Uncharted 4 - A Thief's End

Pickpocket

Chapter 11.

petes

Which one is 11 again?

Pickpocket

petes wrote: »

Which one is 11 again?

The fact that you don't instantly know what I'm talking about makes me quite excited about what's ahead.

Chapter 11 is the

jeep chase, crane pull, etc.

petes

Pickpocket wrote: »

The fact that you don't instantly know what I'm talking about makes me quite excited about what's ahead.

Chapter 11 is the

jeep chase, crane pull, etc.

That was excellent. I didn't really pay much attention to the number/names of the chapters.

I said above I probably won't play it for a while but I think I will on a higher difficulty. It's just that gorgeous to look at.

biggebruv

i cant wait to replay it again gonna let ut stew for a while though maybe a a week or so gonna play doom

Mc Love

Finished it - stayed up until half 2 last night to play.

So glad that there wasnt any weird zombies/creatures in it this time. Was expecting some sort of pyrate ghost/creature but it never materialised TG!!

The baddie fight at the end wasnt the hardest although it did take me a few go's. Story ended nicely too.

Is there any chance there could be a Sully & Sam series?

Zero-Cool

Naughty Dog really know how to wrap up a story,

completely different ending to TLOU but I have the exact same disappointment that it has come to an end. I was a bit skeptical that it would all be running, cover, shooting but ND just nailed it with their story telling, characters, locations, graphics and little details. I came close to waiting and getting this down the line but I'm so glad I got it on release. Epic game and an essential playthrough imo.

Now.....Give us The Last of Us: American Daughters!

petes

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Naughty Dog really know how to wrap up a story,

completely different ending to TLOU but I have the exact same disappointment that it has come to an end. I was a bit skeptical that it would all be running, cover, shooting but ND just nailed it with their story telling, characters, locations, graphics and little details. I came close to waiting and getting this down the line but I'm so glad I got it on release. Epic game and an essential playthrough imo.

Now.....Give us The Last of Us: American Daughters!

I kind of agree with McLove above

They left the door open slightly with the Sully and Sam ending. Have to agree though they closed up Nathan's storyline really well. This game for me was about the story and characters as much as it was the game play.

Not sure how people played it through in 12 hours on their first run though. I didn't die that many times and wasn't running around lost either and still clocked in about 16 hours (maybe a bit more).

Pickpocket

Mc Love wrote: »

Finished it - stayed up until half 2 last night to play. So glad that there

wasnt any weird zombies/creatures in it this time. Was expecting some sort of pyrate ghost/creature but it never materialised TG!!

The baddie fight at the end wasnt the hardest although it did take me a few go's. Story ended nicely too.

Is there any chance there could be a Sully & Sam series?

You might want to wrap spoiler tags around some of that.

biggebruv

Pickpocket wrote: »

You might want to wrap spoiler tags around some of that.

I think anybody who comes into an uncharted thread a week after its been out now is asking for it though no

Pickpocket

biggebruv wrote: »

I think anybody who comes into an uncharted thread a week after its been out now is asking for it though no

It's possible to speak about your experience of a game without revealing what happens, or in this instance, what doesn't happen.

Just to be clear, I didn't kick up a stink over it. Reading his post spoiled two things for me and I just wanted other people to be spared.

And seriously, one week?

tok9

I'm glad I finished the game last night as I'd hate to have read what Mc Love said.

Please spoiler tag that and anyone who quoted the post, do the same.

RobertKK

Yeah no one should be giving the story away, I am on chapter 8 and that is all one needs to know about the story.

I missed what was given away, and intend to keep it that way.

johnny_ultimate

Finished it last night. I'm pretty confident this is as good an Uncharted game as you could make without radically departing from the tone and formula of the series thus far - and if you're going to do that, surely you'd just make an entirely different game?

There's still too much combat, let's make that abundantly clear. I think it's far less reliant on it that the previous three games, but I'd still cut out the vast majority of it if it was up to me. It's more mechanically engaging than ever, but I still think it detracts from the game in terms of narrative, themes and tone. And screw the heavy armour guys, who can truly go to hell.

That said, I was delighted to discover how much they scaled back the fighting at the same time. There are several one-two hour chunks in the game without a single enemy encounter, and even when you do run into the mercenaries the amount of them isn't quite as overwhelming (one or two late game ones aside) as before.

There's also a few unwelcome design choices elsewhere. With all seriousness, did we really need quite so many puzzles involving wheeled crates? When you start encountering them in long abandoned ruins... it's baffling they didn't come up with more novel ways to add environmental complications.

