Uncharted: Lost Legacy Review

For those familiar with Naughty Dog’s iconic Uncharted franchise, the world of memorable characters, immersive environments, and exhilarating adventures is very familiar. That’s why when Naughty Dog announced that Uncharted: Lost Legacy would be the developer’s last installment in the series, many were dismayed that their reign would be over, but also curious as to what would become of Lost Legacy, the recent expansion pack-turned-full-title. So, after all this time, does Naughty Dog still have a hold on the franchise that established their name? In this Uncharted: Lost Legacy review we’ll be taking a closer look at what makes up the game, whether or not it works, and if it’s worth your hard-earned money.

The World of Uncharted: Lost Legacy

Since it came out, Uncharted: Lost Legacy has picked up traction as a welcome addition to the franchise. Its familiar elements of gameplay, distinct story changes, and engaging battles make it an ideal way for newcomers to become acquainted with the titles and for returning veterans to feel comfortable once again.

When I first started playing the game, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Although I’m familiar with the Uncharted set of games, the introduction of the game initially being DLC for Uncharted 4 made me ambivalent about the content. So often developers will release games that aren’t supposed to be additions to the main franchise that are underwhelming and better off as DLC, so why would this be any different?

After spending some time with the game, I want to provide you with my opinions and more information on the Atmosphere & Location, Main Characters, and Storyline.

Atmosphere & Location

I feel grateful to say that the universe of Uncharted is as beautiful and engaging as ever. The wonderfully intricate landscapes are just as well-rendered and designed as before, allowing you to feel immersed in the world. The cutscenes are gorgeous and transition well into the gameplay, which—graphics-wise—are nearly identical in level of detail and beauty. This is a truly amazing game to behold, with only a few minor bugs occurring in textures along the way.

Weather changes are an especially enchanting aspect of the Lost Legacy world, with rain pouring down looking incredibly realistic and daunting in strenuous circumstances.

Some may argue that using a similar engine and rendering feel as Uncharted 4 makes the game feel and look redundant, but I do not think this is a bad thing. Naughty Dog got the formula incredibly right with Uncharted 4, and to redesign their approach would be counterintuitive to making another great game. They add enough detail and different approaches in the fact that the game is filled with new locations and scenery for you to behold, making it a worthwhile atmosphere and location to be in.

It has to be said that Naughty Dog’s representation of India is especially mesmerizing and filled with detail. Players will find their eyes drifting during important moments to the impressive rockwork and jewelry that surrounds you, showing that the developer’s talents and interests were clearly in making a thoroughly engaging atmosphere.

If there is one criticism I have of the locations, though, it is that there are many elements of the game’s environments that can be misleading, such as open world sections that don’t have much happening in them, surfaces that look like they’re climbable but in the end aren’t, and similarly frustrating dynamics that can sometimes make the player feel like it’s a matter of them vs the world in a counterintuitive way.

Main Characters

One of the most curious parts of Lost Legacy’s storyline is that the main character of the series, Nathan Drake, is missing. Instead, the game is lead by Nadine and Chloe, two incredibly charismatic characters that were previously designated as side characters in earlier installments. Their dynamic is one of the key elements that makes this game shine due to their friendliness and camaraderie in some of the game’s more difficult sections.

Through being able to focus solely on these two characters, you not only learn a lot about Nadine and Chloe, but also feel incredibly attached to them by the time the story is over. For me, this is a sign of a strong cast of characters, letting you feel like you’re truly side-by-side them in both cutscenes and playable sections until the game is done.

Something that I was glad to see continue in the universe of Lost Legacy is the humility that can be seen in each character—one of the most endearing parts of the Uncharted franchise is its ability to guide players through a story but not necessarily put an emphasis on being strong-willed every moment. The characters can be directed to do things and often work out best when they’re played by somebody who has a grasp on the gameplay mechanics, but the character’s overall demeanor does not have to be somebody who is constantly fearless and showing no sign of weakness.

Storyline

Without spoiling anything, the storyline of Lost Legacy is engaging and direct. One of the most refreshing dynamics about the game that is represented in the story is the mystery surrounding it—oftentimes players are left to fully figure out what is going on and how to get themselves out of certain situations without the help of any side characters, something that truly shrouds the story of the game in uncertainty. This element of gameplay is something that continually brings players back to the Uncharted franchise and possibly one of the aspects of the game I felt was most emblematic of the franchise since the first game.

The most interesting part of the story, though, comes in the second act, where the world is opened up more to the player. Without spoiling much about the story itself, I’ll just say that it becomes much more open-ended and dramatic with multiple plot points coming together in a way you wouldn’t expect.

DLC & Expansion Packs

Though there is no DLC or Expansion pack for Lost Legacy, I feel that it’s important to address the fact that this game was originally meant to be DLC for Uncharted 4. This original notion of what it was meant to be leaves a wide door open for criticism surrounding the amount of content it offers, but I’m glad to say that the game more than enough stands out on its own as a very unique entry into the Uncharted universe.

Verdict

Originally announced as an expansion pack to Uncharted 4, Lost Legacy has proven itself as not only a worthy addition to the line of Uncharted games, but one of the better ones to play. It also bears repeating that the game shows an important glimpse into the future of the franchise, showing how the main character Nathan Drake is not necessary for the games to have immersive environments, charismatic storylines, and heaps upon heaps of fun included.

9/10