Primethius
Banned
I'll PM you.
Uncharted 4 spoiler free early copy impressions
- Thread starter Loudninja
- Start date
I'll PM you.
Admiral Snackbar
Member
This game is fucking incredible.
In
Scotland
a whale that would sometimes dive out of the water and back in? It's super rare.
Primethius
Banned
Oh snap, no I didn't. Damn, I'll have to look harder on my replay.
I'm pretty sure that location was revealed months ago, but whatever. I spoiler tagged it anywho
Some people haven't watched all the trailers. It is just common courtesy.
Coolbgdog12
Member
Guys, don't worry about spoilers. There's a lot that ND didn't show. I'm only 4 hours in and I've seen practically 97% new stuff. Even teh stuff from trailers are cut in a way that doesn't give context. There's so much to see.
CrichtonKicks
Member
Man, I'm right there with you. Sharks and video games don't mix for me. I practically have a panic attack getting in the water in Far Cry 3 and GTA V.
Can you PM me too?
Okay I finished the game. Some very rushed impressions
Now. I'll start with the negatives.
Overall I think the Last of Us is better. There are some story beats in this game that feel a little rushed and a couple of Force Awakens style moments where characters very conveniently find each other.
I also agree there are slight pacing issues at certain points, with some long stretches of gameplay with little combat. This would be fine, but the story doesn't really push forward in an interesting way. There are a many great moments in these sections, but it does slow the game down a bit too much. To clarify, these slower sections are generally fantastic and really add to the game, but a couple of them dragged on a bit too long.
One puzzle also felt over long.
I really liked the villains, definitely the best in the series but I wish we had more of them.
Too many fucking crates and boost moments. These are similar to the wooden planks and helping Ellie on the pallet moments in TLOU.
I have one other negative that would be considered a spoiler.
With that out of the way, here is what I liked.
Easily my favourite Uncharted game and the definitely the best game on PS4.
I'll start of by saying I really liked Sam. They did a phenomenal job introducing him as a character without him feeling shoe horned in. The banter between him and Nate is fantastic.
In fact, all of the characters are great. Neil and Josh did a fantastic job at maturing these characters while still honouring who they are.
They absolutely nailed the tone. Great balance between fun adventure and serious drama and it all just feels very natural.
The writing in general is great, a huge step up for the franchise. Everything has more weight to it and characters have clear motivations, without sacrificing that adventurous feel that Uncharted is known for. Characters actually talk about things other than how to get to the next objective.
The storytelling is just on another level compared to everything out there at the moment. I would put this side by side with TLOU in that regard. Many cool moments between characters that happen during gameplay.
They picked some awesome environments for this game. Great variety and it doesn't have that Uncharted 3 problem where you feel like you are just jumping all over the place. The environments all have a very different feel to them as well.
The opening few hours were fantastic.Did a great job of setting up the characters with some really creative interactive elements to help he storytelling.
The scale of the game is ridiculous. It really feels like you are in a huge world, finding your way through it. It honestly feels bigger than most open world games, even in the more linear sections; it's difficult to explain. It's just you see the distant points of interest, and you have to find your way there. Sorry I couldn't articulate this point better, I'm tired.
Gameplay wise, this is definitely the best playing Naughty dog game to date. The game feels terrific to play in terms of both movement and gunplay. It can't be understated how much of an improvement was made in this area. This is complimented by terrific animation and an improved melee system. AI do a good job a flanking and encouraging movement, as does the desturctible cover. Adding to this, the encounter design is brilliant. The game starts of with some fairly classic Uncharted encounters, but as the games goes on you are thrown into some fucking rad set ups. They allow a lot of freedom to utilize Nate's moveset in fun and interesting ways. Particular shout out to a section involving
It reminded me of the part in Uncharted 2 where you are hanging on the sign, and have to climb around to take cover. Imagine that, but just at a much larger scale with moving elements and ofc the better game feel. Stealth is also very well implemented, but I do have one criticism about it. I wish there was a way to lure and distract guards. One more thing, there are still some issues with sticky cover.
As far as modern automated platformers go, Uncharted 4 is now the best. For one thing, the controls are so much more refined; it feels more analogue and less sticky than the previous game. The climbing paths are no longer follow the brightly coloured handholds, everything feels natural and part of the world. There are often various ways you can can climb walls etc. The level design in these sections is honestly fantastic. Some really creative climbing paths that also incorporate buddies plus the new mechanics like sliding and the rope.
