Released on 07/12/2007

• Official: Mark Wahlberg is Nathan Drake

  Official: Mark Wahlberg is Nathan Drake

  The Uncharted movie has been a Hollywood rumour since the release of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune introduced us all to the wise-cracking treasure hunter. Now, it looks like it's going to be a reality. Mark Wahlberg has been cast as Nathan Drake.

  The Boogie Nights and Funky Bunch star apparently revealed the news while talking to MTV's Multiplayer blog (thanks, Eurogamer) and announced that Three Kings director David O Russell would start the cameras rolling in the summer.

  "David is one of the best writer/directors I've ever worked with," said Wahlberg. "The idea that he has is just insane." He went on to suggest Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci will also be getting parts.

  "That's who he wants to write the parts for," Wahlberg said. "I talked to Pesci about it and I know David's people have talked to [Robert De Niro]. I'm obviously in whatever David wants to do but the idea of it is so off the charts: De Niro being my father, Pesci being my uncle. It's not going to be the watered-down version, that's for sure."

  This is all great, obviously, but we're more excited about the rumours that Uncharted 3 is going to be revealed next month. That one will star Nathan Drake as Nathan Drake.

• Video Games Awards reveal games & more games!

  Video Games Awards reveal games, games, and more games

  This weekend saw the Video Game Awards rock the US of A, and while there were prizes, speeches, and parties, there were also announcements of new games. Lots of them. Here are the biggies.

  Mass Effect 3 is on the way from BioWare. The sci-fi sequel will see Commander Shepherd protecting the Earth from alien invasion, and will be hitting the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 somewhere around Christmas 2011. We love the first two games, so we're excited.

  Sticking with RPGs, Bethesda's unveiled Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the sequel to sword and sorcery classic Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It's coming out in November, 2011, but we've got no firm word on which platforms it's going to land on just yet, or what kind of epic fantasy story it's going to tell.

  Hellboy director Guillermo Del Toro's working on a game for THQ called inSane. Aside from the fact that it's out in 2013, that's literally all we know about it from the reveal.

  Prototype 2 is on the way from Radical and Activision. The sequel to the superhero open-worlder features an interesting twist: rather than pick up the story of wall-crawling mutant Alex Mercer once more, you're cast as the man who has to bring him down. No platforms have been revealed, but the game's on the way in 2012.

  Finally, we knew it was in development, but now we also know Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception will be hitting PS3s in America on 1st November, 2011. Whether Europe gets it the same day we don't yet know, but it's nice to know roughly when to expect it.

  But it wasn't only action and role-playing fans who have things to look forward to following this weekend's Video Games Awards in the US. Sports gamers are getting a few treats, too, with new instalments for the SSX and Forza series being announced.

  SSX: Deadly Descents reinvents the classic snowboarding game for the current console generation, although no formats - or dates were revealed.

  According to the publisher, EA, players will explore the story of a team who seek to be the first to descend the faces of the most treacherous mountain ranges on the planet. The team will travel the world to face the worst that Mother Nature can throw at them. From the peaks of the Himalayas, where the air is so thin that riders have to descend through the death zone at breakneck speeds to keep from blacking out, to the solid ice ranges of Antarctica, where a sunlit line is the only survival option when temperatures drop 50 degrees centigrade in the shade.

  Sounds great. If you're a driving fanatic, though, you'll be excited to hear about Forza 4. The latest game in Microsoft's simulation racing series will be revving up on the Xbox 360 in the second half of next year, and although details are scarce, you can expect some kind of tie-in with Top Gear, apparently, and some Kinect integration to boot.

• Scarlett Johansson for Uncharted role?

  We all know that Mark Wahlberg will be half-tucking in Nathan Drake's shirt when the Uncharted movie hits cinema screens, but now Empire Online (thanks for the spot, Eurogamer) is suggesting that Scarlett Johansson may be in the spotlight to fill the role of Elena.

  During an interview with the director, David O Russell, Empire discovered that there are a number of women being considered for the part including Amy Adams, who's just worked with Russell on The Fighter. "Oh I would love that too, I love Amy,said the director. "I also love Scarlett Johansson; there's a lot of great actors I think might suit. Hopefully, we'll see how it works out with everybody who are being scoped to do that role..."

  Russell added that he's spent a lot of time thinking about Elena's role, saying, "I've cultivated her quite a bit and I think I've added a lot of dimension to her so that's all I'm going to say. I love the woman characters and the more robust they are, the more robust the movie."

  Beyond Elena, rumours are flying thick and fast that Robert De Nero and Joe Pesci have joined the cast as Drake's father and uncle. Sounds like a big deal. We'll keep you posted.

