With just a few more weeks, we’re set to go on another adventure with Nathan Drake in the Sony PS4 exclusive, Uncharted 4. We most likely expect it to be a polished game due to the track record shown by Naughty Dog in their previous games. To solidify that faith, Sony invited me to try and give the game a dry run. To put it simply, the experience was amazing.
Me and other game journalists were given just 30 minutes to try out a segment of the game. The game’s developer told us that we’re a third into Uncharted 4’s storyline. We were also warned not to look into the collectibles as it might spoil us come the vanilla game.
The level was set somewhere in the Madagascar minus the talking fauna. A high brown mountain peaks at the horizon, Nathan and company (Sam and Sully) seeing the sight aboard their rented 4×4. We weren’t told anything about the game’s plot aside from them currently searching a treasure left by Henry Avery. I then set off to explore the landscape, getting glimpses of the local nature spiced with some added comical exchanges between Nathan and his peers.
The open land was at first intimidating. But it was but an illusion as the level was more than helpful in guiding the player forward. Tracks and some stone markers denote the direction which the player should go. The 4×4 felt like a tank and it was a good thing come the mushy uphill climbs. Mud kept realistically slinging as the vehicle struggled to climb. Alas, I came upon the first puzzle. I went down and explored the place, dropping by a derelict tower and collecting a piece of the game’s lore. I was then prompted to make use of the 4×4’s winch, tying it to a gnawed tree to anchor the 4×4. And then I was again off.
The demo ends at a climactic event, with Nathan and pals coming across a hostile camp. The player is given a chance to survey and scout the area before the aforementioned firefight. We were told that one can finish this segment without firing a single shot.
I did try a stealthy approach at first, but the patrols and the number of enemy units made it nigh impossible for me to stick to my initial plan. Then all hell broke loose. Grenades, gunshots, and enemy movements, were everywhere.
Suffice to say, Nathan and his pals succeeded and were then off to continue the road. I was then stopped by a facilitator as the demo ends on that part.
So there’s that. The Uncharted 4 demo was a tad helpful in helping me get an idea of what the game has to offer come its launch date. If you’re struggling to read through all of it, here’re the things that I can tell you about Uncharted 4:
*The game has a semi open world approach. Each level is a large area that players can explore, find secrets, and map out. The demo level featured a hidden cave and inconspicuous locations.
*Vehicles are present and are necessities in some levels. The demo featured a puzzle that requires the participation of a 4×4 that has a winch for the player to use. *Stealth mechanics have been introduced. Enemies have an attention gauge that denote their alertness. They only appear once they spot Nathan. Also, the player can mark enemies.
*The developer even told us that we can finish the demo without firing a single shot. Stealth might not be for everyone, yet for those that go through it, no rewards are apparent for accomplishing the feat.*A Grappling Hook comes into Nathan’s arsenal of cool tools. It can be used to pull objects or to quickly traverse the the battlefield.
*For the treasure hunter in you, the game is back with trophies and collectibles, complete with their respective lore. *The game engine is simply fantastic! Uncharted 4 looks fantastic and definitely better than its predecessor. All this eye-candy without significant drops in FPS. *No mini-maps.
*Game difficulty tweaks enemy types as it goes higher.*Nothing drastically new when it comes to maneuvering Nathan in and out of combat. Feels like every Uncharted game from before.
*Some guns have attachments on them. I was able to pick up a pretty basic assault rifle, an AK-47, that kicked like a mule with my sights going to places. I ran out of ammo and this extolled me to replace it with an upgraded FN FAL which was more manageable and easy to handle.