Title: Deliver Us Mars Type of Game: Adventure, Puzzle, Sci-Fi Developer: KeokeN Interactive Publisher: Frontier Foundry Released: February 2, 2023 Platforms Available: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5 Level of Maturity: Teen (T) Reading Time: 6 minutes
I recently got my hands on the sequel to the exciting Delivery Us the Moon (2018), which takes us to Mars and continues the original story, which was very marginal, and only with this installment did the authors manage to come up with a decent script. If you’re considering this game, I recommend watching some gameplay or playing the original game to make the transition as smooth as possible and keep the story in your head, even if it’s unnecessary.
Deliver Us Mars – Human colonia on the planet Mars
I have yet to play Deliver Us The Moon as I’m not interested in it yet, but after playing Deliver Us Mars, I will change that as well. But let’s take it one step at a time. Given the real-world developments, the prospect of space exploration and colonization is becoming more and more common. The game under review is about Mars -where we’re not likely to go right away, but that moon might have already been done in this century. But back to the review.
Mars sent a distress signal, and our adventure began. The story’s protagonist, Kathy Johannson, takes her ship, the Zephyr, to the red planet to solve the mystery. Over time, she discovers that a mysterious company called the Outward has stolen the A.R.K. colony ships crucial for populating the planets. Fans of the previous installment will appreciate the return of mechanical companion A.S.E., who will assist throughout the story.
If you’ve played Delivery Us to Moon, a lot of people were disappointed with the game time from what I’ve heard; here, you can look forward to roughly double that, about 8-12 hours, but of course, it will depend on how well you can complete the logic puzzles. As I mentioned at the beginning, Kathy sets off to Mars to solve a mystery but secretly hopes she might also find her father, who abandoned them for unknown reasons. Claire, Syrah Ryaen, and her mechanical sidekick A.S.E. (drone) accompany her on this journey.
After landing on the planet, plenty of logic puzzles and challenges keep the story moving forward. The logic tasks, often like puzzles of varying difficulty, sometimes give you a real hard time. On the other hand, the skill challenges will have you finding loopholes and paths with your drone, laser cutting parts of objects and stacking them up to set a path to traverse or, more often than not, jump over. Jumping and climbing is one of the main focuses of this gameplay. Rest assured that your ice axe will be chopping into rocks far more often than into enemies’ skulls.
This is where you’ll especially appreciate playing on a gamepad on consoles like I did on the PlayStation 5. There are times when the controls will annoy you, not with the difficulty, but with the controls themselves, which is a little annoying, but it’s nothing that I minded too much. What I’d like to add is that the game can be played in three modes: resolution mode with 30fps and higher resolution, Raytraced with 30fps and average resolution but as the name suggests with raytracing on, and lastly, performance mode with steady 60fps with which I also played the game and in my opinion, this is the most enjoyable way to play this game on a console.
If you’re not jumping, you’re moving around a well-crafted red-planet landscape. You won’t just be walking; you’ll also be riding rovers. When the sandstorms start, you’ll be treated to beautiful graphics. During your adventure, you will find many places where your chin will drop very low. However, only some things are handled as this interesting game deserves. This is where the more minor team and budget are felt the most. Bugs and glitches will appear in every game, and one would understand it, but there are some weirdly empty spaces here. The “city” itself is lifeless, and that’s a bit of a bummer.
On the other hand, you’ll appreciate, for example, the ship controls, where you’ll set the start step by step, which feels incredibly believable. I played this part of the game twice. I felt like I was driving a spaceship.
Conclusion
Here, we have a somewhat linear game with a good story and lots of jumping and climbing. All this is complemented by the attractive Martian setting and the authors’ efforts to capture the atmosphere of the place. Weaker characters might even shed a tear, as the story occurs almost in a family circle, and some decisions get you. Give Deliver Us Mars a play; it’s short and even better priced than the A.A.A. games. My tip, though, is to play the predecessor beforehand. May you enjoy your expedition to Mars.
