Uncharted is now over ten years old, and in that time series protagonist Nathan Drake has climbed his way up the gaming recognition ladder, from plucky pretender to PlayStation superstar. Starting life on the PlayStation 3 all the way back in 2007, Naughty Dog’s daring action adventure franchise has fast become one of Sony’s most iconic brands, and with a number of instalments under the series’ belt, we thought it would be fun to rank the games – from best to worst, of course.
6: Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Released at a time when critics and consumers alike argued that console games don’t really make sense on handheld systems, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the only game on this list not developed by series creator Naughty Dog. Honours instead were awarded to current Days Gone maker Sony Bend, with the aim being to bring Drake to the PS Vita’s small (but very beautiful at the time) OLED screen. The results were agreeable enough, with impressive visuals and all of the hallmarks of a full-size Uncharted adventure, but the game’s forgettable supporting cast and limited set-pieces make this comfortably the worst of the series so far.
5: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
The game that started it all, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune represented a bold new direction for developer Naughty Dog in 2007, as it ditched the cartoon mascots that had defined its catalogue for over a decade, and attempted something a little more realistic. Playing like a summer blockbuster, the first game revelled in its waxy PS3-powered flora, as it took you on an oversaturated tour of the Amazon in search of El Dorado. The light-hearted writing and stellar performances made it stand out compared to other games at the time, though its repetitive cover-based shootouts feel tedious by modern day standards.
4: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
With developer Naughty Dog divided into two teams while it prototyped Game of the Generation candidate The Last of Us, 2011’s Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception had mixed fortunes. The game was a spectacle on a level unprecedented even for the bombastic brand, as the protagonist leaped out of crashing planes and fought his way through a sinking ship. But where the series is known for its tight story-telling, the game felt like a patchwork of set-pieces, awkwardly stitched together in order to tell some semblance of a story. Drake and Sully’s fleshed out relationship served as a narrative highlight, but the title simply couldn’t match the consistency of its PS3 predecessor.
3: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Originally planned as DLC for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End but expanded into its own thing, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy represented a changing of the guard, with Naughty Dog underlings promoted into directorial roles. And despite not starring the face of the franchise Nathan Drake, the game delivered a rip-roaring campaign, paced to perfection with the optimal balance between combat, exploration, and puzzle solving. Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross make for brilliant leads, and their pursuit of the Tusk of Ganesha is one rife with clashing personalities, contrasting motives, and fledgling friendships. This is arguably the most rounded Uncharted to date – even if it is the least unique.
2: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
The game that put Nathan Drake on the map: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves raised the bar for the action adventure genre. A real globe-trotting campaign that spans Nepal, Istanbul, and more, the game sees you out in pursuit of Shambhala, as you climb up crashed trains and fight your way through collapsing buildings. The title’s E3 2009 gameplay demo will go down as one of the greatest PlayStation press conference moments, but the full game somehow managed to exceed already sky high expectations, introducing innovative (at the time) gameplay segments, such as a slow walk through a busy village and a long platforming sequence with a non-English speaking AI companion.
1: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
With a problematic development cycle – series creator Amy Hennig departed the project not long after it was announced – and intense pressure to bring closure to Nathan Drake’s treasure hunting exploits, 2016’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End faced an uphill battle. Naughty Dog’s solution was to create its most personal – and simultaneously, its largest – campaign to date. Designed with the buzzword “wide linear” in mind, the game is by far the most varied and explorable entry in the series to date, capturing the spirit of real adventuring better than its predecessors. Pacing issues are the only real criticisms that can be pointed at a spectacular campaign, which is brave enough to tone down the brand’s iconic bombast with regularity, and is successfully able to steer the franchise towards a rare fitting and fulfilling conclusion.
What’s your favourite Uncharted game to date? Have we got the franchise’s rankings right, or do you disagree with our order? Puff on a cigar like Sully and post a comment below.
What's your favourite Uncharted game? (289 votes)
- Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
- Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011)
- Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2012)
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (2016)
- Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (2017)
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Comments 95
1) Uncharted 4
2) Uncharted 3 (best set-pieces in the series, imo)
3) Uncharted 2
4) Uncharted: Golden Abyss
5) Uncharted 1
I'll give em credit: pretty much every game in the series has been better than the last. Haven't played Lost Legacy, though.
