Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Review

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the newest PlayStation 4 exclusive to hit the shelves and it comes from one of PlayStation’s biggest and most famous developers, Naughty Dog. This is the first game from Naughty Dog to come to the console that isn’t a HD remake of something on previous generations, making it the first big release for the developer this generation. Naughty Dog has really out done themselves with this one this time, it’s simultaneously one of the most beautiful games on the system and also one of Naughty Dog’s greatest titles.

The Uncharted series has been known for some time to be one of PlayStation’s flagship games and with this comes a lot of pressure on the developers to meet the expectations that fans of the games have from them. This particularly applies to Uncharted 4, where I am sure many have ultra high expectations for what this is and what it will be. I am happy to say that after completing the single player campaign and putting in a lot of time with the multiplayer, that Uncharted 4 certainly does meet those expectations.

For myself personally, I am a gamer that loves to have a good story with my games. The Uncharted series to me was always about the single player campaign and about following what is now a bunch of very iconic gaming characters, Nathan, Elena, Sully and more on an adventure. Being the fourth game in the series meant that by now, I’ve come to know these people quite well and couldn’t wait to see what they were up to this time around.

Uncharted 4 is all about finding treasure. The game is essentially one big treasure hunt across the world to find Captain Henry Avery’s lost pirate treasure. It’s a fairly simple narrative, but the character interactions and small developments along the way really do make the Uncharted 4 experience something special. I wish I could talk about the ending, but I won’t right here. But by the time I was done with the game, my heart was full from the experience and all the heart warming moments scattered all throughout Uncharted 4. There aren’t many games out there at all that can make the player feel something from what’s happening in the game, but Naughty Dog completely nailed the tone with this one. Everything was just right.

In saying this though, I do think that for those who may have not played any of the previous Uncharted games before playing this one, they may not feel as much for the characters. Uncharted 4 is very much a game telling a story about characters who have already been through a lot, it’s really their final journey together. So if you haven’t played the games before I would recommend picking up the Uncharted collection and finishing all of those, just so you don’t miss any of the subtle story moments.

Uncharted 4’s graphics are absolutely stunning. It really is the most beautiful game on the PlayStation 4 and I believe it will rival anything out on the PC at the moment as well. From underwater levels, to the climbing, to the jungle scenery and also visiting a few towns, it’s all a marvel to look at. How Naughty Dog has given us a game that seems to be a whole level above everything else released this year, I don’t know. But whoever is in charge of the quality over there really does deserve a raise, actually all their staff do. I don’t think there are any games releasing this year that will even come close.

I loved looking at the grass sway in the breeze or the water fall from high up waterfalls, many a time I would stop just to look around. Plus little animations like Nathan’s hair when water hits it under a waterfall or that he leaves foot prints when he walks around in certain areas, these are small details that go a long way to add to the experience and the game is full of these. Those who buy games with graphics being their main consideration will not be disappointed with Uncharted 4 at all.

The gameplay will see you play in third person as Nathan Drake. He will have times where he is forced into action and must shoot his way out of certain scenarios, but there is also a stealth component, with Nathan hiding in amongst the grass from time to time to pick off enemies too hard to fight head on. You will also be swimming, driving vehicles, climbing, sliding, rope swinging and solving puzzles all throughout the game. There are also a few quicktime sequences and a few moments where you are able to select a dialogue option. There’s a lot here to keep you busy and Naughty Dog mixed it up well so that you’re not always doing the same things over and over which helps to keep things diverse.

Apart from the single player component, the game also comes with a multiplayer section. The multiplayer will see you choose your character and your weapon loadout. You’ll then be placed in a map which is inspired by different levels in the game where you can play against other people online. There aren’t many games that offer a third person multiplayer experience, but Uncharted 4 delivers one of the best ones out there at the moment.

There are four game modes for you to play with, these are the team deathmatch, command, plunder and ranked. Team deathmatch will see you join one of two teams with a bunch of other players, the first team to reach the allocated amount of kills will win. Command sees two teams fight over different zones and the one which commands the most zones will win. Plunder will see two teams fight over the treasure which each are guarding, it’s a bit like capture the flag. There is also ranked, which is two teams of five in a deathmatch. There’s a lot here to play with and if you’re with friends it can be a lot of fun. Characters also have funny taunts they can make in the multiplayer, some of which are funny to see.

One of the things that really stands out, as it does in other Uncharted games is the music. I just love the score that you hear during the game and I love the way music and sound is used in the game, it’s an important part of the tone. But in Uncharted 4, it’s used very well, whether it be a more emotional moment, an action sequence or just one of the stealth areas. Sound and music use stands out as one of the best parts of the game.