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Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Review: Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice

I've never played an Uncharted game. That's probably important to point out off the bat. I was an Xbox 360 guy, never owning a PlayStation 3, meaning that the series has remained a blind spot in my backcatalogue since its inception. The culture around it, with it more or less being Sony's biggest franchise right now, did not pass me by though. I 'get' what Uncharted is.

So, I'm coming into Uncharted 4 with a pretty interesting perspective. While perhaps not being my first 'taste', it's certainly my first hearty bite, and, to put it plainly, it's left a very rich, and substantial piquancy.

Now, one of the things that I think makes Uncharted 4 an interesting first dive into the series, is that it acts as a post-franchise sequel. While it inevitably indulges in a great adventure of its own, it is about life after the great adventures are over. It's about what happens to a hero, a legend after he hangs up his hat (or gun holsters in this case). The game opens with Nathan Drake having left his archaeological adventures behind him, instead choosing to live a 'normal' life with his wife Elena, recovering salvage for a small business. His genuine efforts to commit in leaving it all behind hits a snag though when his long lost brother Sam turns up out of the blue, in a situation that forces his hand in chasing after pirate gold.

The one thing that strikes me most pertinently in reflection of the game, is the quality of environmental design. The game is absolutely at its best when you are exploring vast-feeling environments, with amazing skyboxes and genuinely interesting level design. Existing in this long forgotten world of pirate secrets is a real joy. Whether it be climbing up walls, driving jeeps or sliding down vast mudslides, the act of moving and learning about this world is really satisfying. In fact, one of the strongest aspects of the entire game's narrative is the central mystery that you chase through the game's 12 or so. This is all so cleverly weaved into the decrepit environments that there is a genuine sense of discovery. I adored just existing within the fictional history of the game, finding out what the pirates' legends held in store.

On that note, lets talk story. It's hard to explain the success of Uncharted 4's in one contained paragraph, because it permeates so much of the entire game. The narrative is driving gameplay and design here, which isn't always the case for AAA games. From the subplot of the pirates, to the thematic meaning for Nathan Drake, the environmental design, the gameplay, the pacing, it#s all informed by how the story is driven.  It's a terrific achievement, adding a rich and unified texture to the act of just playing the game. It makes everything feel whole in a way few games are.

If I was to talk about story though, it would be about the character relationships on show here. There is a few notable examples, such as the one between two brothers, but perhaps the most important to what Uncharted 4 is thematically about is a relationship of a husband and wife. While perhaps a little underwritten, it focuses on something games of this size don't often, which is the 'everyday' problems of a hero. This isn't something that is unique in popular entertainment, as protagonists dealing with relationships and normality is the backbone of a lot of blockbuster films. It's rare in games though, granted, mostly because of how they function. This kind of storytelling can require a lot of cutscene work, and characters talking about their emotions, which get in the way of forward momentum of play and a player's own emotional journey. Naughty Dog are clearly confident and assured enough to have the player walk at their pace in this regard though, giving Uncharted a more matured narrative texture than a lot of games. It's worth noting, I don't think the focus on Nate and Elena's marriage gets nearly enough time to be as substantially important to the story as it needs to be, but the actors do a ton of heavy lifting with smaller lines to show a strained relationship, thus telling us most of what we need to know about the emotional journey these characters, and by proxy, we are going on.

On that note, at least in cutscenes, this is up there with some of the most effective performance capture we've seen in the medium to date. The actors all give wonderful turns, but the technology is really what sells it all. The animators, the capture team and on set directors do a great job of making sure that these characters have chemistry on screen, making it all feel beautifully genuine. It' worth noting though, that this does make the lines that were clearly recorded in a soundbooth, which come when you are walking around and fighting in the environments feel just a tad underwhelming. It's not bad by any stretch of the imagination, especially compared to other video games, but you can feel a disconnect of human interaction, when we are served such well realised ones when the game is trying to show us cinematics.

Perhaps the most striking thing about the game though, hitting the player across the face from its very start is just how impressive it looks. The variety of environments really showcase the wizardry Naughty Dog are capable of, and perhaps, what the PlayStation 4 too. From oddly dazzling particle effects, incredible physics, the animation quality and even down to how clothing moves, it all comes together to create a beautiful package. Now, I'm not convinced the game looks better or is graphically more accomplished than other titles of similar stature, (with some models having weirdly jagged edges, and facial fidelity of characters noticeably dropping when you are 'playing the game'), but my read on the look is that Naughty Dog have invested incredibly wisely. The art direction and lighting in particular accomplish so much in creating the majesty on screen, and I really hope more games take that lesson. From the vibrancy of the environments and how beautifully it is crafted, that is what gives the images a real sense of life to them. I'm not certain on a technical level, that it is the most graphically impressive game I've ever seen, but it certainly ranks with the most full of life and beauty. That is definitely more important in the long run.

Not every aspects of the game are a slam dunk though, and there are portions of the game that I actually found to be problematic. First off, while the central mystery is enthralling, it really does take until about half way through the game to really unfold properly. The time before that is spent just hopping from location to location, on a wild goose chase that doesn't reveal much about what you are chasing after until quite some ways in. It gives a lot of the early proceedings a meandering feeling, with disconnected showcases for new locations. Once the game calms down, and focuses on one country in particular though, it really does catch its stride,but there's a lot of albeit pleasant yet stalling wheel spinning in the early going.

The biggest issue I had with the game though is one of combat. I found the shooting to be imprecise, (at least on the aiming settings I played on) and all in all, a hassle. Melee could be quite satisfying, but the second I was asked to pick up a gun and murder mercenaries, it always felt like a roadblock to my progression. It was a little disheartening to walk into a room to find a bunch of chest high walls, knowing, instead of having forward momentum in the story, I was going to be stopped to shoot bad guys. #When this feels like the weakest part of the game, that is a problem. Thankfully the game is paced really uniquely, to the point where combat can be a bit of a rarity, but I never truly found myself enjoying any of the gunplay in the game.

However, these things, are only speedbumps on a really satisfying adventure. Despite not having played the series before, I still had a great time with Uncharted 4. It's such an interesting time period for these characters and the franchise, it almost exists as an action packed epilogue to a legend. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the world it paints so beautifully, and the assured confidence with which Naughty Dog strides, is intoxicating for a player. It takes a while to get going, and can come to a halt when forcing you into combat, but it's hard not to just enjoy everything else the game is getting right. It's one of the most purely impressive AAA titles I've played in a long time, and it's well worth the adventure to see how this franchise signs off.

Buy it if: You want an impressive adventure, that looks great, builds a wonderful mythos, and has a keen focus on characters and narrative.

Avoid it if: You don't like Uncharted games, and want something that is purely gameplay based.

Score: 9.0/10

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