Uncharted was the beginning of both a new franchise and a new chapter for the developer’s Naughty Dog. They had come a long way from Crash Bandicoot, and Jak and Daxter. With Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, there came a new way to experience stories.
What made Uncharted so special is that it tapped into games like Tomb Raider and beloved adventure movies like Indiana Jones. The game itself was a risk, with many skeptical forum users in 2007 referring to the reveal as “Dude Raider.” Yet, after 15 years, 6 games, and a movie, Uncharted fans still clamor for more. Naughty Dog's future changed forever when they released this game, which still holds up in 2022.
10 Music
An element of games and films that can sometimes go unnoticed is the original score produced for them. Luckily, that is not the case for Uncharted. Composer Greg Edmonson created a memorable theme, which would be present in all future games and the film.
The theme itself is bold, heroic, and adventurous, with remnants of the Indiana Jones soundtrack in its makeup. Not only is the theme great, and great to hum, but the rest of the score fits well in the segments it was designed for, whether that’s uncovering a mystery, amid the action, or in a quiet moment.
9 Gunplay
A trend that was quite new to gaming at the time, but has stuck around today, is that of cover shooting. Uncharted has great gunplay, which has the player running, rolling, and ducking behind cover to pick off enemies with guns and grenades.
The combat is fun and the player is constantly on the move, picking up new guns and scrounging for ammo. The hand-to-hand combat doesn’t get too exciting in this game, but the shooting is great. It’s great attention to detail seeing Nathan Drake flinch at bullets, or watching enemies react to wherever they have been shot.
8 Pacing
Many games suffer from poor pacing, whether in their three-act structures, or how they choose to treat the player regarding time and tutorials. Luckily, Uncharted wastes no time placing players in the center of the action. After a brief cutscene, players must immediately get to grips with taking cover and shooting.
This is something the Uncharted games do well. The player is never bored and is constantly engaged through the exciting set pieces. Some segments of the game do feel poorly paced, especially after the exhilarating action set-pieces. However, on the whole, the game's pacing makes for a satisfying experience.
7 The Horror Segments
Later in Uncharted, players find themselves unlearning all that they have learned. The late game segments have zombie-like creatures, introducing supernatural horror theme that most Uncharted games have in some regard. These creatures are far more threatening and scary than the ordinary pirates and mercenaries Drake has been happily gunning down earlier on.
The player has to run through dark and dim corridors, sprinting whilst blindly shooting at monsters that charge in waves. It’s exciting, it’s scary, and it adds to a great horror element that was initially unexpected. This same theme should be welcomed to any future games.
6 Puzzles
To help with the game’s run and gun setting, and really to help the player feel like an actual treasure hunter, the game puts forth a variety of puzzles in which the player must change water levels, decipher their journal, navigate platforming sections, and more.
These segments help the game establish Nathan Drake as a treasure hunter, showing that it's impossible to just stumble into victory and find a bunch of gold without a lot of hard work. It helps show the player that Nate isn’t a bumbling macho man, and instead has an intellect to be followed.
5 Filling In The Blanks
Upon returning to Uncharted, or even jumping in as a first-time player, players will ask themselves questions about some details about the characters. One example lies in the relationship between Sully and Nate. They’ve known each other for some time, but that isn’t explored until Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception through flashbacks.
There is a great deal of care in Uncharted’s world-building, as future titles seek to answer some questions raised in the first game. Some are obvious, like the ring on his necklace, while others are more obscure, like the Panama jail, seen in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Some franchise questions still remain unanswered, with room for exploration in future titles.
4 Story
Uncharted's story has held up well in the 15 years since its release. The introduction of real-world elements, like Sir Francis Drake and El Dorado, intrigue the player, encouraging them to find out more and discover where Naughty Dog’s team is taking them. It’s reminiscent of how Assassin’s Creed uses real-life history to carefully weave its tales into the story.
The story in Uncharted may have a few issues, but those issues are never glaring or overwhelming. It allows players to just have fun with the story, either as a player or a viewer. Uncharted makes for a great adventure tale.
3 Collectibles
The trope of collectibles has been around for ages, and Uncharted certainly doesn’t miss out on the opportunity to include them. Collectibles are fun to find for casual players or an obsession for completionists.
Finding one of the many collectibles can be rewarding, especially when players can examine what they have found and truly feel like a treasure hunter. The array of collectibles adds an optional length to the game for those who want to find them all.
2 Graphics
For a game in 2007, Uncharted’s graphics hold up surprisingly well. The graphics of the later games are incredible, and Naughty Dog always seems to not only outdo themselves, but outdo the entire industry with their attention to detail and graphical capabilities.
Throughout the game, players can see Nate’s skin get more cut, bruised, and dirty. He sweats through his shirt. In levels with puddles and water, he can get wet and will slowly dry once out of the water. The vibrancy of jungle greens and waterfalls are cinematic and beautiful, only one example of this franchise's breathtaking locations. The level of detail here is incredible, and it shows how much care Naughty Dog puts into their games to strive for realism.
1 Characters
The first Uncharted game introduces players to some great characters, who soon became gaming icons. Naughty Dog carefully crafted characters to make its fanbase like them or revile them.
Nathan Drake is the protagonist with a clumsy side, a great sense of wit, and funny lines. He is a character in whom players can get invested straight away. He has an irresistible charm, much like Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones. His partner and mentor, Victor Sullivan, might seem slimy at first, but is irresistibly likable due to his confidence and charisma. It’s also worth mentioning Elana Fisher, a journalist who funds Nate and Sully’s expedition, soon finds herself taking matters into her own hands. This trio of characters is great, and each has plenty of breathing room to evolve and develop.