Cinema as a form of entertainment has been around for about a century, now, though its constant evolution has ensured that the films of 2010 don’t look or work much like the films of 1950. The way movies convey drama, for instance, has evolved considerably in the past fifty years, thanks in large part to the changes in camera technology.

Take Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men, for example. The film derives its absolutely incredible intensity from hand-held camerawork, moving in so close to the characters that its impossible not to feel tightly linked to every moment that plays out on the screen. Scenes filmed in the cramped confines of compact cars never betray the fact that a camera is in the midst of actors ducking in and out of shots with precise timing, and as a result it’s one of the most immersive examples of cinematography in movie history. By being invisible, the camera performs miracles.

Which brings us to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, a game that hews closer to the realm of Hollywood high adventure than perhaps any video game since the medium was born. Nathan Drake’s globe-spanning, Indiana Jonesian adventure comes alive with beautiful, immaculately-detailed environments, delightful character interaction, and one unbelievable set piece after another. But like Cuarón’s Children of Men, the real marvel is at work behind the scenes — Uncharted 2 is such a perfectly designed video game, it comes closer to achieving the storytelling power of the movies than I could have possibly expected.

Despite the limited speed of the Playstation 3’s Blu-Ray drive, Uncharted 2 continuously streams its lush world with nary a hitch, and loading screens only show up between clearly defined sections or episodes of the game.  Even the most exciting moments of powerfully cinematic games like Mass Effect 2 take a break to load with some frequency; not Uncharted 2.  Among Thieves’ train section illustrates Naughty Dog’s development chops, standing out as the most breathtaking moment of a game filled with unbelievable spectacles; the jungle streams in seamlessly, the train jerks and groans along its track, the enemies advance through boxcars to close in on Drake’s position — and it never once stutters.

Essentially, what we’re talking about is momentum, and a lot of it.  And while the train chapter of the game is probably the most obviously wowing, I found myself more impressed by the environmental changes Naughty Dog could pull off while still leaving Drake’s actions completely in the hands of the player.  Last generation, fluidly animated cinematic cutscenes in games were the method of choice to convey over-the-top dramatic moments, and they were often aided by quick time events to keep the player involved.  Just think of God of War II’s intense final battle against Zeus, or Resident Evil 4’s knife fight against Krauser.  Both used cinematics to do things with camera angles and character animation you wouldn’t usually see in the directly controllable portions of the game.  But in Uncharted 2, Naughty Dog affects massive changes to their environments without a single second of hesitation.  One second Drake is hiding behind a desk in an office building, firing at a crew of mercenaries — the next second he’s staggering to retain his balance as the building begins to crumble and tip over.  Full player control?  Still there.

Every second is made all the more impressive by the character animation, no doubt bolstered by a fantastic motion capture crew.  When Uncharted 2 does transition to cutscenes, it happens so instantly they retain that essence of seamlessness — it feels like the camera has just taken control for a moment.  Other games employ much more obvious triggers for cutscenes that suddenly find your character in a different position than you’d been just moments before, when in control.  But Uncharted 2 makes it all seem natural and authentic, a testament to the balance between storytelling and interactivity Naughty Dog has created.  Games in the future may trend closer to being movies with bits and pieces of interactivity (Heavy Rain springs to mind), but if anything finds a better mesh of cinema and game, it’ll likely be Uncharted 3.  Naughty Dog has taken the best pieces of bombastic high adventure film and incorporated it into a compelling video game experience, without sacrificing the power of player control.  It’s like being guided through the coolest movie ever.  And that is good game design.