Uncharted (stylized as UNCHARTED) is a video game series and multimedia franchise created and originally developed by Naughty Dog. It is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for its PlayStation line of consoles as well as personal computers and mobile devices.
The games combine elements and gameplay mechanics of action-adventure, third-person shooting, platforming, stealth and puzzle-solving. The four mainline titles in the series follow the adventures of Nathan Drake, an American adventurer and treasure hunter who is believed to be a descendant of English privateer Francis Drake. In each game, Drake uncovers a mythical treasure or lost city as he opposes mercenaries and criminals who seek the treasures for themselves. The games include several recurring and game-specific supporting characters who support Drake's quests, including his mentor Victor Sullivan, love interest Elena Fisher and fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer.
The franchise began with 2007's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3, inspired by rival Microsoft's Gears of War franchise and Indiana Jones movies. Naughty Dog developed three sequels: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009), Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011) and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016), the last one concluding Drake's story arc. A standalone game after A Thief's End, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (2017), served as Naughty Dog's final title in the series. Beyond the core titles, Uncharted includes several spin-off releases and remaster collections, most notably Bend Studio's Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2012). The franchise also expanded beyond video games, including a novel, a comic series, a motion-comic mini-series and a feature-length film.
The Uncharted series was highly acclaimed by critics and was a commercial success, selling over 40 million copies by 2017. The series received widespread praise for its elaborated set-pieces, action sequences, production values, graphical and technological advancements, writing, characterization and multiplayer modes. Alongside The Last of Us, Uncharted has been credited for elevating Naughty Dog's status as a game developer.
Series overview[]
Gameplay[]
The four main Uncharted titles as well as Golden Abyss and The Lost Legacy all share similar gameplay mechanics and design principles, being action-adventure third-person shooter video games. All games are played from a free-controlling third-person camera, though certain segments in individual games may use fixed-camera placement. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune laid the majority of the series' foundations, being an action-adventure title that split its gameplay between combat encounters, platform segments, puzzle solving and spectacle-driven set-pieces; as such in addition to third-person shooter elements, Uncharted also borrows from platform and puzzle games for its design.
Combat mechanics are divided between long-ranged firearm usage and melee-based attacks, with players being able to use either in most combat scenarios. Firearms available to the player character range from handguns to stronger weapons like shotguns, assault rifles and explosives, though in all games players can only carry one handgun and one long gun at a time, with additional access to grenades or other small explosives depending on the game. Melee combat originally was introduced with specific combo styles in Drake's Fortune, although later installments simplified or overhauled the mechanic to be more streamlined. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception introduced greater emphasis on environmental combat, with Drake being able to use random objects around him for melee. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End introduces buddy takedowns, in which the player and a non-playable ally can deliver a joint finishing move on enemies.
Originally included in Drake's Fortune, stealth elements are properly introduced to the franchise with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, allowing the player character to quietly take down enemies while sneaking on them from behind or hiding behind a cover, though once discovered the player would have to fight through the arena. The franchise's stealth system was overhauled for A Thief's End, allowing the player to resume a stealthy approach if discovered, use ledges and vertical advantages to perform aerial takedowns, and in some scenarios completely avoid combat encounters. Another feature introduced in A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy is the ability to tag enemies to keep track of their location.
Uncharted features extensive climbing and jumping mechanics used primarily for platform sections, although these mechanics can also be freely used for combat sequences. The player can climb on designated ledges, planks, rocks and roofs depending on the location or challenge; ropes and vines can also be swung on when presented. A Thief's End introduces several innovations to the series' platforming, including the usage of a grappling hook, a piton to latch unto steeper surfaces, and the ability to slide down high peaks. The series' platform mechanics are also used in several puzzles placed throughout the games. Puzzles in the Uncharted series usually involve the manipulation of specific objects according to hint provided by the characters or the game itself.
