Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the sequel to the underrated Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, can be described with one word: fun. It’s a word that hasn’t been applied to a video game in a long time.

Once again, players will step into the shoes of treasure hunter and thrill-seeker Nathan Drake, who joins up with some old friends, and they plan to uncover the mystery behind Marco Polo’s lost fleet. The story has its Hollywood-made twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

All of the actors from the original game are back, and the writing and acting are very sharp.  Nolan North gives sarcastic and charming wit to Nathan, making him a likeable and interesting character. Claudia Black is the voice of the seductive Chloe Frazer, who is another standout character. Together, the two sizzle with undeniable chemistry as they banter back and forth. Think George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones in “Intolerable Cruelty”-with guns, explosions and ancient relics.

Game play has been divided into the same three parts as the first game–platforming, gunplay and light puzzle solving-but has been vastly improved. Gunplay is more accurate and there are more weapons to play with. Grenades are now assigned to one button as opposed to the awkward and gimmicky six axis. Platforming is a little more risky and requires some timing, especially when Nathan is up in the mountains. Puzzle solving takes about as much time as it did in the first game, only this time you get to flip through Nathan’s journal, which contains clues and several comical pieces (look for his rendition of Sully’s emotions). Stealth has also been added to the game and works fine, but it would have been nice if there was a button where Nathan can get into “stealth mode.”

All of these elements integrate seamlessly, helping the player to be immersed into the world. You actually feel like you are with Nathan and his band of comrades trying to find the lost treasure. Another element that adds to the captivation is the beautiful and jaw-dropping graphics that exceed its time. Animations and set pieces are so stunning that you’ll forget you’re playing a game and think you’re watching a Hollywood blockbuster. Snow will build up around Nathan’s legs, birds will fly off when you get too close to them, even an entire building collapses. This is truly a beautiful game that shows the best of Playstation’s massive hardware.

There were a few minor issues in the game, though. Sometimes the objectives aren’t always clear. For example, Nathan and his companion had to escape a tank roaming around and destroying the city, but the game offers no hints on where to go or what exactly you’re supposed to do. Another was that the controls sometimes got in the way, especially when Nathan had to swing from a rope. It was awkward trying to guide him to a particular destination.

The solo adventure lasts ten or so hours, depending on what difficulty you play and if you want to find all of the hidden treasures. Multiplayer is included this time around and has the same attention to detail as in the main campaign. There are a variety of multiplayer modes that offer co-op and competitive play. As you keep playing these modes, you earn money to buy new character skins, perks and various other goodies a la Modern Warfare. Each is extremely addictive and fun and will certainly add more hours to an already complete package.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for PS3 doesn’t offer anything new and you certainly won’t see an idea that you haven’t already seen in an Indiana Jones movie or a Tomb Raider game, but it manages to stand head and shoulders amongst the competition and bring back a genre that has sadly been forgotten.