If you think Uncharted 4 blew the top off of adventure games, Uncharted 5 is bound to be an even more involved and exciting sequel — and it could be coming to PS5.
When I first picked up Uncharted 1, I did so casually. “Sure,” I said. “What the heck, I’ll give this Indiana Jones thing a shot.” Ten years later and here I am begging for Uncharted 5 details.
For now, as we wait for The Last of Us Part II, let us muse why Uncharted 5 may just end up being the adventure game to end all adventure games.
‘Uncharted 5’ release date rumors
A recent job listing from The Visual Arts Group and PlayStation has many fans wondering if we could see a release for PS5.
Of course, since it doesn’t actually mention what the franchise is this is all just a guessing game. It could be any number of franchises, but it is possible they’re gearing up for Uncharted 5.
The job listing states:
The Visual Arts Group and PlayStation Malaysia are a passionate team within the PlayStation family, provides world-class content, development, and services to PlayStation’s studios all over the world. Always at the cutting edge of technology, Visual Arts works with studios like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Santa Monica Studios, Guerrilla Games, Bend Studios, SuckerPunch, San Diego Studio, Japan Studios, and more first-party teams. Our team is made up of game and film industry professionals from all over the world, working with some of the best minds and companies around.
Our Animation team is currently working on one of PlayStation’s well-known and well-loved franchises. We are looking for talented, highly-motivated and creative animators to breathe life into the next chapter of cinematic storytelling.
There is little doubt in my mind that Uncharted 5 will be coming down the pipeline, especially given comments made by the series’ creators after Uncharted: The Lost Legacy released.
“We have no immediate plans [for another Uncharted],” said The Lost Legacy Creative Director Shaun Escayg. “But if there’s anything this game proves that this world is beyond Nathan Drake, there’s other cast, other characters – you’ve got quite a vast amount of cast to pull from in the future if you so wanted.”
Exactly who those other characters are, writer Josh Scherr said, “One fun thing about the series, and about the genre in general, is that we’re drawing from the idea of this whole world out there of rogues and thieves and treasure hunters and all these things they do with and against each other. Potentially we could spin this off.”
This potential spinoff will take some time to come to fruition, as the one year turnaround on The Lost Legacy took quite the toll on the development team. Scherr continued, “But right now we’re just focusing on getting this [The Lost Legacy] out the door, and then we’re focusing on Last of Us Part II. There are no plans for anything beyond this.”
These are all good things, as The Last of Us was, as I said in my review, the “PS3’s swan song” and a “masterpiece that is already being referenced as the Ocarina of Time” for the PlayStation 3.
The Last of Us Part II will do us all well to help pass the time until Uncharted 5 is announced. If you haven’t played through Joel and Ellie’s wonderful story yet, I highly encourage you to get your hands on a copy ASAP.
While a Uncharted 5 release date is not yet official, it does seem like plans for the latest installment could be in the works. And what can we expect in the new game?
Bombastic set pieces
If it ends up being anything like its predecessors, Uncharted 5 will go ham on the big set pieces. Whether it was the train sequence of Uncharted 2, the plane crash of Uncharted 3, or the Italian castle of Uncharted 4, the main series Uncharted games have only ever ramped up the excitement more and more each game.
When your boat crashes, you feel like you’re really right there in the cold water with Nathan Drake. The “oh shit!”s that he’s known for as we quickly dodge a falling fuselage or boulder make the action sequences feel unscripted and authentic.
If I had to dream up an awesome action sequence for Uncharted 5, I’d place the player deep, deep underwater, 47 Meters style, and bring their Oxygen supply down really low. Actually, when watching the Mandy Moore shark horror film, the idea of this concept being used in Uncharted 5 was the first thing that crossed my mind. The magic of knowing that you, the player, were the one to get your character out of a near-death experience is so very rewarding and exciting.
Unstoppable female leads
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was apparently a title made under a tight time crunch of only one year of development, but it’s not like you can really tell when playing through it. Sure, it’s a shorter title than the others, but it was touted as being so, so it wasn’t like we were going in with the expectations of a full-length adventure.
And then, Chloe and Nadine came into the limelight.
When these two ladies needed to accomplish something, it felt like nothing in the world was going to stop them. Nate has a bit of a bumbling attitude, and only really gets through when Elena or Sully rush in to save him in the nick of time. Nadine is a force of nature, and Chloe’s intellect and sheer willpower have the power to take down entire empires.
Cassandra Drake is the fan-favorite Uncharted 5 protagonist wish, and for good reason. The incredible ladies of her parents’ generation are bound to have taught Nate and Elena’s child a trick or two. While 1996’s Tomb Raider did it first, Uncharted 5 can do it better.
