The Cruise Ship – Uncharted 3
The pirate cruise liner from Uncharted 3 is probably the most disorientating moment of the series. As a monsoon bombards the ship from the outside, Drake is shooting at all the pirates hiding inside. The raging monsoon causes all of the interior cover to move around randomly. But then of course, Drake does Drake and ends up plonking a massive hole in the ship’s hull, causing it to fill up with sea water. This is where it gets real disorientating. Trying to escape means making your way to the top, however the ‘top’ is now ‘left’ and the ‘bottom’ is now ‘right’… we haven’t missed that confusion either!
As you scramble your way out, with cabin doors making new platforms and chandeliers becoming hazards that Drake must overcome, water is piling in and forcing you to act fast.
This would have been a pretty incredible set piece even if Naughty Dog didn’t work its magic on the ocean, but that just ain’t Naughty Dog. During this scene, the ocean was quite literally created, so instead of the boat merely rocking back and forth, it has a mind of its own and brings in a whole element of unpredictability! All aboard!