Topic: TOP 5 PS4 games

Currently:

#1 Battlefield 1
#2 GTA online (again)
#3 Diablo (again)
#4 Minecraft (again)
#5 X-COM 2 (still)

@themcnoisy: The trouble is with games like Uncharted is that they are heavily focused on Story telling. Stories though can be quite personal and whether or not you connect with them can make a big difference to how you feel about these games. Games like Super Mario 64 for example don't really have a story so it comes down to 'is this 'fun' or not. Uncharted hardly breaks the mould from a game-play perspective - its not the only 3rd person cover shooter. That being said it does make a few big improvements over the last gen games - taking control of the Jeep (which were on rails sections before), Opening up the levels more (not so narrow), many of the missions can be stealthed completely and with no killing, combat is more fluid now and the rope adds something new to this too etc but its still nothing 'new' for gaming. I admit that I prefer the story of Uncharted 2 and didn't like the fact that Sam seemed shoehorned in for this game. I wasn't keen on the MGS style 'alert' on the enemies - although it does help if you are stealthing your way through certain areas - at least one trophy requires you to get from Point A to B without alerting any enemies - something that wouldn't happen in previous games - and it does give more options as to how you approach combat areas. Whilst progression is linear, that doesn't make the game-play 'linear' as in most situations you have a choice in how you approach the combat and even how you get from A to B in some cases. That jeep chase for example has multiple side roads but you could if you wanted just follow the main road. It might be a 'small' example. You could go in all guns blazing to some combat areas, you could sneak around the peripheral edge and pick off a few stealthily before mopping up the rest or just sneak by them altogether without being seen or killing anyone.

Yes its beautifully crafted (a technical masterpiece) and mechanically far more polished than previous games - more so than many other games too but if the story doesn't grab you and take you on that Journey through the game, make you want to find out what happens next, where the characters go etc, then I can understand why it may fall a bit flat. The characters and story is more grounded in reality than other games too - gone are the more mystical elements and the story is more 'Goonies' than Indiana Jones. Its not offering a great deal 'new' even if some of it is new for Uncharted for the game-play itself. I wouldn't say the game-play was secondary to what makes Uncharted 4 great as its been expanded and refined over the previous games but story is also a major part too...

@Gamer83: @BAMozzy: @Rudy_Manchego: I seem to be far more gripped by the infamous second son story, I'm on my second play through ironically and prefer that world to the one Nathan Drake inhabits. I've enjoyed every uncharted but wouldn't say they are the best ever, but as you have all pointed out maybe the story and semi linear nature of it isn't for me. They are polished, thanks for the replies I may get around to finishing it soon.

@themcnoisy: I guess for me, having played the Uncharted series from the very first release on PS3 (I was one of those that bought at release and then have pre-ordered every subsequent game since) and also played the previous Infamous games too, I feel that Uncharted actually took the franchise forward where as Infamous, if anything, went backwards. Visually of course, Infamous 2nd Son was great when it released although does seem to have aged now. The gameplay hasn't really progressed either and actually felt much smaller than Infamous. The fact I platinumed 2nd Son in less than a week was a good indication. I felt that it was almost knocked up to sell the PS4 at launch although it wasn't released for a few months after but it was meant to be a launch title to showcase the PS4 and its new DS4. I am not saying it wasn't fun (I wouldn't have beaten the game at least twice to get the platinum otherwise) but I really felt it was smaller and the characters were not as great as previous titles either. More flash than substance. In many ways, Infamous is more a 'game' as its more 'fantastical' with powers, more comic book etc where as Uncharted is generally more grounded (although the first 3 do have a more 'supernatural' element than the last and with that also comes more human interaction and less of an escape from reality in a lot of ways - although none of us really get to go on a treasure hunt around the world but we may have more in common with Drake and/or his friends than we do with Delsin which may not provide as much of an 'escape' as a result. Instead of getting bogged down by the 'should you put your Brother before your Wife' situation that U4 confronts, Infamous lets you loose on a city with some incredible powers. the story is more incidental - more like a loose thread holding things together and easier to play sporadically as a result.

