It had been six years since the release of Sony’s third iteration of the “Playstation” video game console, the “Playstation 3” (PS3) when the fall season of 2012 rolled into existence. Yet, being the Playstation fan that I was at the time, I still opted to wait before purchasing the system. The simple fact was a majority of the games I believed would be exclusive to the console moved to multiple platforms; including the cheaper, yet highly desirable Microsoft “Xbox 360”. Six years after the system was released in North America and four years after becoming a “360” owner, I finally found a reason to purchase the latest “PS3” model – the slim, 500 gigabyte version featuring a free game.
But I wasn’t just buying the PS3 for one game. The system did feature several exclusives and HD remakes that intrigued me. More importantly, certain games available on both video game consoles that I owned gained higher reviews and recommendations in favor of Sony’s “Blu-Ray”-playing behemoth. After spending a couple of years investing in my PS3 library, I started picking away at a bucket list of sorts. The “Playstation 4” had already come out and entered my home, but there were still games on the previous generation’s console that I wanted to play before calling it a day. One of those games happened to be “Uncharted”.
I blasted through the first three games over the course of a year (with the first actually being a tandem play on my friend’s PS3) and felt excited about what was to come not only following “Uncharted 3”, but also Naughty Dog Studio’s release of the game that convinced me to buy a PS3 in the first place, “The Last of Us”. When “Uncharted 4” was revealed I knew I would join thousands upon thousands of others planning to play through the franchise’s promoted final chapter.
Did I Complete “Uncharted 4”?
Taking up where the previous game left off, lead character Nathan Drake is exposed to the player as a man attempting to live a simple life, yet is pulled back into the world of exploration and unabashed murder (there are times when it is self-defense) in hopes of discovering the long-lost treasure of pirate Henry Avery. And the reason for Nate’s change of heart when comes to being domesticated alongside his wife is due to the surprising arrival of an outlying character never once mentioned in the series up to this point – Nathan’s brother, Sam.
Similar to the previous games, my goals were simple: Complete the story, collect treasure, earn battle-related trophies, and play some multiplayer. After a little under fourteen hours I watched the credits roll on my first playthrough. Eventually I took myself to task with trying to complete the game on “Crushing” difficulty (actually playing the game twice over while utilizing backup saves so I was immediately familiar with checkpoints and enemy waves). The difficulty spike proved to be arduous, yet doable thanks to the bonus “cheats” given to the player for beating the game once (including “Bullet Time” and screen filters). Two weeks eventually passed before the Platinum trophy popped onto my screen to congratulate me on completing an “Uncharted” game (still waiting on that congratulatory e-mail, Sony).
Did “Uncharted 4” Live Up to the Hype?
As noted earlier, “Uncharted 4” is meant to be the finale for the series several games deep, and judging by the preview trailers the game appeared to be reaching for a more darker style of storytelling in the same vein as “The Last of Us”. The opening prologue seems to play into the “darker” atmosphere, only to turn the two chapters into flashback moments where players are allowed to see the reasons why Nathan and Sam fell apart (as well as an introduction to the man who would become this game’s lead villain, Rafe Adler).
While the gameplay that makes up the “Uncharted” series has been mostly stellar, the story and its characters are the reasons why a lot of gamers keep coming back for more. Unlike the previous iterations, “Uncharted 4” proves to be a lot slower in presenting the story similar to “The Last of Us”. Thankfully, the game doesn’t sacrifice some of the heart and silliness seen in previous games (a lot of the latter is thanks to optional conversations that trigger during certain moments). For almost every powerful, emotional moment – like how the brothers Drake got separated for so many years – there situations where Nate’s series-long love interest and now wife (on their second marriage together) Elena experience the greatness of Playstation (an actual Playstation from 1995). In a lot of ways this is the most grown-up version of “Uncharted” seen to date as characters are finally becoming aware of their actions, how they affect loved ones, and, most importantly, somewhat break the roles usually associated with a majority of characters to showcase growth and actual human nature matched by instinct.
