Why The Uncharted Series Might Be The Greatest Linear Experience Ever

The series has ended but it lives on in the heart (or hard drive) of anyone who ever played it

[UCForce]

Linear game is here to stay.

[tealive]

For a long time. :')

[miyamoto]

Uncharted is probably one of the most influential game last generation. It has changed game making after it.

[S2Killinit]

as much as i agree, and as much as I consider UC to be a "linear" game, the last one was great in the way it mixed linear story with non-linear gameplay. Pure awesome.

[Gazondaily]

I don't think it was that non linear. I expected a lot more than just a larger expanse to do battle.

It was thoroughly linear imo. Not that it's a bad thing. Although it could benefit from being more funamentally open

[Kurdishcurse]

naah. its just cheap and lazy design. it doesnt even have to be open world. just at the very least has some depth or complexity to it. uncharted level design is easily one of the most laughably bad designs in quite a while. not to mention the beautiful but useless backrounds of the game. last of us, although still pretty lazy on the whole, had better level design than uc4.

[ArchangelMike]

I love uncharted, but imho TLOU took it's crown.

[tealive]

TLOU is a league on its own.

[AcidDvl]

Uncharted 4 single-player campaign shits on the TLOU. I'm not talking about story tho, because that's relative.

Edit: Jesus people! I specifically said that I'm not talking about story! I'm talking level design, art design, pace, moment to moment...

[Errorist76]

Both are amazing but also very different. TLOU had a much bigger impact though.

[S2Killinit]

they are very different gameplay wise. I LOVE both of them to death.

[snoopgg]

Opinions are relative also

[morganfell]

Uncharted is about adventure and TLOU is gritty story telling. If the UC series has one downfall it is as it matured it became far too serious and lost a little of the feeling the first game possesses. I liken the series to the Die Hard movies and how the tone of the films changed.

[Utalkin2me]

Didnt know TLOU had a series already. Well crap i have some catching up to do.

[Lon3wolf]

I like them equally as each was a different experience.

[snoopgg]

I agree it felt like i was on the living dead show

[goldwyncq]

Uncharted 2 is still the better game imo

[Yohshida]

nice joke tho
crash freaking bandicoot

[UCForce]

That's also Naughty Dog Game.

[Yohshida]

Thanks for stating the obviouse

[WushuKnight19]

Linear? That's a category now? Why not action/adventure or 3rd Person Shooter. Saying the best "linear" game is kind of insulting just because it's not free-roam.

[Goldby]

so is it alright to have the best open world game but not a linear game.

there is nothign insulting about being a linear game, certain stories work better for linear than they would free roam/open world

[ninsigma]

Agreed. A story can definitely be told better when the pacing is controlled.

[ninsigma]

What's insulting about linear?? People need to get it out of their heads that linear is bad. Ever since we could have massive open world games last gen, people seem to think that's the be all end all. It's not. Linear games can be freaking awesome and I generally think they're much better than open world games.

[Goldby]

much better stories, that for sure

[BlackTar187]

people who call linear bad are new to gaming probably

[DarXyde]

My issue with open world is how easy it is to fatigue from them. Try playing assassin's creed games back to back. It's almost nauseating.

Linear, for sure, does a better job of explaining a narrative.

Or, perhaps...it hasn't been mastered yet. I think Dark Souls and The Witcher come the closest to mastering narrative with open world. The lore is there, if you're willing to indulge. And the scope is often mind blowing in its own ways (seriously, Nameless King?).

[chobit_A5HL3Y]

uncharted really was a great game. i don't generally like single player games but even i really enjoyed the uncharted series. i still have to play 4 though. tlou was also really good, and i think i enjoyed it a tad more than uncharted in terms of single player experience.

[TheOptimist]

Linear games are not my thing in general, but if there was one game I would put on top, it would be Witcher 2, great gameplay, non linear mature story with real impacts. Other than that there is Half Life 1 and 2 and Spec Ops: The Line. But well it's opinions so take it with a grain of salt

[opinionated]

Uncharted 2 is one of the greatest games period. The rest range from pretty good to pretty awful.

[Errorist76]

The only one a bit questionable is U1 by today's standards. All other 3 games are pretty spectacular and definitely in the top 10 of third person games.

[opinionated]

I disagree. The only one that completely nailed the pacing is UC2. It's easily in my top 10 of all time. Of any kind of game. The others not so much.

UC1 isn't my least favorite, especially with the revamped controls I'm waiting to try out. I expect it to be a psplus game soon. I already platinumed the first 3 so I didn't feel the need to buy the remaster.

[UCForce]

All Uncharted games are my favorite. Despite I criticized UC 3, it's still my favorite.

[miyamoto]

I love all Uncharted games. Especially Uncharted 2-my first Uncharted.
Perfect SP and perfect MP.

[opinionated]

Most are pretty good. They all have their great moments but there is never a dull moment in UC2, it's perfection. Any and all flaws are absent unlike the others.

[JumpAction]

What is it about Uncharted 2 that differentiates it from the others in the series?

The only Uncharted game I have played (and finished) was Uncharted 2 and the gameplay of that game is what turned me off playing the others. Are the others really so drastically different that they could be awful?

[opinionated]

The pacing, the light hearted characters, the story. I liked the gameplay so you will differ me from me.

- UC1 didn't have enough set pieces, the controls were funny, and the enemies were bullet sponges

- UC 3 ramped up the set pieces from 1 and 2. But was weirdly paced. You would go from walking around doing nothing to jumping across a broken ship graveyard. The story started taking more of a serious turn but the characters personality was still lighthearted.

