Uncharted 3: treasure hunter Nathan Drake

Uncharted 3 finds treasure hunter Nathan Drake, who claims to be a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, on a quest to uncover a mythical city known as the "Atlantis of the Sands" that's apparently buried somewhere in the Middle East. His journey is more personal this time, providing much needed character development for Drake and his cohorts.

Nolan North again gives a pitch-perfect performance as Drake, and so do sidekicks Richard McGonagle as con man Victor "Sully" Sullivan, Emily Rose as journalist Elena Fisher, Claudia Black as grifter Chloe Frazer and Graham McTavish as henchman Charlie Cutter. Rosalind Ayres does a noble Helen Mirren impersonation as villainess Katherine Marlowe.

The game's exotic environments serve as the other, more gorgeous, stars of Uncharted 3. A burning chateau in France, a pirated cruise ship in the Arabian Sea and the bustling streets in Yemen are a few of the exhilarating playgrounds where Drake can seamlessly switch among climbing, shooting, brawling and puzzle solving during his whirlwind adventure.

Yes, the plot is similar to previous Uncharted titles -- how many secret cities can a man uncover? But the pace is so rapid, and the action peppered with so much humor and heart, it hardly matters, especially in the game's exciting later stages, some of which are mind-bending and gut-wrenching for such a mainstream game.

UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE'S DECEPTION

RATING T for Teen

PLOT Searching for treasure

DETAILS PlayStation 3, $60

BOTTOM LINE Another interactive treasure