I really don't get how this one gets kind of a bad rep when it's literally the best in the original trilogy? They finally nailed the balance between exploration and shooting, sometimes even mixing them both in the same section which felt amazing. There are still some annoying shooting sections but they aren't as bad as in the previous titles.
The escape sequences are the best, the sinking ship, the chateau on fire, the crumbling city, I loved it!! This is easily the most cinematic one, the desert part was stunning and it was really clever to save the big one towards the end instead of making the same mistake uncharted 2 did.
They could do away with the supernatural element but still it was very brief and toned down so I didn't mind it that much. My biggest complaint is probably how they tried so hard to force us into using their new melee fight mechanics, which are an improvement, for sure, but still unnecessary and clunky, especially when they throw enemies that you're forced to melee in the middle of a gunfight while being shot at. Also don't get why Cutter and Chloe kind of disappear halfway through and we never hear from them again?
But all in all my favorite of the original trilogy and I'm super excited to play the fourth

It improved on the formula of the first two games. I was fond of the variety in the chapters, with a good mix of the different gameplay styles. Sequences like the mansion fire and the ship escape stand out a lot. Other than that, I had fun with the improved arsenal of weapons.

Graphically, this game has quite a distinctive artstyle. I liked the realism of it a lot, from the arid deserts to the intricate interiors. I also felt that the sound design was a step up from the first game, on par with the second. Some great tracks and performances.

I liked the game's story, but there are some aspects of it that didn't click with me. Chloe and Charlie being written out in favour of Sully was pretty weird, and I don't like how the game did yet another Sully fakeout death. The exploration of Nate and Sully's relationship and pasts was neat, the extents they would go for one another. Conversely though, I think Talbot and Marlowe could've been a lot better. Apart from the sequence where they drug you (and Charlie before that), I don't think they lived up to my expectations. Still, it was an exhilarating quest, even if it wasn’t for some grand treasure.

Probably the best one of the original trilogy. I'm glad it wasn't 100% shooting like that first or even 85% shooting of the second one. The puzzles are the best yet. I appreciate the heavy focus on stealth even if they don't quiet nail it. It's interesting to see the progression that the games took in gameplay. The story especially takes a nice jump forward with themes of obsession and the sacrifices that come with it. It's cool to go back and play these after playing The Last of Us part 1 and 2 because you can really feel how the three games were a build up to the themes and gameplay of those two games. Overall mad decent. Excited to play the fourth.

Uncharted 3 is a step backwards, leaning into the worst aspects of the series's gameplay and delivering a rather odd story.
Lstick holding is when the game forces you into a segment where you only hold the left stick, and nothing else. It's the most base form of gameplay, just moving your character in a direction mindlessly. Unfortunately, Uncharted 3 has quite a few of these, and they're quite lengthy. It takes you out of the game and makes you want to pull up your phone with your free hand.
Our two additions to combat for this game are expanded hand to hand combat, adding grapples and throws to the mix, and the ability to throw grenades back at enemies. The expanded melee combat is a good idea, but it led to some melee-only sections that really dragged on. The ability to throw grenades back at enemies is cool, except for towards the end of the game when enemies will spam the shit out of grenades at you- and you're expected to throw them back while taking heavy machine gun fire.
Concerning the story, it takes much longer in this game for us to actually figure out what's going on and what our ultimate goal is. It makes the pacing more awkward and the advancement of the plot feel more arbitrary. There's also some issues of Sully being out of character. It makes sense why they wanted him around for this story, but I think it would have been better served as a prequel. Sully's departure in Uncharted 2 felt properly timed and sensible given his age.
There's still some memorable setpieces here, and I had fun overall, but the game's mostly just okay. Is it worth playing when you're going through the trilogy? Sure. Is it worth going back to, or playing individually? Probably not.