Maybe as a newcomer to PS and these games, as well as having less time to commit or become attached to characters/story etc, Infamous 2nd Son may have more appeal as its a 'fun' game and not knowing the games that came before means its less disappointing as a follow up. I have invested a lot of time with Nate, Sully and Elena on their adventures. I joined them at their start - like watching a TV series from the beginning, you get to know the characters well, their stories etc and by the 4th series, you are looking forward to seeing their new adventure.

To me what makes Uncharted as one of the best ever isn't just 'game-play' or just the 'story'. Neither are 'spectacular' on their own and borrow heavily from other franchises. In terms of 'production' though, you can't fault what Naughty Dog have achieved, their attention to detail etc. Each game has raised the bar in terms of what can be achieved on the Playstation. Uncharted gave us characters that seemed 'real', Uncharted 3 and Last of Us are the most visually impressive games of last gen. Uncharted 4 raises the bar on this gen and I wouldn't be surprised if the Last of Us 2 pushes that bar higher again - even if it doesn't radically change what we know about 'game-play' and third person Action Adventures. Its not just one aspect alone that makes these games as the best ever - its everything combined. The reason we knew instantly when ND showed its two trailers at PGX they were ND games was because they oozed the quality that they put into their games. Stories can be hit and miss with people, we respond to them in different ways but you can't deny that ND's production values are above the majority if not the best and that sets them apart from others.

Uncharted are by the numbers corridor shooters with seen it all before linear gameplay, elementary borderline insulting puzzles and generally dull story and characters (that Sully! Hohoho! What will he say next?!), perhaps not relative to the medium of games but certainly when considering story telling as a whole. Aside from the outstanding graphics these games are as interesting as water and bread crust for dinner. They are a Thursday night out in a Walkabout. I've played them all once, had some fun, but I'd never revisit any of them. So if the "game" aspect is entirely lacking, the franchise generally relies on its story and characters..which would be fine if I'd never seen a half decent film, TV series or read a good book before, but as I have I have certain expectations in this department so can hardly call any of Nate's adventures gripping. Bread crust and water, friends.

5 or 6 out of 10 all day from me.

My opinion, no taksie backsies.

@kyleforrester87: Ok, I may not agree with the UC4 analysis but I do 100% agree with your use of a Rick and Morty image and no taksie baksies.

Well played sir, well played

@Rudy_Manchego:

"Shoot them, they're just robots Morty!"
"Oh my god, they arnt robots!"
"It's a figure of speech Morty! They are bureaucrats, they are like robots! I don't respect them!"

:'D

@kyleforrester87: Hey, I'm squanching in here....

@kyleforrester87: are there even any games which have a good story / gameplay according to your demands?

@Bonito: Yep, the first one that comes to mind is Red Dead Redemption. I also enjoyed Max Payne 3 (and 1 and 2). Wolfenstein was very good with good gameplay, an interesting story and a believable romance between the two main characters. Alien Isolation was pretty great. So was The Last Guardian. But are these games much different to Uncharted? Nah, not really, I admit. The fact is the Indiana Jones settings just don't do it for me and I don't like Nate, Elena and the rest of the crew as characters, but that's my prerogative. Set the whole thing in space and it would immediately be a better game from my perspective. I've said a few times, I'd absolutely love to see ND do a Scifi game.

On the other hand, I enjoy games like Darksouls, Bloodborne, Fez and to an extent Destiny that have great gameplay and a ton of lore but operate on a "show, not tell" basis.

@kyleforrester87: Funny how you talk about 'story' and characters as being 'poor' in Uncharted and yet constantly say how Doom is one if your favourite games of the year.Its 'story' and character(s) are very poor. The game-play is fun initially but it does get repetitive and I do think quite tiresome too. Its quite linear as well and offers very little in the way of options in approach. Most often, you are locked in a room with enemies that you have to keep moving around at 1 brisk walking speed to pick off the enemies. Even the glory kills which start off fun get boring after a short time - especially as you are forced into these to get health/ammo. Its also quite linear too and offers little in variety, story, characters. Doom 3 was better in these areas.