Title: Wolfenstein: The Old Blood Type of Game: First-Person Shooter Developer: MachineGames Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Released: May 5, 2015 Platforms Available: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S Platform Reviewed: PS4 Level of Maturity: M (Mature) – Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Reading Time: 7 minutes
“Did we need another generic dark Nazi robot shooter?” legendary developer Warren Spector (Deus Ex) sarcastically asked before the release of the cult successor to Wolfenstein a year earlier. As it turns out, we needed one. At a time when pseudo-realistic near-future conflicts, open worlds, constant cover behind obstacles, and one-shot deaths were most prevalent in action games, one would almost forget how easy it was.
The New Order offered straightforward brutal action with excellent level design, manual ammo collection, first aid kits instead of auto-heal, and of course, hundreds and hundreds of Nazis charging in front of the constantly-charged barrels of brilliantly designed weapons. All of this was supported by a properly B-movie story that took the player from concentration camps to a Nazi base on the moon.
The developers at Machine Games managed to brilliantly combine old-school gameplay with modern approaches, such as stealth arcades or elements from role-playing games, omitting unnecessary multiplayer support, and the result was a tremendous playable homage to the old genres. And as the name of the data disc suggests, it’s not about injecting fresh blood into the veins of the genre either. The new story means eight more levels of the same filler we’re used to from the last one. The few new weapons (the latest addition is a multi-functional steel pipe) and enemies should be worth mentioning. If a special edition of the game were ever released to tie the addition to the game, you’d be hard-pressed to find the moment when The Old Blood ends and The New Order begins.
The plot occurs before the original game’s events, specifically in 1946. B.J. Blazkowitz travels to Castle Wolfenstein to retrieve a secret file on General Deatshead. During your journey, you’ll look into other places and meet other bizarre characters, either friendly or at your throat. The inspiration from classic 80s B-movie flicks is undeniable. Yet, the story takes itself quite sympathetically seriously without constantly having to wink at the player as if now comes the joke.
But the main one is, of course, the mindless action again. The game’s perfectly working mechanics allow for a cautious approach, where you hide behind obstacles and gradually take out charging Germans who, in truth, haven’t picked up much artificial intelligence. Anyone who enjoyed the so-called nightmare-level quirk last time, which brought back memories of the original Wolfenstein 3D, will have more than enough fun this time. As a diversion, it’s good. I even remembered the location of some secret hiding places off the top of my head, and there was also the legendary boss with two rotary machine guns in his hands. However, completing all ten levels is only for the hardcore fans of this old classic, mainly because of the long, empty corridors.
It’s much more fun to meticulously search all corners of the map for hidden armor, then “overdose” on all the nearby first aid kits before a firefight, grab a rapid-fire shotgun in each hand and wipe out the Nazis at point-blank range. On the fourth difficulty out of five, I died compared to the original game, but the multiple solution options mean that repeating the same passages doesn’t fall into a rut. The sneaking passages and gradual learning of skills also remain, but nothing stops you if you want to ignore these “modern ideas” and focus on the constant shooting.
What’s new are the progressively unlockable arenas and closed maps, from which the game won’t let you out until you’ve shot everything that moves. Trophy hunters can return to these scenes and try to get the highest score. Otherwise, everything is focused on the single-player campaign, and multiplayer play will not be found here again. The Old Blood is not only a must for any fan, but the story takes place before the original game, which you don’t even need to play to start, making it the perfect way to jump into the new Wolfenstein for the first time. And if you’re interested in the game, you can read my other reviews of games in the Wolfenstein series, specifically those subtitled New Order, New Colossus, and Young Blood.
For around 15€, you get an average eight-hour shooter that doesn’t impress with story, graphics, or originality but instead focuses on the most essential thing: shooting. And while The New Order is one of the best games of 2014. That’s why this game has it a little more complicated in its shadow. I’d also give it a higher rating, but that would require The Old Blood to expand on the original experience more.
Where to Buy The Wolfenstein: The Old Blood?