- UC4 is inspired heavily by the last of us which might be more to your liking. Very serious story, very serious characters almost to the point of ruining them. Very few set pieces and the ones they did have were more on rails, grounded and realistic. No hanging from trains and such. The combat encouraged stealth by making you fight fewer but more difficult enemies in small open spaces. The last few chapters were more on par with UC2 though.

I personally think UC2 is the perfect balance in the middle of all of that.

[JumpAction]

Actually, by the sounds of what I have heard about Uncharted 4, it has the most climbing sections which was one of the biggest things about Uncharted 2 that I disliked. :(

But thank you, that helps me understand a little more why Uncharted 2 differs from the others in the series so much. I guess the series really isn't for me, but man they are seriously terrific on a graphical level. I love Naughty Dog's execution in making high quality production values.

[JumpAction]

It's incredible what Naughty Dog can achieve in their games. Everything about the Uncharted series just oozes quality production values. It's incredible!

I may not like the Uncharted games, personally but I'm left amazed with what Naughty Dog can achieve. They are a terrific team.

[PlayableGamez-]

I still prefer the MG Solid series over Uncharted.

[Mr Marvel]

The Last of Us was even better.

[scark92]

I think Half-Life 2 due to the illusion that you are in one entire world, and all that happens in it.

[Errorist76]

Still an amazing game in my book.

[andrewsquall]

Which is why Quantum Break, that only launched mere weeks before Uncharted 4, won't be winning any GOTY awards. ^_^

[Kashima]

Soulsborne says hello.

[goldwyncq]

Not linear at all.

[Goldby]

i didn't know you had access to Mergo's wet loft from the beginning.

if you don't ahve an area available from the beginning it is a linear game. point a gets you to point b, point b gets you to point c.

while the soulsborne games are open world esque, they are still linear games that you must progress through to open up everything

[goldwyncq]

By that logic, even the earlier GTA games can be considered linear because significant parts of the world are blocked off at the beginning.

[Asuka]

I can definitely see why people would feel this way as the Uncharted games are all really well received. However i know im in the minority when i say that i dont feel the same. Beat the first game, and played half of UC2, but i just couldn't get into it. Nothing against it but i just got bored. For me personally the best single player experience was/is the Kingdom Hearts series. Those games meant something to me growing up, and made me feel a certain way that games today are not able to do, imo

[ClayRules2012]

The Uncharted series is an incredible linear experience. I'm forever grateful for what Amy Hennig, and everyone at Naughty Dog, along with the entire cast of the series, for what they've done/contributed to not only ideo games, but to the video game industry as a whole. I absolutely loved Uncharted 4. It ended with real class. My personal favorite of the series.

Having said that, The Last of Us is the best linear experience I've ever played. It truly had an impact on me like no other game I've ever played.

The Last of Us really sits in a class of its own "in my opinion"

[Errorist76]

The Last Of Us isn't just above all other games but media in general in how it moved me. It did something to me which no movie ever could, so it elevated gaming to a whole new level. Just an incredible achievement.

[ClayRules2012]

Yeah, It really is an incredible achievement.

I'm so glad The Last of Us affected you in that way. It's a beautiful thing, buddy.

Just out've curiosity, what's one movie that affected you on an emotional level?

[Goldby]

Same here for me, i went into Last of us not knowing what to expect, and man was i hit hard a few times, (left behind as well)

as for movies that have affected me on the same level or close to. Patch Adams would probably be the closest.

Miss ya bunch Williams R.I.P. you hairy gorilla

[medman]

Personally, I would give the title to The Last of Us. So powerful, with Ellie being my favorite new character of the last generation.

[Deadpooled]

Probably the greatest action adventure gaming series ever.

[Chocoburger]

I've completed and enjoyed all 5 Uncharted games, but Metal Gear Solid games are significantly more memorable and replayable than Uncharted series. So no, Uncharted is not the greatest linear experience ever. Not even remotely close.

[LAWSON72]

If any game is in a league of its own it is MGS. It tackles cinematic experiences while also having proper in game story telling, boss fights, gameplay variety with sandbox level design and set linear pieces. People love praising ND like they are gods among developers, but IMO it has been Kojima since MGS1. MGS games are not simply linear experiences (referring to 1-4) they are alot more.

Uncharted is a unique game that simply fits the bill for cinematic set piece linear action experiences (with some small puzzle aspects). UC4 did tackle large sandboxes which was a fun attempt, but still it was very much the same formula (by no means bad). Not a lot of games tackle exactly what it does, heck most games these days think open world is a requirement (real shame) It focuses 100% on a linear experience with a high budget and talented team, while most games tackle open world or choices. The competition just really is not there. I guess it would not be totally crazy to say TLOU and UC are in a league of their own because they kind of are.

[Goldby]

i think it may also be that Uncharted is more relate-able for the average Joe. don't get me wrong, i much prefer MGS games or Uncharted, but at times as good as the story telling and cinematics are, there is a connection loss from the use of Nano-tech, physic enemies, and all those damn acronyms (i kid with that last point)

With uncharted, you are a dude, finding stuff, something all of us can relate to. yes the set pieces and shooting are something only some of us have experience but the use of comic relief and everything has a strong pull for alot of people

[jc12]

No way. TLOU was better...by a wide margin. I was honestly disappointed with Uncharted 4. The graphics were great, but I thought the gun play and enemy AI left something to be desired. Also, the utter lack of a character progression system was truly disappointing.

I played the online mode a handful of times and then moved on. Not a terrible game, but not as good as advertised.

[Goldby]

this is a series not just one game, if it was comparing one game, Last of Us would take it over uncharted any day of the week