There’s a lot of things I wish I could drum up for my time with Uncharted 4. Naughty Dog has really come along with their ability to tell a story. For the most part Uncharted always seemed to be about it’s presentation and spectacle. But there was always that one element that could use a little more tweaking.

What the developer learned when tackling The Last of Us seemed to find it’s way into the Uncharted series, Because their ability to tell an engaging story was complemented by some truly human moments throughout the game.

The best example was a scene involving Crash Bandicoot.I’m sure it’s already been talked to death but it can be one to separate those that think it’s Naughty Dog and others that see it as two people that love each other’s company.

But by the end of the game I was just exhausted. Done with climbing, and shooting. Thinking about how it’s probably more convenient to find whatever treasure, planted firmly on the ground, then a constant stream of jumping puzzles hovering above a vast pit of death.

It overstays its welcome... Which gives me guilt, when the story part is being so endearing. It’s a fitting end and more of a positive one than I was expecting... throughout actually. I was suspecting Sam, the older brother, to be a tired stereotype. Something typical to the kind of person coming back into Nathan’s life, pulling him back in for one last job. But he’s just as adventurous and knowledgeable as his little brother.

That’s great.

Something I’m grateful to leave behind with that franchise is a serious case of vertigo. I can’t really recall any other franchise doing me in as much as Uncharted has. Not even the high altitude parkour party that is Mirror’s Edge (though it did give me a massive headache).

I suppose they could consider it a job well done when I get a weak feeling hanging off the side of a cliff that may or may not crumble. Y’know, that’s something they certainly did a lot of. I can see why a critic would give a game like this an impressive score, because what it sets out to do, it accomplishes quite well.

But maybe there's a chance they didn't know how to end it, and dumped excessive amounts of gameplay into the bottom half, without understanding a balance.

It was exhausting, but I’m happy to be finished. I guess I should also be happy to finally play one of those games all the way to the end and not dig my face into the couch telling the heights to stop.

What are some games that felt terror inducing for you, just by environment alone?

A big reason as to why I could barely compile these thoughts to blog about Uncharted, was an overabundance of Overwatch play.

No, I haven’t played Doom yet because holy shit. Maybe I jumped in at the right time to play a ‘competitive team based first person shooter.™’ because that’s all I want to do with my time. I have work to look for, I have podcasts to edit and videos to make, I can’t just sit here and….

…. Okay, one more game.

Tried as I might, these kinds of competitive multiplayer games were always a clog in my enjoyment to play them, I wanted to tackle them with a level of skill that kids half my age were, and always will be, 10x better at. But there’s something about having a game that I can go out of my way to play with friends, and be significantly good with much of the roster.

And it’s because I’m seeing it for what it is, and having fun with that.

Maybe it’s the comfort of using a controller in what I can only assume is predominantly a mouse and keyboard playing field (on the PC). A concept that’s only crazy because I’m pushing myself to get gud with Hanzo.

Armed only with a bow, arrows and the heart of a dragon.

I doubt it’s the missing link to help me understand a concept and change my attitude towards any game of this nature. But this? It’s just finally nice to have something to get into just as much as friends are.

And that should be enough right? What games are all about?

Where’s my sponsor? Am I going to nationals?

...

I’ll… I’ll get around to Doom eventually.

ps. Hyrule Warriors update: It is still being played. Thanks portable version.