Steam (PC): Available for $19.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam. Xbox Store (Xbox One): Available for $19.99. Check it out on the Xbox Store. PlayStation Store (PS4): Available for $19.99. You can find it on the PlayStation Store. Epic Games Store (PC): Available for $19.99. Purchase it from the Epic Games Store. GOG (PC): Available for $19.99. Purchase it from GOG.
Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Wolfenstein Subreddit.
Platform: PlayStation 5 Article Reading Time: 4 minutes
Sony recently revealed information about its results for the first quarter of its new fiscal year (April 1 to June 30). It sold 2.4 million PlayStation 5 consoles during the quarter, down from 3.3 million a year ago. So hardware sales are down, but even so, 61.7 million PlayStation 5 consoles have been sold, which isn’t bad at all. The results for the gaming division were otherwise positive, with sales up 12% year-over-year and operating income up 32%. According to the report, Sony owes this to increased first-party game sales (Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, Destiny 2: The Final Shape, and Rise of the Ronin) and network services like PlayStation Plus. Given these results, Sony is now forecasting slightly better revenues for its games division for the 2024 financial year than at the beginning.
Strong Gaming Division Performance Despite Hardware Sales Drop
Despite the slight PlayStation 5 console sales dip this quarter, Sony’s overall gaming division performance remains strong. The decrease in hardware sales is not unexpected, as the PS5 is now in its fourth year on the market. This pattern is typical in console lifecycles, where initial demand surges and then gradually stabilizes.
The success of Sony’s first-party titles is particularly noteworthy. Games like Helldivers 2 and Stellar Blade have boosted sales and successfully demonstrated Sony’s ability to launch new IPs. This is crucial for maintaining player interest and expanding the PlayStation ecosystem beyond established franchises.
The growth in network services, especially PlayStation Plus, indicates Sony’s successful pivot towards digital and subscription-based revenue streams. This aligns with broader industry trends and provides a more stable, recurring income source compared to the cyclical nature of hardware sales.
Forecasting a Bright Future: Sony’s Strategic Moves and Market Adaptations
Sony’s optimistic forecast for the 2024 financial year suggests confidence in its upcoming game lineup and services. The company likely plans several high-profile releases to maintain momentum. Additionally, strategies, such as potential hardware revisions or bundles, maybe in place to reinvigorate hardware sales.
It’s worth noting that the gaming industry as a whole has been resilient in the face of global economic challenges. Sony’s positive results reflect this trend, showcasing the enduring appeal of gaming as a form of entertainment.
The company’s focus on diverse revenue streams – hardware, software, and services – provides a balanced approach that can help weather fluctuations in any single area. This strategy has proven effective so far and will likely continue to be crucial in maintaining Sony’s strong position in the competitive gaming market.
As the current console generation matures, it will be interesting to see how Sony adapts its strategies to maintain growth and engagement. This may include further expansion of cloud gaming services, exploration of new technologies like VR, or even early preparations for the next generation of console hardware.
Title: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Type of Game: Action-Adventure, Puzzle Developer: Hazelight Studios (Remake by Avantgarden Games) Publisher: 505 Games Released: Original Release: August 7, 2013; Remake Release: February 28, 2024 Platforms Available: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC Game Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5 Level of Maturity: Rated T for Teen Reading Time: 8 minutes
It was 2013, and almost no studio was focused on offering a truly quality co-op gaming experience on a single console. But Josef Fares decided to change that with his studio Hazelight and the Fantastic Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to play the original, but now I’ve got my hands on a remake of a game I’ve heard a lot about, backed by the almost unknown studio Avantgarden Games. That’s also why I had doubts before playing it whether the original game was re-created respectfully by the now legendary co-op game industry studio Hazelight, which has already made such groundbreaking games as A Way Out and It Takes Two. I’ve also reviewed these games, so I recommend checking them out!
