"It's a grenade? It's a grenade. It's a grenade!"

This reaction by Nathan Drake in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception perfectly sums up why Uncharted is such a great series, and it has nothing to do with explosions being cool (although they certainly are). In just about every other, non-Uncharted game, your character will only respond to a 'nade the same way again and again often just calling the deadly device out to his friends.

In Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Drake says this line only once. Nate would shout dozens of other phrases in the same situation. Nothing in this game ever feels repeated or overdone.

But while moments like that make Uncharted 3 still feel fresh compared to most other releases, it hasn't really changed much from its predecessor. You probably remember Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. That 2009 release won dozens of Game of the Year awards and heaps of praise from the media for being such a well crafted action title, and the rest of the industry still hasn't been able to make anything quite like it. So two years later, Uncharted 3 follows it up largely by being the same.

Do I have problem with that? Absolutely not. 

Yes, Uncharted 3 sticks very close to the formula started by the original and refined in its first sequel. If you, like me, thought that Uncharted 2 was one of the greatest games ever made, you'll be equally pleased with this latest entry. If you were among the critics who felt that this series acts more like a movie than a video game, you probably won't budge from that opinion. Did you love jumping out of a falling building in Uncharted 2? Then you'll have a blast escaping a sinking ship in Uncharted 3. Thought the train level was cool from Uncharted 2? Then you'll enjoy the hell out of the horse riding level in the newest installment.

The few differences you will find are minor. An example would be how developer Naughty Dog has refined the melee combat system, taking a page out of Batman: Arkham Asylum's playbook by basing the action heavily on counters. But considering that you spend much more time shooting than punching, this isn't a big deal. Heck, I bet you probably don't remember the specifics of Uncharted 2's melee system anyway. I didn't until I went on a Native American spirit quest deep into the recesses of my memory (OK, I actually just thought about it real hard for awhile).

No, the things you remember about Uncharted games are the incredible scripted events, like climbing up a falling train or escaping from a crumbling city. Uncahrted 3 is filled with new, equally exciting scenarios, but I can't say that any of its set pieces are better than the old ones. They're just different.

Writers and gamers compare Uncharted to Indiana Jones a lot, and I would probably have an equally hard time picking a favorite scene from the original Indy trilogy. Do I go with the mine car chase in Temple of Doom or the opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? I really couldn't pick one, just as I can't pick Uncharted 3 over Uncharted 2.

Llike Indiana Jones, the Uncharted series has found a great frame that can fit around multiple stories. It's a frame defined by interesting and well written characters, technical and graphical marvel, and amazing set pieces.

No, Uncharted 3 doesn't significantly improve upon its predecessor. But who cares when an experience is this much fun? Even with so little changed in two years, the rest of the industry could still learn a lot about making exciting sequences and small character moments from Uncharted.