Now about the rope, it is fucking fantastic. Best mechanic of 2016. It is seriously versatile and is well incorporating throughout the game. Some might feel it is overused, but honestly I just wanted more of it; it is just that much fun.
The vehicles control well and I do feel they were a good addition. The madagascar jeep exploration section from the previews was kinda ruined for me, as I had watched it like a thousand times before playing the game. However, the use of vehicles later on is awesome and really adds to the sense that you are on an adventure.
Jeep chase set piece is the best in the franchise by far. It may not beat out the plane or the ship in terms of pure spectacle, but the rush you get when playing through it is incredible. The feeling you get when being dragged through the mud, shooting out tires and commandeering vehicles is unlike anything I have ever played.
Spectacle is still a very big part of the game, and there is more of it as the game goes on. Anyone concerned about this shouldn't be.
The ending is perfect. Some might not like it for reasons I will not elaborate on due to spoilers.
I actually almost teared up at a couple of points during the game which is crazy. That didn't happen to me once during the last of us.
Music is great, especially during combat. Gets you seriously hyped.
Finally, yeah the graphics are fucking insane.
A couple of other things I want to say, but they would be considered to spoilery. Overall, the game does a brilliant job at both wrapping up the series and evolving it at the same time. Some messy plot elements and pacing issues prevent it from being at the same level as the Last of Us, but overall the game is fantastic and just better than anything out there atm. (for me)
So here are my rankings
TLOU>UC4>UC2>UC1>UC3
Now. I'll start with the negatives.
Overall I think the Last of Us is better. There are some story beats in this game that feel a little rushed and a couple of Force Awakens style moments where characters very conveniently find each other.
I also agree there are slight pacing issues at certain points, with some long stretches of gameplay with little combat. This would be fine, but the story doesn't really push forward in an interesting way. There are a many great moments in these sections, but it does slow the game down a bit too much. To clarify, these slower sections are generally fantastic and really add to the game, but a couple of them dragged on a bit too long.
One puzzle also felt over long.
I really liked the villains, definitely the best in the series but I wish we had more of them.
Too many fucking crates and boost moments. These are similar to the wooden planks and helping Ellie on the pallet moments in TLOU.
I have one other negative that would be considered a spoiler.
With that out of the way, here is what I liked.
Easily my favourite Uncharted game and the definitely the best game on PS4.
I'll start of by saying I really liked Sam. They did a phenomenal job introducing him as a character without him feeling shoe horned in. The banter between him and Nate is fantastic.
In fact, all of the characters are great. Neil and Josh did a fantastic job at maturing these characters while still honouring who they are.
They absolutely nailed the tone. Great balance between fun adventure and serious drama and it all just feels very natural.
The writing in general is great, a huge step up for the franchise. Everything has more weight to it and characters have clear motivations, without sacrificing that adventurous feel that Uncharted is known for. Characters actually talk about things other than how to get to the next objective.
The storytelling is just on another level compared to everything out there at the moment. I would put this side by side with TLOU in that regard. Many cool moments between characters that happen during gameplay.
They picked some awesome environments for this game. Great variety and it doesn't have that Uncharted 3 problem where you feel like you are just jumping all over the place. The environments all have a very different feel to them as well.
The opening few hours were fantastic.Did a great job of setting up the characters with some really creative interactive elements to help he storytelling.
The scale of the game is ridiculous. It really feels like you are in a huge world, finding your way through it. It honestly feels bigger than most open world games, even in the more linear sections; it's difficult to explain. It's just you see the distant points of interest, and you have to find your way there. Sorry I couldn't articulate this point better, I'm tired.
Gameplay wise, this is definitely the best playing Naughty dog game to date. The game feels terrific to play in terms of both movement and gunplay. It can't be understated how much of an improvement was made in this area. This is complimented by terrific animation and an improved melee system. AI do a good job a flanking and encouraging movement, as does the desturctible cover. Adding to this, the encounter design is brilliant. The game starts of with some fairly classic Uncharted encounters, but as the games goes on you are thrown into some fucking rad set ups. They allow a lot of freedom to utilize Nate's moveset in fun and interesting ways. Particular shout out to a section involving
a rising elevator.
As far as modern automated platformers go, Uncharted 4 is now the best. For one thing, the controls are so much more refined; it feels more analogue and less sticky than the previous game. The climbing paths are no longer follow the brightly coloured handholds, everything feels natural and part of the world. There are often various ways you can can climb walls etc. The level design in these sections is honestly fantastic. Some really creative climbing paths that also incorporate buddies plus the new mechanics like sliding and the rope.
