Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: Overview & Critic Reception
This is a research-based overview compiled from publisher information, official patch notes and published critic reception. It is not a hands-on review and ParryStack assigns no score of its own. How we research and verify · Report an error
Critic reception
Metacritic (critic aggregate): 93 (PS4)
Source: Metacritic, checked 12 Oct 2026. These are third-party critic scores, not ParryStack ratings.
Summary
Uncharted 4 is a story-driven action-adventure game that closes Nathan Drake's arc. It holds a Metacritic score of 93 (PS4) and has sold over 18 million copies.
Combat and stealth
Combat mixes firearms, melee and stealth. Environments are larger than in earlier Uncharted games, with multiple paths, and tall grass and ledges make quiet takedowns practical. Nathan can swing on a rope and use a grappling hook, and some segments use vehicles, including a Jeep.
Traversal and collectibles
There are 193 collectibles: 109 treasures, 25 journal entries, 23 notes and 36 optional conversations. They are found outside combat encounters, and the Prologue and Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 7 have none. Chapter Select lets you go back for anything you missed.
Story and characters
The story is the return of Nathan's brother Sam. Sam had worked with Rafe Adler before double-crossing him. Rafe, with Nadine Ross's Shoreline company, is the main opposition. The game has a prologue, 22 chapters and an epilogue, and it won Best Narrative and Best Performance (Nolan North) at The Game Awards 2016, Best Game at the BAFTA Games Awards and four D.I.C.E. Awards. It has sold over 18 million copies.
Platforms and multiplayer
PS4 (10 May 2016), then PS5 (28 January 2022) and Windows (19 October 2022) in the Legacy of Thieves Collection, which also includes The Lost Legacy. The online multiplayer mode (Command, Ranked, Team Deathmatch, Plunder and Trials, plus Survival) is only in the PS4 version.
Summary
If you want one linear, story-focused action-adventure game with large environments, Uncharted 4 is the series' high point according to critics. A first playthrough takes about 15 hours.
Pros & Cons
- Linear story with larger environments and multiple paths
- Rope and grappling hook add traversal options
- Quiet takedowns and tall-grass stealth are an option in many fights
- Won Best Narrative and Best Performance at The Game Awards 2016
- Legacy of Thieves Collection brings it to PS5 and PC
- Online multiplayer exists only in the PS4 version
- The game is linear and some action sequences are scripted
- A first playthrough is around 15 hours
- Collectibles are spread across most chapters, so a full run needs Chapter Select clean-up
Sources & fact-check
Release facts, mechanics and boss details on this page were checked against these sources on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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