One of the most memorable series for the PlayStation community is definitely this. They were all initially PlayStation 3 games spanning from since 2007 that were later on consolidated into one remaster package in 2015 for the PS4. I have had the privilege to revisit these games playing them on the PS5 and I cant wait to share with you my experience from some of the things that stood out for me.
Starting off with Drakes fortune which is the first in this trilogy, you can easily tell that the format of the gameplay is just the same as the rest of the games that come after it as it is the foundation of them all. Of course the character models and movement though remastered will still show you the limitations of the PS3 system back then in a slight way though. However you don't feel like you are playing a typically aged game but rather an iconic polished game. To clarify further you will still enjoy this 2007 remaster in 2021 without disappointment.
The story of this game is really rich and clearly was an ambitious move considering the times it came out. Having movie style games was very much ground breaking in these days. It has a simple nature to it and easily brings into perspective the background of these legendary protagonists, that is how they met and so on. Its actually great to start off with this game and go through the whole trilogy and also playing the fourth installment to give yourself a comprehensive experience.
Again easy and straight forward is the gameplay mostly fun just that slight feel of the character movement being dated however its barely distracting. So Like with most games I play them on the current gen consoles we have to date and its simple for the PS5 to push this game of its little brother (PS3). Just remember its not optimized for the PS5 but its a PS4 title that you can still play if you have a PS5.
I hardly experienced anything weird, It was just rock solid performance throughout, no stuttering no slow load times but just a complete solid playthrough. The game has quite a few simple puzzles and really good action set pieces. My favorite was when I took a ride with Elena on a speed boat while shooting some enemies.
There are definitely surprises like the mysterious encounter you will have with weird looking creatures (cant say more I don't want to spoil it) later on in the game. As a person whos not really a fan of horror games I actually found them scary as they were really well rendered with clarity. I think this is because on the old system there was a lack of definition so certain animations would look blurry but not in this case anymore and certainly not with the PS5 which easily clarifies everything for you though still limited to the initial remaster code of the game.
You get to have a tone of shoot-outs and of course its the primary basis of the combat of the game however you easily get familiar (if you are coming from future uncharted games) as there is hardly any difference from the games that follow this. If my memory serves me well in 2007 Call of duty Modern Warfare was the game of the year, although I don't follow game awards but it kind of sets a benchmark with which you can see what they were up against. It was also the year that title likes The Witcher came out. Clearly games where evolving a notch far higher than the PS2 era.
Drakes Fortune is a game that's amazing and still very much playable after so many years. It goes to show that even though it has been remastered It still has a lot in its tank to suffice as remastering doesn't alter a lot of things from the original just mainly visual clarity and a touch on some performance aspects.
Personally the best game in this series for me is definitely this one. It was incredible and filled with such a thrilling vibe. Unlike the first it took the story and gameplay mechanics to a higher level. Uncharted 2 originally it came out in 2009 for the PS3 system and really you could tell how it pushed that system with incredible visuals. After playing this remaster on PS5 trust me the graphics still don't look old at all. Its very much attributed with modern game mechanics. Naughty Dog have always had a way to make well detailed action adventure games because even with the first Last of us there is absolutely no need to have another remaster/remake of it as it already looks good.
It feels like any modern game you can think, of blurring the lines of old era and new. Gameplay definitely improved from slightly rigid to fluid but very familiar with the first. The story was definitely the X factor. I think its fair to say this game is a rare antique filled with glorious gameplay physics and action especially the train set piece when Nate is in pursuit to save Chloe ( you can refer to my twitter page if you wish to see the specific scene I am referring to). Its simply legendary.
Every cutscene is inseparable from the in game visuals. You barely see a difference. Its a smooth flow of an intense story. Its a very much satisfactory and a reasonably long game that's very intense enough to leave your gunfight thirst quenched. You simply cant ask for more here.
You could see how games where blending in cinematics and in game gameplay to give you that richer immersive experience. Its one of the games that also nailed the snow mechanics as Nate walks within the snow you could see the snow tracks being pushed about by Nate's feet movement, really incredible.
Uncharted 2 was filled with lots of surprises and explosive action. It doesn't feel empty but a perfect fusion of adventure and consistent action. It doesn't have moments like Uncharted 4 where you go through a dry quiet spell of exploring and then one big moment of fighting with Uncharted 2 every single step of the way is a moment to remember in itself.
I would love to hear you out especially if you have played it in its time. This was the peak of this franchise for me. Moving on to Uncharted 3.
Now you get that sense of an accomplished series expressing itself in this third entry . It came out in 2011 when the PS3 was in its twilight years. There are some notable improvements from this game in comparison to the previous entries that we shall briefly talk about.
First impressions are definitely of a more polished game, wherein the character models look a touch more defined and sharper than the previous games. For example Nates face was a bit blurry in the in-game Uncharted 2 compared to this one. The movement is again a touch better, as I moved Nate around just to see how fluid It is I saw that the old rigid robotic movement especially from Drakes Fortune was gone.
Another nice feature from the game world was how the sun beams permeated through the trees with a rich brightness to it. In the other game It wasn't well executed. However I did not really like Chloe's looks in this game as she seemed more exaggerated than how she was in Uncharted 2. She had more of a human natural look unlike in this game. Hopefully I will revisit this and do a side by side for you to see what I am trying to say through typing here, not only for this game but others too which have sequels.
Another improvement of particular interest is the semi-cutscene CQC (close quarter's combat) encounters that feel more fluid and interesting as opposed to the past. So you are getting that general slight improvement in visuals and gameplay. However I should note these differences come more from nitpicking as opposed to being clearly visible to the eye, so yeah it will take a keen eye to notice.
We come to the fuel that drives the vehicle which is the story which definitely wasn't as vibrant, thrilling and packed full of action as the previous game. It was a bit toned down to my liking. While there are a couple of action driven set pieces they aren't as gratifying as Uncharted 2. That immaculate thriller seemed to have lost its glow though shining but not glowing (something that glows is giving out its own glory, something that shines, shines from a reflection of something else). No doubt you are still going to get some good time shooting some foes in various parts of the story.
This series put the PlayStation brand in the limelight (together with other memorable titles of course), and will forever remain an antique in the gaming universe museum. From both a technical gameplay standpoint and story perspective Uncharted games really show how gaming can as much tell a story as a movie incorporating both video game and movie style aesthetics. I highly recommend this game to you the reader if you have not played it before and to make it part of your collection. Lets hear from you, cheers :).
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