I never played the Vita game, I forget that even exists. It was kinda hard for me to pick between 2, 4, and Lost Legacy but I eventually went with 2. All games in the series are great and definitely need to be played. Nice article
I think my personal list would look like this:
1. Uncharted 4
2. Uncharted 2
3. Uncharted 3
4. Uncharted 1
5. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
6. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
mine is like this :
1. Uncharted 3
2.Uncharted 2
3.Uncharted 1
4.Uncharted 4
5.Uncharted ; GA
I did not play "The Lost Legacy" yet but i don`t think 5 hours make sense on anything
@Jake3103 Wow, you didn't like The Lost Legacy?
Good to see more Uncharted 3 fans. It was the game in the series where everything fell into place. Uncharted 2 surely deserves the top spot for the innovation it brought in narrative and gaming, imitated by many still today. However, I thought 3 was the most memorable and we'll balanced. The desert part was sooo good, and I thought the game had some more weight emotionally.
@get2sammyb I really liked The Lost Legacy, just not as much as the others. I think they're all excellent, but as much as I like Chloe and Nadine, I really missed Drake (and Sully). I also think some of the set pieces were a little too similar to previous titles, albeit still fun.
I think this list is bang on, to be honest. Exactly how I'd order them!
@Jake3103 Yeah, that's totally fair.
Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
I voted Lost Legacy though to be clear, I have only played these on PS4 (or Vita) in the last couple of years and not at original release.
1) Lost Legacy - shortened campaign made for a tighter story, and I liked the characters.
2) UC2 - such a great game
3) UC4 - better but the pacing issues has made me less interested in returning.
4) UC3 - really good set pieces but didn't like the villain.
5) Golden Abyss - I liked the gameplay on a portable.
6) UC: Drakes Fortune - very of its time.
Uncharted 4 feels the least like an Uncharted Game to me but I can't deny how great the game-play is on the whole. Uncharted 2 though was the best from a story perspective.
I wasn't keen on the lack of some 'mystical' aspect and the MGS style indicator of enemy positions. I wasn't keen on AI 'help' in combat and the 'extra' dialogue for an achievement didn't feel particularly beneficial - just something 'borrowed' from Last of Us.
Uncharted 4 felt more like the 'Goonies' where as all the others felt more like 'Indiana Jones'. I don't want to go into this too much because of 'spoilers' but the tone was different for 4 - not necessarily for the better either in my opinion but in terms of game-play and 'eye for detail', something I greatly appreciate, I do think U4 shows off the talent more - but that could also be down to this being made for the PS4.
Uncharted 3 to me is still the best looking Video game on last gen hardware. I know some may cite the Last of Us but I preferred the more colourful U3. Not only does it have a more extensive colour palette, the walk through the Market (for example) with all the brightly coloured and full stands, packed full of people etc etc was more impressive than 'empty' looking areas with dour looking buildings - but each to their own. U3 would be my choice to show what the PS3 was capable of and U4 my game to show off the PS4 and the level of detail that ND have put in.
I think its difficult for me to put U4 above U3 for example because of the change in direction, tone etc and that affected how I felt at the end of it. On finishing 4, I was left feeling that something was missing, something all the others had. I still love the first Uncharted as well. I think some of that was because of the impact that game had on release - yes I was one of the 'few' that bought it on day 1 and remember how far ahead of anything else it was at the time for character development and realisation.
I haven't played the Golden Abyss and hoped that my have been included in the Nathan Drake collection as some 'bonus' as I wasn't prepared to buy a Vita when it released - nearly did. I can't include the Lost Legacy either - mostly because its not a Nathan Drake Uncharted and also because its a DLC that escalated into a stand alone. Again I know its a decent length and as long as the first but its not about length as such either. It does show that Uncharted can Survive after Nathan Drake though.
Either way, Uncharted has been my favourite PS Franchise in the past 10yrs and I know if ND announced a new Uncharted, I would be first in line to buy it - regardless. I can't heap more praise on it and what ND have created with this. Its no surprise that ND gets so much acclaim from other devs, heads of rival platforms etc and look forward to another 10yrs+ of Uncharted - IF ND remain at the helm.
