Nathan Drake embarks on his finest adventure yet in ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’

As one of Sony’s best-selling exclusive titles for the Playstation, the Uncharted series gives you the sense that you are playing the most passionately made video games in existence.

The first game was released in November 2007 for the Playstation 3 and gamers were introduced to fortune seeking adventurer Nathan Drake—who felt like a cross between Indiana Jones and "Die Hard" protagonist John McClane—as he sought the lost treasure of El Dorado and literally fought a group of mercenaries to obtain it.

That game was well received, but it did have technical issues and some frustrating gameplay mechanics, things that developing studio Naughty Dog was happy improve on in "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" and "Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception"—sequels that went on to become critical successes in the Playstation 3.

Fast forward to 2016, and the world once again is invited to play through Nathan Drake’s adventures and story—this time in what is considered the final entry into the series with “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End”.

Set three years after the events of "Uncharted 3", Nathan has quietly retired from the fortune seeking life, and has settled down and married his longtime love interest Elena Fisher. However it seems that the adventure lifestyle isn’t quite done with him, as his long lost (and presumed dead) older brother Sam Drake returns.

Sam is in a bit of a bind with a mercenary and to get out of trouble, he asks Nathan for help to find the lost treasure of Captain Henry Avery. Reunited, the Drake brothers embark on what is most certainly their finest adventure yet.

Nathan Drake (voiced by Nolan North) returns to his former life and it turns out that he is still in his prime, willingly taking all the risks needed to unlock secrets, solve puzzles, and find missing treasure. His brother Sam (voiced by Troy Baker) goes on his fair share of adventures in the game as well. 

The brothers' stories then intertwine, and from past to present adventures, you can clearly see that this game thrives in death defying scenarios that are full of witty banter between the two siblings.

Much like in past installments, "Uncharted 4" has a linear gameplay that will take you from chapter to chapter smoothly. The game encourages observation and exploration, as well as solving puzzles blocking your path throughout the game. There are plenty of enemy encounters that require either stealth or combat depending on the circumstances, and there's an adequate amount of firearms provided for the latter as the brothers collect or steal them from fallen enemies.

"Uncharted 4" also incorporates new mechanics, such as using a grappling hook and performing high acrobatic stunts depending on the situation. Vehicles are also controlled more smoothly and melee combat never felt easier to play through.

Those who value the multiplayer aspect of the game will also be rewarded with an improved version of that feature, full of new maps, gameplay modes, and treasures to find and take from each other.

The attention to detail and wonderful Hollywood-inspired production values makes Uncharted the kind of series that is worthy of all the awe and praise it gets. 

So in a nutshell, is "Uncharted 4" game of the year material? A profound “YES” can be stated. The studios spared no expense in ensuring that this is the finest entry in the series' history. "Uncharted 4" is truly a thing of beauty, best appreciated by those who love the series.  — AT, GMA News