Weplaygames Youtube Channel – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake – Riding mountain bighorns over the tops of the rocks
From Co-op Classics to a Hidden Gem
I started following Studio Hazelight because of the A above Way Out, and It Takes Two games, and I have completed them several times with my friends. These games definitely rank among the best ever made in the cooperative couch gaming genre. It Takes Two, which also earned high ratings from me, including Game of the Year 2021 recognition, along with A Way Out, are perfect affairs, but they owe their excellence to their predecessor, which, unfortunately for me personally, was relatively unknown until now.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons tells the story of two brothers who embark on a perilous journey through a beautiful fantasy world after their father falls ill. The word “beautiful” has a double meaning; I’ll get to it later. The only way to save their father is to search for mysterious magical water to keep him alive. After the tragic loss of their mother, the brothers can no longer risk being alone in the world, and the story begins at the big tree behind their house. Playing the remake, I was surprised by the power of the story, and that’s why Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a great emotional ride, which, as a gamer who loves the story games genre in particular, I appreciate.
The original was always seen as a co-op game. Still, the remake reminds me of this, so primarily, it is a single-player affair that is spiced up with the ability to control both brothers simultaneously. It takes some practice, but you can get used to it quickly. After all, the controls are very intuitive and easy. Each of the analogs controls one of the brothers, and each has one action button corresponding to the analog above. R3 is used to control the younger brother, and R2 is used to perform his interactions. For the older brother, it is L3 and L2. The last thing you can do in the game is rotate the view using R1 or L1, depending on which side you want to rotate the screen.
So, the title is primarily announced up front as a single-player title, but I thoroughly enjoyed it with the two of us and a friend who also tried out the short part with me.
Weplaygames Youtube Channel – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake – Co-op gameplay through the caves
You turn on a second controller, each controlling one of the brothers. In this mode, the default control is also retained for the individual controllers. In single-player mode, you’ll occasionally run into situations where the brothers you’re controlling switch positions on the screen, and you’ll wonder why they’re running elsewhere. It’s widespread, and the game can occasionally rattle the hemispheres of your brain.
Although it’s been over ten years since the release of the original game, due to my lack of experience with the original, I did all the puzzles unthinkingly, which brought the playtime up to almost 5 hours, which isn’t much, but trust me you’ll still enjoy the adventure to the fullest especially if you are playing the game for the first time, as I did. For connoisseurs of the original, the game time might be shorter. Also, here is the additional information about the platinum trophy, which took almost 5 hours. In terms of difficulty, it was nothing challenging, and the trophy composition was straightforward. The game has a total of 15 trophies, including the Platinum one. So, for a trophy hunter like me, it’s the perfect thing to do in one long afternoon! One last important thing – trophies are only earned by the Host of the game, so unfortunately, your friends will have to invite you to help out at their house for the next playthrough if they are interested in the shiny trophies too.
But back to the puzzles. These are relatively easy to solve and are more about cooperation and coordination between the two brothers. It will always be primarily about finding a way forward. They managed to climb a wall together, move an object, steal something carefully, row the boat in the right direction, and so on. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of playing the game yet, it may come as a surprise that you are “only” completing specific interactions, and besides that, you are still running forward. With minor exceptions, the game has no branching or extended locations to navigate. It’s a very straightforward but all the more intense adventure for it.
Here I come to what I mentioned at the beginning: the game has a beautiful world. The remake’s graphics, which were taken care of by Unreal Engine 5, are very nice. While I can’t put it on the same level as, say, the Demon’s Souls remake, there are scenes that I can describe as breathtaking.
Weplaygames Youtube Channel – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake – Gathering the rabbit family side activity
Avantgarden has done an excellent job in this regard, and connoisseurs of the original version, in particular, will be surprised at how detailed the remake is. I also greatly appreciate the sharp visuals and smoothness of the game. In all my time playing, I haven’t encountered any significant problems I must mention here. The music and sounds have improved significantly, but I can’t say that due to the lack of dubbing. Instead, the brothers communicate in some form of sign language and an unspecified language.
