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Chances are, you've played Uncharted 2 by now. Wait, you haven't? Why? Do you not trust us?!

If the lack of a single player demo has turned you off Naughty Dog's latest adventure, worry no more. A free Uncharted 2 demo is making its way to the PlayStation Store next Thursday, January 28th. In addition, premium DLC will supplement its release for fans that are still making their way through the online leaderboards.

As previously mentioned, the first DLC pack will add Sev and a Helghast soldier from Killzone 2, Nathan Hale and a Chimera from Resistance 2, and Cole (both good and evil variants) and Zeke from inFAMOUS. This first set of DLC will be available for $4.99 in the US.

A very elegant Uncharted box set will be released in Japan on February 18 for ¥7,980 (about $87). The Uncharted Twin Pack contains both Uncharted 2 and the "PlayStation 3 the Best" Edition of Uncharted, in a lovely gold box that, thankfully, hides Japan's Uncharted 2 box from view. Along with this announcement comes the reveal of a demo bound for the Japanese PlayStation Store on January 28, plus a bunch of exciting DLC, which we can assume will arrive outside of Japan at some point.

The first content pack will be free and in the Store on January 28 -- and it's kinda weird. It contains multiplayer character models of Resistance 2's Nathan Hale and a Chimera, InFamous' Cole (in both "good" and "evil" forms) and Zeke, and Killzone 2's Tomas Sevchenko and a Helghast soldier. The second DLC pack, dated February 25, adds two maps, one of which is based on the first Uncharted's "Ruins" area, and multiplayer models of the first game's Nate, Elena, Atoq Navarro, Eddy Raja, Roman Gabriel, and a mercenary. This pack won't be free, but no price has been specified. The third DLC pack, available April 15 and also premium, adds a new co-op multiplayer mode, along with four new maps and five new character skins.

Check out the crossover character skins in our gallery below:

Gamasutra has posted an interesting analysis of the treatment of sexuality in Uncharted 2. The article mainly focuses on Chloe, which the author, Tom Cross, describes as "a smart, competent, sexually aware pointedly heterosexual female character." The article further notes that Chloe, in an unusual turn for most video games, "constantly disagrees with and harries the main male character, sometimes out of self-interest and sometimes out of deeply felt connection and respect." While Cross notes that Uncharted 2 sticks to common story tropes and character arcs, he acknowledges the "incredible quality of Among Thieves' script, story, and acting," noting that the main cast are "some of the most fun, interesting, inoffensive characters in video games."

We're inclined to agree. After all, Uncharted 2 didn't take Joystiq's top honors for nothing.

Truth be told, there's so much info contained in G4's massive interview with Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells that we couldn't possibly encapsulate it all in one headline. Naturally, it all focuses on Uncharted 2, which has been raking in awards left and right as 2009 comes to a close. Among other things, Wells discusses the script, which the team actually wrote as the game was being developed. While there was a rough outline at the beginning of production, Wells notes that having a fully fleshed out script can cause trouble if changes have to be made in the middle of development.

Wells also discusses the pacing of the game, which he likens to pulp novels and movies like Indiana Jones. He admits that Uncharted 2's treasure hunting mechanic can actually slow the pacing. Should Naughty Dog work on another Uncharted -- and we get the feeling they just might -- Wells says the treasure hunting could be improved, perhaps by making more hidden treasures available only after the first playthrough.

Other topics covered include the complexity of the train level, sales numbers and how far Naughty Dog thinks it can push the PS3 hardware. Uncharted fans should definitely give it a read.

In our rush to the yule late this past week, we nearly forgot to mention that Nathan Drake and Nathan Drake lookalikes (Drakealikes?) have the chance to earn double cash (read: XP) this weekend in Uncharted 2's multiplayer mode. Donning the ubiquitous red cap (and apparently two brand new invisible hands), those taking Drake online will encounter not just jollier looking foes, but also "double for all kills and medals," according to Naughty Dog marketing man Arne Meyer on the PlayStation Blog. The temporary XP boost kicked in on Christmas Eve (December 24) at 10AM PST and goes until tomorrow at 11AM PST, so there are still at least another 24 or so hours to shoot some of those dastardly Drakealikes in multiplayer.

