The beloved PlayStation franchise has made its way to PC. Uncharted is a celebrated series that follows treasure hunters amidst their dramas. It’s a very character-driven tale that rewards audiences with a great story and action set-pieces. However, some new audiences may wonder how best to get started with their adventure in Uncharted.
With the fourth mainline game, Uncharted4 brings a lot of new stakes and mechanics to the beloved series. Uncharted4 can be a difficult game at times, and with these tips, beginners will soon feel like experts and join the ranks of legends like Nathan Drake himself.
9 Anticipate A Slow Beginning
With Uncharted4 being heavily focused on its characters, the game takes a while to introduce players to the world and just who these characters are. For Naughty Dog, characters are always complex and have their desires and thoughts. As such, players shouldn’t expect to be running and gunning throughout the entire adventure.
By anticipating a slow beginning, players won’t be disappointed by the game’s origins of Nate and his brother Sam, or to see what Nate has been up to after the events of Uncharted3. The game remains engaging, but there’s a lack of action from the beginning.
8 Double Tap
Bullets aren’t the most scarce in Uncharted4, which means players should spray and pray as much as they like. Unlike Naughty Dog’s other game, The Last of Us, in which players won’t want to waste precious ammo, and will instead rely on the brutality of their fists to finish off defeated enemies.
Players do not have to worry about The Last of Us’ way of brutality, as they will have plenty of bullets to double-tap enemies that have fallen to the ground, just in case those pesky enemies are faking it.
7 Grapple Hook Shenanigans
One of the more recent additions to the Uncharted series is the grapple hook. This mechanic came new for the game and added further movability in the highly intense running shooter game. It allowed for greater versatility of movement, but it doesn’t come with ease.
There’s a great deal of skill that comes with the grapple hook, as it has to be precise, and focus is essential in ensuring the player does not fall to their death, or flail on a rope whilst getting shot at. Practice makes perfect, and grapple hook opportunities are plentiful.
6 Explore
Although the Uncharted games are not open-world, they are far from linear. Each level has a map that gets bigger with each game, and Uncharted4 has plenty of exploration to it. These areas of exploration can find new lore and dialogue between characters, as well as the object of desire for collectibles.
Achievement hunters should find exploration essential, as they will need all journal entries and collectibles to 100% the game. Not only is it rewarding on its own to act as a treasure hunter, but some collectibles can even feature fun lore and easter eggs.
5 Tag Enemies
Stealth is not a new feature to video games, or Uncharted, but in Uncharted4, there’s more reward and stakes within it. Whilst in stealth, players can tag enemies, and allow them to be visible with arrows and silhouettes so they can best avoid the fight until it is too late.
If players are using a controller, then they can hold L2 and click down the L3 button when looking at an enemy to tag them. By continuously tracking their movements, players will know how many dangers are present.
4 Check Out The Journal
There’s a great level of immersion in Nathan Drake’s journal. Throughout the game, whether after exploring or finishing a level, Nate will write and draw in his journal. There’s lots of information to read through if the player wants to delve into Nate’s thoughts in written form.
Not only is the journal an additional detail of the game, but it can also help the player solve one of the many puzzles in Uncharted4. These puzzles require a good brain, and luckily for the player, Nate has a great one and writes discoveries into his accessible journal.
3 Utilize Stealth
Stealth kills always reward the player with their genius rather than their brawn. Players can sneak around, maneuvering between enemies and tall grass to take out their targets one by one. In stealth, players can lower the numbers of their enemies, and prevent a backup from being called.
In some instances, stealth should be regarded as essential to the player, as if they are spotted by enemies, they will be reigned upon with gunfire, as well as the potential call for backup, meaning more enemies and more problems for both Nate and their ally.
2 Use Plenty Cover
The Uncharted games quickly utilized the cover shooting mechanics that have seen a rise in gaming. These mechanics allow players to dash behind cover, whether it’s crates or walls, and shoot from behind them. It’s a great way to play, as it ensures the player’s safety. That is until a rogue grenade finds itself thrown toward the player, yet they can throw it right back.
By utilizing cover, players will keep themselves alive, as it certainly beats just running around with a gun or standing ground. Behind the cover, bullets will be absorbed by what they are hiding behind, just make sure it isn’t behind Sully.
1 Understand The Characters
There are plenty of great characters in the Uncharted series, and most of the leading cast return to Uncharted4. Considering A Thief’s End is marketed in a way that has audiences believe this is the finale of Nathan Drake’s story, it’s best for players that go into the game to know Nathan Drake’s story before this fourth outing.
Nathan Drake has a great cast of friends, like his wife, Elena Fisher, and best friend/mentor, Victor Sullivan. Knowing these characters makes the story more rewarding, especially with the added stakes and discovery of Nate’s brother, Sam Drake.
Uncharted: The Legacy of Thieves Collection is available now for the PC and PS5.