PS4 – Uncharted 4
Chances are that not a single one of you are surprised by the PS4’s 2016 representative. Uncharted has been one of the premiere franchises of the PlayStation library ever since the first entry released back in 2007. Naughty Dog ditched the colorful mascots of yesteryear to drop players in an action-packed quest for fortune as one of the most charismatic adventurers around, Nathan Drake. The light-hearted humor, spectacular set pieces, and memorable cast helped to quickly cement the studio as one of Sony’s best and make Drake a household name.
Fast forward to 2016 and the developers decided to close out Nathan’s journey, taking on a more serious tone. What seemed like too much of a digression from what made the series so phenomenal ended up showcasing why Naughty Dog is revered yet again. Playing as an older, much wiser, protagonist and delving into themes of family, regret, and growing up, Uncharted 4 helped set the pace for a year full of big games with deep undertones. Not to mention the fact that it’s easily one of the best-looking games of the generation. The level of detail put into every single facet of Uncharted 4 was simply remarkable, fully showcasing what the PS4 hardware is truly capable of (a telltale sign of a truly great exclusive).
It’s no wonder that critics and fans alike really gravitated towards and appreciated this game even after the multiple delays. It was proof that good things do come to those who wait, and being able to witness Drake hang up his holsters in exchange for legitimacy and family was definitely a beautiful thing.