The other side of the “beautiful” world is the utterly raw and gritty portrayal in the second half of the play. For a long time, the title feels like a beautiful fairy tale inspired by the first Fable. Gorgeous scenes, a relaxed atmosphere of villages and fantasy countryside, and then there’s a significant change. The beautiful setting is replaced by a barren wasteland and a harsh medieval setting many would not expect. The whole game’s highlight is the Valley of the Giants, which will leave you uncomfortably stunned.
The remake of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons has done more than well. It’s a pleasant surprise that certainly doesn’t put the original to shame. On the one hand, I wonder if it lacks any innovation, and on the other hand, I worry about how it would turn out if the studio tried to set the game up with new passages, for example. For those who have already played Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, the remake needs to make more sense and may work more in the context of nostalgia. However, players who have not come into contact with the game, as was the case with me, have an excellent opportunity to play one of the best adventure games with an emotional story at a very affordable price of under 20 euros. And at a discount, as was the case with me, even for 12 euros.
GOG (PC): Available for $19.99. Purchase it from GOG.
Official Page: Visit the official Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons page for more information. Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Subreddit for community insights and updates.
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Title: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Type of Game: Action-Adventure Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Released: May 10, 2016 Platforms Available: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC Game Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 5 Level of Maturity: Teen (T) – ESRB Reading Time: 13 minutes
Naughty Dog is behind some of the best PlayStation games in history. The Crash Bandicoot series won the hearts of millions of gamers on the first PlayStation. On PlayStation 2, the developers pulled it off with the excellent JAK and Daxter series, which brought an open world and other innovative features to the platforming genre that the competition continues to benefit from to this day. With the arrival of the PlayStation 3, developers decided to move on to a whole new genre that allows them to tell well-written stories with fleshed-out characters. We’re talking, of course, about the Uncharted series and the head of the phenomenal The Last of Us. Later on, the developers then sought to end the story of their biggest star, Nathan Drake. I’ll tell you how the fourth Uncharted fared in the review now, though you probably already know that. Naughty Dog is a safe bet.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Motorcycle chase with an armored vehicle in Madagascar
The Final Adventure Begins
Even when Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was announced, the developers made it clear that it would be Nathan Drake’s last adventure, concluding his story. Of course, I won’t tell you here if everything will turn out well or badly, you’ll have to find that out for yourself. Anyway, the new adventure revolves around the famous pirate Henry Avery, who was supposed to hide somewhere a treasure of incalculable value that Nathan Drake was after fifteen years ago, even with his brother, who is making his first-ever appearance in the series.
Although he wasn’t mentioned in the previous games because Nathan had him presumed dead, he fits in perfectly with the game and the Uncharted series and helps tell not only the actual pirate story but also clarifies the history of Nathan Drake around which the story is built. We’re used to well-written stories with Naughty Dog, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is no exception to this. The plot is intriguing, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns, as well, as nicely-written dialogue, and most importantly, superbly acted characters with professional voice acting, both the main characters, which is to be expected, and the negative characters. For the first time ever, the acting of each character goes so far that you can tell what they are feeling, whether sadness, anger, or joy, from their facial expressions and just by looking into their eyes, which only helps to tell a story full of all sorts of emotions.
In Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, it’s easy to see how far the developers at Naughty Dog have come over the years. From the platforming games and the first Uncharted to The Last of Us, with which Nathan’s fourth adventure shares a number of common elements, from the style of storytelling to the action itself, which is far more varied and not as tightly tuned as in the past, which I’ll mention later. Of course, everything you loved about the previous games returns, just in a far more polished and bigger way.
Of course, only a fool would expect a new Uncharted open-world game, which of course it isn’t, it’s still a linear shooter that focuses mainly on storytelling, just with far more open locations that have excellent and detailed design that the developers must have spent years of hard work on. You’ll get to see lots of places around the world as you play. You’ll explore rainy and freezing Scotland, the urban environment of Italy, but also Madagascar, and various tropical islands. The fact that the levels have increased several times shows that a new element in the gameplay fits in perfectly. For example controllable vehicles in Madagascar plains. You’ll be driving around the many levels in a jeep, and at sea in a boat. The vehicle controls are fully intuitive and you’ll get used to them in a matter of seconds.
