Despite there being just four games in the series, Uncharted is one of those franchises that’s managed to weasel its way in to my cold and bitter heart. I’m not really sure why. Perhaps it’s Nathan Drake’s roguish charm, the sumptuous visuals that appeal to my inner graphics-nerd or their entire premise, which itself serves as love letter to the old-timey adventure serials that spawned Indiana Jones and as a result, inspired Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft.
It’s certainly not the game’s combat.
While they’re indeed high-octane, white-knuckled adventures that keep players from catching their respective breaths, I’ve always preferred when the games are a little more about Drake finding his way to some ancient and dusty relic in a crumbling, labyrinthine hypogeum than when he’s fending off wave upon wave of identical enemy; especially when nearly every encounter’s centred around using that tired pop-n-shoot cover-shooter mechanic. The third game’s especially guilty of this, with very nearly the second half of the game devolving entirely into daisy-chained, indistinguishable combat experiences.
It’s something that hopefully won’t be quite as prevalent in the upcoming sequel. Speaking to GameInformer, new series creative director Neil Druckmann has said that Naughty Dog is set to implement far more combat variety this time around.
“To us the Uncharted combat works best when it has a flow to it, when you are not just behind cover, shooting over and ducking back down. When your cover is getting flanked and you have to jump and move down to another level.”
And it’s not just the combat that’s getting a bit of verticality. Speaking of the demo you saw at last year’s inaugural PlayStation Experience, Druckmann talked about how Naughty Dog wants the next Uncharted to feature “a wider, more sandbox feel”.
“With the verticality of Nathan Drake, with adding set pieces that weren’t necessarily in this demo, how do you get a bigger flow, something that is deeper at an emotional level? All those things come together to make the Uncharted that we want to play,” he said.
Uncharted 4 is set for release towards the tail end of 2015, and the demo was an important milestone in helping Naughty Dog set their sights on finishing the game.
“We have our vertical slice and we’ve found our flow and the voice of this game. Now it’s like, how do you expand on that?” he said. “How do you flesh that out across the entire experience, making sure it’s got its proper pacing, it’s got its ups and downs? It seems like an eternity from now until when we’ll be finished with it.”
It’s quite likely that this new Uncharted will have a somewhat different tone to the previous games. With many of the people historically responsible for the Uncharted Games now no longer at Naughty Dog, creative duties have been shifted to the minds behind The Last of Us, a decidedly darker and grittier game. Don’t expect it to be too serious though; Druckmann has affirmed that Naughty Dog is still creating a big comic-book-style adventure – just one that‘s set in a world that’s both vibrant and real.
Last Updated: January 12, 2015
Jonah Cash
January 12, 2015 at 07:42
I can’t wait!!! I said that I will not wish this year over, because years are starting to feel shorter… But Uncharted has me already wishing for the end of the year!!!
Ross Woofels Mason
January 12, 2015 at 07:46
Uncharted ended at two for me. Really did not enjoy three all that much but finished it, hated the last of us with a passion.
So sadly not that interested in this, though have to admit it’s bloody pretty and will see what they do with it. Hopefully it’s more awesome than my cynical mind allows me to think it will be =p
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 07:49
I too hate the last of us, mainly because it is not on PC
Rock789
January 12, 2015 at 08:00
You better watch out… If oVg hear’s you talking about TLOU like that, he may just tear you limb from limb… 😉 🙂
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:00
He’s too busy being REVIVED
Hammersteyn
January 12, 2015 at 08:01
Stop being a hipster, buy a console.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:01
Pfffffffff and bah to you. MY OCTACORE ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOARS
Rock789
January 12, 2015 at 08:08
ROOOOOOARS… with taste? 😉
Blood Emperor Trevor
January 12, 2015 at 08:44
Like Katy Perry?
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:48
Awwww jisssss, hawt
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:49
Also 10 points for the hidden reference!