So many stories tell a similar tale, follow similar plots etc yet can still offer something more. How many movies do we see our 'hero/protagonist' overcome the odds to win and often after a defeat or two as a low point for them. Its not just war/sports stories that follow this path - we see it in romantic films too where the victory is getting the partner and defeats are the partner is with someone else. We see it in all stories and generally their isn't that many truly unique stories but they can feel more unique by settings, characters, a few different twists or merging of other stories/genres. Uncharted's game-play isn't unique I know. Its not the only 3rd person cover shooter with the ability to brawl and platforming sequences in the same way that most FPS games on console have so much in common too - its rare to pick up most games these days and have to learn a whole new set of mechanics or learn a new set of rules. It may be by the 'book' in these areas but Uncharted has refined its system over the years and now have implemented a few new things to the franchise. Vehicle sections are not as 'on rails' as they were, Combat can be approached in different ways and from different angles - its not so linear anymore. You are not forced to clear an area before progressing everytime - not like Doom where progression is locked until the enemies are defeated. Doom also has a LOT of quiet moments - moments you spend platforming to get to the next area or looking around the level for the next group of enemies, Keycard, upgrade/secret area/collectable, its quite linear too and if it had a Maze, instead of the level design we see, it wouldn't be very different from the original and all the clones that spawned.

@kyleforrester87: why do you bring up points which are only important agains a game you do not like, but is not relevant for other games?

@Bonito: Because I'm a human being and not a robot, and like every human being I am a mass of contradictions.

@BAMozzy: I didn't suggest Doom has a good story (though I find the concept and theme interesting)..In terms of Gameplay I thought the game didn't quite outlive its welcome, I enjoyed the soundtrack/aesthetic enough to keep me going, though mileage will vary person to person in that department so I respect what you're saying.

And I just don't like the setting, themes and characters in Uncharted. I'm sorry! But I like to play a variety of games and I'd still give any future instalments a fair crack.

I like Doom too ...

@Bonito: Haha, good wasn't it?

@kyleforrester87: LOL that's fine but not liking something doesn't make them 'bad' or poor in context. Uncharted for example has some of the best and most fully realised characters in a gaming, the settings too are some of the best looking too for the time. The theme is maybe not unique or original but at least its not a convoluted plot or requires additional reading and/or cost to fully understand what's going on.

I admit I prefer game stories that follow a linear path in general. As everything, there are exceptions of course, but generally, I prefer linear stories as side quests -especially those with their own 'story' path can get in the way of or make you forget the main storyline. I don't always think Uncharted has the 'best' story but combined with everything else, I do think that overall its one of, if not the best games each year they release. Other games may have a story I connect with more, but maybe are let down on production values, performance issues, characters (not just the main one or two), Sound (inc Dialogue) etc etc etc compared with Naughty Dogs games. I struggled with connecting to the Last of Us characters especially as most of the supporting cast were brief before dying or getting left behind and the plot was overall predictable, game-play wasn't unique either and a lot of the settings were similarly designed aesthetically (although still remarkable considering it was made for the PS3 hardware). However, I can fully understand how that too one 'Game of the Year'. Its not just about the story or characters (as those can be personal) are liked or if the setting/theme is unique but how these are crafted and woven together, how refined the controls feel and whether you like ND games or not, you can't argue that their games are the amongst the best and most consistently high quality produced and crafted games available. I do expect I will buy the Last of Us 2 but I admit I am not looking forward to it as much as I was for Uncharted 4 as the characters were not as appealing to me.

I too would like ND to do something different. A sci-fi horror survival game maybe even with RPG elements - a cross between Dead Space and Uncharted/Last of Us (without a companion with you). I am sure some of the things they could implement in this would also find their way into their other franchises (if they return to them) to bring something 'new' to these too. I certainly expect the high quality production to continue. Their games are instantly recognisable as ND games - look how quickly everyone knew that the Uncharted standalone was a ND game even if it wasn't immediately obvious it was part of that franchise. Even the Last of Us: Part 2 was obviously ND although the music and imagery gave it away it was a new Last of Us game.

