Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release date: August 22, 2017
Available on: PS4
It’s hard to believe the Uncharted franchise is a decade old now. For most of these ten years, the series has centered around Nathan Drake, the character that pretty much has highlighted the career of voice actor Nolan North. We followed the adventures of Nate, his grizzled, cigar smoking sidekick Sully, and the reporter turned girlfriend and then wife Elena as they tracked cursed gold in Drake’s Fortune (2007), searched for Shangri-La in Among Thieves (2009), looked for a lost desert city in Drake’s Deception (2011), and met up with Nate’s brother Sam while seeking a fabled pirate lair in A Thief’s End (2016). While the first three originated on the PS3 and then jumped to the PS4 with the fourth entry, we did get two titles on the Vita- a prequel in Golden Abyss (2011) and a card spin off game called Fight for Fortune (2012). Even Android and iOS users got in on the franchise with 2016’s Fortune Hunter. The franchise, taking its cues from the Indiana Jones film series (much like the Tomb Raider games), is known for its trademark humor, big action movie style set pieces, beautiful exotic worldwide locales, and shooting lots and lots of bad guys. The series, especially the four core games, are among the best on Sony’s console.
Last year we saw Drake’s story come to a close, as he settled down to be a family man. No one could have blamed developer Naughty Dog from resting on its laurels there, as the games were both critically and commercially successful. While multiplayer modes were added in, beginning with Among Thieves and continuing with A Thief’s End (which also got a Survival Mode), which certainly continued the fun from the story driven single player experiences, they weren’t quite the same thing as searching for a fabled treasure while trying to stay ahead of nefarious villains. It was decided by Naughty Dog that A Thief’s End would get some single player DLC. Lucky for us, things blossomed during production, and we got a full, stand alone game in its own right in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
The Lost Legacy focuses on Chloe Frazier, who first appeared in Among Thieves, and mercenary Nadine Ross, who menaced the Drake brothers in A Thief’s End. The pair take over admirably for Nate and Sully, and they learn from each other on this first pairing up, trading barbs and at times touching moments from their respective pasts. The ladies find themselves in the mountainous region of India, which is suffering from a civil war, on the trail of the famed Tusk of Ganesh. Also seeking the Tusk is Asav, a military leader who has plenty of armed soldiers under his command. The game begins in a war torn city and then moves through jungles and ruins of ancient cities in the mountains, featuring plenty of action packed escapes and set pieces the franchise is noted for. The stealth options from the last game are here, as you can try to take enemies out quietly, before things devolve into an all out firefight. There’s another wide open section to be explored in a jeep, but where as that sequence in Madagascar went on a bit long in A Thief’s End, this one is a bit more focused, keeping us moving from one objective to the next.
We also have plenty of little treasures to find, as well as puzzles to solve. Unlike the previous games, this adventure, while dealing with mythical gods, doesn’t have any supernatural element to it. It’s a more grounded adventure, and in that it works very well. Asav is not motivated by finding something to help him dominate the world. He instead is motivated by the more immediate concerns of gaining an upper hand in the civil war. This means the inevitable boss battle becomes a more grounded affair as well, even though it is presented in spectacular fashion at the end of the game’s 11 chapters. By cutting things in half from the normal 22 chapters, the game keeps things more focused, its brevity cutting out any filler material. It keeps the main task front and center, and keeps our leads on point as they bond, clash, then bond again. Chloe and Nadine make a terrific pairing, and with both being terrifically voiced by Claudia Black and Laura Bailey (each reprising the roles from previous entries) they are instantly likeable and we want them to succeed in their quest. The ladies are no slouches when taking out the bad guys either, making for plenty of satisfying action throughout the 8-12 hours of gameplay (your time will vary depending on how much exploring you do as well as how well you can remain stealthy- always going guns blazing will have you on the shorter end).
While the game itself brings nothing really new to the franchise (the most notable new item in the pinion that adds in climbing, a la Tomb Raider), it does take the familiar and makes them feel fresh with the two female leads. Chloe and Nadine are always engaging, and the villain Asav is menacing without being over the top. The game doesn’t forget its roots, and the Drake brothers are referenced, but the references are done more in passing, rather than having Nate’s spirit hanging over the proceedings. It may be a well worn formula by now, but its used to great effect. Besides, why fix something that isn’t broken? The game delivers on all the action set pieces, puzzles, and exploration that fans of the franchise have come to expect. What’s more, it delivers in a focused manner, always having the plot moving forward to one of the more exciting finales you’ll play this year. There are even a couple of nice surprises, which I won’t spoil here.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy may have started off a simple DLC, but it evolved into a full fledged game in its own right. The length of gameplay matches those of previous titles in the series, and it’s a joy to play. There are very few annoyances, but they’ve been the same ones that have been in the series since the first outing, such as having to go into a separate screen to look at a map to being guided on a specific path when it comes to platforming (you can’t climb on anything, even when it looks climbable). But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise excellent and entertaining adventure. Plus, the game looks stunning, and happily includes a photo mode with plenty of filters you can unlock in the extras with points gained by playing the game and finding treasures. These points can also unlock alternate costumes, weapons, game filters, and concept art. It’s a nice touch that gives incentive to replay the game. The Lost Legacy may not have reinvented the wheel, but it sure knows how to use it well. That alone makes this a worthy addition to the franchise, and well worth your time and money.
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