Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Single Player Review

[Remilia Scarlet]

ONE LAST TIME

 

 

 

THIS REVIEW FOCUSES ONLY ON THE SINGLE PLAYER

AS I DO NOT HAVE PLAYSTATION PLUS.

 

Uncharted is my favorite action adventure video game franchise of all time. I tried my absolute best to be as unbiased as possible when writing this review, but I have to admit that I did fall into the trap more than once. Coming from the talented developers at Naughty Dog, creators of the smash hit The Last of Us, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End wraps up the story of Nathan Drake and his comrades in this last, massive and explosive adventure. The PS4 has long been aching for an exclusive killer app, and Naughty Dog has done everything in their power to make sure UC4 fits the bill. It does. Oh, sweet mother of God, it does.

 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR UNCHARTED 4

 

SYNOPSIS

 

Uncharted 4 picks up the story several years after the events of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. Having retired from the life of a treasure hunting rogue, Drake has made a relatively normal life for himself, making a living as a salvager of cargo from underwater wrecks. However, his new life is quickly disrupted with the reappearance of his long-presumed dead brother Sam. Sam is in trouble. A Panamanian drug lord by the name of Hector Alcázar has demanded that Sam find the lost treasure of pirate Henry Avery in 3 months or he will be killed. Not an easy task, especially considering he and his brother tried once before 15 years ago and failed. Drake reluctantly accepts his brother’s pleas for help, and sets off an explosive chain of events that culminates in one of the best twists I have experienced in a long time.

 

 

Uncharted 4 will take players across the globe in a journey that puts some of the most epic adventures to shame. Players will visit Italy and pull off a high stakes heist at a black market auction, Scotland, visit Madagascar and explore the plateau, and the fabled pirate paradise of Libertalia. The story is larger than ever before, with betrayal, emotion and intensity the likes of which the previous games could only dream of. The pacing of the plot is near perfection, with an excellent balance of chaos, thrill and quiet moments, although the introduction sequence could have been better paced. However, after the (simply spectacular) opening credit scene, the pacing is far smoother, and really begins to feel like a summer blockbuster.

 

The voice acting is the greatest it’s ever been. Troy Baker is absolutely phenomenal as Drake’s brother, and Nolan North is at his finest portraying a worn out, tired Drake, while Emily Rose (Elena) and Richard McGonagle (Sully) also put on top acts. You truly feel that these actors have become their characters, and feel the emotional weight behind their performances.

 

The ending is controversial, I won’t deny that, and while it irked many people, I personally believe that it could not have been better handled. There is simply no better way to send off Naughty Dog’s flagship franchise.

 

DESIGN

 

Being an adventure game, it goes without saying that the locations will be exotic – and absolutely gorgeous. Naughty Dog has forced the absolute maximum potential of the PS4 for this game. The environments are huge and richly detailed, with lush foliage that bends and moves with the characters, and glistens and drips in the rain. Puddles splash when the player moves in them, and water refracts light. The animation is top notch, with characters having unique combat poses and idle stances. The level of detail and polish present in this game is beyond anything I have seen before, even on current generation games. While I can’t say anything for the authenticity in the locations, considering that Naughty Dog modelled Kathmandu in Uncharted 2 true to life, I can say it’s a safe bet they did the same here, although obvious liberties had to be taken for gameplay purposes.

 

 

Characters react realistically to the environment. When brawling in muddy locations, character react accordingly, flinging mud and becoming covered the gunk. They drip water and their clothing becomes heavy and darker colored when soaked. Skin shines and trails water, and hair becomes matted. I constantly found myself slack-jawed at the lengths the developers went for this game.

 

 

Graphics aside, the sound is unmatched. Gunfire is thunderous and jolting, and the environmental SFX are astounding. When in the jungle, you believe you are there, with howler monkeys screeching and birds calling. The wilds of Madagascar are populated with cicadas and typical wildlife. The hurricane in the opening level is terrifying. The music is astounding, with sweeping orchestral pieces during action and peaceful melodies that play during the more intimate moments.

 

 

The production values are through the roof. The game truly feels as if you are playing a summer blockbuster movie, and the near complete lack of bugs and glitches is the icing on the cake.

 

GAMEPLAY

 

Not too much has changed since Drake’s Deception hit shelves in November of 2011. The gunplay is just as refined as ever, and feels smooth and very fluid, especially with the new lock on mechanic – although that can make getting headshots somewhat difficult; however, it can be disabled at any time. Many of the old weapons return, with some new additions such as the Aegis 9mm pistol and the HS39 assault rifle. Along with the new weapons comes the marking system, which allows players to tag enemies to follow their movements and plan routes of attack. In addition to this, players are given the option to completely avoid combat, a first for the series.

 

 

Another new entry to the series is the grappling hook and rope, which further enhances traversal and environmental interactivity. Drake can use it to cross otherwise impassable gaps, scale walls and even instantly KO enemies with a lethal dropdown attack. The rope enhances vertical gameplay to entire new levels, and truly feels like a useful tool. That aside, the rope can also be tethered to stationary objects and used as a pulley, or even attached to breakable things and used to create new pathways.

