We adore the Drake series of video games. After having played the series quite a bit, we decided to go back and play the original to see how it's held up.

It's intriguing to wonder if back in 2009 the creators of the original Drake's game realized that they would have such a popular series on their hands. It's tempting to think that they did. The characters, right from the beginning, grab at you. Drake is like a young Indiana Jones. Sully is like Sam on Burn Notice - older, wiser, a great back-up. Then there's Elena who has got intelligence and spunk.

The movie mixes in cut-scenes and action, with jungles, puzzles, action sequences and exploration. The humor is laugh out loud funny.

Certainly it's easy to say that game makers have progressed since this came out. They have improved how they handle graphics, movement, and enemies. But the basics are all solid here. A variety of weapons, intriguing characters to interact with, collectibles to find, and a fun storyline. You actually grow to care for these characters, with their quirks and foibles. Which is great, of course, since you get more stories in the future to continue the path with them and learn how their lives progress.

If you somehow played the games out of order I highly recommend that you go back and play this first one to see where it all began. If somehow you haven't seen the series at all, then absolutely I recommend you start here. Get to know how it all began with Drake, Sully, and Elena. And know that once you begin to form that relationship with them, you're in for a treat, because the subsequent games are quite fun as well.

Are there any down sides here? If you hate action-adventure style games where you're jumping over platforms and wall-climbing through dense jungles, then you probably won't like this. It is like Indiana Jones come to life. This isn't a farmville game or a tetris style puzzle. It does involve three-dimensional thinking and accurate button pushing.

But if you're a fan of this style of action game, I highly recommend it.

We purchased Uncharted - Drake's Fortune with our own funds in order to do this review.

Buy Uncharted - Drake's Fortune from Amazon.com