Additional traversal mechanics are present throughout the Uncharted games, dating back to Drake's Fortune in which the player controls a jet ski through watery ruins; Drake's Deception introduces horse riding to the franchise, while A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy introduce fully drivable vehicles in the form of off-road jeeps for some of the games' more open-ended levels. A Thief's End also reintroduce watercrafts to the series.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves introduced a multiplayer mode to the series, which was built upon in Drake's Deception, A Theif's End and The Lost Legacy. In competitive multiplayer modes, player skins are based on various characters appearing or mentioned in the franchise and are divided between "Heroes" and "Villains"; Drake's Deception introduced the ability to create a custom-made character and included greater customization options to existing character skins, which was further expanded upon in A Thief's End. Among Thieves and Drake's Deception included a cooperative mode in addition to competitive multiplayer modes, while A Thief's End included a survival game mode in a free update to the game.
Most games feature bonus features that can be unlocked throughout the single-player campaigns and used after the player finishes at least one playthrough. These bonuses include alternative character skins, weapons, visual filters and different gameplay modifications such as slow-motion.
Setting and premise[]
Uncharted is primarily set in the 21st century during the 2000s and the 2010s, with only a handful of flashback scenes placed prior to that. The series doesn't have a set location for its main setting, with each installment taking place in different parts of the world. Locations in the Uncharted series present a mixture of real-life cities, landmarks and regions, as well as fictional or semi-fictional places inspired by legends, mythology, folklore and ancient cultures. The original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was largely set in the same location for the majority of its duration, while later installments developed a globe-trotting aspect to their adventures.
Historical figures and their accompanied myths or adventures form a major backdrop to most of the games. The English explorer Francsis Drake serves as a major recurring figure in the overarching story arc of series protagonist Nathan Drake, and his life and legacy form a central part of the backstories for Drake's Fortune and Drake's Deception. The four mainline installments and Golden Abyss each incorporate such figures, with The Lost Legacy instead focusing on the broader history and legends of its overall setting, the Western Ghats in India.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, released in 2007, is largely inspired by the final exploits of Francis Drake as well as the mythical city El Dorado and associated legends. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, released in 2009, is inspired by the travels of Venetian explorer Marco Polo and the legends surrounding the Cintamani jewel and the lost kingdom of Shambhala. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, released in 2011, takes influence from the life and writings of British archeologist, writer and army officer T. E. Lawrence in addition to revisiting Francis Drake, and follows the pursuit for the lost city, Iram of the Pillars. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, released in 2016 and concludes the character arc of Nathan Drake, is inspired by the infamous pirate Henry Avery and the mythical pirate utopia Libertatia. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, released in 2017, eschews direct historical or mythical figures, and is inspired by Indian history and mythology, particularly of the Hoysala Empire.
Characters[]
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune introduces the trinity of series protagonist Nathan Drake and his closest companions Elena Fisher and Victor Sullivan. Within the games, Drake, who is called Nate by his friends, is a treasure hunter knowledgeable in history, mythology and linguistics who presents himself as a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, who historically was childless. Some of his adventures place emphasis on his claim to Francis Drake's heritage, while others either follow standalone adventures or explore other aspects of the character. Elena and Sullivan, usually nicknamed Sully, tend to accompany Nate throughout his exploits. Elena is originally introduced as a reporter and journalist who finds herself tangled along Nate in the latter's search for El Dorado, and acts as Nate's primary love interest in the game, culminating in their marriage and eventual retirement. Sully is introduced as Nate's one-time mentor and most frequent partner, with his background and relationship with Nate being explored during the events of Drake's Deception.
The series also goes on to introduce other major allies or protagonists. Debuting in Among Thieves, Chloe Frazer is presented as a former partner and lover of Nate with whom she reunites during the events of the game; an Australian-Indian treasure hunter and thief, she reappears in a smaller role in Drake's Deception and goes on to become the protagonist and playable character of The Lost Legacy, which reveals much of her backstory. Samuel "Sam" Drake, Nate's older brother, is introduced in A Thief's End and reappears as a supporting character in The Lost Legacy. Other major allies throughout the series included Tenzin, a Tibetan guide who appears in Among Thieves; Charlie Cutter, another associate of Nate, introduced in Drake's Deception as a mole within the game's antagonistic faction; Marisa Chase, an archeologist who serves as Nate's love interest in Golden Abyss.
