Digital Foundry: Hands-on with Uncharted 4 multiplayer

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The Uncharted series' excellent multiplayer is back, but not the way we left it. For the first time, Uncharted 4 ramps its online play up to 60 frames per second (up from solo mode's 30fps) and having played it extensively at this week's Paris Games Show, the upgrade is tangible. The code on the showfloor was pre-alpha, but even this early on, the 60fps target clearly makes a difference for a mode with a competitive slant - an important part of giving us the tightest controller response possible. It's also fair to say a doubling in refresh means visual priorities are re-ordered here, particularly compared to what we've seen of its gorgeous solo adventure. But from what we've played, is that really a problem?
The Paris build throws us into a detail-rich jungle level, fronted by a sharp cliff edge. It's a staple Uncharted setting, a sprawl of trees, flooded recesses, and twisting pathways - with an ancient ruin at its centre. Each portion is already memorable, but in terms of its core tech, Naughty Dog's choice to move to 1600x900 for multiplayer doesn't hamper its presentation. Paired with the studio's post-process anti-aliasing, it's fair to say the image isn't as sharp as what we've seen of the single-player so far, built from the ground up with a native 1080p. But in attaining its target 60fps, a drop to 900p makes sense as a trade-off in multiplayer.
Indeed, the team's art design still shines through brightly, and this build is likely to improve even further by release. As it is, this jungle map is filled with conifer leaves that bend and flinch around the character's legs, backed by some on-point lighting and effects. The layering of foliage detail is very impressive, and PS4 is clearly pushing this aspect harder than previous Uncharted games - especially in multiplayer. The ground is packed with detail, and elsewhere we see atmospheric effects like trees blowing in the wind, and pollen particles floating in the air. It adds a sense of liveliness to the map, even when the action slows down for a spell.
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