This is a tricky one but i guess I would have to go with
1. The Last of Us - never played on PS3 and this has one of the best stories and voice acting on any game I've played, all wrapped up in a great stealth zombie apocalypse.
2. FFXV - probably biased due to my affection for the series but 80 hours into this roadtrip and I can't wait for the dlc and what an ending
3. Doom - I may never have played this but for @kyleforrester87 (I was initially concerned by the locked room set up) however this is the most fun I've had with a shooter in 10 years
3. Uncharted 4 - yes that's a number 3 too but I can't seperate them and for very different reasons, this is the best looking game on the console and like TLOU is superbly voice acted and has the best balance in thseries between action and adventure as well as being one of the few modern games that rewards players for completing with extras just like the old days.
5. Resogun - my go to game when I just want to unwind and have fun, great fun and challenging too.

Seen some mentions of Fez on here which I hadn't heard of but after watching on Youtube looks right up my street

@carlos82: Glad you're enjoying Doom! I was pleasantly surprised by it, I thought there was every chance it would bomb. I'm something of a Fez fanboy but I was utterly absorbed by it. I felt like the developer agonised over every pixel. That's not to say it'll be for everyone though. Maybe it came along for me at just the right time, too. Sometimes these things resonate more with you when you you've got other stuff going on in life

Nice lists to read, guys!
I am aware this list is very personal so don't call me an heretic or anything. From bottom to top:

5. Street Fighter V - it's the best incarnation of the series, if you like playing against humans. Also, I think the whole "buy dlc with game money (if you play frequently" is a very big deal considering the industry's standards and it is often overlooked in all the criticisms about the lack of 1 player content.

4. Dragon Age Inquisition - this game won an incredible number of goty awards just to be trashed by everyone after the Witcher 3 came out and was sanctified as the paradigm of western RPG. But Inquisition does some things objectively better than the Witcher: environment variety, NPC interaction and dialogues, music, user interface, replay value (you can change race, class, gender, make different story choices...). It's more videogame-y than the Witcher 3 is, but for me that is never a big problem.

3. Ratchet & clank - Not much to say...this is lavish fun. It physically hurt me when it was definitely over and there was nothing left to do ;_; hope a sequel is on its way.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - I might actually kinda have had a little crush on not-existing old dude Geralt at times - embarrassing, really. I am constantly humbled and surprised by how cohesive the world feels. And I am also a Gwent addict (when is that stand alone game coming out?). The combat is actually nothing special even on harder difficulties, the user interface is downright terrible (ok it got better a little bit too late) and 90% of the very richly presented quests can be reduced to "follow the blood/scent/tracks with your witcher senses and find the monster/corpse/loot" but the narration is so grounded and ethically nuanced and the world so believable that I ended up wishing there were more of them even if the game is gigantic and has two lovely expansions. Truly the game of the generation.

1. Final Fantasy XV - Without any doubt I have a strong bond with this series but I didn't think I was going to love XV this much. Or like it all, seriously. Yet there's a lot of heart and soul in this somehow imperfect, troubled creature and you really can feel it. The side quests are as videogame-y as possible but it is not a problem when the combat is so much fun (this is the biggest surprise, as the demos were very lacking in this aspect) and you can listen to the guys' banter while you are at it. And you have pictures of your trip (genius and so simple! hope more games do it), rendered delicious food that actually makes you hungry, a bazillions of little, random charming things to discover, and a god-tier soundtrack. Then the game becomes another game altogether and it's baffling and yet after a while you kinda start to love this other game too, and there are plot holes but an incredible ending makes you forget them and after all just emotion lingers. This will be the 2016 game that I'll probably carry with me for the longest.

p.s. Theoretically, I was bummed by the lack of a female character in the playable cast but after a few hours I kinda enjoyed how the road trip section made me feel like I was one of the boys for once and how the game explored male friendship ...a girl in the party would have totally altered this vibe. And Prompto is not that manlier than me anyway, so I could project a little. I even gave him a pink chocobo. And a weird obsession for Gladio well documented in stalkerish pictures.