Each installment usually introduces a main antagonist and at least one supporting antagonist that serve as Nate's main adversaries for the duration of the single-player campaigns, with the former often serving as their respective game's final boss. Drake's Fortune features loan shark and treasure collector Gabriel Roman and his employees mercenary leader and archeologist Atoq Navarro and pirate leader Eddy Raja, who is a former friend of Nate. Among Thieves features Serbian war criminal Zoran Lazarević and treasure hunter Harry Flynn. Drake's Deception features Katherine Marlowe, the leader of a Hermetic secret society and one of Nate's oldest enemies, mostly accompanied by her right-hand man Talbot. A Thief's End features Rafe Adler, an old partner of the Drake brothers, and Nadine Ross, a mercenary hired by Adler; Nadine would go on to become a supporting character in The Lost Legacy, notably the only villain in the series to fully become an ally. Golden Abyss features Panamanian warlord Roberto Guerro and treasure hunter Jason Dante.
Games[]
- Major installments
| Game title | Release | Platform | Developer | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncharted: Drake's Fortune | November 19, 2007 | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 | Naughty Dog | |
| Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | October 13, 2009 | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 | Naughty Dog | |
| Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | November 1, 2011 | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 | Naughty Dog | |
| Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | May 10, 2016 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC | Naughty Dog | |
| Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | August 22, 2017 | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC | Naughty Dog | Standalone game to the main series |
- Other games
| Game title | Release | Platform | Developer | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncharted: Golden Abyss | December 17, 2011 | PlayStation Vita | Bend Studio | |
| Uncharted: Fight for Fortune | December 4, 2012 | PlayStation Vita | Bend Studio, One Loop Games | |
| Uncharted: Fortune Hunter | May 10, 2016 | Mobile (Android, iOS) | Playspree |
- Compilations and re-releases
| Game title | Release | Platform | Developer | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncharted: Dual Pack | 2010 | PlayStation 3 | Naughty Dog | Compilation of Drake's Fortune and Among Thieves |
| Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection | October 7, 2015 | PlayStation 4 | Bluepoint Games, Naughty Dog | Remastered compilation of Drake's Fortune, Among Thieves and Drake's Deception |
| Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection | January 22, 2022 | PlayStation 5, PC | Naughty Dog, Iron Galaxy | Remastered compilation of A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy |
Appearances in other games[]
Characters and motifs from the Uncharted series have made appearances in other games, both published by Sony and ones made by external companies. The Last of Us series, also developed by Naughty Dog, makes several references to Uncharted.[1] PlayStation Home featured several spaces and mini-games based on the Uncharted, with each one of the PlayStation 3 titles receiving its own dedicated space in the app. The LittleBigPlanet franchise includes several accessories based on Uncharted, and the 2011 title Infamous 2 also features a nod to the franchise.[2]
Drake is a playable character in the 2012 fighting game PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. His features are also seen in 2020's Astro's Playroom and 2024's Astro Bot.
Both Drake and Chloe Frazer were added to Epic Games' Fortnite in February 2022, with appearances based both on the video games and the 2022 feature film.[3]
Other media[]
Film adaptation[]
A film adaptation directed by Ruben Fleischer was released in February 2022. Originally greenlit in 2008, work on the film experienced development hell as multiple directors and cast members were attached to it in various points, with actor Mark Wahlberg initially cast as protagonist Nathan Drake. The released version of the film ultimately cast Tom Holland as Drake, with Wahlberg remaining on the project in the role of Victor Sullivan.
Motion comics[]
A motion comics based on the events of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was released in 2007, premiering as two episodes and adapting the game's prologue.
A second motion comics titled Uncharted: Eye of Indra was released in 2009, and was included both as part of special editions for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and available separately on PlayStation Network. Illustrated by Marco Castiello, the four-episode comics is a prequel to Drake's Fortune and depicts an original story sets a few weeks before detailing an attempt by Drake to secure funds for his search for Francis Drake's coffin. Set in Indonesia, Drake teams up with Drake's Fortune character Eddy Raja and his little sister Rika to steal a valuable artifact called the "Eye of Indra" from crimelord Daniel Pinkerton.
