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[Z..]

It's as if changes in technology allowed the studio to change the type of games they were able and wanted to make. Also, most of the people who made Crash aren't even there anymore and he identity of that studio has changed a lot over the past decade.

I'm really not going to have a back and forth with you about this because if you truly think Naughty Dog is making 12 hour linear single player games (5 in one series) just out of financial gain (because we all know that's where the money is in gaming in 2017) you're not going to be swayed.

Again, lmao.

And they just so happened to always want to make whatever was already most popular at the time?

They can't go where "the real money" is, they're simply not built for that, but their MO is as profitable as it gets considering the range of stuff they CAN make.

REGARDLESS, though... Why ARE they making them, then? You think it's passion? The games are lowest common denominator schlock as far as the gameplay goes and the narratives can only ever realistically be praised if the sentence includes "for a video game" as a disclaimer somewhere. Their best attempt at being taken seriously in that regard is just poorly written Cormac McCarthy fanfic. If this is what they WANT to be making, that is just downright sad...

 

[RedSwirl]

It's a shooter with not much shooting, that held it back in my opinion.

I'm starting to think whether or not people liked Uncharted 4 depends on whether they saw it as a shooter or an adventure game.

 

[pixellated_man]

I love this game, including the slow parts
I missed the huge set pieces until I realized the whole game is a finely crafted set piece

my feeling about the game, succinctly articulated.

 

[ScaryShark]

Super unfun. There's one encounter (I forget which chapter, but it's a battle in a foresty area after

Spoiler

the shipwreck

) that held me up for about a month. Don't subject yourself to it unless you're 110% set on getting the Platinum.

I enjoyed the hard difficulties in the other Uncharted games and TLOU, but UC4 was painful.

Yep. There are two sections in particular where I wondered if anyone actually played it on that difficulty. Especially weird since TLOU has one of the best hardest difficulty settings.

 

[pixellated_man]

It ranges from good to bad. The story and OST are really bad. Gameplay and environments are fine but its a drag to sit through the story sequences.

What?
Those two aspects are the best they've been in any Uncharted game.

 

[Servbot24]

I found Crushing to be a lot of fun. However I haven't been able to get past the elevator section yet.

 

[Bandit1]

I think Uncharted 4 is more like what the series should have been all along. More wide-linear and focus on exploration, driving segments where you're behind the wheel, (boat/4x4) a little less combat, and no

Spoiler

supernatural stuff.

 

[ScaryShark]

I found Crushing to be a lot of fun. However I haven't been able to get past the elevator section yet.

You're in for some 'treats'. That's definitely the part is starts ramping up though.

 

[Servbot24]

I'm starting to think whether or not people liked Uncharted 4 depends on whether they saw it as a shooter or an adventure game.

I feel bad for people who think in terms of genre.

 

[Karu]

Pacing is absolutely fine in my eyes. It really flowed well with the story, and nothing felt particularly forced opposed to the other games in the series, where the pattern of gameplay-types of 1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2-3 really became apparant to an annoying degree. The combat itself is fantastic and one of the game's highlight.
Plus, the multiplayer is great again - not on the level of masterclass MP in TLoU, but still very enjoyable.

Definitely a great, memorable game to me.

 

[ActWan]

Amazing writing and gameplay. Enjoyed it very much.

 

[professor denim]

Also tried to replay it but couldnt finish it once again. The first UC that i couldnt replay

 

[Celegus]

Nah it's still crappy. Pretty much had to force myself through it and I'm 100% done with the series after UC4.

 

[pixellated_man]

By Uncharted 4 the formula really started to show, and UC4's pacing problems really exemplified it.

I agree with the OP. UC4 is really overrated, and while beautiful, not that fun.
This is coming from someone who loved UC1 and UC2, and just liked UC3.

Eh, looks like you didn't read the OP properly.

 

[lukeskymac]

What?
Those two aspects are the best they've been in any Uncharted game.

OST the best it's ever been? On 4?

That's the first time I come across that opinion.

 

[Upinsmoke]

I really enjoyed 4. One of the biggest memories of that game for me might be so miniscule for other people but it's a scene where nate and elena are talking in there home (so quite early on) and elena remarks about nate's past adventures and there's a shot of him that you can tell he's longing for that adventure again and that roller-coaster ride, it's done without talking, so all done in his mannerisms and subtlety gives away his underlying feelings. It kinda hit me like a shot because of course I'd been with him on all these crazy adventures for almost a decade so in a sense could relate to that and additionally he didn't want to tell elena how he really felt yet he gave it away in his facial expression.

 

[dead souls]

Terribly dull game that dragged on for way too long. Easily the worst of the console Uncharted titles.

 

[OfTheOverflow]

The interesting thing about Uncharted is that everyone seems to like different things about it. Some want NO combat at all and so don't like the games all that much, other LOVE the combat and beg ND to add more in. Similarly, some care about story and pacing, and others are only interested in the raw gameplay.

Naughty Dog incredibly well imo catering to each audience.

 

[Monticello]

It's no Uncharted 2. Amy Hennig was definitely missed.

 

[demosthenes]

I actually just showed the ending to my girlfriend. Game is great, ending is amazing.

 

[Diablos]

Eh, I feel like people will always make this argument after digesting the latest UC game.

First playthrough seems epic after coming off the hype train, second playthrough not so much.

I think UC4 is a fine game and the second best next to UC2. People seem to have a very love/hate thing with this game after playing it the second time, for whatever reason.

 

[Kurt Angle]

2 goat > 1/3 > dog shit > 4

i went in for an uncharted game, not a girl friend talking climb simulator

 

[SunhiLegend]

https://streamable.com/ev29e

Best combat in the series by far, just a shame there wasn't enough of it, too much downtime in between that dragged on too much. Still an amazing and gorgeous game just wanted more encounters.

 

[Ishan]

And they just so happened to always want to make whatever was already most popular at the time?

They can't go where "the real money" is, they're simply not built for that, but their MO is as profitable as it gets considering the range of stuff they CAN make.

REGARDLESS, though... Why ARE they making them, then? You think it's passion? The games are lowest common denominator schlock as far as the gameplay goes and the narratives can only ever realistically be praised if the sentence includes "for a video game" as a disclaimer somewhere. Their best attempt at being taken seriously in that regard is just poorly written Cormac McCarthy fanfic. If this is what they WANT to be making, that is just downright sad...

I like them . Like their stories . They take tropes and still surprise you . It takes a deft hand at writing and story telling to do that .

Additionally video game writing is very different from movies etc . I remember there being a study on how gamers don't remeber plots but remember characters . And with drake Joel Ellie and many more they have made characters many ppl love .

Nd does
- crafting storytelling within a game perspective
- amazing graphical tech

On an almost unparalleled level . If you don't like it not your cup of tea .

I personally find Mario games or dark souls etc annoying now cause to me it's just superficial puzzles and difficulty as opposed to real difficulty as achieved in competitive multiplayer games .

So for my sp I like those which weave a nice world and decent story . Although I don't go around saying hard challenging sp gameplay is derivative ... On the overall level most sp games are rote on that level IMO . What use is there solving a stupid puzzle with no real challenge etc etc

 

[SolidChamp]

For better or worse, it leans heavily on the Druckmann influence derived from TLOU. It's strengths far outweigh any weaknesses and it is absolutely a better game than UC 1 & 3.

I still think Uncharted 2 is the definitive Uncharted experience, though.

 

[Z..]

I like them . Like their stories . They take tropes and still surprise you . It takes a deft hand at writing and story telling to do that .

Additionally video game writing is very different from movies etc . I remember there being a study on how gamers don't remeber plots but remember characters . And with drake Joel Ellie and many more they have made characters many ppl love .

Nd does
- crafting storytelling within a game perspective
- amazing graphical tech

On an almost unparalleled level . If you don't like it not your cup of tea .

I personally find Mario games or dark souls etc annoying now cause to me it's just superficial puzzles and difficulty as opposed to real difficulty as achieved in competitive multiplayer games .

So for my sp I like those which weave a nice world and decent story . Although I don't go around saying hard challenging sp gameplay is derivative ... On the overall level most sp games are rote on that level IMO . What use is there solving a stupid puzzle with no real challenge etc etc

Your post is ridiculous not only because of your remarks regarding Dark Souls and Mario ("to me it's just superficial puzzles and difficulty as opposed to real difficulty as achieved in competitive multiplayer games" is probably the most genuinely and spectacularly stupid thing I've ever read on here, and this is gaf!) but also because calling ND unparalleled regarding storytelling is just completely ignorant. Even TLoU which is ND operating at their absolute best in that regard is nowhere near as accomplished and well thought out as something like IHNMAIMS, Planescape Torment, Policenauts or 999/VLR.
What really makes ND popular and widely beloved is that they adhere to the Shawshank Redemption philosophy and make games that are as approachable, enjoyable and unoffensive as possible. These games are tailor made to appeal to as many people as possible and they do a very good job at raising as little barriers as possible.
Enjoyable little narratives I agree, but very little of substance is actually being said with the plot remaining pretty much exclusively entertainment driven throughout most of their stuff.


