With Naughty Dog suggesting in recent days that the Uncharted series may one day see a new entry, fans of the critically acclaimed blockbuster third-person shooter are abuzz with theories of how the series, which seemingly wrapped up it's story in 2016's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End could possibly move on to Uncharted 5 from where it left off.
While it's anyone's guess as to what could convince Nathan Drake to suit up for one more adventure, an even bigger question is where it could take him. Historically, the series has taken inspiration from legendary locations from real life for Drake's quests, and if these past settings are any indication, Uncharted 5, presumably on the PS5, would need to bring a mighty big prize to top them.
El Dorado
The fabled El Dorado, historically sought after by Spanish Conquistadors, was said to be the secret city of a tribe of indigenous South Americans, hidden within the Amazon and filled with riches. In actuality, the "City of Gold" myth was a misinterpretation of reports from Spanish settlers of a Muisca tribal chief who coated himself in gold for initiation rituals. The "Golden City" was actually a "Golden Man."
The first Uncharted takes this misconception and turns it on its head as treasure hunter Nathan Drake, in his search for the mythical lost city, learns that El Dorado does exist, not as a city or a man, but as a large golden sarcophagus. Drake learns that conquistadors had discovered the sarcophagus in the Amazon, bringing it with them to an uncharted island before meeting a terrible fate at the hands of El Dorado's "curse."
As it turns out, the mummy inside the Sarcophagus is host to a deadly virus that turns those it infects into feral monsters, making El Dorado a biological weapon far more valuable on the black market than its weight in gold. Ironic, considering it is made of gold and very heavy. Upon learning this, Drake's ethics overcome his greed, and he vanquishes the pirates looking to steal El Dorado, sending the sarcophagus tumbling into the sea. Here's hoping nothing like Uncharted's version of El Dorado exists in real life.
Shambhala
Sometimes referred to as Shangri La, Shambhala is a hidden, mythical kingdom in Tibetan-Buddhist lore. It is said to be the home of a clan of masters who possess ancient wisdom of the secrets of the universe. Hindu legend tells that Kalki, the ultimate incarnation of the God Vishnu will be born there one day, leading the armies of good to vanquish the forces of darkness forever.
In Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Nathan Drake learns that Shambhala was discovered in the Himalayas by Marco Polo's expedition. Upon finding its location, he encounters Shambala's inhabitants. While they don't appear to be particularly wise at first glance, they are immensely powerful, due vto eating the resin of the Tree of Life, a giant tree whose unusual sap gives all that consume it enhanced physical properties.
Realizing that Shambhala's guardians are trying to prevent outsiders from taking the Tree of Life's powers for themselves, Drake faces off against warlord Zoran Lazarevic, who plans to lead an army for anything but good. Drake's explosive battle with Lazarevic results in the ancient kingdom's collapse as Nate flees for his life, an exhilarating climax to 2009's game of the year.
Quivira
Another "City of Gold" sought-after by Spanish explorers in the Americas. It was supposedly discovered by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado somewhere in what is now the midwestern United States. Although Coronado found no gold, he remarked that the lands were lush and plentiful.
In perhaps Drake's least-well-known adventure, (obscure enough to be left off the PS4's Nathan Drake Collection) Playstation Vita's Uncharted: Golden Abyss sees Nate searching for, and eventually discovering the true Quivira in Panama. Unlike El Dorado, Quivira proves to be an actual city filled with gold, but with an equally deadly catch: due to uranium deposits within the surrounding mountains, all the gold is lethally radioactive. Once again, Drake must defeat the mercenaries who wish to take the cursed treasure in order to ensure its secrecy.
Iram of the Pillars
The mythical "Atlantis of the Sands," Iram of the Pillars, also known as "The Lost City of Ubar" is an ancient civilization mentioned in the Quran. Described by T.E. Lawrence as "a city of immeasurable wealth," Iram was said to have been destroyed by Allah for refusing to heed His words, burying the magnificent city and its people beneath the sands forever.
In Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Nate and Sully follow the writings of Sir Francis Drake to the city, hidden by a massive sandstorm within the Rub' Al Khali Desert. There, they appear to be attacked by magical Djinn, but soon discover the Djinn to be hallucinations caused by a mysterious hallucinagen within a brass vessel supposedly cast into the city's water supply by King Solomon. In true Nathan Drake fashion, a wayward flare gun damages the city's foundation, causing the whole city to slip beneath the desert - for real this time. Naughty Dog's team has stated that initially the city was planned to be located in a giant sinkhole, with a huge river running through it, but unfortunately the set-pieces had to be cut from Uncharted 3.
Libertalia
Perhaps the least supernatural of the locations on this list, Libertalia is said to be the name of a rumored pirate colony founded by Captain James Misson. The inhabitants of Libertalia, composed of pirates and their families, rejected the evils of the modern world, such as slavery, money and government, operating as an anarcho-socialist democracy. Despite writings of the colony, numerous historians believe Libertalia never existed.
Uncharted 4: a Thief's End follows Nate and his long-lost brother Sam's search for the fabled pirate colony, pursued by the villainous billionaire Rafe Adler. Upon finding Libertalia - in the games purported to be discovered by Captain Henry Avery, among other famous pirates - on an island in the Indian Ocean, the Drakes learn that the aspiring utopia had collapsed, not from any curse, but from the greed of its own leaders.
Finding Avery's flagship, upon which the captain had planned to escape with all the colony's riches, Drake duels Rafe in an epic swordfight, using a heavy pile of treasure to bring the Uncharted series' best villain to a crushing end.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is available now for PS4.