I probably had the most fun with Lost Legacy, but yeah, 4 is definitely my pick for the best.
I admit I haven't played any of the PS4 titles but agree that 2 is the best PS3 title and 3 is one of the lesser titles. Although I admit I maybhave rushed through 3 so much that I dampened my experience.
That and after the amazing 2nd game I was expecting so much.
Also, "Game of the Generation"? Only if the word "Generation" is gaming lingo for "contains characters you most want to mercilessly bludgeon into mincemeat with multiple blunt objects".
Can't disagree with that ranking!
I was all ready too- believe me! Think Drake's Fortune & Drake's Deception are interchangeable at 4 & 5. Yes Drake's Fortune has some rough moments, but it's much better at 60FPS as part of the ND collection.
Also Sully's one liners are just the best in that one!
'Man, this is like trying to find a bride in a brothel'
I always feel sorry for Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, if you consider it against the other games of the time, it is a pretty spectacular feat of storytelling and gameplay, I feel it gets a bad rap when these conversations crop up.
Having said that, Uncharted 2 is my personal favourite but that kind of like choosing which model of Bugatti Veyron is best 😁
Uncharted 4 is definitely the most refined in terms of gameplay, but UC2 will always be number one to me. Best story, best supporting cast, and the first in the series to really do everything perfect.
I can't pick one, because I love them all equally. For me, there is no 'best' or 'worst' Uncharted... they're all one big adventure.
personally I rank them
1. UC2
2. UC4
3. UC LL
4. UC
5. UC3
6. UCGA
Spot on, Sammy.
@pbernoos The Lost Legacy is about 8-10 hours (closer to 10). It's about as long as Drake's Fortune.
Highly recommended, especially at the budget price tag.
2 is still the best
Solid list - although I've still yet to finish Golden Abyss or Lost Legacy (damn you, constantly expanding backlog).
Drake's Fortune was the main reason I bought a PS3 in late 2008 and I've really enjoyed the series since. Among Thieves took the idea to a whole other level and Uncharted 3 really pushed the PS3's graphical capability, while providing more of the superb set pieces that ultimately define what Uncharted is as a franchise.
I definitely feel like 4 is the best of them all though. I finished that game genuinely considering whether it was my favourite game of all time. I've yet to replay but when I do (whenever that comes), I'll be interested to see if I still hold it in such regard.
A Thief's End was a constant joy to explore and I just adored being in each of the beautifully crafted environments. I've never been that big on the game's shooting mechanics (mainly due to the constant waves of repetitive enemies), but the general exploration and story telling is what I mostly love about the franchise and 4 did those as perfectly as I can imagine.
I've only played 4 and 3 and about 3/4 or so of 1, but I can still make my list with confidence, because 1 was absolutely terrible.
1: UC 4: Great game, with an interesting story, great characters, awesome action sequences and beautiful locations. Not a game I'll have tons of nostalgia for, but it would absolutely be well-worth buying at full price. I'll give it a 9/10.
2: UC 3 Great game as well, although the narrative wasn't as good as in 4. I honestly can't remember the details of the story that well. Plus, the villain was boring, and the action sequences weren't as good as the ones in 4. I'll give it an 8/10
3: UC 1: It's probably largely due to the fact that I played it for the first time this year, and it's a pretty old game, but I really don't like this game at all. The platforming was frustrating at times, the story and characters were stale, and everything was just boring and repetitive. I'll give it a 4/10.
1. Lost Legacy
2.UC 4
3.UC 2
4.UC 3
5.UC 1
Uncharted 4 was my favorite, followed by 2, then Lost Legacy. 3 was decent, but I preferred the first game to it.
While you can't go wrong with any of them, I'd argue that Golden Abyss doesn't get enough love.
1) Uncharted 2. Best story, jaw dropping set pieces, still holds up very well.
2) Uncharted 4. A fitting close to Drake's story and an absolutely stunning technical showcase, but a few levels do drag a bit and that final boss....
3) UC3. While it has arguably the best set pieces in the series, it's uneven pacing and bullet sponge enemies tend to put it behind 4 in my opinion.