• Russell: trust me on Uncharted movie

  Feedback from gamers on David O. Russell forthcoming Uncharted film has so far been overwhelmingly negative, many responding angrily to the director plans to make hero Nathan Drake part of a Sopranos-like family in the world of art and antiques. Speaking to website Slashfilm recently, Russell implored gamers to give him the opportunity to create really great film

  s far as I concerned, I very respectful as far as the core content and spirit of the game,Russell explained, ut beyond that it my job as a filmmaker to make what I think is going to be an amazing movie./p>

  eople have to trust that and let that go,he continued. here not a bunch of movies you can point to that are made from games that are amazing movies, that stand up to time as a franchise or as [individual films]./p>

  The man has a point. The Resident Evil films may have been profitable but few would claim theye compelling cinema. And, to his credit, Russell has done his research, playing the game and meeting with Naughty Dog Amy Hennig, who directed the original game as he pursued his own vision for the film.

  o grow a game into a movie is an interesting proposition because a game is a very different experience than a movie,Russell rightly points out. want to create a world that is worthy of a really great film that people want to watch and rewatch.Here hoping the firebrand director manages to cope with the abuse and make what could be the first truly great videogame adaptation even if it doesn closely resemble the game that inspired it.

• Uncharted movie loses director

  Uncharted movie loses director

  Uh-oh. And just when everything was starting to come together. If youe been looking forward to this new Uncharted movie that everybody talking about, the production had a bit of a setback. The director, David Oussell, has left the project.

  It not game over, but it a bit of a blow. Still, according to Variety thanks for the spot, Eurogamer the split has been friendly enough, and it was just a matter of creative differences. Sony is still eager to proceed with the action movie, and the team is looking for a new director.

  What isn certain, apparently, is whether Russell take on Uncharted, with Mark Whalberg starring as Nathan Drake, and Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci tagging along as members of his antique-trading family, will survive the transition to a new director.

  It a shame to see Russell go, particularly since he just picked up an Oscar nomination for The Fighter. Whatever happens, Uncharted will still continue to provide gamers with great action and adventure. Uncharted 3: Drake Deception is on its way to the PlayStation 3 on 4th November this year, and promises lots of jumping, shooting, and quipping with an exciting desert setting.

• Uncharted Collection on the way

  With Nathan Drake latest adventure due to hit PlayStation 3 shelves this November, Sony been busy collecting together the treasure-hunter first two outings. The Uncharted Collection will be available as of the 22nd of July, by the looks of things, and will offer gamers the chance to pick up both Uncharted: Drake Fortune, and Uncharted 2: Amongst Thieves.

  That won be all the collection includes, of course. You can also expect an Uncharted 3 theme, and an avatar to go with it.

  According to CVG thanks for spotting this, Eurogamer Sony also working on similar collections for the first two Resistance games, and the Ratchet & Clank adventures Tools of Destruction and A Crack in Time.

  Both of those collections will also be out on 22nd July, the first coming with a Resistance 3 skin, and the second with a theme and a collection of avatars.

  As for new games in all three series, Uncharted 3 is out on the 4th of November, while Resistance 3 touches down 9th September, and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One will hit shelves on 21st October. All of these games are exclusive to the PlayStation 3. Busy Christmas, then?

• Uncharted movie lands Limitless director

  Swashbuckling hero Nathan Drake returns to the PS3 later this year, and may still find his way to the silver screen after the proposed movie version of the critically acclaimed action adventure parted ways with original director David O. Russell (The Fighter).

  Russell planned to expand the story to cover a whole family of globe-trotting fortune hunters, played by Mark Wahlberg, Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci. This deviation from the games prompted complaints from fans and an inevitable cry of reative differencesas Russell vacated the project. Now the delicious sounding Neil Burger has settled into the director's chair, following solid box office and complimentary reviews for his sci-fi flavoured thriller, Limitless.

  According to movie biz bible Variety, Burger was picked to write and direct an adaptation of original game Drake's Fortune after the movie producers parked to his new take on the pic - one that's more closely tied to the game

  It's unclear what this will mean for Mark Wahlberg's proposed starring role, as his involvement would have marked his third collaboration with Russell. Maybe Burger is eyeing his Limitless star, Bradley Cooper, as a potential Drake...

  
  

• Battlefield 3 holds steady atop UK charts

  Smash-hit shooter Battlefield 3 has retained its position atop the UK all-formats chart, despite a strong challenge from Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

  EA and DICE's acclaimed action game managed to continue its blockbusting pace to see off Naughty Dog's latest PlayStation 3 adventure, topping the official GfK-ChartTrack rankings for a second week.

  However, second-placed Uncharted 3 was still able to generate massive numbers of its own, recording the 11th best PlayStation 3 launch ever, while far exceeding the debut of 2009's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

  Third place went to FIFA 12, while the ever-popular Batman: Arkham City and Just Dance 3 rounded out the top five.

  Sega's latest Sonic the Hedgehog adventure, Sonic Generations, also cracked the top ten, slotting in at tenth place.

  Next week's chart will be rocked by the imminent launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which is likely to break more than a few sales records when it debuts on Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.