Outstanding presentation
The dev team at Naughty Dog sure does know their way around a Sony PlayStation console. It seems as though they are content to push the limits of the hardware that they are developing on to the absolute limits, and the final products always amaze.
The aforementioned fantastic The Last of Us followed in the footsteps of what the first Uncharted titles had already established: Naughty Dog being a powerhouse development company the likes of which are rarely seen in the video game industry.
If you had to put your trust in any team to make an amazing sequel to one of the best selling game franchises of all time, put your full faith in Naughty Dog.
While Uncharted 5 has not yet been announced, The Last of Us: Part II is well into development, and will likely receive a 2019 release date very soon.
Games like ‘Uncharted’
Games like Uncharted are somewhat hard to come by, but not if you know where to look. If you’re finding yourself craving that unique sense of adventure present in the Uncharted games, know that you’re not alone.
Most of these titles feel just independent enough from Uncharted to be considered their own concept, though most of them do borrow heavily from the Uncharted formula. Emulation is the highest form of flattery, and for these four games like Uncharted, that emulation is what makes them so much fun.
Whether it’s ziplining down a mountainside or stealth kills in the grass, here are the games that borrow most of their main gameplay elements from the Uncharted series.
‘The Last of Us’
The Last of Us is easily the top-recommended Uncharted-like game, seeing as developer Naughty Dog crafted this title during their development of the Uncharted sequels. The Last of Us stars hardened survivor Joel as his journey to protect zombie-bite immune Ellie takes the two across an Infected-ridden America.
The two characters play off each other in similar fashion to Nate and Sam, with Joel acting as the protector of Ellie. Eventually, Joel warms up to Ellie, making this duo one of the most heartwarming father/daughter combos in gaming history.
The gameplay feels very similar to the Uncharted games, with weapons and ammo between the two often remaining the same. The item crafting and skill upgrade system in The Last of Us allows this zombie adventure title to feel very unique from Uncharted. Last is a very dark tale, and is not for the light of heart. Often considered the PS3’s swan song, The Last of Us is well worth a playthrough for any Uncharted superfan.
‘Tomb Raider’
Lara Croft’s reboot does play as a bit of a diet Uncharted title, but the dual pistol wielder must be given credit for popularizing the specific, ahem, tomb raiding adventure/shooter genre. Lara’s 1996 debut caught the world’s interest for its unique approach to gameplay and puzzles, but as her series continued, less and less impressive titles released.
Uncharted filled in the void of tomb raiding games, but with the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider, Lara proved that she still had some gusto. The Tomb Raider reboot games get better as the series progresses, but the first in the reboot trilogy is still a pretty clean title.
Full of intelligent AI shootouts, puzzling dungeons, and high-octane action setpieces, Tomb Raider offers a great substitute for the fantastic adventures in the Uncharted series’ games.
‘A Plague Tale: Innocence’
One of the most unique titles in 2019 is that of A Plague Tale: Innocence. Teenager Amicia and younger brother Hugo fight to stay alive amongst The Plague and The Inquisition, utilizing all of the skill at their disposal to conquer guards, soldiers, and nature’s forces.
Related: A Plague Tale will be loved by fans of The Last of Us and Tomb Raider
Alchemy plays a pretty big role in Plague Tale, which changes up the formula of standard stealth/action sequences. Amicia is young, but crafty. While she is no Lara Coft, she has a feisty nature that keeps her and Hugo just beyond the licks of death’s flames.
For fans of Uncharted, you’ll be happy to know that this title operates a lot like Nathan Drake’s adventures. It’s a beautiful game, and functionally, Amicia’s physics feel similar to Nate’s. She can leap, run, and dodge, and has the keen instincts of a true survivor. Check out A Plague Tale for a unique take on the fantastic Uncharted formula.
‘Pitfall: The Lost Expedition’
Looking at the Pitfall boxart, you might laugh at how similar the protagonist looks to Nathan Drake. Surely, this was a knockoff of the Uncharted games, right? Au contraire, mon frère.
The 2004 PS2/Gamecube/Xbox Pitfall title hit a full three years before Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Sure, it does feel really similar to the original Tomb Raider games, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun.
This is a somewhat easy title, but it’s a helluva lot of fun. Pitfall is a 3D adventure sequel to the earlier 2D platformer titles in the series, featuring Harry as an adventurer plagued with chomping crocs and the everpresent pitfall. Its graphics hold up, the music is cute, and the platforming is fairly innovative. Pitfall: The Lost Expedition is an often overlooked title when considering games like Uncharted, but it’s not one to be ignored.