Uncharted 3...finished on crushing!!

Back when I finished Uncharted 2 on Crushing Mode, I really didn't think much about it.  Sure, the game was harder, but not by much.  Uncharted 3, however...I knew at least 3-4 key moments in the game where I would have extreme difficulty.  Sadly I was wrong; there would be more moments than that.

I've already suspected that this Crushing Mode would be loads more difficult when I beat Uncharted 3 the first time, and the odds were not in my favor.  But I had an odd feeling of determination and persistence while playing.  I kept dying over and over again by the same enemy and the same way, sure...but I knew there just had to be a way to progress.  I kept thinking "I didn't react fast enough," or "I forgot to toss my grenades," or "if I had a few more seconds, I would have reached that sniper rifle."  There always was something I was "missing," and that it was a matter of time before I got it right.

Sure, I had my doubts.  I wondered why they would create moments where the AI would outright slaughter you in 5 seconds from the moment you spawn, or set you up with no weapons against an area full of super-powered enemies.  I ended up heavily relying more and more on the high-risk/high-reward weapons like the Tau Sniper revolver, or just wing it with a less-accurate-but-only-weapon-around shotgun.  Other times, I relied on good ol' stealth to take out as many enemies I could before having to endure a firefight.  But there would always be a mis-timed jump, an errant grenade, or a sudden hail of bullets that would constantly remind me why this mode was called "crushing" to begin with.

But with each gradual level completion, I was a little closer to the end, and over an impressive span of what I believe to be about 3 times as long as it took me to finish the game on hard, Crushing Mode was surpassed by me over the weekend.  And the one thing on my mind is probably the last thing I would ever think: when can I play this game again?

This only adds to my list of great gaming accomplishments, along with my Disgaea 3 conquer and Final Fantasy XIII recovering victory.  Soon, though, a little one will be born, and little time will be spent on gaming...