Scaling the twins in Zelda early game, having to scout round the mountains to pick paths with resting spots, unsure if you're going to make it, then work out where to glide from one mountain to the other, again unsure if you're going to have stamina left after the glide to get to that ledge you can see across the ravine, slightly down to keep working upward, the world getting smaller below, it was fantastic gameplay. Then the reward(s) on top. And then the descent, anywhere you want.
And climbing changes throughout the game as you stamina, gear and cook up, and you begin picking paths to make it faster or pick up items rather than to just make it. It's all great.
Uncharted it's just used as pacing really.