Top 7 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Combat Tips

Uncharted 4 has been out for a decent amount of time now, which means that a lot of you have had the chance to dive into what is arguably the best game on the PS4 so far. If you’re playing the game on Hard or Crushing difficulty, you may have found the combat in the campaign to be a little difficult, so we’ve come up with a list of tips and tricks to help you successfully take down the mercenaries in your way and find Henry Avery’s treasure.

1. Keep Moving

Uncharted is about fast-paced and fluid combat. While there is a cover system (which we’ll get to in a moment), you’re better off using it for short periods of time instead of camping behind a single pillar or crate. Nathan Drake is armed with a grappling hook and god-like strength and agility, so use those to your advantage and always attempt to flank and catch your adversaries by surprise.

2. Use Stealth at Every Opportunity

If a situation allows you to approach stealthily, DO IT. Mark every enemy that you see and go for the stragglers who like to walk through tall grass and stand way too close to ledges. Nine times out of ten, you’re going to get discovered before the encounter is over, and since this game likes to throw enemies at you in big bunches, thinning the herd is really going to help, and the markers will allow you to navigate the environment easily since you’ll be able to see through walls.

3. Prioritize Your Enemies

Heavies with miniguns are your top priority, but instead of focusing all your attention on them, stay mobile and take shots when possible, keeping as much cover in between you as possible. Grenade launchers and RPGs are next, as their splash damage is insane and will kill you pretty much instantly if you get stuck. Snipers can be a big problem if you’re fighting heavies, but the morale damage that their lasers do is far worse than your chances of actually getting shot if you keep moving.

4. Learn Your Weapons

Pistols and their headshot ability are your saving grace in Uncharted 4. They’re a one hit kill on everyone not wearing a helmet, so squeezing off four well placed shots with your pistol is going to do you way more good then unloading a clip and a half of AK rounds and missing half of your shots. When you’re mobile, though, a blindfire AK will definitely prove more worthy, but not nearly as worthy as a shotgun. Snipers should be reserved for long distance engagements early, and heavy weapons should be used sparingly- there’s no need to waste all your RPG ammo on a single pistol-wielding enemy!

5. Know When to Use Cover

There is a lot of cover in Uncharted 4, but most of it should only be used to quickly heal, reload, or get your bearings. Your enemies will flank you or straight-up charge you, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stuck if you stay in one place for too long. Edge-of-the-map ledges are generally the only exception to this- you’ll only have your pistol while you’re hanging, but you’re a tough target to hit and an impossible target to flank if you pick the right ledge.

6. Use Grenades Tactically

Don’t be afraid to use your grenades as soon as an opportunity arises. Clumps of enemies, heavy enemies, and enemies behind cover are all great targets to use grenades against. They also won’t alert enemies to your presence when you’re in stealth mode, so use them on stubborn enemies that you just can’t get past.

7. Go Off the Beaten Path

If finding treasure or better weapons is important to you (the latter will certainly help with combat), try and go wherever the game doesn’t lead you. If you approach a fork in the road and the game wants you to go left, make sure you go right first and explore every nook and cranny. The same goes for the game’s wide open environments- search high ground and the borders of the area to get your hands on some good stuff.