3/5 ★ – Nintenjoe's review of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.

𝘜𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝟺: 𝘈 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘥 is not a power-fantasy action game. You constantly feel like you are narrowly escaping each encounter. This is by design in that Nathan Drake, the game’s protagonist, is an unarmored treasure hunter. There really isn’t a reason for him to be able to easily overpower waves of heavily-fitted soldiers of fortune. That feeling of survival leads to some thrilling moments that don’t always feel earned.⁣ ⁣ There are no upgrade systems in 𝘜𝘊𝟺. This is traditional for the series, but skill trees and weapon mods have become more prevalent in action games over the past few years. Mechanically, the Nate you start as is about the same Nate at the end. It took me a while to adjust to this and at times I certainly missed the excitement a new upgrade can bring, but it can also be relieving just to be along for the ride and that’s what Uncharted is still all about.⁣ ⁣ Instead of staring at menus deciding between adding 2% damage to your pistols or customising the shade of your gun holster, that time is spent propelling the action and decent story forward.⁣ ⁣ In 𝘈 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘥, Nate’s interpersonal relationships are explored with exceptional cinematic direction and intriguing character partners like Sam, performed brilliantly by Troy Baker. Naughty Dog also introduces some impressive gameplay elements like translating a villain fistfight showdown that you would see in a Bond film into video game form, refined climbing that really feels like you’re scaling a rock wall, and a Jeep with life-like haptic feedback.⁣ ⁣ It’s unfortunate then that the other core elements are not as satisfying. The puzzles are pretty straightforward and new open areas give little incentive to explore. Firefights are frustrating with a lacking cover system.⁣ ⁣ Recommendation: Play 𝘜𝘊𝟺 If you are a traveler, thrill-seeker, or explorer at heart. The game will hook you with its swirling pirate mystery surrounding an extended treasure hunt of stunning exotic locations. Just know ahead of time that this comes at the expense of a fun gameplay loop and depth.⁣