This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from the voice of Chloe from Uncharted 2, and star of Farscape, Stargate, and more, Claudia Black..

So you've jumped genres from science fiction television shows to swashbuckling video games. How has that been?

Oh, I think it is all one in the same, isn't it? It is all part of the same genre. So I mean for me, it has been a very easy segue into this, and I think it has sort of corresponded at the same time with the industries starting to coalesce, too. You know, the film industry, which is sometimes considered, I think, to be a snobbish cousin of the gaming industry, is now really starting to take notice.

I'm sure the smell of money is helping a bit.

Yeah. I mean I think it really came to the floor when Van Helsing the film was kind of like the launch pad for the game, and the game was sort of more relevant and important, in a way, than the movie.

You've done a lot of video game voices, but was this the first time you did motion capture?

Yes, this was my first motion capture experience. I am a huge proponent of it because I think what impressed me about Naughty Dog's is that they respect and appreciate the magic that occurs over time between the performers. That you can have a great script, and you can have great voice actors in the booth, but you are never going to recreate that incredible alchemy that occurs with people in a room together. And they hired such amazing actors, you know, theater trained, very experienced actors to work together. And also, they were very specific and particular about whom they hired based on personalities because they wanted us to be a really tight knit family. And every single day it was fun. Every single day. And I know that games have become a very serious business, but they wanted the levity and the bonding to be the overriding essence on the set.

What is next for you?

Well I just wrapped up a little independent film called Rain from Stars which is written and directed by Steven Wallace and French Stewart, a wonderful comedic actor, and Jeremy London, Brian Krause ... a really lovely cast. It's called Rain from Stars, and is like 12 Angry Men meets Saw.

This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from Nolan North.

You're quickly becoming one of the recognizable stars of video game voiceover acting. How did that happen?

You know ... I don't really know how that happened. I was lucky to land a lot of good roles in good games that became really popular ... Assassin's Creed, Uncharted, Prince of Persia, and they became really popular so fast and my name just happened to be attached to them. And you know, with the success of Uncharted -- the first one and then the second ... I don't know. It's just a phenomenon that I'm just lucky to be a part of.

Claudia Black told us that the motion capture sessions were the real key to making the relationship between Nathan and Chloe seem real. What do you think?

Absolutely. A lot of times we're just in a booth behind a microphone, unshaven and just ready to go ... and alone, more than anything. I mean, working with all of these actors, it's like doing theater somewhere. As a matter of fact, it's like what we used to call Black Box Theater back in college. There really wasn't much of a set ... we were just out there doing our thing, but the interaction was there and I think that's what translated so well to a video game.

This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from Naughty Dog's Evan Wells about Uncharted 2.

Are we going to see any campaign DLC?

Well, that certainly is a possibility but right now we're focusing on multiplayer. We're working on some new maps, we have a couple of new game modes in the works, and a lot of skins. So we're going to focus on that right now.

Has anything surprised you since launch?

Oh, completely. We've been updating our online functionality constantly. We have a new patch coming out later this month, we're improving the load times, we've added leaderboards, we've added clan tags. So really, we're continuing to expand on the online functionality.

In an attempt to keep that fresh, new game smell on Uncharted 2, developer Naughty Dog will be implementing some "experimental" changes to the game's online multiplayer modes this weekend. First, a new playlist comprised solely of Plunder matches will be introduced into the mix -- a filter that the community has been requesting since the game first launched. Second, for this weekend only, all players' health will be reduced to 65 percent. It's a side effect from the game's "Crushing" difficulty setting, which the developer thinks could ramp up the speed and intensity of multiplayer firefights.

Naughty Dog is asking for feedback on these temporary changes, so if you're not a fan (or, alternatively, if you're a superfan) of the new playlist or diminished health capacity, drop a comment on the studio's blog.

Look, if for some crazy reason you've still not gotten yourself a DualShock 3 and, even crazier, haven't played through Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, then you might want to check out this Amazon bundle -- which is set to release December 15.