What’s great about Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is how the developers kept the pace high from the start. They constantly mix in slower storytelling chapters with action-packed ones. This balance is something they’ve been striving for since the first installment. Naughty Dog’s evolution is evident in the action passages as well.
These passages are more entertaining and elaborate than in the past. They offer plenty of options for resolving conflicts, thanks to the openness of the levels. You can still charge through enemies like Rambo and make Nathan a mass murderer. The shooting and cover system behind obstacles is now excellent. Nathan has several new ranged and melee attacks. Many encounters can also be avoided altogether. You can bypass opponents in the manner of Solid Snake. The developers created a simple but fully functioning stealth system, inspired by the Metal Gear Solid series. The feel of the action passages is excellent. The variety is enhanced by the roughly three dozen weapons, which are a joy to shoot.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Firefight with the Shoreline Convoy in Madagascar
Intelligent Adversaries and Allies
It’s incredible how Naughty Dog developers are raising the bar in almost everything. They are showing their competitors what direction to take. This also applies to the artificial intelligence of the enemies and characters that accompany you during each chapter. Enemies are observant, scrutinizing every slight movement on the map. They constantly change position during encounters, taking cover and supporting each other to eliminate the protagonist as soon as possible and thwart his quest for the legendary treasure.
You won’t come across any standing dummies who just stand still and shoot. This adds to the dynamic and excellent firefights, which are different every time and consistently enjoyable. The developers were aware of this and created something unique. You can replay all the encounters afterward without having to repeat entire chapters. Excellent AI is also provided by the teammates, who support Nathan in the fight. They can often shoot a large number of villains and help in fistfights. They constantly communicate with him, advising him when going through various locations and helping with solving puzzles. This makes the gameplay as smooth as possible and maintains a certain pace.
Action makes up roughly half of the gameplay in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, making it the most important component. But I mustn’t forget to mention the excellent exploration of each level. This is done in the manner of The Last of Us, whether you do it on foot or from a jeep. The solutions to the superbly designed logical or spatial puzzles are also worth noting. The indispensable diary will help you with these. In it, Nathan writes down everything he sees during the game to assist him in difficult moments. You can also collect old pages from books or letters, which help during the puzzles. Most importantly, these items deepen the story and the legend of the pirate treasure.
Additionally, you can sometimes use the novelty of a jeep to solve puzzles in the open world. This adds many unexpected scenes and events. The jumping passages are also satisfying. Nathan’s movement on platforms is much smoother and more intuitive. He has a special grappling hook to cross big gaps. Later, there is a climbing wedge, which could have been used a little more. You get it relatively later and then only use it in a few situations, which is a bit of a shame.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is clearly the longest installment in the series, with 22 major chapters. While I didn’t really stop anywhere and a lot of places were left unexplored, I still got a solid fifteen hours on the greater difficulty along with exploring, which is way above standard for a single-player game these days. But I believe that many will take a little longer to play because you’ll want to explore everything. The big advantage is the replayability. You can search for hidden treasures, relics, links to other games, or other bonuses that the developers cleverly hid around the locations that you don’t have the chance to discover on your first playthrough.
Additionally, replayability is helped by the fact that you can handle many situations like Rambo, but also avoid encounters altogether, and there are several hidden trophies for quietly passing through the levels. The developers have also prepared a lot of unlockable bonuses, whether it’s infinite bullets, all the weapons, and so on, to various graphics filters, or bonus character outfits that you’ll definitely want to unlock. So one playthrough of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is definitely not the end of it, you’ll want to give it at least one more go. In the case of the platinum trophy, even a total of three times.
Moreover, Uncharted is no longer just a story campaign, but since the second installment, the developers have also regularly served up a multiplayer component, which they are constantly improving. While in Uncharted 2 it was still a minor bonus, in Uncharted 3 it was a full-fledged part, and it’s no different in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, where the multiplayer is the most ambitious and, dare I say it, can keep you entertained for dozens more hours.
