Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)

[icarusfall]

So far it's more Uncharted. That's hardly a bad thing, though.

[Hero]

For me it would be. Just finished 3, and for all its spectacle, there's still a ridiculous amount of jank around movement, controls, fire fights, etc.

Plus, the series seemed more concerned with its presentation than with the player. Watching another pipe/ladder/ledge break in a cinematic way is hardly thrilling when I know the extent of my participation is, 'keep pushing up until I push X'

What I liked about Last of Us was the control was better, and it felt like there were more ways to approach any encounter. Not to mention some kind of reason to go off the beaten path (supplies for crafting, etc.). Not that I'd expect Uncharted 4 to have those specifics exactly, but at least some application of those lessons in a way that's relevant and improves the series.

[SamuraiMoogle]

I only played for about 45 mins last night and first impression is the same as icarusfalls, that it's more uncharted. The graphics so far didn't wow me either. Quantum break looks better. Again, I'm only 45 mins in so I hope the wow factor gets cranked way up, but right now it's meh.

[Yoshi]

What I liked about Last of Us was the control was better, and it felt like there were more ways to approach any encounter. Not to mention some kind of reason to go off the beaten path (supplies for crafting, etc.). Not that I'd expect Uncharted 4 to have those specifics exactly, but at least some application of those lessons in a way that's relevant and improves the series.

What I liked about Mario was that it had a jump button. Not that I'd expect Zelda to have those specifics exactly, but at least some application of those lessons in a way that's relevant and improves the series.

You played on Normal too, didn't you? And then you bitch about being able to approach each encounter the same way.

[Chux]

I got to the "running and jumping game" last night.

It is more Uncharted, complete with bullshit tutorials for better or worse. It looks INCREDIBLE though. I think Moogle may not have made it past Kid Drake bullshit to make the graphics comment.

[EvilMog]

I would love to play this but only have my welfare box. 🖕

[GohanX]

I'll catch up eventually! Started playing Uncharted 1, it sure looks pretty on PS4.

[Opaque]

I got to the "running and jumping game" last night.

It is more Uncharted, complete with bullshit tutorials for better or worse. It looks INCREDIBLE though. I think Moogle may not have made it past Kid Drake bullshit to make the graphics comment.

I played the first two chapters last night and shut it off after seeing how chapter three started.

This game will be the example people use when they say "consoles are better because you code for specific hardware" for the next few years. Shit looks incredible. I can't even remember the last time a console game so impressed me, it really is something.

[Chux]

I would watch a sitcom of Drake and Elena's boring ass life in this engine.

[Hero]

What I liked about Mario was that it had a jump button. Not that I'd expect Zelda to have those specifics exactly, but at least some application of those lessons in a way that's relevant and improves the series.

You played on Normal too, didn't you? And then you bitch about being able to approach each encounter the same way.

I get what you mean, but you ignored the part where I said I understood that Uncharted isn't Last of Us.

What I am getting at is the game was more playable. The controls didn't feel as saddled with procedural animation and auto tracking that leads to clunky movement, leaning against walls unintentionally, jumping and having your character behave in a way completely unintended from your past experiences.

Also, Last of Us seemed to handle stealth much better. There was a balance present where you could suss out what actions would cause alarm, and had a chance to use that knowledge of systems to your advantage and bait enemies.

While I get Uncharted is more action focused, it's beyond infuriating that the game would act like stealth is an option, but is not built around that gameplay style. The very instant an enemy sees a body, they intuit your location regardless of where it is and beeline it there.

The series does, however, focus on adventure and platforming, and is bad at that too. Instead of feeling accomplishment at doing things, you can more or less hold up as the cool things happen around you. Which is fine if you're into that...but I think Tomb Raider (new and old) did a better job of making the player feel like an active participant in the cool things. The only difficulty that came from Uncharted 1 - 3, if you can call it that, is the game deciding that holding up will send you running forward, then careening off to the side the moment you jump. Or deciding that the distance of a jump you've done hundreds of times is now a feat too far, as Drake stops as if hitting an invisible wall and falling to his doom.

This is what I mean about learning from The Last of Us. While they did different things, the parts where they intersect show marked improvement from one to the other. Overall it never felt like the controls fought with you. Stealth was presented as a viable option, and the game was designed to allow it to be. I don't think it's unreasonable to want a game that felt like a step up influencing Naughty Dog's main franchise.