'Uncharted 4' scratches that 'Indiana Jones' itch so well that it's hard to say goodbye
Is this really the end for Nathan Drake?
It is for Naughty Dog, the studio that created him. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is a fitting send-off, at least. It's the first game in the series built specifically for PlayStation 4, and also -- unsurprisingly -- is the best yet at letting you live that Indiana Jones life.
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We return to Drake a few years after he's embarked on his most alien adventure to date: domestic living. Now married to Elena Fisher and working in undersea salvage, Drake has settled into a quieter existence than he's ever known.
"Settled" is the operative word here. Drake is clearly content, but is he happy? Relics of his treasure hunting days are hidden away in the attic, a dusty personal sanctuary where Nate indulges in fond remembrances.
His quiet suburban existence is shaken when Sam, Nate's never-mentioned-before brother, surfaces more than a decade after he was thought to have perished. Sam has a line on the lost pirate treasure that indirectly led to his "death," and he needs Nate's help getting it.
The story is uneven. It's filled with superior moments, but there are big themes around legacy and the footprint we leave behind us that don't quite stick the landing. A lot of the issues stem from underdeveloped character motivations, particularly around Nate's relationships with his brother and his wife.
Uncharted 4 is the best yet at letting you live that Indiana Jones life.
Those moments, though
Naughty Dog re-thought what a setpiece could be in Uncharted 4. The action sequences the series is known for are back, and they feel as big as they ever have. But equally memorable are the quiet moments, like the hour you spend living Nate's domestic life or the extended epilogue that fans will scrutinize for months to come.
The gameplay is also uneven, though still stronger than any previous Uncharted. Stealth mechanics offer a viable alternative to open combat, though with no silenced weapons and no way to artificially redirect an enemy's attention, sneaky play is at the mercy of static patrol routes and troop positioning.
The stealth is fun to engage with, but it feels like a half-measure. There's enough to make slipping quietly past a patrol feel gratifying, but too little to make stealth a frequent option.
The same is true of Nate's superhuman climbing abilities. He's got a grappling hook now, which works as both a climbing device and a rope swing. The handful of puzzles that incorporate the latter are fantastic, allowing you to swing out over open canyons and around sheer cliff faces.
There's not enough of it, though. For all the time you spend climbing and scrambling in Uncharted 4, it feels more like you're hitting your marks than solving physical puzzles. It looks beautiful in motion, but the lack of skill required leaves you with an empty feeling.
All of which is to say: Uncharted 4 lives up to the legacy the series has earned for itself, but it fails to evolve much beyond that. Naughty Dog proved with The Last of Us that satisfying gameplay could capably co-exist with a complex plotline. This is a step back from that.
Uncharted 4 lives up to the legacy the series has earned for itself.
Ultimately, it's the presentation that keeps you playing. For any shortfalls around the story or gameplay, the sheer spectacle on offer makes Uncharted 4 a hard game to put down.
This is a beautiful game. The hundreds-strong cast moves and reacts like actual humans. Sprawling vistas create dozens of postcard moments. It's hard to keep from gaping when you crest a rise or swing past a sheer cliff face, only to have what feels like the entire world open up before you.
The subtitle might be A Thief's End, but the game as a whole really feels like a new beginning. It's hard to say goodbye to our old pal Nate when it feels like there's so much room for him to grow in his new PlayStation 4 home.
Bet on seeing the Drake family return, if only because they're central to one of Sony's most successful franchises. But if this really is to be Naughty Dog's final Uncharted game, it's a hell of a note to go out on.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
The Good
Jaw droppingly gorgeous
Promising new stealth and movement mechanics
Best Uncharted game to date, and a fitting send-off
The Bad
Doesn't do enough with all the cool new toys
Story falters around weak and/or inexplicable character motivations
Does too little to evolve the stuff Uncharted does best
The Bottom Line
'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' is a masterful series send-off from Naughty Dog, though it's not without its frustrations.
Topics Gaming
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