Now about the rope, it is fucking fantastic. Best mechanic of 2016. It is seriously versatile and is well incorporating throughout the game. Some might feel it is overused, but honestly I just wanted more of it; it is just that much fun.
The vehicles control well and I do feel they were a good addition. The madagascar jeep exploration section from the previews was kinda ruined for me, as I had watched it like a thousand times before playing the game. However, the use of vehicles later on is awesome and really adds to the sense that you are on an adventure.
Jeep chase set piece is the best in the franchise by far. It may not beat out the plane or the ship in terms of pure spectacle, but the rush you get when playing through it is incredible. The feeling you get when being dragged through the mud, shooting out tires and commandeering vehicles is unlike anything I have ever played.
Spectacle is still a very big part of the game, and there is more of it as the game goes on. Anyone concerned about this shouldn't be.
The ending is perfect. Some might not like it for reasons I will not elaborate on due to spoilers.
I actually almost teared up at a couple of points during the game which is crazy. That didn't happen to me once during the last of us.
Music is great, especially during combat. Gets you seriously hyped.
Finally, yeah the graphics are fucking insane.
A couple of other things I want to say, but they would be considered to spoilery. Overall, the game does a brilliant job at both wrapping up the series and evolving it at the same time. Some messy plot elements and pacing issues prevent it from being at the same level as the Last of Us, but overall the game is fantastic and just better than anything out there atm. (for me)
So here are my rankings
TLOU>UC4>UC2>UC1>UC3
Coolbgdog12
Member
Man, I'm happy you beat it already lol. I'm only 4 hours in. How long it take you to beat it?Okay I finished the game. Some very rushed impressions
Now. I'll start with the negatives.
Overall I think the Last of Us is better. There are some story beats in this game that feel a little rushed and a couple of Force Awakens style moments where characters very conveniently find each other.
I also agree there are slight pacing issues at certain points, with some long stretches of gameplay with little combat. This would be fine, but the story doesn't really push forward in an interesting way. There are a many great moments in these sections, but it does slow the game down a bit too much. To clarify, these slower sections are generally fantastic and really add to the game, but a couple of them dragged on a bit too long.
One puzzle also felt over long.
I really liked the villains, definitely the best in the series but I wish we had more of them.
Too many fucking crates and boost moments. These are similar to the wooden planks and helping Ellie on the pallet moments in TLOU.
I have one other negative that would be considered a spoiler.
With that out of the way, here is what I liked.
Easily my favourite Uncharted game and the definitely the best game on PS4.
I'll start of by saying I really liked Sam. They did a phenomenal job introducing him as a character without him feeling shoe horned in. The banter between him and Nate is fantastic.
In fact, all of the characters are great. Neil and Josh did a fantastic job at maturing these characters while still honouring who they are.
They absolutely nailed the tone. Great balance between fun adventure and serious drama and it all just feels very natural.
The writing in general is great, a huge step up for the franchise. Everything has more weight to it and characters have clear motivations, without sacrificing that adventurous feel that Uncharted is known for. Characters actually talk about things other than how to get to the next objective.
The storytelling is just on another level compared to everything out there at the moment. I would put this side by side with TLOU in that regard. Many cool moments between characters that happen during gameplay.
They picked some awesome environments for this game. Great variety and it doesn't have that Uncharted 3 problem where you feel like you are just jumping all over the place. The environments all have a very different feel to them as well.
The opening few hours were fantastic.Did a great job of setting up the characters with some really creative interactive elements to help he storytelling.
The scale of the game is ridiculous. It really feels like you are in a huge world, finding your way through it. It honestly feels bigger than most open world games, even in the more linear sections; it's difficult to explain. It's just you see the distant points of interest, and you have to find your way there. Sorry I couldn't articulate this point better, I'm tired.
Gameplay wise, this is definitely the best playing Naughty dog game to date. The game feels terrific to play in terms of both movement and gunplay. It can't be understated how much of an improvement was made in this area. This is complimented by terrific animation and an improved melee system. AI do a good job a flanking and encouraging movement, as does the desturctible cover. Adding to this, the encounter design is brilliant. The game starts of with some fairly classic Uncharted encounters, but as the games goes on you are thrown into some fucking rad set ups. They allow a lot of freedom to utilize Nate's moveset in fun and interesting ways. Particular shout out to a section involvingIt reminded me of the part in Uncharted 2 where you are hanging on the sign, and have to climb around to take cover. Imagine that, but just at a much larger scale with moving elements and ofc the better game feel. Stealth is also very well implemented, but I do have one criticism about it. I wish there was a way to lure and distract guards. One more thing, there are still some issues with sticky cover.a rising elevator.
