![]() ![]() It begins with the characters you know, but on a level you’re yet to meet them. In that respect, the narrative breakdown into chapters encourages fun size snippets to be binged deep beyond nightfall on May 10. It’s even harder to walk away from Uncharted 4, desperate to discover the next bout of shenanigans. ‘Just another chapter’, I kept telling myself to the detriment of a university assignment whilst playing Uncharted 2. I didn’t want to put the controller down until the credits rolled, and I’ve been here before. There’s almost no murdering during the first few hours it’s replaced by authentic character development and a story that captures your undivided attention like a newly discovered TV series accidentally binged in its entirety. The mundane (on paper) opening stanza is more reminiscent of The Last of Us than the generic shooting of Drake’s Deception. The elder Drake embodies the greedy thief deep within that Nathan has mostly repressed to flourish as the charming hero of folklore – but let’s not pretend he hasn’t stolen a lot of treasure and murdered thousands of goons just doing their job in the process. There’s some crafty writing to explain Sam’s whereabouts, and why Nate never bothered to mention him. Naturally, it all goes wrong the brothers Drake are separated, and 15 years later, a middle-aged Nate has settled into a normal life with his wife Elena. Jump ahead, and the two are serving a faux prison sentence on a futile search for the mythical $400 million treasure of notorious pirate Henry Avery. Opening with an innocent Nathan during his childhood confined to an orphanage, we’re introduced to his delinquent brother Sam (Troy Baker). ![]() Set primarily following the events of the trilogy, a hearty backstory sets the scene. Following The Last of Us, Naughty Dog has become a masterful storyteller – a quality few developers, as a whole, possess – allowing Nathan Drake to prosper with a likeable and relatable persona, the envy of all video game protagonists. Some of that can be attributed to the extra power afforded by the PS4, but it runs much deeper. Uncharted 4 is everything Uncharted 3 should have been – I’m adamant to avoid being distracted by the missteps of a 2011 PS3 sequel, but the stark contrast, and how far the development team has come going from making a great-looking game to a great game, is extraordinary. It’s easy to get swept away and make rash claims about a mid-generation game being a console’s best, so before you skim to the score know this: I’ve never been so invested in an action game’s story and its characters. With genuine emotion, a greater emphasis on character development and more balanced gameplay, A Thief’s End is not only the Uncharted game that surpasses all expectations, it’s the best in Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed catalogue. Truth be told, we thought it did with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that was merely a taste of the greatness that was to come on PS4. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is a spectacular conclusion to a series that always promised to blow us away.
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