Uncharted 4: A Thief's End [import europe] (VOSTFR. Version Originale - Sous-Titre Français)

This, the fourth and final instalment in "Naughty Dog's" famous "Drake's Fortune" series, has immense shoes to fill. Each of the previous three editions of the series have been ground-breaking games in their own right, scaling successively greater heights in terms of production values, graphics, audio and voice acting. So if naughty Dog needed to raise the bar with each release [and they certainly managed to], then the desire to go "even one better", to give this franchise a "last hurrah" must have been incredibly intense.So now we come to "A Thief's End", the last outing for Nathan "Nate" Drake, his old friend Sully and his lady, Elena. For fans of the series and for whom the cast are "old friends", there is much to love. For those who find their way to their first "Drake" outing, there is a wonderful, immersive game with much to commend it and much to send that first-time player back to seek out the three predecessors. This, then, is console gaming as it was meant to be. The entire game has been thoughtfully and lovingly enhanced. It doesn't matter if we're talking about the combat system, with more emphasis on stealth and strategy, or the puzzles, with more variety and scale; DF4 handles it with ease.But what stands to hold Drake's Fortune: A Thief's End up above the competition is the sheer quality. These are production values that would impress a Hollywood Producer and then some. Narration is top-notch, the audio is first rate and the graphics (on the PS/4, at least) are simply breathtaking. The cut scenes, for example, are animated to a quality comparable with Avatar: I could not think of higher praise to offer than that. Among all the incredible quality that this game brings to the gamer, perhaps the most significant is the cast. These are people that we've come to know and love over the last few years. They're imperfect, hot-headed, rough-around-the-edges and not always as nice as we'd like them to be. But they are easily among the most lifelike characterisations that you will find in any game, of any genre, on any platform. Playing DF4 is a bit like sharing an adrenaline-filled adventure with a small group of really close friends. No, not a bit like: that's exactly what this experience is.If you're an existing DF Player: what are you waiting for?! If you're new to Drake's Fortune, hunt around for the "boxed set" of the first 3 games and use them as an introduction to this one: they are excellent in their own right and you'll take much more from this story if you do.Pro's:-1. Exceptional quality for a video game in all respects; gameplay, audio, graphics, acting, design, the works: this is 11/10 material...2. Addictive, non-stop fun...3. I could go on (and on), but, seriously, you should stop reading this review and just order yourself a copy, already...Con's:-1. For the last of Drake's adventures, it did feel just a little short. But please take this with a pinch of salt - this game's run time is at least as long as any other similar game out there; I write this only because, as the last, this is something you're going to want to savour.2. This is the last of Drake's adventures. OK, technically, that isn't a negative score against this superb game, but it's just a crying shame that there will be no more...Footnote and sum-up: it is possible that some may find the epilogue/ending of the game to be somewhat at odds with the rest of this instalment, or with the other games in the series, for that matter. But the thing is, with perspective, this is the perfect ending to a perfect series of adventures. Getting to see how things turn out right at the *very* end is the icing on the cake.Thank you, Naughty Dog, this one's an absolute classic.

I purchased the Uncharted collection before playing this to get a better feel of the characters and the back story. However, is you have not played any previous versions of the game, then you will still be OK with this one as it does fill in some gaps along the way.This is the first game I have owned on the PS4 that really makes me think that this is a genuine next gen game, the graphics are simply stunning. Everything from the backdrops, the character movements, the animations and the cutscenes all show that it is a breathtaking masterpiece that could not really be done justice on the last gen machines.Gameplay is very similar to all previous Uncharted games, which is not a bad thing as previous players get an instant feel of the game mechanics. If you have never played an Uncharted game before, then you can still play as there are hints galore along the way to help. If you are unsure of what to do or where to go, you get hints to help you, so everyone can progress through the story.There are 3 new things that you can do in this game, which you learn early on. You can slide down steep slopes like roofs and mud slopes, and can steer somewhat to get where you want to go. You have a grappling Hook so that you can throw the rope to attach to poles and branches to swing from one place to the other, pull yourself up, lower yourself down or ties it to something and pull it. The other new thing is a sneak attack, where you hide in tall grass and bushes, and as enemies come near you grab and pull them down - I like trying to do levels without being seen or firing a single shot.There are a lot of cutscenes in this game, probably more than the last 3 put together, but although long at times, it is worth watching as you get the full story, also the game loads during the cutscenes, and it will be a continuous fluid play through with no loading times if you watch them.There is also a multiplayer game with this now, not something I have really played. The little bit I did do it was fun, the games do not last long like a Destiny game, and you can easily find games to jump into.This is a brilliant ending to a great series, it's a shame that it ends. I will probably get Tomb Raider to carry a similar adventure (after No Man's Sky).