As far as modern automated platformers go, Uncharted 4 is now the best. For one thing, the controls are so much more refined; it feels more analogue and less sticky than the previous game. The climbing paths are no longer follow the brightly coloured handholds, everything feels natural and part of the world. There are often various ways you can can climb walls etc. The level design in these sections is honestly fantastic. Some really creative climbing paths that also incorporate buddies plus the new mechanics like sliding and the rope.
Now about the rope, it is fucking fantastic. Best mechanic of 2016. It is seriously versatile and is well incorporating throughout the game. Some might feel it is overused, but honestly I just wanted more of it; it is just that much fun.
The vehicles control well and I do feel they were a good addition. The madagascar jeep exploration section from the previews was kinda ruined for me, as I had watched it like a thousand times before playing the game. However, the use of vehicles later on is awesome and really adds to the sense that you are on an adventure.
Jeep chase set piece is the best in the franchise by far. It may not beat out the plane or the ship in terms of pure spectacle, but the rush you get when playing through it is incredible. The feeling you get when being dragged through the mud, shooting out tires and commandeering vehicles is unlike anything I have ever played.
Spectacle is still a very big part of the game, and there is more of it as the game goes on. Anyone concerned about this shouldn't be.
The ending is perfect. Some might not like it for reasons I will not elaborate on due to spoilers.
I actually almost teared up at a couple of points during the game which is crazy. That didn't happen to me once during the last of us.
Music is great, especially during combat. Gets you seriously hyped.
Finally, yeah the graphics are fucking insane.
A couple of other things I want to say, but they would be considered to spoilery. Overall, the game does a brilliant job at both wrapping up the series and evolving it at the same time. Some messy plot elements and pacing issues prevent it from being at the same level as the Last of Us, but overall the game is just fantastic and just better than anything out there atm. (for me)
So here are my rankings
TLOU>UC4>UC2>UC1>UC3
12 and a half hours.
gundamkyoukai
Member
Very nice write up.
Also interesting that you almost teared up at a couple of times.
I guess it's because of how long we how know these characters .
Question best animation you ever seen in a game ?
Yes, in both gameplay and cutscenes.
Haven't played Quantum Break or Rise of the Tomb Raider, which apparantly have amazing facial animation, so can't compare to them
Coolbgdog12
Member
I've played ROTR, it doesn't compare to this. The facial animations look unreal in this game. Like, it looks like real people. There's lots of good body language and words unspoken you can tell thanks to so much detail.
gamerMan
Member
AI do a good job a flanking and encouraging movement, as does the desturctible cover. Adding to this, the encounter design is brilliant.Overall, the game does a brilliant job at both wrapping up the series and evolving it at the same time. Some messy plot elements and pacing issues prevent it from being at the same level as the Last of Us, but overall the game is fantastic and just better than anything out there atm. (for me)
So here are my rankings
TLOU>UC4>UC2>UC1>UC3
Great review. Sounds like an amazing game. I am really glad they improved the enemy encounters and the shooting mechanics.
Okay I finished the game. Some very rushed impressions
Now. I'll start with the negatives.
Overall I think the Last of Us is better. There are some story beats in this game that feel a little rushed and a couple of Force Awakens style moments where characters very conveniently find each other.
I also agree there are slight pacing issues at certain points, with some long stretches of gameplay with little combat. This would be fine, but the story doesn't really push forward in an interesting way. There are a many great moments in these sections, but it does slow the game down a bit too much. To clarify, these slower sections are generally fantastic and really add to the game, but a couple of them dragged on a bit too long.
One puzzle also felt over long.
I really liked the villains, definitely the best in the series but I wish we had more of them.
Too many fucking crates and boost moments. These are similar to the wooden planks and helping Ellie on the pallet moments in TLOU.
I have one other negative that would be considered a spoiler.
With that out of the way, here is what I liked.
Easily my favourite Uncharted game and the definitely the best game on PS4.
I'll start of by saying I really liked Sam. They did a phenomenal job introducing him as a character without him feeling shoe horned in. The banter between him and Nate is fantastic.
In fact, all of the characters are great. Neil and Josh did a fantastic job at maturing these characters while still honouring who they are.
They absolutely nailed the tone. Great balance between fun adventure and serious drama and it all just feels very natural.