Darren Peach
January 12, 2015 at 08:05
This master race issue can be solved. I have the baseball bat, All I need is your head. Wher do you live ? Trust me, It will solve all your problems. A less violent option woul be the realisation that gaming is fun and for all and your mock contempt towards console users is redundant .
Ryanza
January 12, 2015 at 08:08
Electric shock therapy will sort any problem out.
http://pswordpress-production.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/05/ect.jpg
Darren Peach
January 12, 2015 at 08:10
I could do with that. Life is dodgy right now. Have to go be a responsible adult and all.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:13
You need to dial up your joke-detection meter, I think your’s is totally busted
Darren Peach
January 12, 2015 at 08:28
Thanks for the judgement. While I was joking, I would think your response is somewhat defensive and considering your comments about not liking TLOU because of said platform. Whatever.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:48
I think TLOU is a pretty damn epic game, and the only problem with it is that it is NOT multi-platform.
But I see you are feeling a certain way today, so I’ll leave you to feel better
Darren Peach
January 12, 2015 at 09:02
I concede the point. My apologies.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 09:06
NP, hope you feel better soon. The worst part of Monday is waking up, at least that is behind us
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
January 12, 2015 at 07:50
I very much preferred the Vita one, Golden Abyss, over UC3. I liked TLOU, but am of the opinion it’s terribly overrated.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 07:54
Welcome back Geoffus Maximus
Darren Peach
January 12, 2015 at 07:55
I generally take developer talk of innovation and improved yadda and blabba with a pinch of salt. Innovation normally sneaks up on you and by the time you realise it, It’s old hat. Being a lifelong gamer, I sometimes have that rare moment of clarity and I think that games can be hollow experiences. Normally this leads to a rather long and wasteful time being spent in COD shooting other gamers all the while worrying about my Kill Death ratio. Breaking it up with a movie night catching up on all those film missed on the big screen can be soothing.
Hammersteyn
January 12, 2015 at 07:59
Sold sold sold sold!
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:02
Meh, rather give me No Man’s Sky. Read a very interesting article on it yesterday, that game is going to be awesome sauce
Rock789
January 12, 2015 at 08:09
I hope they can pull it off… That game promises so much and looks / sounds amazing! Just hope they take the time they need to realise their goal.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 08:11
Yeah man, just the thought of the MASSIVE scale of things, just blew my mind
Ghost In The Rift
January 12, 2015 at 08:04
Its a shame we will never know how awsome this game will look on a PC.
Ryanza
January 12, 2015 at 08:05
Witcher 3 is coming?
Ghost In The Rift
January 12, 2015 at 08:09
Oh Yeah
Dont Support DRM The Witcher 3 is Coming!!!
Join the revolution!!!ANARCHY!!!!!
Ryanza
January 12, 2015 at 08:13
I didn’t mention DRM. PC + The Witcher 3… Do we need Uncharted on PC.
Michelle
January 12, 2015 at 08:09
Out of the first 3 games,The 2nd one was the best,didn’t really like the 3rd one,the graphics were superb but the gameplay was lacking.
Uncharted 4 looks stunning and I would really love to play this one,I’ll need to find someone with a PS4 with this game 🙁
Argh,one day I’ll get me a PS4.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
January 12, 2015 at 08:52
The first half of 3 was fantastic. And then it became a repetitive shooter.
Admiral Chief
January 12, 2015 at 09:02
HALF LIFE 3??????
Rock789
January 12, 2015 at 08:12
Hell yeah. I love the Uncharted series (and yes, I will fully admit UC3 was a bit of a letdown in the end after UC2’s excellence… But it was still better than most). But I can’t wait for Uncharted 4. Looking forward to exploring its world.
CaptainNemo42
January 12, 2015 at 09:20
So, Uncharted was inspired in a way by Tomb Raider, which in turn made a new Tomb Raider that is inspired by Uncharted, but had that slight open world feel to it, which again inspired Uncharted to go the same route, kinda.