The multiplayer builds on fast and fluid 5 vs 5 team action with the ability to use a variety of weapons, bonus abilities, and even a grappling hook for movement or melee, it also allows teams to create interesting tactics on nicely designed maps, of which there are eight in the base and inspired by the story campaign. For multiplayer, I have to mention the fact that the developers focused mainly on stable 60fps. For the PlayStation 4 version. The PlayStation 5 version I reviewed, called Legacy of Thieves Remaster Collection, with this remastered campaign, runs at 60 fps as well. For PS4 “only” Multiplayer, which is a well-done job considering the weaker performance of this console.
So far, Uncharted 4 has three game modes for you to play. There’s the classic team deathmatch, which is all about the number of enemies you kill. The second mode is Command, in which you and your team have to take control points on the map and then hold them to get the most points, it’s classic Control, but it’s also fun in an Uncharted way and won’t get boring.
The most team-based mode is the Looting mode, designed to be played with eight players (4 vs 4). In it, a special relic always appears on the map which you then have to deliver to your chest. Of course, both teams fight for this, and the relic can be tossed between team members in various ways to support each other. I found this mode to be probably the most fun, the most exciting, and the most made for teamwork and headset communication of all.
If there’s one studio that has always gotten the most out of any given piece of hardware and shown everyone that it can be done when you want it, it’s definitely Naughty Dog. Back in the PlayStation 2 era, everyone admired the gorgeous-looking JAK and Daxter platformers, on PlayStation 3 it was the Uncharted series, and it was the fourth installment that was the best-looking game of that generation until The Last of Us Part II arrived, no question.
Throughout the game you’ll marvel at the awesome-looking locations for the time, with realistic textures and lighting, all the characters are incredibly detailed, with skin deformation and various wounds and torn clothing visible as you play. In addition, everything is complemented by awesome effects, whether it is explosions or perfect physics, thanks to which practically everything effectively falls apart, and during shootouts, stones and large amounts of splinters fly to each side. It’s almost unbelievable what the developers have managed to get out of hardware that can match computers at several times the price of his time.
The whole perfection is then underscored by the soundtrack, which for the first time ever is by the acclaimed British composer Henry Jackman. It contains a lot of great and easy-to-remember tracks (including new versions of old songs and brand new ones) that you’ll want to keep playing on their own, and the soundtrack always complements the action on the screen, whether it’s the cutscenes or the action sequences themselves, making you feel like you’re watching a movie in the cinema. The sound system is also great, whether it’s the gunfire, explosions, various music effects, or the environment itself, everything has been worked out to the maximum by the developers to give the best possible farewell to their favorite hero and prepare him for a dignified exit from the video game scene.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is one of the best action games I’ve been able to play to this date, containing a perfect balance between cinematic sequences, action, and solving ingenious puzzles, while in virtually everything setting the bar for the competition a little higher again and in some aspects up to this date. Whether it’s the narrative, the acting, the design, the excellent action, the AI, or the breathtaking audiovisual design, where you can see in every pixel how much care and love the developers have put into the game. Naughty Dog has created yet another video game gem, and it just confirms where the best games you can play are currently being made. It’s just a shame that we’ll have to wait a long time for another game of similar quality.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Nathan Drake’s last great ride
Where to Buy The Game?
Steam (PC, Mac, Linux): Full Thieves End collection available for $49.99. You can purchase it directly from Steam. PlayStation Store (PS4): Full Thieves End collection available for 39.99. You can find it on the PlayStation Store. Epic Games Store (PC): Full Thieves End collection available for $49.99. Purchase it from the Epic Games Store.
Official Page: Visit the official Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End page for more information. Subreddit: Join the discussion on the Uncharted Subreddit.
Check out the rest of the gallery under, still didn’t get enough? Check our dedicated Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End gallery here!
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