The writing in general is great, a huge step up for the franchise. Everything has more weight to it and characters have clear motivations, without sacrificing that adventurous feel that Uncharted is known for. Characters actually talk about things other than how to get to the next objective.
The storytelling is just on another level compared to everything out there at the moment. I would put this side by side with TLOU in that regard. Many cool moments between characters that happen during gameplay.
They picked some awesome environments for this game. Great variety and it doesn't have that Uncharted 3 problem where you feel like you are just jumping all over the place. The environments all have a very different feel to them as well.
The opening few hours were fantastic.Did a great job of setting up the characters with some really creative interactive elements to help he storytelling.
The scale of the game is ridiculous. It really feels like you are in a huge world, finding your way through it. It honestly feels bigger than most open world games, even in the more linear sections; it's difficult to explain. It's just you see the distant points of interest, and you have to find your way there. Sorry I couldn't articulate this point better, I'm tired.
Gameplay wise, this is definitely the best playing Naughty dog game to date. The game feels terrific to play in terms of both movement and gunplay. It can't be understated how much of an improvement was made in this area. This is complimented by terrific animation and an improved melee system. AI do a good job a flanking and encouraging movement, as does the desturctible cover. Adding to this, the encounter design is brilliant. The game starts of with some fairly classic Uncharted encounters, but as the games goes on you are thrown into some fucking rad set ups. They allow a lot of freedom to utilize Nate's moveset in fun and interesting ways. Particular shout out to a section involvingIt reminded me of the part in Uncharted 2 where you are hanging on the sign, and have to climb around to take cover. Imagine that, but just at a much larger scale with moving elements and ofc the better game feel. Stealth is also very well implemented, but I do have one criticism about it. I wish there was a way to lure and distract guards. One more thing, there are still some issues with sticky cover.a rising elevator.
As far as modern automated platformers go, Uncharted 4 is now the best. For one thing, the controls are so much more refined; it feels more analogue and less sticky than the previous game. The climbing paths are no longer follow the brightly coloured handholds, everything feels natural and part of the world. There are often various ways you can can climb walls etc. The level design in these sections is honestly fantastic. Some really creative climbing paths that also incorporate buddies plus the new mechanics like sliding and the rope.
Now about the rope, it is fucking fantastic. Best mechanic of 2016. It is seriously versatile and is well incorporating throughout the game. Some might feel it is overused, but honestly I just wanted more of it; it is just that much fun.
The vehicles control well and I do feel they were a good addition. The madagascar jeep exploration section from the previews was kinda ruined for me, as I had watched it like a thousand times before playing the game. However, the use of vehicles later on is awesome and really adds to the sense that you are on an adventure.
Jeep chase set piece is the best in the franchise by far. It may not beat out the plane or the ship in terms of pure spectacle, but the rush you get when playing through it is incredible. The feeling you get when being dragged through the mud, shooting out tires and commandeering vehicles is unlike anything I have ever played.
Spectacle is still a very big part of the game, and there is more of it as the game goes on. Anyone concerned about this shouldn't be.
The ending is perfect. Some might not like it for reasons I will not elaborate on due to spoilers.
I actually almost teared up at a couple of points during the game which is crazy. That didn't happen to me once during the last of us.
Music is great, especially during combat. Gets you seriously hyped.
Finally, yeah the graphics are fucking insane.
A couple of other things I want to say, but they would be considered to spoilery. Overall, the game does a brilliant job at both wrapping up the series and evolving it at the same time. Some messy plot elements and pacing issues prevent it from being at the same level as the Last of Us, but overall the game is fantastic and just better than anything out there atm. (for me)
So here are my rankings
TLOU>UC4>UC2>UC1>UC3
I was waiting for your impressions since we have a very similar taste I believe.
Thanks for the write up!
I am happy to know the ending is good! I am so excited to see it. #InNeilITrust
nelsonroyale
Member
Great impressions. Very excited for the game. The Last of Us didn't have the same impact on me that it seems to on many here, although I very much enjoyed it. I suspect I will prefer Uncharted 4, but we will see.
I will add as another negative, that exploration isn't as satisfying as it is in TLOU. Because the game is so much more open, it feels less dense in terms of potential interactive moments.
In TLOU, when exploring the suburbs for example, it is actually a relatively small environment which allowed them to pack in so many cool little moments; examples being the dart board and ice cream truck. In Uncharted 4, these moments feel more spread out.
In TLOU, when exploring the suburbs for example, it is actually a relatively small environment which allowed them to pack in so many cool little moments; examples being the dart board and ice cream truck. In Uncharted 4, these moments feel more spread out.
