Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Review

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End combines melancholy and mayhem to create an unforgettable conclusion to this iconic series. The original Uncharted trilogy on PlayStation 3 feels like playing through a blockbuster action film full of adrenaline. Uncharted 4 boldly presses down on the brakes for this series’ seemingly unstoppable thrill ride. With a poignant deconstruction of its iconic main character Nathan Drake, Uncharted 4 takes a genre-subverting look at the long-term impacts of his swashbuckling lifestyle.

Released in 2016, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End contains Naughty Dog’s signature unrivaled production value. Unfortunately, the gameplay plays it relatively safe compared to the refreshingly emotional angle that the story succeeds at. Although derivative, I still had a lot of fun playing Uncharted 4.

Story

Treasure hunter, parkour-superhuman, and quip-machine Nathan Drake was well established as one of gaming’s favorite sons coming into his final chapter. Therefore, I admire the writers’ gutsy call to fully dissect the flaws of this charming hero. Uncharted 4 shows the cost of Drake’s ambitious drive that has carried him throughout his entire career as an adventurer. The writers manage this by taking us deeper than ever before into his personal life, creating a believable conflict between the regrets of his past and the realities of his present.

The re-emergence of Nathan’s long-thought dead brother, Samuel Drake, reawakens boyhood dreams within him of finding Henry Avery’s pirate treasure. However, setting out for the treasure directly interferes with Drake’s current married lifestyle. He and his wife Elena have been forgoing crazy adventures in favor of arguing over who does the dishes. I felt a sense of fatalistic lament watching Nathan’s web of lies and greed come back to affect those dear to him. The parallels to Henry Avery’s failed pirate utopia bring extra weight to Drake’s own need to bury the Peter Pan within him.

But, when Uncharted 4’s adventure truly kicks into gear, I once again had a big goofy grin on my face. Watching the contagious personalities of Nathan, Samuel, Sully, and Elena working off each other is a delight. Rafe’s sleezy arrogance makes for an entertaining villain. But, I wish Nadine got more characterization outside of being good with her fists.

The flow of the story is extremely McGuffin-heavy. However, a focused third act does away with a lot of the baggage. This allows the characters to tackle their failings head on. And, it leads to a finale that feels satisfying in its reflectiveness and restraint.