Also, just for reference... ND are very much my cup of tea. I love their games. None of the ones I've played has ever been below average, with some actually being quite great. Why do people always assume the minute you criticize something you must be against it? SotC is still my #1 favorite game of all time and I wouldn't ever score it over an 8.

 

[Shadowhelper]

The only Uncharted that I've really liked was Uncharted 2. Tried playing 4 but it just bored me. These slow bits about only the character. I like the characters for sure, but not that much. The climbing and exploring is a bit boring too.

I remember loving 2, and feeling like its the rare game that I could replay, but perhaps I need to give 4 another shot. I would love to know what the creative director Amy whatsherface's original vision was.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

One of my favourite games this gen. Incredible graphics, good story / characters and a fun Indiana Jones style adventure with some great set pieces, amazing game.

 

[Nev]

Combat is probably the top TPS ever. It's incredible, both in terms of gameplay and encounter design.

I don't mind the exploring part, in fact I prefer that over combat, what I just can't fucking stand and is the reason I can't love the game is how retardedly dumbed down everything that isn't combat is.

Hey let's make a game that is 70% exploring and platforming and let's take away any ounce of challenge or possibility of failure. Genius!!!!

Just let me fucking disable automatic ledge grab at the very least, for christ sake. I want to do anything more than spamming X. And jesus christ stop making the characters solve the already stupid easy puzzles within 30 seconds.

"Mmm... I wonder what's this puzzle abou... ---- HEY NATE, DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS!!!"

Stop treating the players like complete morons. Why would you let me chose the difficulty setting for the combat and force me to X spam through the rest of the game?? I'm not asking for original Tomb Raider (even if I'd gladly take it), but can you at least stop controlling the character for me? Make a single challenging jump in the whole game? Sigh.

I fear for TLOU2. The first one was good for me because it was a refreshing change for ND, it had actually deep-ish gameplay!! Now with Druckmann only in charge it's probably going to turn into Left Behind / U4 and its press joystick forward for cinematic storytelling.

 

[Kevin Shields]

I also forgot to mention. I really like the last boss fight even though I know it gets tons of hate. It's unashamedly a cinematic game and it had a cinematic, playable movie like boss fight. I thought it was much better than run around like a crazy person shooting Lazarevic.

I wish I did get a chance to kick Nadine's ass though. She owned me like 3 times.

 

[Shredderi]

Set pieces were a step down from UC3 aside from the car chase sequence through the town. Setpieces were more bombastic and crazy in UC3 and I loved those.

 

[Summer Haze]

Greatly improved level/arena design, AI, gunplay...

Made gameplay sections <1% of the game...

 

[Lifeline]

U4 had its problems and it was below my expectations, but it was still the best game I played last year and one of the best I've ever played on PS4.

 

[DarkoMaledictus]

Not wrong, its always a chore playing that game. Seem to get bored after 20 min. Not sure whats different, but its definitely not up to the second one.

 

[Servbot24]

And jesus christ stop making the characters solve the already stupid easy puzzles within 30 seconds.

"Mmm... I wonder what's this puzzle abou... ---- HEY NATE, DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS!!!"

Side characters don't tell you what to do unless you spend a ton of time trying to figure it out

 

[mindsale]

One of my least favorite criticisms of this series or Nate is that he's portrayed as a good guy. He's only heroic in comparison to the worst people he gets roped in with but the series has never made him out to be this paradigm of heroism.

He's unreasonably naive about taking a human life (in a cutscene - obviously he's Pol Pot in the player's hands). He even tries to rescue Marlowe. He's such a good guy it hurts.

 

[snoopeasystreet]

Its a stunning game in terms of production values. I don't think we've a seen anything come close. The combat is the best it's been in the series and is just about perfect for the type of story they're trying to tell. It's unfortunate that the game ultimately felt so empty to me.

The game feels like there's a constant struggle between holding your hand and guiding you through things and letting you off the leash. When it opens up, it's amazing but once it pulls you back in, you now feel more constrained than you ever did in the franchise.

The climbing parts were too often and really uninteresting. You just point in a direction and press a while camera is directed for you.

Walking Simulators at least give players the agency to poke around the world and investigate details. The climbing sections promoted neither mechanical nor visual engagement. And this lead to these beautifully composed shots feeling interesting.

 

[mindsale]

The Nathan Drake genocide memes must've resonated with ND. They make their best combat engine yet and its featured less than in any other game. Still a masterpiece, though.

3 didn't resolve any of it. Nate and Elena are separated. Nate washes up on a beach, Elena picks his ass up. Then Elena pats Nate on the head and sends him on his way. No resolution. 4 picks up the pieces and puts them back together, and the result is probably the best representation of marriage in all of video games.