LookAtMeGo
Member
I can see what you're saying but its gotta be hard to hit that kind of note in an Uncharted game. The setting in TLOU kinda called for that, its a lot more dense and lived in than Uncharteds world. While I will most likely agree with you on this point, I wouldn't necessarily see that as a negative. Are there any denser areas in U4 that still encourage you to explore?
I'm so glad I didn't watch any of that preview footage (outside of someone annoyingly posting a short gif in the Sony first party studios thread) so that whole section will be fresh to me.
Same here (regarding TLOU), I think I will prefer UC4 more but we'll see.
Yes you are right. I was specifically talking about the large exploration spaces when you are in a vehicle. There are some smaller environments which allow these quieter moments and they are similar to the stuff you found in TLOU.
Kabuki Waq
Member
game is so polished when it comes to graphics. I wish the gameplay was less pedestrian. I'm only on chapter 7.
it will be fun to double dip on rise of the tomb raider ps4 edition when it comes out and compare the two.
so far I prefer rise of the tomb raider.
it will be fun to double dip on rise of the tomb raider ps4 edition when it comes out and compare the two.
so far I prefer rise of the tomb raider.
LookAtMeGo
Member
Sweet. Great impression by the way.
SlasherJPC
Banned
The real question people wanna know though... is it better then Golden Abyss?
Chalupa Batman
Member
That's funny, we got it in the same fight. I was hanging over the cliff edge though.
Have you gotten any more hidden trophies? I'm trying to make a list.
No and they're not going up until release, I asked
Where'd you read/who told you this? I played both (QB last week) and no way. Jack Joyce is animated modestly well but everyone else has no expression or facial features. No one in ROTR is animated well. Everyone in U4 is insanely well-animated, that's the crown jewel of ND.
PROh1bited
Banned
Ok this has been bugging me, but does this game have Nate's theme? If it does, how was it used and how frequently.
One thing I will say, combat often came at very surprising moments. Very rarely did I walk through a space thinking yep, look at the chest high walls, this is gunna be a combat zone. This is something that happened very regularly during TLOU, so big improvement here.
I've seen numerous people praise them. I doubt they are better than UC4, but thought it was worth pointing out that I hadn't played them.
I've seen numerous people praise them. I doubt they are better than UC4, but thought it was worth pointing out that I hadn't played them.
Just finished.
Well-done, Naughty Dog. This is a great Uncharted game.
As far as overall first playthrough experiences go, TLOU and U2 were better and more memorable for me. TLOU's expansive, fascinating themes and desperate characters just resonated with me as more interesting overall. Both U2 and TLOU have tighter control in pacing between combat and exploration than U4. U2 is just very memorable to me for how groundbreaking the writing and action and set pieces were at the time.
TLOU > U2 > U4 >> U3 > U1.
Just a few indulgences:
The graphics. Just unbelievable. No need to go into detail. You will see in just a few days
The music. Not mindblowing but gets the job done. The arrangements are appropriate and sound good during their moments, they're just not memorable or catchy. The couple of arrangements of Nate's theme when they happen are great, just not memorable.
The story. The story starts out kind of mildly interesting and slow, and takes a while to burn, but it kicks in and starts taking shape. The wrapping up and ending chapters are some of the best writing and scenes the series has seen so far. The villains are better this time around, but I really wish they had gone even further with writing these characters. Sam is a great character addition, and they include him organically despite being absent for 3 games and you begin to value him very quickly. The ending chapters contributions to the story IMO are fantastic, some of the best stuff in the series.
The pacing. This was kind of messy. Maybe it really depends on how fast you blaze through the game (I always look for items) but my save file was almost 20 hours and there were literally periods of 1-2+ hours where there was no combat, which is a shame given how wonderful the armed scenarios are in this game. The set piece moments are very rare and humble in this game, which is disappointing considering I had several ideas for how they could have made them cooler, and also because there are vast pacing gaps of time where you are not progressing the story or fighting anything.
The game mechanics are wonderful, but sometimes there were hiccups. The rope can be janky and cause you to swing in ways you really don't want to. The piton hook thing for scaling walls is kind of pointless. They just seemingly included it to complicate the climbing process, not actually help you climb any better than you could if they just designed the proper ledges to grab. Some combat mechanics were simplified, like Melee (although this is better considering how cumbersome it could sometimes be in U3), you can't throw back grenades, I didn't see any riot shields. But the gun combat is the best here it has ever been, hands down. And fight scenes are so flashy and fun to play. Multiplayer should be a blast.
