Video Game Review: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Developer Naughty Dog
Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment
Distributor Ster Kinekor
Where we got our copy Ster Kinekor
Genre Action-adventure
Game modes Single Player, Multiplayer
Reviewed on Playstation 4

MJ Khan

Published June 9, 2016

I highly recommend first-timers play through the Nathan Drake collection before playing Uncharted 4 as it makes the experience so much sweeter. The first game hasn’t aged that well so it’s a bit of a schlep to get through, but Among Thieves and Drakes Deception are timeless masterpieces that deserve to be played.

I reached almost-giddy levels of excitement as I waited for the patch to download- a rare feeling that I only get when experiencing something shiny with a link to nostalgia (Jurassic World, The Hobbit movies, GTA 5). Uncharted 4 is shiny and is truly a work of art – art that I was willing to pay for. I’ve never played a game where I wanted to give the designers my money just because I appreciated the sheer effort that went into the graphics. I would send screenshots to my wife’s PSN account just so I could access it on my phone’s PS app and save it to my gallery (there’s probably an easier way to do this). I literally had to be stopped from getting my screenshots printed on A3 canvas at the local Foto First, that’s how beautiful this game is. I can’t remember a time since the whole ‘But can it run Crysis?’ discussion of 2007 that graphics was such a large part of a game’s description.

Looks presumably aren’t everything and this is perhaps where a little disappointment set it. Early on in the game it all felt very familiar – like I’ve experienced it all before. This might be because I replayed Drake’s earlier adventures in late 2015 so it was quite fresh in both my mind and muscle-memory – I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that there wasn’t enough innovation. I might be alone in this camp but I noticed that reviewers who gave Far Cry a tough time for relying too heavily on retreads and tired game mechanics overlooked what was a very similar practice for Uncharted 4. While the addition of a grappling hook and extended vehicle scenes did help in distinguishing Uncharted 4 from its predecessors, they felt like incremental changes often reserved for annual franchises like Fifa or Assassin’s Creed rather than a heavyweight title like this.

Story-telling is king for Uncharted, and this often means that autonomous control (or the traditional act of ‘play’) is diluted – I guess it’s easier to tell a story if you’re pushing an ‘on-rails sequence’ built on linear set-pieces. Uncharted 4 does try to mix it up by occasionally offering different routes but often this felt like rearranging salads on a big mac and less like being creative and seeking out innovative ways to do things. Perhaps that’s one of most telling issues with the game – that the world has moved on since Drake wandered the desert. Games like GTA 5, Witcher 3 and the Tomb Raider reboot have all moved their respective genres forward. The stealth in Uncharted 4 is fun, if a little uninspired, and plays out like Splinter Cell Conviction (a six-year old game). Shooting isn’t as satisfying as jumping off a platform and kicking someone, with even the powerful weapons not offering ‘weight’ or appropriate feedback, and while the lock-on has improved over previous games, I had more fun with Tomb Raider’s weapons than I did with Uncharted. This is double evident in the third act which just seems to trudge along, offering little in the way of innovation as you fight off waves and enemies while occasionally climbing (to presumably get to more enemies).

The writing is flawless, and the conversations are pitched at the right level, clever enough to make you grin, and never ever groanworthy or cheesy. The chemistry between the main characters is sublime and rivals most games in this regard. The non-playable characters hardly ever got in my way, and were helpful without ‘taking over’. The user interface/ experience is impeccable with hints never being too patronising or obscure. I got a huge kick out of eavesdropping on the South African mercenaries, and grinned like an idiot when they dropped a few choice South Africanisms. The only disappointment was Nadine Ross’ accent – I feel they dropped the ball on that. While I don’t believe there’s a homogeneous South African accent I would have appreciated if they had cast a South African for the role.

In a lot of ways, Uncharted 4 feels a lot like God of War 3 did back in 2010 – it was visually stunning and bigger and grander in every way, yet felt a little hollow compared to previous titles, like Christmas when you’re 12 as opposed to Christmas when you’re 5. It’s still fun and festive (I assume) but a little less magical.