For $60, you'll get a black DualShock 3 controller and experience every earth-shaking explosion in Nathan Drake's first adventure through glorious rumble or -- given the time of year -- gift your procrastinator friend or loved one with one sweet bundle, granted they haven't already acquired a new console in the last year or a new PS3 Slim.

There's no word whether Sony will offer other bundles and together the two will only save you $7 right now (Amazon is pricing the game at $27 and the controller at $40), but we still wouldn't suggest playing Uncharted without a DualShock 3. What are you, some chump on the street not getting the fullest from your games? No, you hold yourself to a higher standard.

[Thanks, Yingerman!]

PS3 owners will want to stay home on Black Friday. Why? Naughty Dog is releasing the first downloadable content for Uncharted 2's multiplayer mode this Friday, November 27. A title update will add "The Fort," a brand new multiplayer map supposedly based on the "Fortress" chapter of Drake's Fortune. According to the press release, "The Fort is a long rectangular map with wide open spaces and excellent flank routes." There's a shotgun in the center of the map and an RPG in the crypt (the inevitable resting place of people on the wrong end of that weapon). Best of all, this update will be free.

Once the patch goes live at 1PM ET, Naughty Dog will also initiate a Double Cash weekend. Teams will have special skins in competitive matches: Doughnut Drake for the Heroes (pictured above), and Doughnut Lazarevic for the Villains.

See a video after the break.

Last we heard about the movie version of Uncharted, it was in the hands of writer Kyle Ward, who most recently penned the big screen adaptation of Kane and Lynch. According to a rumor being reported by LatinoReview.com, Ward has been removed by Sony and producer Avi Arad, who didn't want to wait on the script while Ward finished his current project, Hitman 2.

Reportedly, Sony is considering filling his slot with Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer, the duo that's currently writing a relaunch of Conan.

The bigger surprise, of course, is that movies based on video games have scripts. Who knew?

Okay, so Modern Warfare 2 sold more copies than there are people on the planet -- let's not get so lost in the hub-bub of everyone's new fling that we forget about the practically ancient Uncharted 2. Aren't you curious how it's been selling? Well, earlier today, at the BMO Capital Markets "Digital Entertainment Conference," Sony America VP of Business Development Phil Rosenberg announced that "as of last week, we've already sold over a million copies [of Uncharted 2] in just a couple weeks on the market."

We have no way of knowing whether that number is accurate, though with the NPDs due out later today, we imagine we'll be finding out soon if it's as inflated as Nate Drake's ego, or if it's as accurate as Nate Drake ... using ... using a sniper rifle. And shooting stuff. Like, in an accurate manner.

[Via G4TV]

This probably wasn't what fans had in mind when they demanded an Uncharted game for Sony's handheld. A series of new ESRB ratings reveals a new pinball franchise, most likely under the PSP Minis label, based on various first-party PlayStation properties. Pinball Heroes: Uncharted is the most noteworthy of the bunch which according to the ESRB descriptor, is based on Drake's Fortune. "Players use flippers to hit the ball around a crashed airplane, into silhouetted character targets, and off bumpers shaped like gold coins to score points."

In addition to Uncharted, other franchises will be getting the pinball treatment, including High Velocity Bowling, PAIN and Hot Shots Golf. Wait, no Pinball Heroes: God of War? That's a missed opportunity!

Unfortunately, no further details of the Pinball Heroes franchise can be garnered from the ESRB listings. We're submitting a few questions to Sony (like "how much?" and "why?") and will update when we hear back.

[Via GamerBytes]

Sure, you could be like one of those tea-bagging Mountain Dew drinkers, clearly unprepared for The Ride of Your Life™. Or, friend, you could be a hero. A Pepsi drinking hero.

And that's exactly the choice that folks living in select states have to make when they go to their local supermarkets starting this week. If you dare to purchase specially-marked 12-packs of Pepsi, you could be 1 of 20 equally daring folks who wins a PlayStation 3 system and the entire Uncharted series (yep, all two games!). If not, you could be 1 of 200 intrepid adventurers who wins a copy of the most recent -- and most excellent -- game, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. If none of those, well ... you should probably switch to Coke.

All the nitty gritty details are right here.