Despite what Public Enemy said, sometimes you can believe the hype.

Some of the hype, in this case.

The PlayStation 3 has been aching for an exclusive hit since its release. "MotorStorm," and "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tool's of Destruction" fill the bill. (Personally, I feel the critically-beloved "Resistance: Fall of Man" has been grossly overrated.)

If you believed the hype, then "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" is the exclusive title PS3 owners have been waiting for. It's not, but that's not really the point. It's what it does well that is more important than where it fails. More on that later.

Sometimes it's best to go into a new game with low expectations. That's how I rolled into "Stuntman: Ignition," and I was very satisfied. This happens often when you play a lot of games. I can think of other sleeper titles that surprised me: "Freedom Fighters," "Darkwatch," "Metal Arms: Glitch in the System." It's a good day when you fire up one of those "under the radar" titles and find you can't put it down.

On the other hand, when I got my hands on a copy of "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" I was excited enough to invite my wife to check it out with me. She's not a gamer, never will be, but that hasn't stopped me from making her watch opening cinematics and other exciting gameplay elements that I think will win her over in the "games as art" argument.

So it was with "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune."

We were both immediately impressed. Never have I seen better animation on a character. Nowhere else are lighting and nature elements so perfectly implemented. If you've been waiting for a game to have that blockbuster movie impact, this is your game. The game looks and sounds amazing.

Beyond that, there's a real sense of story and pacing right from the beginning. When you haul up the coffin and pry it open, that's a movie moment. What happens after that continues that summer popcorn feeling. I think it's fair to say that this game aspires to bridge the link between action game and action cinema, and it works.

After a few minutes of shooting the pirates who were circling our boat my wife got bored and left the room. I plodded on. What I found was a "Gears of War" inspired shooter with tons of platforming and interesting puzzles. The enemies — and there are a ton of them — employ some convincing AI. You'll unload many a clip taking down an endless stream of bad guys. Or, you can duke it out with them in some solid hand-to-hand combat.

Along the way there will be surprises and breathtaking visuals. You'll also find some clever writing and ideas — the stranded submarine being one of my favorites.

What I found, however, was a reluctance to play this game for very long. After an hour I lost interest in the story and realized that — aside from the amazing visuals — there isn't anything new going on here with the gameplay. I'd pick it up for a half hour or so and then out it down. I found I'd have to drag myself to the PS3 to play the game to be able to finish this review. I'm not sure why this is the case, but I have a theory.

Games need to live up to their own standard. For example: Go back and play the first "Mercenaries" game. That game ripped off the GTA series and had average graphics, even for its time. But it presented itself as such. It made no bones about it, as even the cut-scenes were lackluster. That game's presentation said: "You're going to do some things you've done before and they're not going to look great, but they're going to be a lot of fun and you'll want to keep doing them." (Oh, and Carl Weathers did some of the voice acting. Carl Weathers. Need I say more?)

The problem I had with "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" was that it presented itself as a Harrison Ford film but plays like, at best, a chuck Norris flick. If the gameplay matches the excitement of the graphics in the inevitable sequel, I think the PS3 will boast one of the finest games ever made.

As for this installment, it's a beautiful game that knocks you over the head immediately with its looks. But after a few hours in, you may be asking yourself: "Is this it?"

"Uncharted: Drake's Fortune"

For: PlayStation 3

Score: 3 out of 5

Why: Because, despite its gorgeous graphics and fun gameplay elements, it simply gets a little boring.

ESRB: T for Teen: Blood, language, mild suggestive themes, use of tobacco, violence.

By Victor Paul Alvarez

valvarez@eastbaynewspapers.com