PlayStation has produced plenty of successful franchises, though few remain as popular as Uncharted. With four critically acclaimed mainline entries and two spin-offs, Uncharted has cemented itself as one of PlayStation's mascots. While developer Naughty Dog might not send the charismatic Nathan Drake searching for another lost treasure anytime soon, Drake and friends will be appearing on the big screen with the upcoming Uncharted movie.
The Uncharted movie looks to be a celebration of some of the most iconic moments of the Uncharted franchise. Watching the latest Uncharted movie trailer is enough to make veteran fans nostalgic, craving some good old-fashioned Uncharted content. While many would want to venture into either Uncharted 2 or Uncharted 4, diving into Uncharted 3 seems like a better option.
Understanding the Dynamic Between Nate and Sully
The Uncharted games are perfect video game incarnations of big-budget action movies. In fact, Tom Holland compares the Uncharted movie to Indiana Jones and James Bond. While its setpieces sum up some of Uncharted's best moments, the dynamic between its main cast of characters remains etched in players' minds.
Naughty Dog excels in developing a wide array of characters in meaningful and believable ways. The Last of Us is known for the complexity of its main characters, Joel and Ellie, something that's rare in video games. While the studio perfected its formula of producing strong dynamics between its lead characters in The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2, that glimmer of perfection is also seen in Uncharted 3.
In Uncharted 3, Drake, Sully, and the rest of the gang pursue lost riches of paradise that could alter the shape of humanity. The sequence of events that unfolds in its eight-to-nine hour campaign is easy to predict given the series' history, but unlike Uncharted 1 and 2 Naughty Dog raises the stakes at every turn that keeps things engaging and intimidating. For Nate, Sully is Uncharted 3's biggest gamble that keeps players on edge.
Uncharted 3 builds the dynamic between Nate and Sully. In combat, Nate often asks Sully if he's doing okay, and vice versa. The duo often ends up helping each other in life-threatening situations - something that occurs every twenty minutes or so. Naughty Dog raises the stakes higher with Uncharted 3's flashback segment in which a young Nate bumps into Sully for the first time. It's a young Nate and Sully that star in the upcoming Uncharted movie, so understanding and relieving the particular moment from Uncharted 3 right before the movie drops may enhance the experience for Uncharted enthusiasts.
The Balance of Content in Uncharted 3
After the high-intensity Uncharted 2, series creator Amy Hennig returned to direct Uncharted 3. Compared to Uncharted 1 and 2, Uncharted 3 has fewer firefights, with the campaign evenly paced out between elaborate setpieces, emotional story moments, and intricate puzzles.
By comparison, Uncharted 4 has more fleshed-out characters and a compelling narrative, though the pacing takes a hit. The first six chapters of Uncharted 4 feature little-to-no firefights and can be a drag. On the other hand, Uncharted 2 is always in a crescendo with over-the-top action sequences filling up most of its eight-hour story. However, Uncharted isn't just one thing, but an accumulation of its humor, characters, puzzles, action, and soundtrack, which Uncharted 3 pays equal attention to from start to finish. Playing through Uncharted 3 over other Uncharted games is like experiencing the best aspects of the series in a single thoughtfully curated package.
Uncharted 3's 10th Anniversary
Uncharted 3 turns also turns 10 this year. A number of groundbreaking titles came out in 2011, including Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Portal 2, and Battlefield 3. Uncharted 3 is one such game that pushed the medium through its state-of-the-art graphics, cinematic setpieces, immersive soundtrack, and quality performances. Many will be looking to dive into Skyrim this November with the release of Skyrim Anniversary Edition, but while Uncharted 3 isn't re-releasing this holiday season, its existing versions remain accessible.
Attributes that made Uncharted 3 special in 2011 still hold together in 2021. The game's visuals were ahead of its time, and it remains a pretty game. The 2015 remaster of the Uncharted trilogy, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection for PS4 (backward compatible on PS5), offers a smoother Uncharted experience with the FPS boosted to 60, and the resolution upscaled to 1080p or 4K on PS4 and PS5, respectively. The shift from 30 FPS to 60 in Uncharted is revolutionary, making a burning chateau or crumbling airplane feel like a whole new experience again.
While Uncharted 3 remains a top-notch experience in 2021 visually and mechanically, its heart and soul truly stand the test of time. Among all Uncharted games, Uncharted 3 comes the closest to replicating the Indiana Jones experience in video game form, a lot of which it owes to its Middle Eastern setting. It's also what separates Uncharted 3 from other Uncharted games. Uncharted 3 captures the grand scale of the Rubʿ al-Khali desert and its nearby frontiers, helped along by a Lawrence of Arabia-inspired soundtrack.
Through its vivid soundtrack, visuals, thoughtful level design, meaningful character development, and ideal pacing, Uncharted 3 stands out among its peers. That's what makes it a must-play even 10 years after launch. There's a reason the upcoming Uncharted movie seems to borrow more from Uncharted 3 than any other entry in the series. With the movie's release date looming on the horizon, fans have more than enough reason to dive back into Uncharted 3 and experience Nathan Drake's humble beginnings.
Uncharted 3 is now available on PS3 and PS4.