Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Each reiteration of Playstation has had its own key titles that help define that generation of gaming, Crash Bandicoot for the PSX for example, until this point we hadn’t entirely seen a landmark release that stood out for the PS4.

Uncharted 4 is precisely that ‘must own’ title, it’s the absolute representation of what a cinematic videogame should play like. Landscapes contained within each level are graphically crisp and stunning with dynamic dirt, dust and water effects completely submersing players into the series largest maps of treasure hunting environments. Taking a more sandbox approach to the design, areas are stacked with a dramatic rumbling score from Henry Jackman to not only heighten the games action but to incorporate audio cues to propel the missions along. The in game sequences perfectly walk the thin line between intense frantic combat with tight camera shifts creating genuine tension to the subtler nuances of a puzzle solving adventure taking careful planning for each step.

The gradual expansion in game style from previous titles has led to Uncharted 4 becoming a truly surprising game in that the tasks given to players rarely have two alike. Bounding from a stealthy approach in long grass of enemy takedowns to the all-out assault of swinging around a cliff face onto a building, not only does this give the game a fantastic amount of variety but also lets the you play the game the way that you wish without the penalty of a less fun experience.

It’s no real surprise that the developer Naughty Dog has once again created a storyline that is cut and polished (albeit a slightly drawn out final sequence), following Nathan Drake as he reemerges from retirement to embark on a final hunt of a lifetime drawing in family, the desire for adventure and the imaginary questioning of trust that has continued throughout the franchise.

The addition of multiplayer is slightly less subtle and focuses heavily on the storm and assault methods of the game, it’s no less fun and will quickly develop a cult following that will maintain its place for years to come, for those who aren’t caught by its appeal will be more than satisfied by the single player story.

A Thief’s End is the complete gaming journey and has delivered on every expectation fans had been asking for, if you don’t own this game already, you soon will.