 

Hand to hand combat has been slightly upgraded as well, with new takedowns utilizing your partners and new combat moves, but otherwise stays the same. Environmental takedowns are still as flashy as ever and even seems to take queues from The Last of Us for some of them.

Stealth plays a much bigger role in this entry than previous games. As mentioned before, some combat sections can be completely avoided if you are stealthy enough. Sneaking up behind enemies and silently killing them is a lot more fun than it should be, but the terrified look on their buddy’s face when they discover the body is priceless. Enemy AI is intelligent and challenging. If they find you, they will continue searching the area even after you disappear. They flank you and use cooperative tactics to try and defeat you. It is a much welcome change from the brain dead AI of most shooters. The same goes for your partner AI as well – they actually kill enemies and do a spectacular job of aiding the player.

 

Treasures return, of course, only now there are 109 to find, and they are very cleverly hidden, which gives an excuse to meander around large wide open areas. Alongside these treasures are notes and journal pages to be found that flesh out the lore a bit more. By pressing the OPTIONS button, you can view these collectibles. Beating the game unlocks new bonuses such as skins and tweaks to make your next playthrough that much more fun and interesting.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune blew me away the first time I played it in 2008 on my uncle’s PS3. I felt like a true adventurer, off to solve the mysteries of the ancient world. A modern day Indiana Jones – stop the bad guys, get the treasure and get the girl. I walked away dumbstruck. The game was hard, yes, but the presentation and quality spoke to me on a deeper level. That gaming could be a hobby, but could also be a way for talented individuals to tell a story, to create ART, and that’s what Naughty Dog did, way back in 2007.

Nearly ten years have passed since then. Uncharted has become synonymous with high production values, venerated storytelling, exceptional character growth, and the PlayStation name itself. Naughty Dog’s flagship series permanently landed them in the spotlight of AAA game development, and they have continued to prove that they earned their spot, garnering universal praise and hundreds of awards since then.

 

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the culmination of all of that hard work and dedication, passion and love. I cannot recommend this game enough. Tears have been shed, blood has been spilt and stories have been told. It saddens me to see Drake’s story end, but I would have it done no other way.

 

Uncharted 4 is a true masterpiece of modern storytelling. This is for all the Dogs out there. 

Edited May 12, 2016 by Harley Quinn

[DF007gamer]

And IGN goes and gives this masterpiece of a game a 9/10. The same IGN reviewer will give Infinite Warfare a 10/10.

Great review by you. Good writing.

 

 

[Asuka Langley]

Seeing as this is just a single player review, it might be appropriate to announce so in the topic title rather than someone coming expecting a full review and finding half the game reviewed...

 

No screenshots either? Meh.

[LunchCannon54]

And IGN goes and gives this masterpiece of a game a 9/10. The same IGN reviewer will give Infinite Warfare a 10/10.

Great review by you. Good writing.

 

 

Oh wow someone doesn't think the game is completely and utterly perfect! The heresy!

 

Never been a fan of this series. Just a dull, generic third person shooter with laughable AI and bullet sponge enemies with CINEMATIC moments. 

[DF007gamer]

Oh wow someone doesn't think the game is completely and utterly perfect! The heresy!

 

Never been a fan of this series. Just a dull, generic third person shooter with laughable AI and bullet sponge enemies with CINEMATIC moments. 

LOL you doing exactly what I'm doing. Giving an opinion. Just like you don't like my say is the exact way I didn't like the reviewer on IGN review. 

 

Go respawn somewhere else

[Remilia Scarlet]

Seeing as this is just a single player review, it might be appropriate to announce so in the topic title rather than someone coming expecting a full review and finding half the game reviewed...

 

No screenshots either? Meh.

 

Edited the topic title. I have several screenshots I took of my game, however I don't have nearly enough as I kept forgetting to tap the Share button because I got so absorbed in the action. Rest assured they will come once I get the rest.

[VitalFury]

Enjoyed your review. Some spoilers ahead sooo...

I think I must be the only person who found the whole brother thing a bit annoying. It was def a darker serious tone throughout which while I did enjoy, I prefer the tone the previous games had. chloe no show is weak too. I actually would rather they did kill nath though the ending was a total anti climax. And no mythical creatures...ffs it's uncharted it should have that and I was disappointed no ghost pirates appear.

Graphics and gameplay are top notch though.

I still think u2 is by far the better game and story (new mechanics aside) but 4 is a close..er..second. It is still easily the best game in years tho..just compared to 2 it falls short for me. Still it's around a for me so hopefully didn't sound too damming

Edited May 12, 2016 by VitalFury

[milanbarca82]

Oh wow someone doesn't think the game is completely and utterly perfect! The heresy!

 

Never been a fan of this series. Just a dull, generic third person shooter with laughable AI and bullet sponge enemies with CINEMATIC moments. 

Umm, he gave HIS opinion just like you gave YOURS!  The heresy!

Edited May 12, 2016 by milanbarca82

[Feral]

Spot on review for a fantastic game. I had no problems with the ending except that it was the end of this series.

I enjoyed the brother angle more than expected because it reminded me of my brother and I. It worked really well.

[Ruliya]

Great review Harley ^^ I loved the ending, and honestly haven't heard before that it was controversial lol. Keep these reviews coming ^^