Uncharted: Golden Abyss presents itself as a prequel to the original Uncharted game, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. The events of Golden Abyss take place before Nathan Drake saves the world (on multiple occasions) from cursed treasures in dangerous lost colonies. So at this point in time, Drake is just a good, ol' fashion treasure hunter and tomb raider. As boring as that sounds, though, it actually works for Drake's first adventure on the Vita.

Before jumping headfirst into this game thinking that its going to offer the same mind-blowing experience of Uncharted 3, you need to take a pause for the cause and come to terms with the fact that it's more on the level of Drake's Fortune than anything else. Don't let that stop you from giving this game a try, though. Golden Abyss may not offer as thrilling of a story as the rest of the franchise, but the gameplay (including several new gameplay elements that are a first for the Uncharted series,) more than makes up for it.

Don't get me wrong, though. An Uncharted game wouldn't be an Uncharted game without a good story. Drake still ends up placing himself, and others, in hazardous situations that will leave you wondering what is going to happen next. You still follow Drake as he leads you on a journey to find a lost treasure that makes you wonder if it's more trouble than it's worth. You're just not going to be jumping out of airplanes or crashing freight trains while you're still on board.

Right from the start-up of the main menu, it is very obvious that even though Naughty Dog was not behind the development of this game, the game was left in good hands with Sony's Bend Studio. The music of Uncharted has always been a favorite of mine, and hearing the main theme the first time I launched the game made an Uncharted game on the Vita feel just right.

To no surprise, the graphics are obviously not as stunningly beautiful as Uncharted 1, 2, or 3, but they aren't far off. Along those same lines, character animations are less complex as well, but considering that you are playing on a handheld, you'll hardly even notice it. Despite not being on the same level of the PlayStation 3 Uncharted games, the environments of trees, grass, climbable mountains, caves, and buildings are still a site to see. During the first mission, Bend makes sure you take notice of this when a wide angle of a mountain range and waterfall is shown.

As I was playing through the story, I nearly forgot that I was playing on a handheld. The only things that stand out as being different than a console-based Uncharted game are some of the Vita-exclusive gameplay elements. Some of these elements, such as doing charcoal rubbings using the touchscreen, piecing together torn pieces of paper, and rubbing the dirt off of artifacts, are great ways of utilizing the features of the Vita and taking Drake back to his roots as a treasure hunter...but these tasks can become quite tedious and dull after a while.

On the other hand, my mind was blown when I had to hold the back of my Vita up to my lamp's light bulb in order to reveal a hidden message on what appeared to be a blank piece of paper. Being able to trace out your climbing path that makes Drake automatically climb objects can also be a nice, optional thing to do if you get tired of having to consciously focus on which rock to use as your foothold. Although, while it is nice that Golden Abyss takes full advantage of the touchscreen, I am not a fan of having to swipe the screen in a certain direction while having a hand-to-hand combat session with an enemy (more often than not, I was too slow with my swipe or swiped in the wrong direction.)

A highlight of this game (for trophy hunters, at least,) is that it is packed full of collectibles that can earn you trophies. Scattered around each chapter are a variety of small relics, charcoal rubbings, artifacts, and photographs. Gathering certain collections of these collectibles can earn you several trophies. In harmony with the other Uncharted games, getting a certain amount of head shots and using certain weapons will also earn you trophies.

Speaking of weapons and head shots, the shooting element has always been the black sheep of Uncharted games. But whether it's the Vita or the fine work at Bend Studio, the shooting in Golden Abyss is less of an annoyance than it has been in the past. The endless waves of enemies seems to be dramatically reduced, and the big, armored bad guys are much more rare and less of a pain in the butt to kill. The aiming itself has also been improved, especially if you enable tilt-based aiming. Using the Vita's accelerometer, you can actually aim by tilting and turning the Vita itself. I feel like this feature would be put to better use in a first-person shooter, but it's a nice addition to an Uncharted game that helps make the shooting less of a hassle.

Fans of the franchise will be happy to know that the character commentary and overall performance of Uncharted veterans Nathan Drake (Nolan North) and Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Richard McGonagle) is at its best (note: the canoe paddling scene of chapter 21, especially.) Newcomers Marisa Chase and Dante are no exception, as each one only added to the overall performance and storyline of the game.

Golden Abyss may not offer the jaw-droppingly intense story that Drake's Deception brought to the table, but comparing the two really shouldn't even be allowed. Golden Abyss offers in gameplay what Drake's Deception offers in storytelling and "wow factors." Looking past the repetitive charcoal rubbings and some unnecessary touchscreen actions, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is an amazingly fun game that you are able to take with you wherever you go.

Even if you have never played an Uncharted game before, this game is still worth a play through if you own a Vita. If you are a fan of the series, Golden Abyss needs to be your next "must play" game.