Ultimately, though, what you're left with is a solid compromise, with lots of space devoted to exploring, tomb raiding and most importantly narrative. This is at times reminiscent of a 'walking simulator', giving players the time to explore environments at their leisure while engaging in some valuable character building. It's refreshing to see a AAA game so eager to indulge in quieter moments, and the lessons of The Last of Us / Left Behind have been well learned and carried over to a story that is by its very nature more OTT and pulpy. The puzzles, while not exactly a mental workout, do I think achieve what they need to: elaborate Rube Goldberg unlock systems designed to trade secrets and mysteries.

Story wise, it's the strongest by far of any of the Uncharted titles. Sure, parts of it are contrived (heck, the very existence of Sam requires disbelief to be suspended) and it never strays far from the genre demands. If you're looking for experimental fodder or a more harmonious relationship between game and story, look elsewhere. But Uncharted 4 is admirably mature and intimate on its own terms, giving impressive breathing space to let the various conflicts and themes play out. The swashbuckling tale of

pirate civil war

playing out in the background contrasts nicely with Nate's journey here, and the parallels are not overstated either. Nate spends enough time with Sam, Elena and Sully to meaningfully expand on their traits and personalities, and some of the most powerful moments come not in grand, dramatic setpieces but in fleeting but meaningful expressions that communicate and complicate the relationships being explored. That we're finally at a point when games can achieve that is frankly really exciting, and really Naughty Dog are better than a lot of Hollywood directors at directing story and action alike.

I'm not a fan of

flashforward endings

, but this one was confidently handled and a welcome punctuation mark. Hopefully Sony will let the franchise rest, because this is done - while I'm sure the financial draw could see a fifth entry, it would significantly undermine the welcome sense of finality seen here - what a refreshing thing to see in a AAA franchise, and

all without any of the main characters dying!

But of course the biggest takeaway of all is just how beautiful the whole thing is. Sure, it's a technical marvel, boasting detail not yet seen in any other game. It's not empty expense of spectacle though, but a way to truly enhance the material. As mentioned beforehand, the facial and motion capture really push the storytelling capacity forward, not to mention helping achieve a meaningful sense of weight and credibility (subtle things like the way Drake's posture shifts as he falls towards water are incredible). But the art design is truly awe-inspiring right through to the very end. Whether it's impossibly lush tropical settings, the way the weather shifts as you progress through levels (the gently falling snow in Scotland, for example) or the sheer vastness, beauty and sometimes danger of the sights you encounter: what's important is that they all exist to serve Naughty Dog's overall goals. It's as epic a game as there has ever been, but it's equally adept at making the smaller moments count.

Plus there's not a

goddamn monster

in sight. ****ing score.

Zero-Cool

Yupp, that basically summed it up. Speaking of 'Tomb Raiding', how does this compare to the latest TR game? I tried looking up forums and comments about it but it just descended into console war shyte. I'll be looking to buy TR when it releases on PS4 later this year but wondering I can't see it having anywhere near the emotional impact and epic adventuring of Uncharted 4. I'd be interest to hear opinions on here on what you thought was better.

viper006

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Yupp, that basically summed it up. Speaking of 'Tomb Raiding', how does this compare to the latest TR game? I tried looking up forums and comments about it but it just descended into console war shyte. I'll be looking to buy TR when it releases on PS4 later this year but wondering I can't see it having anywhere near the emotional impact and epic adventuring of Uncharted 4. I'd be interest to hear opinions on here on what you thought was better.

I played TR couple months before Uncharted 4 which i just finished today. Loved TR, definitely a great game but for me personally hands down Uncharted 4 is on another level. You hit the nail on the head where the emotional impact of the game, adventuring and jaw dropping graphics simply make it one of the greatest games ive ever played. The way the naughty dog wraps up the story for me is perfect and the thoughts of the fact that could be very last Uncharted genuinely is sad because Uncharted 4 absolutely blew me away.

When TR makes it to PS4 later this year i highly recommend you play it but enjoy it for the game it rather than comparing to Uncharted as it ruin the game for you.

biggebruv

Zero-Cool wrote: »

Yupp, that basically summed it up. Speaking of 'Tomb Raiding', how does this compare to the latest TR game? I tried looking up forums and comments about it but it just descended into console war shyte. I'll be looking to buy TR when it releases on PS4 later this year but wondering I can't see it having anywhere near the emotional impact and epic adventuring of Uncharted 4. I'd be interest to hear opinions on here on what you thought was better.

Uncharted is miles ahead in the graphics and voicework department but ROTTR is the better game IMO theres more to the gameplay like upgrading your own weapons, different type of ammos and sidequests in the puzzle tombs

I was hoping this new uncharted would have something in those big new open spaces like mini puzzles or cool caves something more than just finding a crappy bit of treasure
but there both excellent games and the very best in action adventure games

That_Guy

I've only just scratched the surface of the game but did anybody else completely lose their shít when

you get to play a level of Crash Bandicoot in game? Meta or what?

Burkie7

Jesus what a game.

Just cleared it now was a lot longer than I expected. Best in the series too!

