#1. UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
Let’s get one thing out of the way- on an overall level, The Last of Us Part 2 is probably Naughty Dog’s best playing game. But it is as good as it is because a lot of other strong factors, such as encounter design, help compensate for some other relative shortcomings. Uncharted 4, on the other hand, definitely lacks the kind of stellar design that Naughty Dog would flex in their later games – but its mechanics are top notch and unparalleled, with its absolutely buttery smooth handling of weapons, of hits, of recoil and aiming, of reloading, taking cover, of every little and big thing that goes into a third person shooter playing well coming together to create a game that just feels like a joy to play. The simple act of aiming your gun and shooting feels incredibly satisfying in Uncharted 4, with weapons packing a punch, and the visual and sound design doing their part to ensure that the mechanics are backed up by stellar on-screen representation of your shooting as well. The mechanics in Uncharted 4 are so good, Naughty Dog would go on to reuse them for The Lost Legacy (and hopefully, future games as well), delivering a second sublime third person shooter that towers over all others this generation. For a series that started out with the rather unflattering “movie game” moniker to ultimately deliver the best playing game of the genre this generation is the ultimate twist of irony and fate – but Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann’s last joint venture finally delivers a Nathan Drake adventure that is as fun to participate in as it is to follow on screen. Truly the highest possible praise you can lavish on the game.
