Uncharted 4
Beforehand I would like to mention that if you have no experience with the Uncharted series, before playing this game go out and buy The Nathan Drake Collection which bundles remastered versions of the first three games and is, in my opinion, the definitive way to play those games with updated graphics, a higher frame rate, and a fixed cover system. This will give you a much deeper connection with the characters going into Uncharted 4 and will greatly enhance your experience.
Uncharted 4 is the best Uncharted has ever been bar none. With Uncharted 4 Naughty Dog have made improvements across the board such as attempt to update and add mechanics into the game that improve the more tedious tendencies of previous games such as the addition of sliding down slopes, using a small shank to stick into walls, and using a grappling hook all of which have made all the infamous filler climbing sections that take up too much of the game feel like genuine platforming at times and little more varied and bearable to sit through, but they're still filler nonetheless and still take up too much time in your play through.
Combat and stealth gameplay have been much-improved too, the firefights are unashamedly flamboyant and are backed up by improved level design and enemy locations. You're always climbing and weaving your way in and out of buildings during combat to flank enemies instead of being fixed behind a wall with a clump of enemies right in front of you like the previous entries, stealth is also much more of a viable option when it comes to approaching combat as you can make it through entire sections without being detected also unlike the previous games, and the puzzles are cleverly interwoven with the story, but still, unfortunately, feel like nuances.
A common criticism of these games is that they're "interactive movies" because of the simplicity of the gameplay and while I think that's an offense the Telltale games, for example, commit to a much higher degree, I can still see where those people are coming from because a lot of times the game basically plays itself. It can get very linear at times with no wrong way forward and you barely ever have to time your jumps so with that said I'd recommend you play on hard or crushing difficulty (which is thankfully available from the get-go this time around) because enemies will be a lot more responsive and it'll make the shootouts have a little more challenge and staying power instead of breezing by right into the next cutscene or climbing section.
But all the different gameplay elements are mixed up well enough so that the game doesn't become excruciatingly boring but if at the end of the day the gameplay just doesn't impress you I can guarantee the visuals certainly will because A Thief's End is a technical masterpiece and the best looking PS4 game I've seen thus far, especially with the motion blur turned off. Seriously just scrolling through pictures for this review reminded me of just how beautiful and varied each section is from the rocky coast of Scotland to the tropical savanna of Madagascar.
The severe attention to detail and realistic lifelike animation only contribute to the series' phenomenal writing and voice acting that will immerse you into the story like no other video game will. And trust me, this isn't just another Indiana Jones esque action blockbuster, its got deeper themes of love and trust buried underneath the surface. Henry Avery's story and ultimate demise is a perfect juxtaposition that foreshadows the consequences of Nathan Drake's obsessive treasure hunt as he lies and deceives those close to him in an attempt to get one step closer to the ultimate treasure just as Avery did centuries ago, and the cherry on top is the game's extremely satisfying ending that wraps up Nathan Drake's story ark really well. It has the most engaging story out of all four titles by a long shot and the fact that you don't have to play any of the previous games to fully understand the story (even though you should) makes is very accessible to new players. The incredible action set pieces and music the franchise is known for have returned and are almost if not just as epic as previous titles and really contribute to the adventurous atmosphere of the game, I won't spoil anything but let's just say I won't be forgetting that Jeep chase anytime soon.
Overall Uncharted 4 for me beats out Uncharted 2 for best game in the franchise in every regard and is a game I think is worth owning if you own a PS4 console for its story alone even if there is an abundance of hand-holding filler and the game is more interesting visually than mechanically.