I found Uncharted 4’s multiplayer to be a bit of a mixed-bag, like ordering chicken schnitzel at Spur. Sure, it does a serviceable job, but I don’t know how many people buy Uncharted for the multiplayer. I’ve always been more of a single-player type of gamer, only go online to play Rocket League with my mates so I might be completely out of touch with shooting strangers, in third-person no less. Like The Last of Us (which arguably has a better multiplayer component) I found myself playing the multiplayer more for the review, and less because I enjoyed it. Out of the four multiplayer modes (team and ranked deathmatch, a capture the flag mode called Plunder and a point to point capture mode called Command) I enjoyed Plunder the most, even though I wasn’t that great at holding on to the idol. I haven’t let my opinion of multiplayer sway my score because I view it more as a value-add, rather than a compelling proof point to purchase the game. I commend Naughty Dog for spicing it up a bit (the mysticals and sidekicks give it a noticeable edge over previous multiplayer modes) but it’s really just an extra side plate of chips to an already enjoyable and satisfying meal.

The best way to describe Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is to liken it to a summer blockbuster – action-filled, big budget sequel with lots of star power (Troy and Nolan are on form) and set-pieces coupled with explosions and mass appeal and while it provides many popcorn moments, it seems to lack something. Combat was sacrificed at the altar of story-telling so while it provides an unparalleled experience, it falls short of being a truly great game (something that is played, as opposed to just experienced).

I hoped to complete Uncharted 4 in time for the game’s release, but I was wary that if I rushed through it I would miss the little moments. It is in the details that Uncharted shines – the trademark polish that one associates with the best developers in the world. Games like this don’t come along too often so I wanted to savour it, like a teabag that’s left to simmer. As of the time of publishing I have completed the game twice, and spent a fair chunk of time playing through the multiplayer. Here's my spoiler-free review I highly recommend first-timers play through the Nathan Drake collection before playing Uncharted 4 as it makes the experience so much sweeter. The first game hasn't aged that well so it's a bit of a schlep to get through, but Among Thieves and Drakes Deception are timeless masterpieces that deserve to be played. I reached almost-giddy levels of excitement as I waited for the patch to download- a rare feeling that I only get when experiencing something shiny with a link to nostalgia (Jurassic World, The Hobbit movies, GTA 5). Uncharted 4 is shiny and is truly a work of art - art that I was willing to pay for. I’ve never played a game where I wanted to give the designers my money just because I appreciated the sheer effort that went into the graphics. I would send screenshots to my wife’s PSN account just so I could access it on my phone’s PS app and save it to my gallery (there’s probably an easier way to do this). I literally had to be stopped from getting my screenshots printed on A3 canvas at the local Foto First, that's how beautiful this game is. I can't remember a time since the whole 'But can it run Crysis?' discussion of 2007 that graphics was such a large part of a game's description. Looks presumably aren’t everything and this is perhaps where a little disappointment set it. Early on in the game it all felt very familiar – like I’ve experienced it all before. This might be because I replayed Drake’s earlier adventures in late 2015 so it was quite fresh in both my mind and muscle-memory – I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that there wasn’t enough innovation. I might be alone in this camp but I noticed that reviewers who gave Far Cry a tough time for relying too heavily on retreads and tired game mechanics overlooked what was a very similar practice for Uncharted 4. While the addition of a grappling hook and extended vehicle scenes did help in distinguishing Uncharted 4 from its predecessors, they felt like incremental changes often reserved for annual franchises like Fifa or Assassin's Creed rather than a heavyweight title like this. Story-telling is king for Uncharted, and this often means that autonomous control (or the traditional act of 'play') is diluted – I guess it’s easier to tell a story if you’re pushing an 'on-rails…

Video Game Review: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

2016-06-09

MJ Khan

A new benchmark for interactive storytelling

total - 9.1

91 9.1

Uncharted 4 delivers a gorgeous experience that will please long-time fans and mesmerise newcomers. It is a must-play for all action adventure fans.

User Rating: 4.45 ( 1 votes)

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MJ Khan

Gaming / Entertainment Author at Geek Node

A veteran gamer and award-winning strategist, MJ enjoys eating chocolate eclairs and watching WWE. He completed his Masters coursework on videogame theory and enjoys writing about representation in games.