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This is a rare treat: the creators of a popular series and a beloved character laying them to rest with elegant finality, and going out on an absolute high. In games as in other media, dignified endings aren't easy to come by. But Naughty Dog have outdone themselves with what they say (and I believe) is their last Uncharted game, and the last appearance of the series' hero Nathan Drake. It's the best of the lot.It was hardly likely to be a dud. Naughty Dog's quality control is legendary; its devotion to polish, visual spectacle and entertainment that comes easy are revered throughout the games business. And yet Uncharted 4's development was far from plain sailing. A little over two years ago, the series' writer and creative director Amy Hennig left Naughty Dog, and Uncharted 4's director Justin Richmond left with her. They were replaced by The Last of Us' leads Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley and, according to star Nolan North, swathes of Hennig's story and months of work were scrapped.
Straley and Druckmann clearly wanted to leave their mark on the series, but would they be able to find the tone its players love so much - Hollywood high adventure and derring-do, relayed with down-to-earth good humour and a touch of charming sentimentality - or would they be tempted to steer it into darker waters? Would they mess with the formula too much, or too little? We needn't have worried. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is a pitch-perfect sequel that not only harmonises perfectly with the previous three games, but resolves some of their tensions and corrects some of their mistakes.
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