They reconcile. Did you finish it? It even has the same quiet beats and rhetorical double entendre apologies. 4 really adds nothing to that - it's actually worse from a writing perspective because it depicts their fights rather than leaving the spectator to wonder what that awful fight Nate and Elena had that caused Nate to chuck his ring - and Sully to retrieve it.

 

[sackninja]

Easily one of my favorite games of all time, and the best uncharted game for sure. The historical story was the first time that they managed to make a truly engaging treasure to hunt, the game was allowed room to breathe and had some incredible scenes. Honestly the game had plenty of combat for me, and the encounter design and game play systems were several steps above past entries. The villains had more characterization within the first 5 chapters than the villains in past games, two was particularly bad in this regard. Set pieces were sparse, but the ones that were there actually made sense in the story, unlike in three where the boat made no sense. The game was much more an adventure game than in the past and it really benefited from it.

 

[Licas1355]

I enjoyed my experience with Uncharted 4, it was my first UC but I have absolutely no desire to replay it ever again.

Maybe because the exploring part felt way too linear for me and didn't feel like a real life exploring experience and more of a walking simulator.

 

[AudioEppa]

I have so many post explaining why I love this game so much. It just warms my heart every time I think about it.

The best video game of all time.

Idc if that statement is disagreed by million+ people. Out of every game I've played so far, it is the best. I'm looking forward to a day some game can top it.

 

[reggieandTFE]

I have so many post explaining why I love this game so much. It just warms my heart every time I think about it.

The best video game of all time.

Idc if that statement is disagreed by million+ people. Out of every game I've played so far, it is the best. I'm looking forward to a day some game can top it.

Jesus Christ.

 

[ubiblu]

Can't believe all the hate in this thread. The game is something really special and is honestly more complete than the past iterations. Best in the series imo, and no issues with the relative lack of shitty wave-based combat here.

 

[AudioEppa]

Jesus Christ.

That's my exact words when I was experiencing it's greatness.

 

[Gurish]

It was an awesome game even though 2 remains the king, but I'm fully satisfied by how it turned out, second best game in the series for me, by far above 1 and 3, if it had more incredible set pieces on the same scale as the Jeep chase it could have been n.1

 

[Dangansona]

Glad you came around OP. I'm replaying through 1 right now and I'm just dying to play 4 instead.

 

[Rocwell]

I think a lot of the criticism comes from how much they changed the formula, love it or hate it you have to admit it's quite a different animal compared to the previous entries in the series.

As for me I liked the emphasis on exploring over combat. I always felt that was when the series was at its best, exploring ancient ruins, progressing through the story and trading quips with Drake's pals.

I was mesmerized by the animation in the climbing system which is the by far the best I have seen in games. Drake moves like a real climber instead of constantly jumping around like a monkey. They also made improvements by randomizing some of the breakable ledges and giving you multiple paths through many of the climbing sections. The rope was a great addition as well.

It's not perfect or even my favorite game in the series but I still enjoyed it for what it was and think it was a great sendoff for franchise.

 

[SomTervo]

Thread just made me realise how excited i am got Lost Legacy. Thanks OP.

Like with Left Behind and its smaller form factor, there's a good chance LL will be better paced and tighter than the main game.

I love the gameplay and shootouts, but it gets so frequently interrupted by climbing and what amounts to in-game cutscenes that it's a pain to play through again. Shame

I agree about the combat scenarios. They can play out in so many ways, and that long mid game setpieces is one of the best in all of gaming.

Lucky they included a "combat encounter select" mode eh?

 

[ajjow]

I loved the online gameplay, but hated the single player.

Where are the shooting scenes?! Where are the set pieces?! Where the fuck is my supernatural stuff?! This is what made uncharted so cool.

They grabbed all this stuff and took it away because they had a bunch of fans that disliked the franchise and they changed it to get their approval. On the other hand they shitted over their real fans.

This game was a big let down. Fortunately the onlinemode was amazing. I actually feel they knew they were growing apart from the franchise formula on single player, so they decided to make an online system more focused on the past games premises.

 

[ajjow]

During an interview for uncharted 1 maybe 2 they were going on how the game had to be linear because they couldnt control the experience if it was open and you would get bored and it would be lifeless. They did exactly that in Uncharted 4 and thats why its awful. Knew the game was different before even starting it because i was sitting at the menu screen and was waiting for the theme to come on and it never did just near silence. Then i knew this game had changed and i thought back to when Amy left and that was the first indication this game was not going to be what it should be.

Perfect post. Its crazy they left the theme music on the starting screen. Its like Nintendo forgot to put a hat on mario or Star Wars started without the music. Crazy shit