The level design. I liked the open level design when it came to platforming and combat, but sometimes the open design was a little overwhelming to the detriment of the pacing, especially with vehicle sections. You could spend a meticulous amount of time combing though ferns and rocks for treasure, which for me broke up the pacing even more. Things sometimes didn't seem to have a logical direction, you would just poke around in different places until progression happened, and if you triggered the right thing, sometimes the alternative paths were sometimes blocked until next playthrough. Funny enough, there were even times the developers did what felt like lazy open level design, like when they would design a cave that has two different-looking tunnels but they immediately merge, as if they were trying to make an area feel openly designed but ultimately it was pointless lol. Also, there were plenty of annoying moments where you couldn't climb obviously climbable stuff or survive an obvious fall, but then you could jump amazing distances or heights when the level design wanted you to. This inconsistency was a little jarring and lead to many fall deaths. Having said all this, the open level design was at its strongest in the platforming and combat sections, and when it's good there, it's really really good.
The puzzles I think are the best in the series. Not super flashy but indeed very clever.
The locations are the most beautiful in the series. Not just because of graphics. Just phenomenal art design.
I cannot express how much I respect the way Naughty Dog ended this franchise.
This is one of my favorite games and stories and I'm sure it will replay really well. I still think U2 holds the uncharted throne of my heart, though. The game feels like Nate's crazy college years while U4 feels like a refined night out at a wine bar. I respect what U4 was trying to accomplish but I think my personal tastes will have a hard time dethroning U2.
I can't wait for multiplayer.
Well-done, Naughty Dog. This is a great Uncharted game.
As far as overall first playthrough experiences go, TLOU and U2 were better and more memorable for me. TLOU's expansive, fascinating themes and desperate characters just resonated with me as more interesting overall. Both U2 and TLOU have tighter control in pacing between combat and exploration than U4. U2 is just very memorable to me for how groundbreaking the writing and action and set pieces were at the time.
TLOU > U2 > U4 >> U3 > U1.
Just a few indulgences:
The graphics. Just unbelievable. No need to go into detail. You will see in just a few days
The music. Not mindblowing but gets the job done. The arrangements are appropriate and sound good during their moments, they're just not memorable or catchy. The couple of arrangements of Nate's theme when they happen are great, just not memorable.
The story. The story starts out kind of mildly interesting and slow, and takes a while to burn, but it kicks in and starts taking shape. The wrapping up and ending chapters are some of the best writing and scenes the series has seen so far. The villains are better this time around, but I really wish they had gone even further with writing these characters. Sam is a great character addition, and they include him organically despite being absent for 3 games and you begin to value him very quickly. The ending chapters contributions to the story IMO are fantastic, some of the best stuff in the series.
The pacing. This was kind of messy. Maybe it really depends on how fast you blaze through the game (I always look for items) but my save file was almost 20 hours and there were literally periods of 1-2+ hours where there was no combat, which is a shame given how wonderful the armed scenarios are in this game. The set piece moments are very rare and humble in this game, which is disappointing considering I had several ideas for how they could have made them cooler, and also because there are vast pacing gaps of time where you are not progressing the story or fighting anything.
The game mechanics are wonderful, but sometimes there were hiccups. The rope can be janky and cause you to swing in ways you really don't want to. The piton hook thing for scaling walls is kind of pointless. They just seemingly included it to complicate the climbing process, not actually help you climb any better than you could if they just designed the proper ledges to grab. Some combat mechanics were simplified, like Melee (although this is better considering how cumbersome it could sometimes be in U3), you can't throw back grenades, I didn't see any riot shields. But the gun combat is the best here it has ever been, hands down. And fight scenes are so flashy and fun to play. Multiplayer should be a blast.
The level design. I liked the open level design when it came to platforming and combat, but sometimes the open design was a little overwhelming to the detriment of the pacing, especially with vehicle sections. You could spend a meticulous amount of time combing though ferns and rocks for treasure, which for me broke up the pacing even more. Things sometimes didn't seem to have a logical direction, you would just poke around in different places until progression happened, and if you triggered the right thing, sometimes the alternative paths were sometimes blocked until next playthrough. Funny enough, there were even times the developers did what felt like lazy open level design, like when they would design a cave that has two different-looking tunnels but they immediately merge, as if they were trying to make an area feel openly designed but ultimately it was pointless lol. Also, there were plenty of annoying moments where you couldn't climb obviously climbable stuff or survive an obvious fall, but then you could jump amazing distances or heights when the level design wanted you to. This inconsistency was a little jarring and lead to many fall deaths. Having said all this, the open level design was at its strongest in the platforming and combat sections, and when it's good there, it's really really good.
