Uncharted: Ranking all the games in the series

(Picture Credits: GameSpot)
(Picture Credits: GameSpot)

The Uncharted games are some of the most successful and entertaining games of all time. They were responsible for bringing an unprecedented level of cinematic gameplay that was never seen before.

Nathan Drake has gone on to become one of the most iconic characters in all of gaming. Uncharted is one of Naughty Dog's marquee titles and established the studio as one of the most talented in the gaming industry.

All games in the Uncharted series have been quality Triple-A titles that have left a mark on the industry and set the standard for action-adventure games to follow.

Here we look at the series and rank all the titles in the Uncharted series. All the mainline entries have been included on this list save for Uncharted: The Golden Abyss, which was a handheld title for the PS Vita.

Uncharted: Ranking all the games in the series

5) Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

youtube-cover

The first game in the series saw Naughty Dog shift away from the days of Jak and Daxter as well as Crash Bandicoot into the modern Triple-A arena. The series introduced the gaming community to the loveable protagonist Nathan Drake, voiced by the iconic Nolan North.

The game offered plenty in the way of cinematic gameplay and served as a good introduction to the characters and world of Uncharted. Some players feel the game hasn't aged all that well but still consider it a decent title that provided the groundwork for the rest of the series from Naughty Dog.

4) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

youtube-cover

The third game in the franchise looked to take things to the next level in all aspects of the game. The combat areas were larger, the story took place over even more locations and the scale of combat kept escalating throughout the course of the game. It even had an Indiana Jones-like chase through the desert on horseback.

Uncharted 3 explored Nathan Drake's destructive obsession with treasures and even delved into his past and how he came together with Sully.

Uncharted 3 was more technically impressive than the previous two games but some players felt that the story didn't have the synergy of the previous game.

3) Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

youtube-cover

This Uncharted title served as a spin-off from the main franchise. For the first time, players were given control of someone other than the Drake siblings and this time, the protagonists of the game were Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross.

The game utilises the same engine and tech from Uncharted 4, which means it is as technically impressive as the fourth-numbered title is. The game was originally meant to be a DLC for the 4th game but it worked very well as a standalone title.

The game opens up more possibilities with the Uncharted franchise as it leaves enough room for the series to explore new characters and stories other than Nathan Drake.

2) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

youtube-cover

Ranking the top two games on the list was an extremely tough task as both titles are some of the best games one can play today. Uncharted 2 did not only announce Naughty Dog's arrival to the big stage as a top-tier studio but it also revolutionised gaming as a whole.

It set a whole new benchmark in terms of cinematic gameplay, and few games have ever been able to reach the standard set by Uncharted 2.

The opening train sequence is perhaps the greatest introduction to a game ever, and the rest of the story manages to hit several high points throughout its considerable playtime.

Unchartered 2 will go down in gaming history as the turning point for Naughty Dog as well as the game that paved the way for many similar games to be successful.

1) Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

youtube-cover

The concluding chapter to the Uncharted franchise couldn't have been any better. After Amy Hennig, the lead writer of the series, had left the project citing personal reasons and joined Visceral Games, fans had concerns regarding the quality of the game.

Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, who co-directed The Last of Us, came on to direct the final chapter of Nathan Drake's story. Players' concerns seemed to have risen even more as they felt that Uncharted might lose most of its "fun" due to the directors' work on The Last of Us.

All doubts were quickly dismayed a few hours into the game as players realised that Uncharted 4 was an instant classic. The game is a technical powerhouse and possibly one of the best-looking games in history.

Its technical brilliance is only overshadowed by the game's story, which might just be the strongest in the series. The gameplay also saw major upgrades and players couldn't have asked for a better ending to such a great franchise.

Quick Links