There’s also a theme of “obsession fueled by ambition” running through the story that adds a level of depth to every character both old and new. Of course there’s Nathan and Sam’s reunion actually happening because of a childhood goal based around treasure. But then there are other characters like the aforementioned Rafe, his associate and mercenary leader Nadine Ross (the series’ now most polarizing figure due to her interactive moments featuring players having the inability to really fight her), and even the spirit of Henry Avery and what happened during his days trying to become a pirate of unbelievable wealth (and his attempt to become the “Penitent Thief” Saint Dismas).
Without these characters and their mental states when it comes to handling what would become the crux of the plot it would be hard to understand why Nathan acts the way he does throughout the game (bringing forth, arguably, the least likeable Nate Drake ever from an emotional perspective as you just want to slap him and scream, “Don’t you see you’re tearing us apart!”).
Another undeniable aspect of greatness associated with “Uncharted 4” is the game’s graphics. The first three games were highpoints in not only the genre, but also the entire seventh generation of gaming. The depiction of a worn-out Nathan standing against the darkened jungle is in no way a complete depiction of the sights seen throughout the game. Thanks to Nathan & Sam’s search, players are given the opportunity to visit various locales that showcase what this generation of gaming is capable of from the captivating high seas of Panama (or New Orleans’ murky waters), to the decaying cathedrals in the Scottish Highlands, to the simplicity of a two-story, cluttered house occupied by a pair of individuals struggling with being “normal”. The effects of everything from the weather to mud flying off the tires of an off-road vehicle (the actual driving controls are very good as well) are just as impressive as the overall scope of each area of interest. The in-game models are also so incredible that cutscenes mostly aren’t separate cinematics – causing several moments of “Skip Cinematic” not being available for yours truly who thought it was an actual movie playing during my second playthrough. Even better is the lack of frame rate stuttering or grandiose problems that make the game feel like you’ve activated “Slow Motion” mode. “U 4” is a true highpoint when it comes to graphics on gaming consoles.
But “Uncharted 4” isn’t just a series of movies featuring the player moving Nathan around to trigger the next scene. There are the usual troupes greatly associated with the franchise including the reworked addition of stealth from “Uncharted 3”. While not as tight or reliable as, say, a “Metal Gear Solid” game, the ability to keep out of enemy sight and avoid unnecessary firefights is better than both “U 3” and “The Last of Us” – especially when allies decide to get involved and takedown an incoming enemy approaching Nate as the younger Drake hides in a field of tall grass. Similar to “Assassin’s Creed” games, a little marker will appear and fill overhead of enemies who spot Nate until it turns colors and the enemies start firing. It’s an effective usage of a rather old implementation – the same can be stated about tagging enemies with a tap of the button. When it’s time to shoot it out (and there are several required times) the gunplay is just as good, if not better than any game Naughty Dog has produced.
Unlike some other games where gunplay can feel limited depending on the amount of weapons and effective AI, “Uncharted 4” proves to be a great blend of cover-based third person shooting that features enemies who refuse to stay still, will try to grenade Nate out of cover, and can actually grab the protagonist when prone (with the latter being the set up for a gameplay addition of “buddy” maneuvers where Nathan and Sam can perform double team maneuvers like a simultaneous choke slam a la WWE’s Undertaker and Kane). Sadly the melee function isn’t as strong as what happens when bullets start flying. Punching and dodging are mapped to two separate buttons, while the counter button is separate from the rest (with the latter really being the sole way Nate would fight in earlier games). It works okay, but sometimes players will be flailing away in hopes of knocking back and/or out nearby enemies while avoiding the rain of bullets. It’s not as bad as some other third-person melee systems, but still leaves something to be desired.
Naughty Dog didn’t just try to improve on the core gameplay variables seen in previous iterations, but also implemented items to help, mostly, the platforming available throughout. First there’s the grappling hook. After a few chapters, the grappling hook becomes one of Nate’s best friends in traveling throughout the world. Several areas per chapter feature extended points made for grappling and swinging to get Nate and company from “Point A” to “Point B”. And when it comes to climbing, “Uncharted 4” embraces the ability of free exploration. While there are a lot of linear routes, the semi-open world that makes up several chapters really makes climbing mostly fun throughout without those moments of distress when trying to figure out where to go next.
“Uncharted 4” isn’t perfect. From a gameplay perspective, there is definitely a lack of action in this “action-adventure” game. With the story and dramatization of characters being more of a focus also comes the emphasizing of adventure and platforming over popping bad guys. The firefights are sparse and don’t leave a lasting impression in the same way as previous games. While there are grand scenes (like the rope-drag chase seen in early trailers, or a pretty epic chase sequence late in the game that was a true highlight), they tend to lack the same amount of shock & awe as the original moments simply because the first were so grand that “4’s” set pieces only feel mildly remarkable in comparison. Another gameplay problem coming from “The Last of Us” is the addition of a second player who just so happens to be invisible to enemies when in stealth. While it makes the gameplay easier, the sense of immersion is momentarily lost when an enemy completely ignores Sam darting right in front of him to find cover. There are also the copious amount of treasures that the player can find that add nothing to the story or even encourage the player to “catch ‘em all” because all the gamer sees upon picking up these items is a title – no descriptions or assumed back story from its collector (unlike the journal notes and entries that can also be collected).
When it comes to platforming, the game suffers from its buddy system. There are too many moments where Nathan boosts Sam somewhere that requires his brother to find something that will assist Nate to get higher. These situations come far too frequently, with some moments actually asking for literal patience as Nate just stands around and waits (leaving players like yours truly thinking they’re doing something wrong). Even worse is the fact the game sometimes misjudges the distance when swinging on a rope or pole that results in Nate falling to his death when it appears he wouldn’t. Ironically enough, a majority of Nathan’s death drop jumps are accompanied by a checkpoint that reinforces the fact the player has a better chance of falling short “right here” more often than not. It almost proves to be a counterpoint to the moments when the game assists a player in making that seemingly impossible jump to latch onto a rock ledge seconds earlier.
Also lacking are puzzles. Similar to the “Rise of the Tomb Raider”, “Uncharted 4” features not only a lot less puzzles compared to its predecessors, but also easier and less memorable ones – almost feeling unnecessary in a game made for grand puzzles. And when it comes to the plot there are definitely a few chapters that either go on way too long or just jumble up the story such as the Scottish Highlands and the final flashback chapter respectively.
There’s also the addition of multiplayer, but it’s really different compared to the previous games’ versions. The multiplayer aspect is built on shooting groups of enemies in a team format across three different modes – Team Deathmatch and two “Capture” modes including the game’s version of “Capture the Flag” featuring an idol and “Capture the Zone” where one team must overtake three areas to gain points. Team Deathmatch also has a “Ranked” version that is really no different than the “Player/Quick Match” version. Leveling up is based on unlocking various weapons, special skills, and clothing items, allowing non-hardcore gamers a mostly even playing field from jump as these grand unlockables have to be purchased during sessions with in-game money that is earned by actually playing the game (though microtransactions are available they don’t hinder the overall multiplayer experience). Multiplayer is fun, but doesn’t feel like something that players will be dedicated to for months on end even with Naughty Dog continuing to update the mode by adding new maps and weapons.
In truth, “Uncharted 4” is a mixed bag of greatness that is hurt not because of numerous technical or narrative flaws, but because the previous games in the series were so grand. “Uncharted 4” eventually earns the same type of praise its predecessors gained as another phenomenal entry in an exceptional series through sheer well put-together gameplay and storytelling.
Should You Play “Uncharted 4”?
With this being the supposed finale to a series, there is a lot to examine about both this iteration and every “Uncharted” offering as a whole. Even with the inclusion of a few new characters, gameplay modifications and additions, and an ending that leaves the door open for a sequel without slighting the stories told across four releases, “Uncharted 4” is a worthy conclusion to nine years of gaming. With that being stated it is imperative that you play the first three games to really get the emotional impact from what feels like a true fitting finale to one of the best franchises to have excelled across two gaming generations. And even if you don’t feel like going back, don’t worry because as an entry in a vacuum “Uncharted 4” is still a well-crafted story figuratively wrapped around mostly exceptional gameplay. Sony has been claiming that “Greatness Awaits” when referring to the Playstation 4 since the system launched. It’s taken almost three years, but “greatness” has finally arrived in the form of, easily, the system’s most impressive exclusive thus far.
