Review - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

After a decade with the characters of Uncharted our time with them is coming to a close. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is, according to the developers, the end of the franchise as we know it. So does Uncharted 4 end the series on a high note and give PS4 owners everywhere a reason to rejoice? The answer is an unequivocal yes. 

Let me get straight to the point before you read too far down into this review: if you don’t like the Uncharted series there will be nothing here that will change your mind. This is still a high quality action game with a flair for the cinematic featuring the lovable, but roguish Nathan Drake. You’ll still have areas of acrobatic daring do and light puzzles sandwiched between shooting galleries of opponents and likable characters topped off with some of the best acting in video games. On the flip side of that this game is, in this reviewer’s humble opinion, the best Uncharted to date; so if you like the series, chances are you will adore Uncharted 4. 

It’s impossible to talk about this game without talking about the graphics, as like me you’ll probably be astounded at them upon booting up the game. All of that beautiful footage you’ve seen, the trailers, the still shots? All of that is actual in game graphics and it is stunning. They aren’t just technically impressive either, the artistry on display with the way that Naughty Dog builds all of this in the environment is some real next level stuff. There were many times where I would stop and have to break out the photo mode for this game or just gape at what the developer had created. Things like dilapidated ruins dappled in sunlight with lush growth retaking it for nature is a common sight, but it never gets old due to the amount of love put into every square inch of this canvas. The environments aren’t just pretty things to look at either, characters and vehicles will leave footprints or tire tracks, mud will coat clothes in real time, water will soak your character and slowly dry: all of it leaving the unforgettable impression that this is a real place. Simply put, I’m not sure how games can look much better than this. 

Yes, those are in game graphics.

The gameplay takes the tried and true formula of Uncharted and improves the actual combat, which has always been the weakest part of the series. Probably the largest change in my opinion is the tightening of gunplay and the opening up of environments and options. Firing a weapon now has more weight to it and because they open the environments a little more you are free to approach each fight in a unique way. Another addition to the formula is that stealth has been beefed up here and you can start almost every fight with stealth takedowns, which changes the previous flow of just ducking behind boxes and firing till everyone is dead. Patches of tall grass are now scattered throughout the game and you can sneak up on your opponents or, if they haven’t seen you, mark them to keep better track of them. All of this adds up to combat being a far more engaging experience, something that elevates the game rather than being a boring interlude between climbing and jumping. 

Speaking of opening of environments, the entire game is much larger than the previous ones and spaces will often be far more wide open, but not to the extent of being distracting or dragging the pacing down. Eventually it all bottlenecks back into a tight story, but allowing players to spread their legs a bit is a welcome change of pace. Between these wide open spaces and combat arenas are the light platforming elements that Uncharted fans are so familiar with. It changes little, with plenty of last minute leaps and crumbling ledges, but there are a few additions such as a rope that you can swing from that changes the flow enough. The rope specifically can be a lot of fun as it’s an undeniably cool feeling when you slide down a slope only to leap off it and throw your rope around something at the last moment, swinging wildly over an yawning precipice and landing neatly on the other side.  

Areas are much bigger than the other games in the series.

Of course you could argue that all of that isn’t what makes Uncharted such a fantastic series: it’s the expertly crafted script and phenomenal performances the actors bring to their roles. The story is far more personal this time around as Nathan Drake is enticed out of his normal life in a gambit for a pirate treasure that is needed in order to save his brother; a brother he thought dead for over 15 years. As the plot moves along you dive into the character of both of the brothers and by the end the simple pirate treasure hunt turns into a fascinating yarn filled with surprising reveals and moments that might challenge your emotions. This is easily my favorite story in the series and the actors absolutely deliver, mostly because after ten years of working together they all have a fluid chemistry that makes all of it feel very natural. The newcomers to the series fit right in to the crew, specifically Nathan Drake’s brother Sam, voiced by Troy Baker. Troy Baker and Nolan North have worked together a lot in past video games and shows, and their chemistry is easily discernible here and lends itself well to the sibling relationship on display. There is no question, when it comes to weaving a cinematic story in a video games Naughty Dog has proven itself absolutely the master of it and it shows through in every nook and cranny until the credits roll. 

What do you do after the credits roll? Why, dive into the games multiplayer mode of course! Multiplayer certainly isn’t the first thing you think of when you hear the word Uncharted, but it’s a fun mode that extends the life of the game past the main campaign. It has some of your more standard modes such as a deathmatch, team deathmatch and a variation on capture the flag, but what sets Uncharted apart is the third person camera and the mobility you have available to you. Every move in the single player is able to be performed here, so you can scurry up the side of a tower to snipe folks or swing from rooftop to rooftop like a jean wearing Batman. As you do well within a match you’ll earn credits that can be traded towards more powerful weapons or two of Uncharted’s most recent additions: sidekicks and relics. Sidekicks can be summoned to do a few different things depending on the type of sidekick you choose in your loadout. These include the sniper, whose name is the clue, or the rusher who will actively chase players and attempt to shotgun them. Relics are the different artifacts that Nathan Drake has found in his career, and are powerful tools that can provide a variety of abilities such as healing, a cool dash teleport, or summon up zombies: all while changing the course of the battle. All of these make Uncharted 4’s multiplayer stand enough apart from the pack that it makes it seem like a worthwhile investment, though I’ve not admittedly sank tons of hours into it myself. 

Use relics like El Dorado to even the playing field in multiplayer.

Uncharted 4 is one of those rare games that comes together in every possible way. I found myself unable to think how Naughty Dog could have crafted a better Uncharted experience then what they delivered. With a fantastic art style and graphics, engaging story, improved gameplay and stellar acting Naughty Dog has created a work of art and a true masterpiece of gaming. As we say goodbye to Nathan Drake we can do so knowing that his last endeavor is a swan song that will undoubtedly be remembered fondly as one of PS4’s killer exclusives and one of the best games to come out in 2016.

Final Score - 10 out of 10.