Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (PS4) – Review

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy occupies a strange space in the market. Its $40 price point leads people to believe that it’s not quite Uncharted 5, but perhaps it’s more substantial than, for example, the Left Behind DLC for The Last of Us. Make no mistake, Lost Legacy is a full-fledged Uncharted experience, which shows that this franchise still has compelling stories tell outside Nathan Drake’s adventures. 

Game Name: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer(s): Naughty Dog
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Price: $39.99

In Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, you play as Chloe Frazer, a fan favorite who was unfortunately absent from Uncharted 4. Chloe is after the Tusk of Ganesh, an ancient Indian artifact that her heritage calls on her to find. However, there are some bad people who are also after the Tusk, namely a warlord named Asav. Since she can’t take on Asav and all his men alone, she calls in Nadine – a mercenary and the secondary antagonist in Uncharted 4. 

The writing for Chloe is excellent. She brings levity to tense situations without feeling like Nathan Drake 2.0. The evolving relationship between Chloe and Nadine feels natural, and their dialogue is genuinely fun to listen to. While Uncharted 4 is a bit more heartfelt knowing it’s Nathan’s last adventure, Chloe’s interest in the Tusk of Ganesh feels more personal than Drake’s interest in previous treasures. The Lost Legacy is not a forced spin-off – it shows that there are still stories worth telling with these fantastic characters.

The character of Asav may not be the most compelling villain in the series, but he’s also not the worst (that prize would go to Uncharted 2‘s Lazaravic). He’s evil for the sake of being evil and alludes to having some sort of history with Nadine. Still, there are a few tense encounters among him, Chloe, and Nadine. Nonetheless, we came for our heroes and not the villains, so Asav being more or less a simple plot device is easily forgiven. 

There’s a lot of referring to Nathan Drake’s last adventure that may intimidate newcomers, but The Lost Legacy really does work as a standalone story. Long-term fans will appreciate the familiar faces, but it really isn’t necessary to play any previous games. If you’re looking for that gorgeous current-gen Uncharted experience, The Lost Legacy is a better jumping-on point than Uncharted 4. 

Despite the fact you play as someone other than Nathan Drake for the very first time, the game has all the beats of classic Uncharted. The game is a third-person shooter with lots of stealth sections and some puzzle-solving. You’re always given the choice to take out everyone quietly, or to go in loud. It’s nothing game-changing, but the shooting and stealth takedowns are so satisfying it’s hard not to recommend. 

The Lost Legacy unsurprisingly plays like Uncharted 4, but there were some minor yet noticeable improvements to gameplay. The previous game toyed with the idea of a ‘wide linear’ approach, where the game gave players more freedom to get from point A to point B. The Lost Legacy takes this idea further – there is an entire chapter where you may choose which order to explore each of the ruins, marking off the locations on Chloe’s map. It’s still a very linear game, but it certainly felt like I could explore the map at my own pace. 

Some other additions include Chloe’s ability to pick locks and more weapons, ammunition, and other goodies. There are also a few new weapons unseen in previous games, like C-4 and a silenced pistol allowing for stealth kills. Driving and swimming sections also felt more fluid and enjoyable. In short, The Lost Legacy makes some well-appreciated improvements to a game that already had solid gameplay.

As for the visuals, you’d be hard-pressed to find a PS4 game that looks better than Uncharted. I frequently stopped to take screenshots during my time in Uncharted 4, as I’m sure many others did. The Lost Legacy is not any different, and even after hours of playing I’m still impressed by its visuals. There are in-game moments where Chloe stops to take pictures with her phone, making it seem as though she’s almost as awestruck by the scenery as players. Naughty Dog must have taken note of the popularity of screenshots by improving photo mode. Players can adjust camera angles, remove characters from the shot, and even change Chloe’s facial expression…

Perfection.

I’m not sure who asked for this feature, but it is pretty fun, and Uncharted has always been about not taking itself seriously. 

The Lost Legacy has 9 chapters compared to U4‘s 22, but it’s more than half the length in playtime. It took me about 7 hours to complete, and will take even longer if you gather all the collectible treasures along the way. I certainly could have played more, but you really can’t complain about the value you’re getting at this price point. 

If you’re a fan of Uncharted and you still haven’t picked up The Lost Legacy, this one’s a no-brainer. But even if you haven’t played any of the previous installations, this game is a wonderful addition to your Ps4’s library. Here’s to hoping we get more full experiences likes this one for less than full price.

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