'Uncharted 4' a family affair
LOS ANGELES -- When last we saw our treasure hunting hero Nathan Drake -- at the end of Sony's press event Monday at E3 -- he was hanging by a rope onto an armored truck, trying to avoid getting struck by the side of a bridge.
Bet you're wondering what happens next. The truck drags Drake through muddy roads as he tries to take out a group of enemies hunting down his older brother, Sam. In what appears to be a playable moment, Drake shoots enemies on motorcycles with a pistol while still clinging to the rope.
It sounds outrageous, but then again it wouldn't be an Uncharted game without explosive action sequences like this. An extended demo of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End at the show is a reminder of what made the series so entertaining: a combination of over-the-top action and drama.
Maintaining that balance between the two was critical to studio Naughty Dog, says creative director Neil Druckmann. "It still has to remain believable within this reality that we've set up in these other games, so we can't get too far from that. Instead of getting bigger and bigger, how do we make it more personal? How do we make the spectacle mirror what's going on with the characters?"
A Thief's End takes place three years after the events of the last game, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Drake has retired from treasure hunting but gets pulled back in by his brother Sam for one last score: the treasure of Captain Henry Avery.
The extended features Drake spending more time aiding his brother and fending off the armored truck. He eventually climbs up the rope, seeking shelter behind a truck before bouncing between vehicles and taking out enemies. It's a classic Uncharted chase scene.
Players watching the demo during Sony's event caught a glimpse of one of Drake's new tools: a grapple hook. He'll use it to latch onto edges and swing over enemies. Inspired by Naughty Dog's other game, The Last of Us, Uncharted will also give players some bonus stealth techniques.
"Unlike previous games, if you were spotted, combat was on, it would never go back to a stealth state," says Druckmann. "Here, you can lose them, you can hide in shrubs, you can hide around corners, you can break line of sight. It makes the combat more dynamic."
Drake finally catches up with a motorcycle-riding Sam only to get broadsided by the armored truck. With his jeep flipped over, Drake attempts to escape through a window, only to find more mercenaries he must take out. Sam comes to the rescue, kicking off an incredible chase scene featuring the truck, where it looks like players shoot at the truck while Sam drives.
Uncharted has established itself as the signature action series for the PlayStation, and it seems like that will continue when Drake returns in 2016.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.