SolvableKnave

Picked this up yesterday, and just on Chapter 5. The game looks fantastic, though I have experienced one or two frame rate drops. The whole narrative though is where this stands out, they really have carried on from TLOU in that regard.

The bit where he's in the attic and reliving his past exploits with the toy gun and the Crash Bandicoot bit's are brilliant, including Nates question of "Who'd want to play video games all day?"

nix

Played it, finished it and sold it within 3 days. Great gaming rollercoaster and only cost me 10 bucks to experience. I kind of wished the story had more depth this time around, I'd never feel the urge to ply it again because of that, so no trouble parting with it, unlike the last of us which i ended up chasing down and playing again on the PS4 just to experience the story again..

markcahill1985

nix wrote:

Played it, finished it and sold it within 3 days. Great gaming rollercoaster and only cost me 10 bucks to experience. I kind of wished the story had more depth this time around, I'd never feel the urge to ply it again because of that, so no trouble parting with it, unlike the last of us which i ended up chasing down and playing again on the PS4 just to experience the story again..

Feel the same; glad I played but wint ever play through again; bought for 55 and traded to cex for 43; not too bad.

markcahill1985

nix wrote:

Played it, finished it and sold it within 3 days. Great gaming rollercoaster and only cost me 10 bucks to experience. I kind of wished the story had more depth this time around, I'd never feel the urge to ply it again because of that, so no trouble parting with it, unlike the last of us which i ended up chasing down and playing again on the PS4 just to experience the story again..

Feel the same; glad I played but wint ever play through again; bought for 55 and traded to cex for 43; not too bad.

Pickpocket

I can't bring myself to finish this game. I haven't played it since Monday. I'm bored. Climbing from platform to platform is like having teeth pulled and the checkpoints are simply too generous. Once or twice I died and spawned right where I fell, with the enemies that killed me having disappeared! There's no challenge in it whatsoever.

I've gone from absolutely adoring this series to a feeling of complete disinterest. The characters, story, graphics and emotional impact are what will make me see it through to the end, as those aspects are some of the best I've ever experienced, but the minute to minute gameplay has become a real slog.

And to think that I drunkenly purchased this on the PS Store. €60 and no re-sale for a game I'll never play again! Unless the multiplayer is worth a shot?

nix

Pickpocket wrote: »

I can't bring myself to finish this game. I haven't played it since Monday. I'm bored. Climbing from platform to platform is like having teeth pulled and the checkpoints are simply too generous. Once or twice I died and spawned right where I fell, with the enemies that killed me having disappeared! There's no challenge in it whatsoever.

I've gone from absolutely adoring this series to a feeling of complete disinterest. The characters, story, graphics and emotional impact are what will make me see it through to the end, as those aspects are some of the best I've ever experienced, but the minute to minute gameplay has become a real slog.

And to think that I drunkenly purchased this on the PS Store. €60 and no re-sale for a game I'll never play again! Unless the multiplayer is worth a shot?

What were you expecting? gameplay is exact same as last 3 games (with slight improvements)

tok9

I'd argue it's a lot more than slight.

The gunplay has been refined massively. Not saying it's the best out there, but a huge improvement on the previous 3 games.

You're actually able to explore in this game due to most of the level design. The traversal actually feels like that instead of it just being jump here and follow this path.

Currently playing through crushing, on chapter 14 now.

Pickpocket

nix wrote: »

What were you expecting? gameplay is exact same as last 3 games (with slight improvements)

I was expecting an Uncharted game and in many ways this is possibly the best and most enjoyable one yet. Unfortunately the core gameplay begins to feel stale after a while and some of the series' various tropes and conventions are starting to bore me. I can still put on my objective hat and recognise how masterfully put together it all is, but it feels oddly old fashioned for something so modern, and in many ways, so cutting edge. I guess I've just moved on from this type of game, which is bitterly disappointing because I was hyped beyond belief about it.

Zero-Cool

For anyone interested in trading this, Smyths are offering a whopping 12.50 euro cash or 25 credit and Gamestop offering 36 euro credit.

Zero-Cool

Zero-Cool wrote: »

For anyone interested in trading this, Smyths are offering a whopping 12.50 euro cash or 25 credit and Gamestop offering 36 euro credit.

43 in CEX

nix

tok9 wrote: »

I'd argue it's a lot more than slight.

The gunplay has been refined massively. Not saying it's the best out there, but a huge improvement on the previous 3 games.

You're actually able to explore in this game due to most of the level design. The traversal actually feels like that instead of it just being jump here and follow this path.

Currently playing through crushing, on chapter 14 now.

massive from the first one yes, but the 2nd and 3rd improved on that and there isnt much difference from them to the 4th gunplay wise..

The only thing i noticed different combat wise was the stealth approach, which is how i tried to tackle most situations, made it more fun than guns blazing :pac: