Game Review: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

By the time I reached the end of the Single Player campaign, I was superbly satisfied with how things wrapped up. Uncharted 4 was a beautiful way to end Nathan Drake's treasure hunting adventures. Several years have passed since the ending of Drake's Deception, with both Nate and Elena living happily married and the former working an excavating job of sorts which isn't terribly exciting. Enter in Sam Drake, Nathan's supposedly dead brother who drags him in on a huge score to help clear Sam's debt. The main prize this time? Captain Henry Avery's long lost treasure, which is odd that they chose this entry to focus on pirates. Everything you know from the previous Uncharted games applies here in terms of gameplay.

You're given the option to have a main and side firearm along with grenades. There are other elements here sprinkled in such as intense driving sequences (not personally a fan of), swimming in tight areas and a total surprise of stealth. In previous games, stealth was used very sparingly and if you got caught, it was instant game over. Here, the game borrows Metal Gear Solid's stealth style (specifically last year's The Phantom Pain). You're able to mark enemies by zooming in and pressing the left analog stick. Tall grass is implemented for easy maneuvering and you can take out foes with a press of a button. Get spotted? Then a gunfight ensues with whoever you have remaining, what I liked is that you were able to outplay your foes and get to sneak again for more takedowns.

Then there's the grappling hook, here you're able to swing over huge chasms to get to other side. You can also use it in certain gunfight areas to dodge bullets and move across the terrain very quickly. I found it to be an excellent addition though of course there were some moments where I undershot a jump and plummeted to my death. The gunfights themselves were pretty much standard but definitely got harder in the later games. I don't understand why Shoreline goons take a thousand more bullets than I do to die. Moving around cliffs is actually much more doable. When reaching for grab points on walls/cliffs, Nate will automatically grab it as if he was a magnet. I didn't really have to guess jump at all when climbing.

What you guys are really here for (as with all Uncharted games) is the story, character development and graphics. I pretty much came to the point where this is as realistic as it gets for video games guys. The scenery of King's Bay, Scotland (to name a few places you travel to), and even the town/cities are gorgeous. Climbing on cliffs while the camera pans to show you the mountain in the distance is beautiful. Hell, I recall climbing towers in a city and just overlooking at the top is mind blowing. The game adds a Photo Mode where you can freeze the game at any specific spot that you find appealing and manipulate it for a screenshot. Which you can then of course share on Social Media and whatnot. The detailing in the flooring, buildings is just incredible. Oh and the mud looks DAMN REAL!

We get to see a side of Drake that not many of us are used to as the game progresses. Especially as Sam becomes more hell bent on finding the treasure. Sully also makes an epic return and the banter between all the characters is genius. I found myself laughing at some of the quips exclaimed in passing as I progressed through a chapter. Nolan North (Nathan) and Troy Baker (Sam) did an incredible job here as the two main protagonists, with the rest of the cast knocking it out of the park as usual. Even Nadine and Rafe were pretty menacing (though I'd classify the latter as a typical asshole rich kid). There's Easter Eggs/call backs to the other games early on but this is just a stellar game all around. The music is incredible as well, really capturing each moment in the game.

The cinematic sequences both off and mid game had me on edge as I was playing. Massive truck chases, bridge collapsing, even towers falling down to rocket launchers. I kinda wonder how Nathan gets so lucky and not being blown to bits or breaking every bone in his body from falls. Then again, it's video game logic so...out the window I guess? Treasures you find in the game actually have a purpose in unlocking skins and game modifiers should you want to play through it again. I didn't really touch the multiplayer since I don't have Playstation Plus but then again, I don't play Uncharted for the multiplayer.

Should you Play this Game?

Yes! Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is a perfect send off for Nathan Drake and the gang. Perfect voice acting across the board, stunning visuals, tight gameplay and a strong story drive the game home. Naughty Dog made this game I feel with fans in mind and in a sense, it's a love letter to those who are fans of Uncharted.