STACK May 2016 Issue 139

Druckmann and Josh Scherr, internally,

people would see the cutscenes come

in and provide feedback on the story.

We were always sharing what the

story was and getting more feedback,

and this extended to the actors as

well; they know the characters almost

better than anyone because they’ve

had to live through it during the

live performances, table reads and

performance capture.

“It’s definitely been a

collaborative effort in every

aspect of our game.”

For close to ten years, the

Uncharted series has innovated the

adventure genre, introducing nascent

gameplay features and leading

players through some of the best

cinematic blockbuster moments seen

in video games. And Meyer is excited

about what the “change in console

technology has afforded” the studio.

“The PS4 enabled us to really

layer a lot of the gameplay to create

these over the top action set pieces,

taking them to the next level in a

different way. We’re not trying to outdo

ourselves by coming up with crazier

scenarios, but rather stringing together

a lot of these elements you may have

seen before in creating longer, more

epic sequences.

“I think we really found our stride

in terms of marrying narrative and

gameplay and having them feel

organic as you go between one and

the other, and creating a game that

you don’t want to stand up from

playing. We believe we’ve really gotten

to the point where we feel we’ve

mastered it quite a bit.”

You have to ask why the studio,

after admitting that they’ve finally

“mastered” the game, are turning

their back on Uncharted. An anticipated

fourth game ready for release, comics,

a novel, and even a film adaptation in

the works would suggest that there’s

plenty of opportunity to extend the

universe. But not under Naughty

Dog’s guidance, or even with

Nathan Drake in the lead role. So

the question on everyone's lips is will

Nathan Drake will be killed off at the

end of

Uncharted 4

“I can’t reveal anything about the

story,” replies a pensive Meyer. “You’ll

have to play the game and see, but I

will say, for our subtitles, we’ve always

made sure they’ve had double or

triple meanings.

“So, just because the title

Thief’s End,

doesn’t necessarily

mean you know

which thief meets

an end.”

UNEARTHED

Finders

keepers!

If only that

were true.

The Cuerdale

Hoard

Back in 1840, a team

of builders were

busy repairing the

embankment of the

River Ribble near

Preston, Lancashire, UK

when they unearthed

40kg of Viking silver

including coins, jewelry

and ingots. Over 8,600

items had been buried

in a lead chest and the

coins dated the hoard

to between 905 and

910AD.

The Panagyurishte

Treasure

In 1949, three brothers

working for a tile

company in Bulgaria

were sifting clay when

they stumbled across

a priceless hoard of

Thracian treasure. The

nine solid gold items,

weighing 6.1 kg and

dating back to the

fourth century BC, were

thought to be vessels for

serving ceremonial wine

during royal rituals.

The Caesarea

Sunken Treasure

Members of a diving

club exploring a Roman-

era port in Israel thought

they spotted a toy coin.

What they had actually

uncovered was a haul of

2,000 gold coins lost at

sea 1,000 years ago. A

winter storm is believed

to have uncovered the

sunken treasure.

e’ve created a series that

really marries narrative and

gameplay in a satisfying way;

the strength of it comes from the fact

that our characters are very down to

earth and approachable – when you’re

playing the games, you’re feeling what

the characters on screen feel as well.

There's a genuine connection between

you and the game.”

That’s how director of

communications at Naughty Dog, Arne

Meyer, describes the continued allure

of Sony’s enduring flagship franchise.

Uncharted

first appeared on PS3

in 2007 to critical acclaim. Developer

Naughty Dog fused Indiana Jones

together with Lara Croft, and the result

was Nathan Drake. His adventures

continued on PS3 up until 2011’s

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

. Last

year the studio brought the entire

collection together, remastered for

PS4, in preparation for the charismatic

treasure hunter's final adventure and

the first full game to feature on Sony’s

eighth-gen console.

Reflecting the challenges

synonymous with negotiating the

puzzles in the games, the development

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

has been

a hard road for the developer. Hindered

with the aforementioned delays and

departing staff, including head writer

Amy Hennig, who left to join Visceral

Games, the studio had to dig deep.

“There’s no doubt that there’s some

challenges around [the development],

but I think everyone stepped up,” says

Meyer. “Everyone pitched in with it,

especially with the writing.”

“While the story was written by Neil

Just because the title

A Thief’s End,

doesn’t necessarily

mean you know which

thief meets an end.

•

Uncharted 4:

A Thief's End

is out May 10

visit

stack.net.au

GAMES

FEATURE

jbhifi.com.au

MAY

2016

GAMES

Delayed more times than a Melbourne train,

Uncharted 4: AThief’s End

almost

here.We

spoke with Naughty Dog community manager Arne Meyer,

as Uncharted fans prepare to guide Nathan Drake on his last great adventure.