memorable, and the music swells at the right moments. The voice acting is impeccable, with Nolan North as Drake and Emily Rose as Elena. The sound effects, from gunshots to crumbling stone, are crisp.
The Legacy
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves won numerous Game of the Year awards in 2009, and it is easy to see why. It was a game that raised the bar for action-adventure titles. It proved that video games could be as cinematic as movies without sacrificing gameplay. It also set the template for Naughty Dog’s later work, including The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The game’s influence can be seen in countless titles that followed.
The game is not perfect. The villain is weak, and the final act, which introduces supernatural enemies, feels like a step down from the grounded action of the first two-thirds. The pacing also drags slightly in the middle. These are minor complaints, though, and they do not diminish the overall experience.
Replaying Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
I have played Uncharted 2: Among Thieves three times since 2009. It holds up. The gameplay is still tight, the story is still engaging, and the set pieces are still thrilling. The game is a masterclass in pacing, with a rhythm that alternates between action, exploration, and quiet character moments.
The game also offers replay value. There are collectibles to find, treasures hidden in every level, and a bonus mode that unlocks concept art and behind-the-scenes videos. The trophies are challenging, and the higher difficulties offer a real test. For a game that is 17 years old, it still feels modern.
The final level takes place in a lost city called Shambhala, and it is a visual spectacle. The player climbs through ancient ruins, fights in a golden temple, and faces off against Lazarevic in a final showdown. The ending is satisfying, and it sets up the sequel perfectly.
Here is why Uncharted 2: Among Thieves remains essential:
- The train sequence is the greatest set piece in action games.
- The characters are written and performed with genuine warmth.
- The climbing and platforming feel natural and responsive.
- The Nepal level offers open-ended combat that rewards creativity.
- The visuals and sound still impress 17 years later.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a rare thing: a sequel that improves on its predecessor in every way. It is bigger, better, and more ambitious. It is a game that set a standard for the industry, and it is a game that still stands tall today. If you have never played it, you are missing out. If you have played it, you know why it matters.
The game is a 9.5 out of 10. It is not a perfect score, because nothing is perfect. But it is close. It is a game that I will return to again, and it is a game that I will always enjoy. Play it. You will not regret it.
