Tech: Uncharted 4 review

This past Christmas, my friend Ben got me "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End," the final chapter of the "Uncharted" series, and easily the biggest PS4 release of 2016:



The game follows treasure hunter Nathan Drake, who is dragged out of early retirement by the sudden appearance of his long-lost brother Sam (a retconned, never-before-mentioned character). It turns out that Sam is under the thumb of a dangerous drug lord, and he needs Nate's help to do (wait for it...) one last job: retrieve a legendary pirate treasure.

Okay, so the story in "Uncharted 4" isn't particularly original, but the execution is flawless. Developer Naughty Dog has truly mastered the cinematic action adventure genre. The set pieces are not only some of the best I've seen in a game, they're some of the best I've ever seen period. Take this harrowing motorcycle chase through a Madagascar town - I dare say it's as good as the famous desert chase from "Raiders of the Lost Ark":


Gameplay-wise, this is mostly the same "Uncharted" stuff you've played several times before: platform, puzzle, or climbing sequences punctuated by pitched gunfights with fairly intelligent enemies. The formula certainly overstays its welcome in the last third of the game, but the emotionally cathartic ending makes up for it (you'll be misty-eyed if you've been following Nathan's adventures in the earlier games). When the credits finally roll, you'll have experienced a 15-hour adventure packed with the best graphics, sound, and voice-acting this side of Hollywood.

Rating: 92/100