6 Reasons Every PS4 Owner Should Buy ‘Uncharted 4’

If you’ve played the previous three Uncharted games on PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4, then you need no introduction to Nathan Drake, the explorer, treasure hunter, defier of death, and smart-talking ladies’ man. He’s as endearing a hero as video games have given us, even if his swashbuckling adventures might seem like shameless Indiana Jones ripoffs to outsiders.

But characters like Nathan, Sully, Elena, and Chloe have elevated the story well beyond the inspiration to form something new, something pulpy and fantastic. The Nathan Drake saga is one of the best things to happen to video games in the past 10 years, and it’s finally coming to a conclusion with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. One glance at the reviews prove it’s a worthy successor, but let’s dig into what makes this game so great.

1. It looks fantastic

Nathan Drake and Sam ride a motorcycle.
Nathan Drake and Sam ride a motorcycle. | Source: Sony

The PlayStation 4 is the most powerful console on the market at the moment, and Uncharted 4 makes excellent and obvious use of that power. We knew this game would be a stunner, but it’s really operating on a whole new level. This is one of — if not the — most incredible-looking games ever created. Whether it’s the detailed features shown in close-up during intimate conversations or a sun-soaked panoramic vista from atop a mountain, Uncharted 4 looks better than practically anything else out there.

2. It’s action-packed


Like any great pulpy adventure, the Uncharted games are at their best when the bullets are flying and Nathan Drake is suspended high in the air, grasping some precarious handhold while spouting clever one-liners. It’s these set-pieces that give the games their epic action-adventure thrills. On this point, Uncharted 4 does not disappoint. It’s stuffed to the brim with action, from car chases to exploding ships to last-second escapes from crumbling buildings.

3. The gunplay is better than ever


Previous Uncharted games have offered a well-paced selection of puzzles to solve, beautiful scenery to climb, and shooting sequences to complete. The thing is: The shooting sections were never quite as good as what you’d find in dedicated shooters like Gears of War or Call of Duty. Finally with Uncharted 4, the gunplay feels just right.

4. It pulls off the quiet moments, too


For all of its superb action set-pieces, Uncharted 4 nails it when things calm down, too. Most of that is due to the fantastic performances delivered by the voice and motion-capture actors, with a large assist from the art team that ties it all together into such a gorgeous package. Don’t be surprised if this high-flying adventure makes you feel a whole range of emotions too.

5. Some exploration required

Uncharted's Nathan Drake peeks through foliage in a jungle.
Uncharted‘s Nathan Drake peeks through foliage in a jungle. | Source: Sony

New to the series this time around are huge, wide-open spaces you can actually explore. Traditionally, the series has funneled players from place to place to progress through the game in a very linear fashion. Now you’ll find areas with multiple pathways — some of which lead to dead-ends — that you can explore before moving on. It makes the game feel more open, with the locations seeming more like real places than like a narrowly defined path.

6. It’s a fitting send-off for Nathan Drake

Nathan Drake and his brother Sam in Uncharted 4.
Nathan Drake and his brother Sam in Uncharted 4 | Source: Sony

Most of the reasons listed here to buy Uncharted 4 could have been said about all of the previous games in the series as well. That this last installment boasts the same strengths as its predecessors is no knock against it. It either equals or outshines them in terms of storytelling and gameplay alike. This is no rehash. Uncharted 4 is a worthy conclusion for one of the best video game series around.

All of which is to say that if you’re on the fence about buying Uncharted 4, you can hop off it. This is a game that should be experienced by just about every PlayStation 4 owner out there.

Follow Chris on Twitter @_chrislreed
Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

More from Entertainment Cheat Sheet: