Why The Uncharted Series Is Popular: 10 Reasons Players Love It

After 4 main games, 2 PS Vita games, 2 collections, 1 mobile game and 1 spinoff with different main characters, it’s pretty clear to see how much of a hit the Uncharted series was. We have been following Nate and the gang since 2007 till today, where disgruntled fans of the series still beg for any update of a new Uncharted game.

Not only is Naughty Dog’s action adventure series a staple of the narrative gaming genre, but one of the most beloved franchises in the entire history of the industry! Naughty Dog cemented their place within the upper echelon of game developers with the Uncharted games.

What we got with this series was essentially Indiana Jones as a video game, complete with all the treasure hunting, action, wit and characters that we have all grown to love.

So, let us take a look at the reasons why we love these games so much and why they’re as celebrated as they are!

 

10. Revival of the Genre

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As more developers wanted to make their games bigger and more ambitious with RPG elements and massive worlds, many were fearful of the future of narrative games. They said that the game design of Uncharted and other games like it is outdated and while it worked for previous generations, it won’t necessarily work as the industry progresses.

The sheer success of these games have absolutely blown these criticisms out of the water. This shows that there will always be a place for different genres to exist within the video game world. These story driven games belong to  a great and specific genre that can deliver a journey in a way that other genres can’t and many gamers, myself included, really do care for them.

We believe that as good and fun an RPG can be, there is no substitute for a great story that will deliver a message that will stay with us forever. This is never done better than in story driven games like Uncharted and The Last of Us (first part, obviously).

 

9. Graphics

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All main Uncharted games since part 1 have always been amongst the most beautiful games of their release period and console generation. Uncharted 2 took this aspect even further when it showed the beauty of the mountains and of Shambala itself, with Uncharted 3 dialing this up to 11 with the vast and unending beautyRub’al Khali Desert and Iram of the Pillars.

Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: Lost Legacy are at the pinnacle of the graphical improvement of the series. This is because they really used every spec of the PS4’s hardware capabilities in order to make them look like games that still look amazing in the current PS5 and XSX generation.

The beauty and the majesty of these worlds add so much to the overall experience as they make the overall journey so much more memorable. To this day, I could navigate through Iram of the Pillars from Uncharted 3 blindfolded and recount every single detail on the walls. This is definitely due to the painstaking detail the developers spent in making the gorgeous worlds!

 

8. Treasures

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Now, a massive reason that the Uncharted games are so loved in the modern day is that they bring back the fun and wonder of collectibles. Sure, they aren’t the only ones that do this. In fact, most games have collectibles in one way or another, but the treasures that we find in Uncharted are all so very cool, unique and beautifully detailed in a way that not many other games can replicate.

Each and every treasure is expertly made to fit into the world of the games. They all look as if they are supposed to be there and instead of being just random things that you pick up from the street, they feel as if they’re actually small lost treasures that can exist in our world as well!

 

7. Puzzles 

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Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly smart. So, I always love it when forms of media (especially games) make me feel smart, and none do it better than the Uncharted games. They include these massive and fairly complex puzzles that lead to the treasure or to a new location one way or another.

These are all made to be super satisfying and often invoke a genuine head scratch, causing the player to actually properly think about them and try to formulate their answers instead of trying again and again with the wrong answers until they eventually get it right.

Puzzles are synonymous with the Uncharted games. They bring an extra breath of life and personality to the games, making it seem as if these treasures are lost to time and belong to no one else. Each game has a collection of super intricate and grand puzzles that are entirely unique to the game itself and they really give a great feeling to the player when they finally work out the solution.

 

6. Locations

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Uncharted never fails to take us to places that always leave our jaw on the floor. This point really goes hand in hand with the point that speaks on the graphical fidelity of the games because the locations of these games tie into the overall experience.

The series takes you from one memorable location to another, with wildly changing scenery and locales to magical places that the developers have completely invented on their own. These magical and inventive places are some of the most iconic levels in gaming history and are those that players of the games will always have in their memory.

 

5. Adventure

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I'm sure most of us remember the first time we ever watched an Indiana Jones movie. The sense of adventure and the wonder that came from the world was one that was honestly only really replicated in the subsequent films, so when the first Uncharted game released in 2007, we all felt that same feeling of adventure once again.

This is honestly one of the biggest draws of the series for me and many others. The sense of adventure that we get is completely unique to the Uncharted games. This is very hard to do in very linear, story driven games where the path is very narrow and exploration is limited, but Uncharted not only succeeds here, it thrives.

The Uncharted series makes sure that the histories of the world and the world itself are alive and really matter to everything that you encounter. It feels lived in, which really works wonders to give the whole game a feeling of cohesion and immersion.

 

4. Set Pieces

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Let’s face it, you can’t have an adventure title without over the top set pieces. And, to no one’s shock, the Uncharted games do these kinds of set pieces better than any other series . Whether it’s a shootout on a boat at the start of Uncharted 1, dangling from a derailed train on the edge of a mountain in Uncharted 2, falling from a plane into a desert in Uncharted 3 or surviving being on top of a falling tower in Uncharted 4, this series has got you covered.

The entire thing isn’t the mere presence of set pieces, it’s the sheer creativity with which each is presented to us. The entire thing is made even better with Nate being inches from death at any given moment but still making quips and witty jabs at everyone and everything.

These set pieces look absolutely marvelous and their nature is such that they can really only exist in video games as we play through them. They add such a feeling of verticality and dynamic movement as compared to most other moments in games that they stick out very well!

 

3. Gameplay

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Now here’s a point that may make many people bring out their pitchforks so I should preface my reasoning by acknowledging that the gameplay of these games is nothing inherently unique or special. It is very basic, if anything. The design philosophy of Naughty Dog games has always been more story driven with relatively basic gameplay.

However, the reason that people love Uncharted gameplay is precisely because of this. The gameplay is nothing to cry home about, but it is very well refined and perfectly suited for these kinds of games. With games that are primarily made to showcase the story over other things, this kind of gameplay works best.

This doesn’t mean that narrative games can’t or shouldn’t have such refined levels of gameplay that are super unique, but the gameplay shown in Uncharted is perfect for the kind of game it is.

 

2. Story 

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While it’s true that each game doesn’t exactly tell one overarching story (I mean, we didn’t even know Nate had a brother until the fourth game), each game in the series absolutely excels in the story that it tells itself. The crux of every story stays the same, that Nate and his gang are out for a treasure; however the message that this initially simple premise delivers is always impactful.

The games tell of loss, love in all forms, betrayal, the pursuit of everything you want and the price you may have to pay to get it. Though the comedic moments of the games really do stand out as everything in the series is very well written, they never undersell the more serious and gut wrenching moments of the journey.

The story is perfectly put in a neat package with things like the music and atmosphere in order to bring the player the most impactful story experience.

 

1. Characters

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If there is one thing that these games can proudly and objectively hold over most games out there, it’s the riveting and fleshed out characters. Sure, not all the villains may not be the most memorable in the first few games, but Nadine and Rafe in Uncharted 4 were absolutely amazing.

But the villains aren’t what we’re here to talk about. Nate is easily one of the best video game protagonists in history, with his easy to love personality, his love of history, his hilarious quips and insults to his enemies. He is the kind of person most people would hate in real life, but he is just such a lovable guy that you can’t help but always root for him.

Then we have Sully. Also one of the greatest side characters ever, always there to support Nate in whatever he does and has always got his back, and despite being significantly older, seems more inexperienced. This is super endearing and makes us love him more. He’s truly the perfect best friend for Nate.

Elena is Nate’s primary love interest but she is also so much more than that. She is always the voice of reason for Nate and Sully but unfortunately fails to convince them otherwise, but still supports them through their escapades. Sam is Nate’s older brother and is equally as much of a wise ass, and one that had been missing for decades. He has his share of problems but quickly makes himself actually feel like the player's family, making us actually want to protect him.

There are many others that are equally as compelling such as Chloe and Cutter, but to go into detail for all of them would need a much larger list. So, to end this one, I say that the characters in the Uncharted games are the best part about them, and are those that we the players will remember for the rest of our lives.