  Published: 08/11/2011

• PlayStation 3 - The Essential Games

  
  

  So, you've got yourself a shiny new PlayStation 3. You know all about its fantastic online features, like PlayStation Network, BBC iPlayer, 4OD and more. You know about its awesome graphics and Blu-Ray player. What you really need to know is - what games should I get?

  Well, help is here! We've taken on the hard work and come up with our PS3 Essentials List - the 'hot half-dozen' you really need to get your game collection going.

  

  Action/Adventure

  SONY's flagship console needs SONY's flagship title - the Uncharted series. Since 2007 we've seen three adventures for Nathan Drake, the everyman hero whose treasure hunting escapades take him all over the world - and into all kinds of trouble. Featuring visually stunning locations and traditional action adventure gameplay like running, shooting and jumping, the Uncharted games are ideal for just getting stuck in and having fun while playing. Grab Uncharted: Drakes Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in a special double pack, or jump straight into the latest instalment Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

  

  Shooter

  Killzone 3 is the latest chapter in PlayStation's signature shooter series. Putting a sci-fi twist on the traditional first-person shooter, Killzone 3 takes place across a range of locations from alien jungles, to nuclear wastelands, to outer space, marking a strong visual change to the usual combat zones found in FPS games. There's the usual single-player campaign and a host of multiplayer maps and mission-types to keep things interesting. Plus there's a choice of classes to play as and the use of things like jet-packs which put a new slant on the genre. And if you really want to, you can grab the first two chapters too!

  

  Sport

  Sports on the PS3 are taken to the extreme in SSX. A revival of the classic snowboarding series that helped launch the PS2, SSX presents players with an assortment of mountain slopes to conquer, and whole heap of tricks, moves and skills to learn, and playing modes that reward speed, skill and survival. While the single-player mode is fun enough, the online multiplayer works in such a way that you don't actually have to be playing at the same time to challenge your friends, with a league-like system that makes every race very competitive. If you're looking for a new sporting challenge, SSX is the game to beat!

  

  Sci-Fi/Fantasy

  The Resistance series was a bit of old-school sci-fi, an alternative history where alien race the Chimera had invaded and overrun the planet, thanks to a virus that turns humans into, well, more Chimera. Your job is to stop the Chimera take over Europe (in the first game) and North America (in the second and third), using a combination of contemporary and futuristic weapons. The alt-history setting makes for an interesting storyline with some fun 'what-if' scenarios, while the multiplayer options expand not only the world of the game, but also the fun you can have within it. Grab the first two games in a Platinum Double Pack and start fighting those aliens!

  

  Party

  If you really want to get the party going, you want to get the party singing, and what better way to do that than the SingStar series. The gameplay is simple - two people competing to out-sing the other... or at least trying to score higher than the other while singing, as actual singing ability is far from required to make this game enjoyable! With a range of games and songs to suit almost any age and taste, SingStar has proven to be one of the most inclusive and easy to play franchises to hit any console. For the ultimate in friendly competition, SingStar is the winning choice.

  

  Racing

  The Gran Turismo series has been a stalwart of the PlayStation brand for more than a decade, and Gran Turismo 5 continues the fine tradition of ultra-realistic driving simulation that leaves other racers in the dust. Like the earlier games in the series, GT5 is a showcase of the PS3's lifelike graphics and gameplay physics, this time incorporating realistic damage to your car as you compete. There's an enviable range of locations (26), tracks (71) and cars (over 1000!), and combined with the gameplay choices of career mode, arcade mode and online multiplayer, Gran Turismo 5 is the racing game that puts you on the right track.

  Of course, this list is far from definitive, but it does showcase some top games in each of the major categories of modern gaming. If you think you have a better champion for any category, or can think of a key title we've missed, please feel free to share your advice below!

  Published: 10/04/2012

• Uncharted's Nathan Drake to appear in new Star Trek movie

  Veteran videogame voice actor Nolan North, who has over 200 credits to his name including the role of Nathan Drake in Sony's hugely successful Uncharted series, recently filmed a part for the upcoming Star Trek movie sequel, and it's all thanks to gaming.

  "I just worked on Star Trek 2 with J. J. Abrams," he told Eurogamer. "I met him doing some work on Super 8 and he said 'We're doing Star Trek, you wanna do it?' And I said I'd love to. He's a huge fan of gaming and he was telling me how people just don't understand [the medium] yet, but they're going to catch up. They don't understand how amazing this technology is and it doesn't get the respect it deserves, but if it keeps making the money it makes you're going to see more and more people converted."

  North will next be heard in another of his blockbuster gaming roles, as Desmond Miles in Assassin's Creed III this October. Star Trek fans can look forward to the release of a new action game based on Abrams' popular movie reboot this summer. It's a co-op action game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC with players controlling Kirk and Spock through a series of missions.
  

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