The Best Video Game Ever!

"I am a man of my fortune, and I must seek my fortune- Henry Avery, 1694

The words flow onto a black screen in elegant, white script. As you ponder the quote, boom! The scene opens to two windshield wipers desperately sweeping nickel-sized raindrops from your vision as an ocean tempest blurs the navy sky before you. You're in a small boat with but one ally, smashed by the thunderous waves, tossed here and there... and you're driving!

Within five minutes, you're driving a speedboat at blinding speed, you're hurled into the ocean and nearly shredded by a propeller like fruit in a blender, and you're fired at by gun-toting thugs swarming you like pirates!

I was hooked within a few minutes, my eyes glued to the screen! So why is this game the best I've ever played and you should buy/download and recommend it to your friends right now?

The Action! - WARNING: Lots of Awesome Violence and Heart Attack Hazards!

As I've described, you jump right into the action within seconds of starting the game. And they never leave you hanging for long. Before you know it, you're robbing a mansion, firing from the back of a motorcycle, swinging across a canyon with just a rope as your lifeline, and yanking unsuspecting villains into bushes to snap their necks!

I was never, for one second, bored with wave upon wave of exciting and unique action scenes that put you on the edge of your seat, inventing a new language of gibberish with your screams! (I may be exaggerating a little, but it's what I did!)

The Graphics and Scenery

Breathtaking landscapes, bold sunrises of radiant gold, and detailed scenes of interest or for mere immersion amid the mundane, this game spares no effort to envelop you in its universe. Every crack in the ruins you explore or puff of dust from rotting mines or pile of laundry on your carpet is for you to feel that you truly are on the journey with Nathan Drake.

Speaking of...

The Characters and Their Dialogue

Each main character in this game is a lovable hero or a memorable villain, detailed with unique voices and mannerisms to make you feel like you're watching a movie. Individual emotions and motivations make characters struggle to be on the same page throughout their journey, and their dialogue displays each of their independent perspectives. Even so, watching them band together is inspiring and a pleasure to witness.

You've gotten to know Nathan, Sully, Elena, etc., over the three games before this one (if you actually started at the beginning, unlike me), and you get to see them enjoy perhaps the final adventure in Nathan's career, a befitting end to his death-defying journey.

This game also introduces Nathan's long-lost brother, Sam, who provides a colorful addition to the team and promises to be featured in later games, even if his younger brother is to bow out.

Between the well-written dialogue and the graphics, you feel like you really are watching a movie, especially during a cinematic!

Your skill matters, but you always look awesome!

You can make the dumbest mistake in this game, and you'll probably still look like it wasn't your fault. Nathan appears competent as he flies into the action. Though the game relies on your skill to progress, you still feel the natural and instinctive game-play to make the average player feel like a superhero!

The game also provides many options for a personalized experience: you can make it super easy to get head-shots or go completely hard-core! Either way, it feels like a challenge fitted for your enjoyment.

The Puzzles

Excellently made puzzles are peppered throughout the game. They're challenging, but the creators don't expect you to be an expert like Nathan is.

If you do get stuck, however, or if you just don't want to use your brain power for that sort of thing, the characters casually hint at how to solve the puzzle throughout the dialogue. The longer you take, the more helpful they will be, as though your allies are figuring it out alongside you.

The Combat

The combat can compete with some of the best third-person shooter games, appreciating the skill involved in firing different types of guns while making you feel good at what you do with every head and body shot.

From pistol to sniper rifle, you can easily adapt to the scenarios according to your play style, running the heck away to find a good, long-distance position or diving right into the thick of the battle.

Your companions, unlike in many other games, intelligently follow you and don't fire until you do. They understand the value of a stealthy approach.

Speaking of, you don't even have to fire a gun very much if you don't want to. If you're like me, you like going all Assassin's Creed against bad guys, hiding in the brush or behind walls until you get a shot to take someone out silently. You can do this throughout the majority of the game!

One Last Warning: The Game Rating

There are some mature elements in this game, but I was pleasantly surprised how clean it was!

The language is certainly substantial, though the f-word is, thankfully, left out. You do run into quite a bit of cursing that a Christian especially wouldn't enjoy hearing.

There is no sexual content, though Sam does make a few floozy comments, and Nathan and his wife kiss quite a bit.

The violence, obviously, is prevalent, and the game does have a few disturbing violent concepts, but if you can handle Halo or Call of Duty, you can handle this game!

Thanks so much for reading!

I hope you enjoyed your read and, much more importantly, that you enjoy Uncharted 4: A Thief's End!