Printed works[]
A novelization based on the series, titled Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth, was released in October 2011. Written by Christopher Golden, it features an original, standalone story focusing on Drake and Sullivan investigating the murder of an old acquaintance of the latter, which leads them on a globe-trotting journey to locate the a mysterious labyrinth said to hold great fortune and was constructed by the mythical Greek architect Daedalus.
A six-issue comics book simply titled Uncharted was published monthly between November 2011 and April 2012, in collaboration with Wikipedia:DC Comics. It was written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Francesco Francavilla Sergio Sandoval, with cover artwork by Tony Harris and Adam Hughes. It features an original story set an unspecified amount of time prior to the events of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, depicting the first meeting between Drake and fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer.
Non-fiction publications[]
Uncharted: Drake's Journal – Inside the Making of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is a behind-the-scenes book written by Drake's voice actor Nolan North and published by GameSpheres.
Other[]
Reception[]
The Uncharted series as a whole has been critically acclaimed by video game publications for its high production values, characterization, action sequences, vocal performances and advancements in graphical and technological aspects; later games were also praised for their included multiplayer modes. Out of the four main installments developed by Naughty Dog, the three sequels have all achieved universal acclaim; Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ties with Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo as Sony's highest-rated game according to Metacritic. The Uncharted series, alongside 2013's The Last of Us, is generally credited for increasing Naughty Dog's reputation as a game developer within PlayStation Studios and the wider gaming industry.
Reception to other games within the series has been generally positive, with particular praise was given to Bend Studio's 2011 side game Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Naughty Dog's final Uncharted title, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Uncharted: Fortune Hunter received generally favorable reception, while Uncharted: Fight for Fortune received mixed reviews, the only installment in the series to not be critically praised.
Remasters of the series also witnessed positive reception. 2015's Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection was praised for its graphical updates and stable performance, while 2022's Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection was also praised for its own technical and graphical upgrades.
Sales[]
Legacy[]
Future[]
Prior to the release of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End in 2016, the game's creative director Neil Druckmann envisioned the game at the time as the conclusion to the Uncharted series and particularly Nathan Drake's character arc. Druckmann noted that he was unsure if Uncharted will continue afterwards and that such decision lies on Sony. On such future entry he thought: "maybe there'll be a prequel, maybe it will be a different character - I don't know. But this is the end for Nathan Drake".[4] Following the release of Uncharted 4, Naughty Dog initially amused the idea of a fifth mainline installment, but the idea was scrapped in favor of the standalone game Uncharted: The Lost Legacy due to the studio's focus on The Last of Us Part II at the time.[5]
In an interview with GameInformer, Naughty Dog president Evan Wells was asked whether the studio would continue with established franchises such as Uncharted and The Last of Us or pivot towards a new property, to which Evans answered that people will "see both kinds of projects from us in the future".[6]
According to a Bloomberg report, Bend Studio, which was previously responsible for Uncharted: Golden Abyss, was placed to work under the series with Naughty Dog after a sequel pitch for Days Gone was rejected, and that the proposed title was meant to be a soft reboot separated from previous entries. Bend was taken off the project after a new project was greenlit, with Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier believing it was scrapped afterwards.[7]
In a January 2023 interview with Buzzfeed, A Thief's End creative director and Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann stated that the studio was "done" with Uncharted and was moving on to pursue other projects.[8]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.thegamer.com/last-of-us-uncharted-easter-eggs-references/
- ↑ https://www.ign.com/wikis/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/Uncharted_References_in_Other_Games
- ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/uncharted-movie-and-video-game-characters-are-headed-to-fortnite
- ↑ https://www.eurogamer.net/naughty-dogs-neil-druckmann-on-why-uncharted-has-to-end
- ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/03/27/why-uncharted-the-lost-legacy-became-a-stand-alone-expansion.aspx
- ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2021/08/28/naughty-by-nature-naughty-dog-leadership-reflects-on-the-studios
- ↑ https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2021/04/09/bend-new-uncharted-game/
- ↑ 20 "The Last Of Us" Behind-The-Scenes Facts, Straight From The Co-Creator Himself, Buzzfeed. Jokic, Natasha.