Game : Uncharted 4
Publisher : Naughty Dog
Format : PS4 (Exclusive)
Out now on PS4, and PS4 alone, is Uncharted 4, which along with Witcher 3 I would say was in the must-own pile of games I’ve played in the past year or so. From the makers of the ground breaking Last of Us and the previous 4 (if you include the vita game) Nathan Drake adventures, is one of the finest and exciting games I’ve played in a long time.
With the artistic flair and passion of an indie movie but the mechanics and polish of a AAA title, it is a remarkable game that sets the bar for story telling, game design and graphics quality of the current generation of consoles
What can I say about Uncharted 4 that hasn’t already been said? I don’t know because I haven’t read the reviews but I am very excited about it as a game. There are a few mechanics with Uncharted 4, such as the addition of a rope and , due to a memory lapse will refer to as a ‘sharp climbing stick’ that gives it a much better rhythm than any of the previous games. The unrealistic amount of endless enemies have, for the most part, been replaced by clever level design and these enemies are much more willing to drop dead with a bullet in the head than their ancestors. The ancestors could receive a few magazines to the face without much more than a rash breaking out for no logical reason. A new heavier emphasis on stealth was a welcome addition also, and even though there were probably cutscenes that left me with nothing to do but put my controller down for up to five minutes, the time did not feel wasted.
A lot of the emotional element of the story comes from Drake and Elena realising they hate their tedious boring lives and with flashbacks and the like the relationship with Drakes brother Sam is also as compelling as his relationship with Sully. The game’s direction leaves a tremendous amount of stuff being said without being said and great acting and animation puts Uncharted above the writing of most movies. Including a tense perfect example of a lonely pre argument car ride with someone which is as tense and subtle as real life.
The multiplayer feels like the impossible, which is the joy of playing the single player campaign mixed in with the unpredictable fury of online play, originality and great visuals makes it a must have, especially for anyone who has finally got tired of the multiplayer in TLOU.
On the flip side I spent a lot of time being excited about what this game meant for the Last of Us 2. While Drake, Sam, Elena and Sully are entertaining I personally find the characters in TLOU to be much more real feeling and better developed as people. Don’t mistake this as disinterest however as the reason this review is a tad on the late side is because I am still replaying it for the third time.
Whereas Uncharted 1 – 3 were a collection of fabulous games Uncharted 4, just like it’s spiritual predecessor, is a great movie that you are allowed to play a part in. A discussion of love, tension, passion and the grim realisation of life getting in the way of life, it is a fabulous game that leaves the player with the ability to take away a few life lessons or just a positive game experience. In many ways the game feels like what it is, an Uncharted game made by the same company that have recently made TLOU, and there is nothing bad about that.
4 out of 4 Nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
Nerd Comments