4) Uncharted: Golden Abyss. The game that the vita deserved, and an excellent effort. While it may not have been developed by ND it's still an absolutely stellar handheld game. If this wasn't an uncharted game it would be lauded as the best game on the Vita, but suffers due to being among the rest of the series. If you get a chance, give it a chance.
5) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. For it's time it was Amazing, but it's aged like milk. The story isn't necessary if You want to play the sequels, and the gameplay has sadly not held up too well. Iffy platforming and those grenade controls scupper an otherwise stellar entry.
Haven't played Lost Legacy. To be honest I sort if forgot it was there.
Uc 2 by far.
Elena was awesome in that one.
I always preferred 3 to 2 for some reason. Also prefer Golden Abyss to Drakes Fortune...
@Fight_Teza_Fight
thanks , sure i'll give it a try
No love for Golden Abyss, I see. I very much enjoyed it, and it WAS impressive at the time to see a full fledged Uncharted game on the VITA.
I always have a soft spot in my heart for Drake's Fortune so I'd say it was my second favourite behind Among Thieves. Uncharted 4 was technically stunning but i didn't enjoy it as much as the PS3 trilogy. I haven't played Lost Legacy yet.
My favorite is The Last of Us.
Joking aside. I’ll take UC2 in a photo finish over UC4 for the top Uncharted spot. But I reserve the right to change my mind at any time depending on my mood. I love them all — Even the stepchild that is Golden Abyss.
@KirbyTheVampire But which one is the poor man’s Splatoon?
My order is:
1) 4
2) 2
3) 3
4) Lost Legacy
5) 1
Haven't played Golden Abyss so can't rank that, A Thief's End is hands down the best with Among Thieves being a clear second. As for spots 3 and 4, I think The Lost Legacy is generally of a higher quality, but since Drake's Deception is longer, it feels a bit more epic so edges out for me.
@Ralizah I came here to say this pretty much word for word. Hopefully getting Lost Legacy for Christmas.
@Th3solution The first game, by far. They all are to an extent, though.
This is one of the few lists where we see eye to eye haha. My list is exactly the same. Haven’t played golden abyss. Otherwise, all amazing games.
@leucocyte
At last someone got the list right. Spot on to you sir.
@Ashkorsair
Drake at his mass murdering best. The jewel of the crown
4 is my favourite. Can't really decide between 2 and 3 for second place, though I really like what've played of Lost Legacy too, maybe that game will end up as my personal number two! The first game isn't all that great by today's standards.
My list is:
1) Uncharted 2 (best story, pacing, and villain)
2) Uncharted 4 (uc2 pacing is better, villain nadine is not evil enough, story is great)
3) Uncharted 1 (good story and villain but there's too many enemy/shooting)
4) Uncharted 3 (the set piece is cool but the story is a mess, if I play uc collection again sometime in the future, I won't replay uc3)
Have lost legacy and drake fortune but I didn't play it yet.
2. I haven't played LL yet as I'm getting my external HDD ready to install it, but I can't imagine it's anywhere near 2 without Drake.
2, 4, 3, 1. If LL is anywhere near as good as 3 I'll be happy.
As I type this I'm in the midst of playing Uncharted 4. I'm roughly halfway through so can't really say where it ranks just yet although it is definitely better than Uncharted 1. I'm missing the smooth 60fps of the remasters! I haven't played the Vita one or Lost Legacy, but I'll definitely play LL after 4.
My favorite still is Uncharted 2, but I love all the games of the series. I never played Golden Abyss, sadly.
lost legacy
No Vita, so no Golden Abyss.
I recently replayed UC2 & UC3 on the remastered collection I got cheap (thank you PS Plus) and got to play UC1 for the first time. I really enjoyed it.
I like your order @get2sammyb and great article.
Uncharted 2 was my first UC and made me such a fan of this series. It was ahead of it's time--action game that felt as better than most movies and I was playing the main protagonist! Truly awesome. Blew me away. Nathan's humor and Sully's friendship was great.
Uncharted 3 was done well too. The opening brawl in an Irish pub, hell yeah. Fall out of an airplane, you betcha.
Uncharted 4 was a great ride. I do agree, tha pacing was off a little, but it had so much going on. Jeep. Prison. Scuba. Jungle. Pirates. I did like the addition of Elana later in the story. She was tops and acted how I probably would if in such a scenario.
Lost Legacy was so much fun. I truly enjoyed that one and played through it again not too long ago. Definitely worth another playthrough. Nadine and Chloe are fun to get to know better.
2 & 4 are neck and neck.
2,4,3,1,Lost Legacy,Golden Abyss.
What about the card game one? Or the one where drake collects diet coke bubbles? They're part of the canon right?
Never played any UC... I'm always tempted by the Collection, but since I enjoyed TLU mostly because of the setting I fear all that "Indiana Jones" style could be too much for me.
What if I play only Lost Legacy?
I've only played Uncharted 4 and I found the game to be extremely boring. But if it really is the best in the series then I see little reason to bother playing the other games.
Uncharted 3 is my least favorite.
Haven't played Golden Abyss or Lost Legacy.
I honestly think Uncharted is the most overrated franchise in gaming
4,3,2,1. Haven't played Lost Legacy or Abyss, yet.
I literally have no complaints with this list since it's the exact order I would rank them. I seriously think this is a first where I've read one of these best of lists and didn't immediately get triggered lol.
@b1ackjack_ps not really considering drake proposes at the end of 3 and there's still worthwhile story in there with sully and drake not to mention it's blatantly mentioned in uc 4
@wiiware Nadine wasn't really the villain though it was rafe and he's easily the most developed,well rounded villain in the series and my personal favorite.
@rjejr I'm a huge uncharted fanboy it's become my favorite game series and I can honestly say that lost legacy is just about as good as Uc 2 even with drake not being there. It shows that there can be a life for Uc without drake and I would love more adventures with a playable Chloe
@seanobi yeah I can't agree with putting 1 and 3 ahead of lost legacy especially 1
@ZDonkulous it's cool not everyone likes everything
@DualWielding so why come to an article about a series that you find overrated. Were you that bored or just looking to let everyone know how much you find the series overrated
@andreoni79 The Lost Legacy is standalone & features a 'new' main cast. All the games are self contained stories, but Uncharted 4 is infinitely better having played 1-3 first.
I started with 2 & it basically changed the way I view gaming. Turned me from a casual gamer to someone that wanted to try all types of games.
@dark_knightmare2 But rafe isn't too bad, he's a jerk but way better compared to the pirates from uc1 (they don't take hostages), and the mercenary from uc2 (war criminals), he just want to find the treasures for himself.
And nadine just want to find the treasure because that's why she was paid to do, she doesn't destroy some village like lazarević from uc2. The early portion of uc4 make me feels bad for the bad guy sice they was just doing their job while two maniac (nate & sam) hidding and snapping their friends neck.
This will be a fairly long comment so for the sake of saving everybody the time, my favorite is Uncharted 2.
If I rank the games objectively it looks like this:
1. Uncharted 4
2. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
3. Uncharted 3
4. Uncharted 2
5. Uncharted 1
6. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Now subjectively:
1. Uncharted 2 - I don't know what it was, whether it was the timing and where I was as a gamer at that point in my life (enjoying the fact that games were becoming more story heavy and Naughty Dog was at the forefront of leading that charge with the Uncharted games) or just the fact it's a really good that still holds up well, but for me, this game is always going to hold a special place. It's my favorite PS3 exclusive of all-time, one of my top 20 favorite games ever and in my top 3 from last gen with GTA V and The Last of Us. I thought for the time it came out, it was one of those games that did nearly everything well. Fun platforming, fun gunplay and great set piece after great set piece all backed with an awesome story and cast of characters. It was everything a sequel should be improving on the first game in every aspect and was the easy choice for Game of the Year 2009.
2. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - I believe the review on this website described TLL as a 'greatest hits of Uncharted' and that's about as spot-on a description as one can get. It has my favorite set pieces after Uncharted 2 and provided a lot of action I felt was missing from Uncharted 4. The gameplay is built off Uncharted 4 so it's better than ever and The Western Ghats, while not the typical Uncharted action sequence I love, provides my favorite easy-going chapter in the entire franchise. Chloe has been my favorite character since the final chapters of Uncharted 2 so to learn more about her and get to see her in the lead role was nice and credit to Naughty Dog, it took on some criticism of Nadine, fleshed out the character and made her extremely humanized and likeable to the point where if Uncharted does continue I hope she's a new mainstay. If not for Yakuza Zero, it'd be my favorite PS4 game this year and that says a lot considering all the great games released and the fact that TLL started as nothing more than DLC.
3. Uncharted 4 - While not as action packed as I would've liked I think the tone of the game was fitting. We get one final trip with Nate and Sully (who right from the very first game became two of my favorite characters in any form of entertainment media) and fitting closure to Nate and Elena's story. The background pirate story was very entertaining and the platforming and gunplay were improved tenfold. My only regret was the lack of those wild set pieces because the action sequences that were there were an absolute blast.
4. Uncharted 1 - The game that started it all. Even for its time the gameplay was far from perfect, and I hated the jet ski sequence near the end, but it wasn't so bad to make me put the controller down and I'm glad I didn't because the characters, for where gaming was at in 2007, were some of the most human I could remember and they carried things through. The playful banter, the crazy twists and turns that brought them all closer together at the end. It was a great ride and one of the games that showed how the industry was progressing greatly in the story and voice acting department.
5. Uncharted: Golden Abyss - Not much to say here. It was a game I bought the Vita for and proved Uncharted could work on a portable system. It wasn't as refined as its console brethren in the gameplay department but for a portable adventure it worked well, even with some of the tacked on elements to make use of the Vita's back touchscreen. I also did enjoy the story and the villains in this one.
6. Uncharted 3 - Maybe it's a bit unfair but this game seriously disappointed me back in 2011. Bad? Absolutely not but there was just something 'off' about it from the start. To begin with, the aiming was horrible prior to the patch to bring it closer to Uncharted 2 (basically an admission that the devs messed that part up) and that detracted from the experience. The story also just didn't click with me and I wasn't digging the set pieces like I had in the previous game. As time has gone on, I look back at this game more fondly. While I was disappointed at the time, I now play it and have a lot of fun but it's one of those times where the prior entry was so good there was just no way the follow up could live up to the hype. That's what this game fell victim to. Still one of the better action games for its time and fun to be had today, years detached from its original release.
Uncharted 4 lacks the action setpieces that made Uncharted Uncharted. Therefore 2 is the best one!
I couldn’t make it through Golden Abyss. I tried and couldn’t get into it. I returned to it a year later and started over—same thing. Tried a third time—nope. Just didn’t get into it. I liked the climbing mechanic with the Vita—that was great. Something just didn’t feel right with it. Could be because I mostly play Vita on work breaks, and 15 minute chunks just aren’t enough to really get invested. Plus, lots of times I can’t play with headphones, so that hugely affects the experience.
Sadly, and I hate to say this, the biggest barrier was that I have a lot of games on Vita, and Golden Abyss is so damn big it limited the number I could have installed on the memory card. I’m sure I’ll go back to it at some point and try, try again.
Uncharted 2 is a masterpiece. Thanks!
1. Uncharted 2
2. Uncharted lost legacy
3. Uncharted 4
4. Uncharted 3
5. Uncharted 1
For me uc2:among thiefs is the best. The mix of humor, puzzles and action was amazing. I loved the graphics and puzzles in lost legacy but the chemistry between cloë and nadeen and the writing was below what i expected. Still its my 2nd best. But to me among thiefs is still the all time best in the series and im hoping on a new part with maybe young sully
No love for Eddy Raja. RIP Eddy.
To me 3 is where the series start to be good! I don't like the first one, and find the second a bit overrated, 3 is awesome as 4. Lost legacy...I don't know, I miss drake.
I’m torn between uncharted 4 and 2.
2 and 3 really run together for me, I can't separate them in my mind. For me, 4 is probably best, followed I think by 3 and then 2, but they are all neck and neck. I have yet to play Golden Abyss (won't be) or Lost Legacy (will be, hopefully soon). 1 is probably underrated but doesn't quite approach 2-4.
Looks like UC4 pulled through in the end . Deservedly so.
honestly, UC4 is one of the worst Uncharted games imo.
There is not enough action.
I'd make it:
2 > 1 > 3 > 4
Meanwhile, the story of Uncharted 3 is a bit of a mess and it feels like they came up with the levels first, and the story second.
Regardless, Uncharted 2 is the undisputed king.
Uncharted 4 is the first game that I ever played on a PS4 (and the first PS4 game I ever beat), so it will always be a special game for me. I remember playing it and being blown away by the graphics, sound etc.
I'm surprised they left off Fight for Fortune and that mobile game
Uncharted 2 just wins it for me but that's choosing a Van Gogh over a Picasso.
U1 is still a great game but it does have that "first in a franchise" air about it, though it's aged much better thanks to Bluepoint's masterful work.
U2 is such a special game for me, when I first played it I thought to myself "this was what I wanted from the last Indiana Jones movie (it came out the year before)" kick ass action, memorable story, a villain you really wanted to stick it too and characters that you just loved hanging out with, the bonus of course is that you were taking part as well. Retrospectivly that game was so important to both Naughty Dog and PlayStation, it's release coincided with the PS3's upward trajectory which Sony used into the PS4 era. It lifted Naughty Dog's reputation to new heights and were now no longer seen as a developer that made cartoon platformers but as a developer that made unrivalled action adventure games. And of course it convinced Naughty Dog and Sony that maybe two of their senior developers could be trusted to make their own game.
U3 was always destined to be seen as the "after lord mayor's show" but for the first half of the game it threatened to top U2, sadly the second half of the game descended into jumping from set piece to set piece without any real story cohesion to hold it together. Maybe a legacy of Sony announcing the release date a year in advance without any delays. But what set pieces though? The sinking ship, the shipyard gun fight, the airplane fight and the desert walk. Just a pity most of them were spoiled by E3 showings and trailers.
Golden Abyss was a great achievement on Vita but it suffered due to a forgettable plot and characters, Vitaesque gimmicks and been there done that set pieces. Bend did a wonderful job and if you have a Vita it's well worth your time but like Killzone Mercenary it wasn't enough to convince me that AAA belong on a handheld.
Plus time hasn't been kind to it due the Vita's shortcomings and Naughty Dog never acknowledging it (was left off the remasters) heck despite been named not one bit of footage was shown in the 10th anniversary trailer.
U4 is tricky to say where it fits, as a story it's the best in the franchise (NG really are starting to learn the art of subtle storytelling), I actually like that there was less combat because it made the action moments more worthwhile where's U3 became more how do we top the last set piece. And the epilogue was wonderfully done. And hopefully it is that rarest of beasts, a actual conclusion to a series.
And The Lost Legacy belongs with the others and tells a decent story but ultimately it's a greatest hits package of the franchise's best bits which is great but was never going to top what came before.
So now I hope the next time we see Nate again is in PS Allstars 2.
Late to the party but here goes. I love the series 2 is my favorite followed by 4 maybe and then the rest can be lumped in a pile. One thing that bothered me compared to the new Tomb Raider games is that drake never had a hub to go back to in each world to explore. Granted they are different series, but it would be cool to see them switch places. Is Amy Hennig looking for work now?
@legalstep
What did you think of the Western Ghats chapter in The Lost Legacy? Maybe not a hub like the new Tomb Raider games, but I thought that open area topped anything in either Tomb Raider 2013 or Rise of the Tomb Raider (and I love both those games).
@Gamer83 Yeah I'm kind of currently stuck there because of some Elephant puzzle. I do like it. The wanton killing and exploring of uncharted is without peer as far I'm concerned. I should go finish Lost Legacy.
you forgot uncharted - fortune hunter
I've only played Golden Abyss, 2, and 1. That's also my order from fav to least fav. Story in 2 was fun, but wasn't a huge fan of all the climbing everywhere. Gun play also didn't feel great on harder difficulties. 1 just hasn't aged well imo.
U2 is the greatest game of all time. Period.
Cameraman Jeff, best supporting character ever.
I've played all Uncharted games on PS4 starting with the 1-3 collection just before the arrivial of UC4... and U1 was kind of hard to play, but man, U2 was sooooo good! It almost felt like a current gen (PS4 at the time) game, and really fun. U3 was good also, but I liked better U4 , really really incredible game. And Lost Legacy is another fine game among the finest. ; )
My order
2
3 (the boatyard and cruise ship are amazing)
Lost legacy
4
1
My PS4 came with Uncharted 4 so I bought the trilogy to play first. I was not a fan of Uncharted 1 so I never touched any of the other games.