The puzzles I think are the best in the series. Not super flashy but indeed very clever.
The locations are the most beautiful in the series. Not just because of graphics. Just phenomenal art design.
I cannot express how much I respect the way Naughty Dog ended this franchise.
This is one of my favorite games and stories and I'm sure it will replay really well. I still think U2 holds the uncharted throne of my heart, though. The game feels like Nate's crazy college years while U4 feels like a refined night out at a wine bar. I respect what U4 was trying to accomplish but I think my personal tastes will have a hard time dethroning U2.
I can't wait for multiplayer.
So with the large open areas, can you just go straight from point A to B on repeat playthroughs? I can appreciate that these will be detrimental to the pacing in a completionist, full exploration run but if it can be largely skipped when you just want to experience the adventure that will be fine I think.
My parcel isn't set as out for delivery yet but the website tracking with Hermes is so delayed and shitty I'm not sure if I should be surprised. Hopefully it's here today.
My parcel isn't set as out for delivery yet but the website tracking with Hermes is so delayed and shitty I'm not sure if I should be surprised. Hopefully it's here today.
Some of the areas were just a large almost sandbox where the game left you to figure out where to go, and when you beat the game, replaying will be much faster because you understand what to do.
Other open areas were obviously a linear A to B journey from the outset (like knowing you're trying to reach a landmark) but the linear path from A to B itself is very large and dense with things to explore as you go along if you desire.
This is why I think I might like the game better on a replay. I can artificially improve the pacing by moving through these open areas I am already familiar with.
I agree there is a slight pacing issue, but not to the degree you are describing. I think my 12 and a half hour playthrough compared to your 20 hour playthrough might explain some of your problems with it. I was so engaged with the story that exploring every nook and cranny wasn't the priority. I don't think I got close to an hour or 2 without combat.
Nice write up though, interesting to see other people's opinions on the slower moments.
Nice write up though, interesting to see other people's opinions on the slower moments.
Chris Metal
Member
Well Amazon UK have taken the money from my account, they only do that when dispatching.
Yep, and I think coming off dark souls 3 last week, I am currently very conditioned to look around like that. In dark souls, the level design is extremely precisely tuned for item discoveries (if it weren't for items, you would never explore optional areas because of the danger of enemies), but here it feels more like sometimes the extra space is there for the sake of the option to explore some pretty areas.
I think I may enjoy it better when I replay this week. I want to see if speeding up my play time by going through the open sections already familiar could improve my opinion of the game's pacing.
lovely ladies
Member
Hey dude, I could see some people getting a little peeved leaving your fourth point from the bottom exposed considering they didn't even want locations revealed.
Okay I removed it. I may have mistakenly assumed that was confirmed publicly a few times, but just to be safe I removed my mention of it.
lovely ladies
Member
I don't have any issues with it personally but I just didn't want people to harp on that point when you took all the time to write that out lol.
xenorevlis
Member
It's expected today, the 7th, correct?
How many countless animation variations did ND put in this game? It's actually utterly absurd. The number of ways you can get in to the Jeep, fall of stuff, the sheer diversity of idle animations etc. I mean, I'm pretty sure some of the idle animations are contextual as well. Unless I'm mistaken, after the scene where you speak to Elena, Drake keeps touching his ring in a sombre way, now and again grimacing. After a big ass fall, he'll keep touching his back like it's aching, then depending on the clothes you're wearing, he'll fix things up, even wave away flies etc in Madagascar. It's insane really. Only reason I've noticed so many is because I like taking character shots in different lighting, and noticed all the variations of animation.
Negotiator
Banned
You don't see it, but internally it's rendering at a higher fps, hence the fan going crazy.
Is is as bad as Brutal? Hopefully not...
gundamkyoukai
Member
Yeah pacing really going to depend on how people play.
Both you and Primethius took around 12 hrs and lamp took 20 .
That is a huge amount of extra time almost as long as it takes to beat other UC games lol .
I go for a story play first and everything second .
Nib you don't know how hype this post make me .
I love animation in games and UC having so much sounds so fucking good.
TheLegendOfMart
Banned
I'm so mad, *********** has prepared it for dispatch but it wont go out till next working day and with the shitty Royal Mail office I have it's going to be Weds at earliest when it drops behind my door and possibly Thursday until I can put it in and play it.
Why is shop to a banned word?
Why is shop to a banned word?
