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Uncharted is one of the game IP’s I will always buy Day One. The sense of adventure and mystery in the series has always appealed to me. Kind of a more modern take on Raiders of the Lost Ark and related films. So, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was definitely a game I was going to buy and play at release. The retirement of Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4 and promotion of Chloe and Nadine to featured roles for this new game also was an appealing idea that guarantees the franchise’s future. So, does Uncharted: The Lost Legacy manage to keep the series momentum moving forward? Absolutely.
Story
For me, Amy Hennig leaving and Neil Druckmann/Bruce Straley taking over the franchise was the best thing that could have happened for Uncharted, and the switch from pulp writing to a more mature and real world approach which was demonstrably successful in Uncharted 4 has also carried over immaculately well in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
The character development which has been a hallmark of the series, continues to shine, with both Chloe and Nadine being fleshed out so well that you can’t help but identify with both characters and become completely engaged and emotionally invested in their adventure….and what an adventure it was!
I don’t want to get spoiler-ey with the story, but this was every bit as fun an adventure as I hoped it would be. There are also a few different aspects or layers to this story which tie together seamlessly and provide a lot of thought provoking moments.
Additionally, the game wraps up nicely with no loose ends, but also very clearly sets the stage for future adventures with Chloe, Nadine, and another character who will remain unnamed in this review. Game developers and script writers should take note. This is how you write a script and put it into video game action.
10 out of 10
Gameplay
The gameplay in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is almost exactly the same as Uncharted 4. That isn’t a bad thing, but it’s definitely more of the same with some minor nuance changes.
Gunplay is crisp, and enemies aren’t as bullet sponge-y as they’ve been in previous game. They also aren’t quite as numerous, and their presence always makes sense. You can choose to use the auto aim function or simply give it an honest go.
The platforming sections are likewise crisp, although past issues still appear. Most notably clipping. You WILL get stuck on your companions and random environment objects from time to time. Jumping will get you unstuck, but it definitely still happens too frequently, and this was a little disappointing. I feel at this point, Naughty Dog has had ample opportunity to iron out this issue a bit. Other than that annoyance though, the climbing and jumping sections all work as they should.
The level design is brilliant as is the pacing. There is never a dull moment, the breaks in action all happen at the appropriate moments, and these never overstay their welcome. However, my other complaint is with the actual design of two levels, which were obvious re-skins of two levels from Uncharted 4. Exactly the same except perhaps enemy placement and the specifics of challenges from what I can tell. I think they could have avoided this (although I suppose they could also say that these actually were the same geographical areas in both games (meaning the events were happening in the same spot), and thus they didn’t need to craft entirely new levels. Dunno.
Overall, despite my two gripes, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy definitely handles like a champ and was hella fun to play through.
8 out of 10
Graphics
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a stunner. All of the environments and levels were flat out beautiful, and I probably ended up taking close to 200 screenshots while playing. In fact, even Chloe, in game, seems enamored of them, as there are around 30ish opportunities for her to take some pictures on her phone of the places she is visiting. You will witness some truly unforgettable places in this game.
Character animations are a bit less perfect, but obviously are still incredibly well done. There are moments when they are also stunning, but at other times, you can see some rough edges in the programming. However, the physics for the animations are always spot on. Every time. They really react well to the environment and things happening within the game itself.
9.5 out of 10
Audio
Everything related to the audio tracks in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was done to perfection. I really can’t think of anything that wasn’t spot on. All the ambient sounds and the sounds of activity made this a living and breathing world.
However, as always, no matter how perfect the audio tracks in general were, the actual voice acting in incomparable in gaming. Nobody manages to get more out of their actors than Druckmann and Naughty Dog. Even more than the actual writing, Druckmann manages to get the most out of his actors. Every line is believably human, every emotion conveyed like they were really in the game experiencing what their characters were experiencing and sharing in the emotional attachment to those events and interactions.
10 out of 10
Verdict
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a must own must play for PS4 owners. My own playthrough lasted 9 hours 38 minutes, and I could easily have spent another hour or two trying to find every collectible and photo opportunity in the game. There is also multi-player, but I didn’t really play around too much with it as it is the same as UC4’s for the most part, and that wasn’t my favorite aspect of that game either. However, if you are into that, then you will put a ton more time into the game, and trophy hunters will further add a playthrough or two to their playtime as well.
I highly recommend this game for everybody. A mature and approachable, epic adventure that gives you new perspective through the eyes of our new Uncharted protagonists.
9.4 lost Indian artifacts found out of 10 possible. The others will continue on the be a Lost Legacy for future adventurers to discover.
p.s. I actually finished this game two days after release, but that was also one day before I moved across state lines, and so my review was delayed as a result.
To enjoy more moments in this game, feel free to peruse this travel log below:
