What makes Uncharted: The Lost Legacy so special is the fact that Nathan Drake is nowhere to be seen, and yet this final entry before the series goes into hiding manages to wrap a perfect bow around his adventures. Fan favourite Chloe Frazer returns alongside the fourth instalment’s newcomer Nadine Ross to create an excursion to India that rivals the very best the franchise has to offer.
The charm and charisma brought to the table by Mr Drake isn’t lost on the two female leads, as the hunt for the Tusk of Ganesh is just as much about them as it is about finding the next piece of treasure. As the two gossip about the past, the game’s main villain Asav, and the Drake brothers, you’ll feel like you’re right there with them in the back seat of their patrolling jeep.
But when the time for chit-chat is over, you’ll be greeted by some of the series’ very best gameplay sequences and set pieces. We’ve already had a bit of a gush about the title’s fourth chapter, but this side quest absolutely is the real deal. With a collectible enhancing reward at the end of it, the mission provides you with a variety of different puzzles that weave seamlessly into the main story, all while set in a stunning location filled with waterfalls, mud plains, and jaw-dropping cliff faces.
While introducing the new, it also feels like Naughty Dog revisited a few select set pieces from previous titles so they could perfect them in The Lost Legacy. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ train sequence lives long in our memories, but Chloe and Nadine do it better. The sequence feels perfectly handcrafted to allow for triumph, intense action, intricate fistfights with Asav, and a finale that refused to wipe the smile off our faces.
This is Uncharted’s gameplay at its very best, but the presentation places itself a notch above Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End with some utterly phenomenal landscapes and vistas. The war-torn streets of India feel lifelike, while Belur is a visual treat from the most exotic of holiday brochures.
With all of this combined, it’s easy to see why Uncharted: The Lost Legacy battles for the top spot in our Game of the Year deliberations. What Naughty Dog has managed to create in just over a year is nothing short of special, a magical Uncharted experience that feels like a Greatest Hits edition of what makes the series stand out from the rest. Unforgettable characters, top-notch gameplay, and mesmerising graphics fuse together to create an incredible experience that signs the franchise off on a very high note.
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Did you enjoy Chloe and Nadine’s journey to India? Does Uncharted need Drake at this juncture? Scale the Western Ghats in the comments section below.
Comments 28
Well I'm pretty sure Persona 5 is first then.
I bought a lot of games this year but only about 15 released this year. If I had to pick a top 5.
Horizon
Hellblade
Nioh
Uncharted
Yakuza 0
Would be mine.
The bad thing with this game is the strange story that makes no real sense. I don't really know if this is the trend since I only played the Vita game that still has the same issues. The story is dull and the main villain does not seem that threatening.
Still the game is phenomenal on the presentation, especially on the Pro. Worth playing for this and this only.
Naughty Dog's 'B' team produce a GOTY candidate .
I'm surprised Uncharted TLL charted this high. I guess being the biggest PS franchise most of the staff played it.
Even as a huge Uncharted fan it was just outside my personal top 5, which is:
1) Persona 5- the correct winner
2) Horizon Zero Dawn
3) Nioh
4) Yakuza 0
5) NieR: Automata
Just goes to show how strong of a year it has been.
Well deserved nonetheless. The Lost Legacy is my third favorite Uncharted (after 4 & 2). Hope this is not the end.
@belmont Hmm... interesting that you played this without playing any of the other mainline games. Definitely the story and characters are much more interesting and meaningful after playing the other games, especially Uncharted 2 and 4. Uncharted games’ stories are not typically deep or awe inspiring, so much as they have such excellent delivery. Usually the story involves an Indiana Jones style chase after some kind of artifact or archaeological find for one reason or another. The beauty is in the journey and development of the individuals involved. Inter-character relations is one of the series’ strong suits. I agree the villians are not always the most impressive part, the focus they take is really developing the protagonists. Nadine is the perfect example of this, given that she was one of the villians in 4, but we really grow to know her in Lost Legacy.
Anyways, I love the series and Lost Legacy is deserving of the #2 spot. Exactly where I had it on my list. Poor lil’ NieR is my #1 and appears to be getting the snub. :’(
Coming from a huge Uncharted (& Naughty dog in general) fanboy - blasphemy not to include Nier in the top 3.
And the winner is.... Torment tides of numenera. The best storytelling in a game (mostly due to content written by great fantasy authors).
OK. It will probably be Persona 5. I haven't played it yet, but it seems to get a lot of love.
I was surprised when I saw this finish so high in our result, but I think it makes sense. Arguably this is the best Uncharted to date, and while I don't think they could make another one like this (it really is a Greatest Hits), it's still a practically perfectly refined take on the formula.
WASSUP PERSONA
Loved it! The amount of variety packed into the western ghats was impressive considering it could've come across quite samey. Terrific characterisation (for the leads, at least) and an abbreviated runtime late this a blast to play through.
I'm glad that Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is on the list, the game is really awesome. I really love the series.
Unfortunately this game got put on the backlog when Shadow of War and Wolfenstein came out, i'll have to remember to pop this back in soon.
Uncharted is my favourite PS4 franchise and you cannot fault them from a technical point of view. Naughty Dog's attention to detail is exceptional and their characters have 'depth' and a certain amount of 'believability' - no less than the characters we get in movies. I know that 1 person is unlikely to take on an army and win but the action of uncharted is not that different.
I can't say that the Lost Legacy was my favourite game of 2017 but its in my top 5. Its priced as a 'smaller' game so I am not disappointed. I know its as long as Uncharted BUT standards have changed and we do tend to expect more now. Like I said though, I am not criticising it for that. art of my reason its not No 1 though is that it feels like a Greatest Hits more than a new game and as such, lost the 'wow' factor that Horizon:Zero Dawn gave me.
I know you can argue that H:ZD doesn't break the mold of Open World action games but it was still outstanding and superbly realised. Visually it's impressive and Aloy is a great new mascot for Sony. Nathan Drake may well of been the 'icon' of the PS3 era but Aloy is the PS4 icon.
Assassins Creed: Origins is my number 2 behind H:ZD. Another wonderfully crafted world to play in with so much to do. Side quests feel 'meaningful' on the whole - not just go here and fetch/kill and return to quest giver to complete.
Wolfenstein comes in at 3 with Lost Legacy at 4. Destiny 2, despite its 'issues' comes in a 5 because it has provided me with more hours of fun, than any other game this year. The game-play still feels so great - even if there are things I much preferred in Destiny that have gone - more robust RPG elements, more variation in weapons and weapon combination, class builds, end game content and general day to day reasons to play.
Each to their own of course but that's my top 5.
My top 5 would be:
1. Persona 5
2. NieR Automata
3. Super Mario Odyssey
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
5. Metroid Samus Returns
My Vita goty salt&sanctuary
No way this is better than Horizon.
I loved this game, bought upon release and Uncharted is undoubtedly one of my favorite franchises... Game is not better than Horizon though. Absolutely not.
I've still not played this game although I do have it as I bought it in a sale but I can say without hesitation that I agree with the few others on here and that this game in no way can be more enjoyable than Horizon.
And why is this page so dark??
I'm assuming Sonic Mania is #1.
I enjoyed this more than my first run of Thief's End, personally. I thought Lost Legacy did alot of things better in the gameplay department, with better designed stealth and shootouts. The story was simpler, but it was easier to digest, and had some better focus. I also thought Asav was a better villain than Rafe and Nadine. Rafe wasn't terrible, but outside of his boss fight, I felt he lacked the intimidation factor Lazarevic and Marlowe had, and more petty than evil. Nadine felt like she was just there to give Rafe right hand second like how Navarro, Flynn, and Talbot were, but lacking any real significance beside unwinnable "boss fights". Asav I felt was a good throwback to Lazarevic, while also having Nadine's fight (except you can win). Speaking of Nadine, she was much better here as Chloe's polar opposite partner. While I'm replaying Thief's End to see if my opinion changes, Lost Legacy won me over from the start.
This so very nearly went on my top 5 article, I really enjoyed it. Another solid Uncharted adventure
This is a good game but no way is it better than Horizon Zero Dawn. People will still be talking about HZD for years to come. Lost Legacy was just a very good game that will fade from memory.
Bizarre!
I'm guessing that #1 will be either Persona 5 or Nier,. Unless you hit us with a curveball and put in Bubsy or something.
Im a huge Uc fanboy it's my favorite game series ever and I agree with this article that lost legacy is arguably the best Uc game there is but with all that said in no way was it better then what horizon brought to the table this year. I just don't get how critics can keep snubbing horizon especially when readers just like on this site vote horizon as the best game by wide margins it's ridiculous
Would be funny if Push Square’s GoTY was... a meme
KNACK 2 BAYBEE Ik they wouldn’t but
Memes ftw!
Not what I was expecting to be #2. I forget how popular this series is.
@dark_knightmare2 Horizon wasn’t snubbed, it came in at number 3 in a year when a ridiculous amount of amazing games were released.
I am a big fan of Uncharted series and it is good game but Horizon is undoubtedly better.
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