I was going to write 2, 3, 4, LL, 1 but since I already wrote 2, 4, 3 two years ago I'll stick with that.
"Last years model." is still my all time favorite video game line, but it might just be the way Claudia Black said it, loved her since Farscape.
Still would really like to see 1 continuous game with all the parts in chronological order. They can leave out Golden Abyss. That would be the only way to get me to play 1 again.
@Circasurviver Uncharted 1 sucks, a bullet sponge tech demo for the PS3 hardware. U2 is the best interactive movie ever played. You should give it a shot, only takes about 12 hours. You don't really need to play any of the other games after that, pretty much just more of the same, but not as well done.
Wow! This is the first time that I can remember one of these rankings lists on a website was identical to my own!
I've always liked uncharted (in a 7 or 8 out of 10 sort of way) but never understood the hype. Never liked the set piece stuff. Golden Abyss is my favourite, followed by Lost Legacy.
Sorry but Golden Abyss is much better than drakes fortune.
Great list. Love all the games, but I agree, Uncharted 4 takes the top spot. Very hard to choose though.
1. 4
2. 2
3. 3
4. Lost Legacy
5. 1
I’ve not played Golden Abyss.
The story and pacing in 4 are top notch. I loved the softest moments like at home with Elena and after game with the family.
I've enjoyed all the games too. I also feel Golden Abyss is under rated.
I enjoyed Uncharted 4, but I do feel that its introduction to Sam (the brother) is a story conflict for the other games. He's never mentioned in the other games and all of a sudden, even Sully is talking about him in the past tense. It's a great game, but I just think Sam could have been introduced better, without clashing against the previous games story and back story.
Might not be that big of a deal I guess, but that's my main criticism of the game.
Not sure what my ranking would be.
Golden abyss deserves more love
You know, I call myself a "fan" (quotation marks included, I suppose), even though I've only gotten around to playing the first two main ones, but I've had 3 and 4 on disc sitting around for years now (and I only just got a PS4 Pro in like last November).
But while the first game is special to me for it being such a reinvigorating videogame-experience, or an entertainment-experience in general, as well as something I finally thoroughly enjoyed on a console and with a gamepad, the second is clearly the better one of the two, being much more developed (clearly because of ND's experience and budget and such) and acting like the "Dark Knight" of its trilogy (in that it's bigger, better, and the "hit" of the somewhat more of a sleeper hit that is the first, just like 'Batman Begins'). - And the second is special to me as well, it helped me through a depression no less...
I was aware of the third and fourth coming out of course, but I was just in a place that I didn't get around to them (let alone the fourth without having a PS4 for years, I honestly bought the game years before I had the system for it).
I'm sure I'll love the third for different reasons, and as I understand the last (which I didn't expect would still come) is the most developed one in terms of like story, characters, world, writing, also a more serious tone (I guess Hennig wasn't the main source of what made the actual products good).
So I suppose like most people I'll find 4 to be the best, but it could as well be 3, who knows... Or maybe I'll love "Lost Legacy" the most, but it'll probably just feel as a solid extra.
I haven't even played "Last of Us", shamefully, but I will this year, the PS4-version right away, what better way is there. And honestly, I was so impressed with the first two Uncharted-games, and the response to "Last of Us", I have pre-ordered "TLoUII" blindly, and I RARELY pay "full price" for any game. It's usually discounts/sales or even used... But this one, I was like "Gimme dat statue...".
I know they're different games, but that's just to illustrate what kind of impression the (first two) Uncharted games made. And I played those like 10 years ago...
I played the first one in 2017. Remastered on a PS4. I enjoyed it, it was a change of pace from the usual games I played at the time and when it went a bit 'creepy', well I wasn't expecting that!
I loved Uncharted 2 until the final loss battle. Just...no. Oerall though it was a huge improvement on the first one.
3 is good, solid. Some excellent set-pieces but didn't feel like a step-up from 2.
4 is my favourite. Perhaps because of the graphics, maybe because it's the last one I played it maybe simply because it has a really good story and the Madagascar segment is just...magical.
Haven't played Lost Legacy yet. Hoping it will be a freebie in PS Plus at some point in the future.
😉
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