Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
ReleaseDate: 28th January 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
▫️ Code provided by the publisher ▫️
From the moment I first played Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune back in 2007 I was hooked. The blending of gameplay and narrative had never been integrated so well. This game is what transitioned me from a casual to a hardcore gamer. After lighting up both the PS3 and PS4 with a plethora of amazing adventures, it seems only fitting that developer Naughty Dogs first native PS5 outing would be Uncharted in all its glory. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is Drake’s most recent adventure, while standalone spin-of the Lost Legacy follows series favourite, Chloe Frazer teaming up with Nadine Ross. These are the two games that make up the Legacy of Thieves collection.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was originally released back in 2016 and like the three entries before it was met with overwhelming critical praise. It follows Drake, Sully and for the first time Nate’s brother Sam as they have limited time to find John Avery’s treasure. This is the longest and most fleshed-out entry in the series, taking you all over the globe – including a trip to Scotland! Lost Legacy on the other hand is a shorter experience, clocking in around 7 hours. This is roughly half the length of a Theif’s End, but don’t misunderstand the shorter runtime for a sign of reduced quality. Chloe and Nadine’s search for the Tusk of Ganesh is a memorable one, with the highest compliment I can pay it being that you don’t miss Nate at all.
As I highlighted earlier, throughout Naughty Dog’s evolution they have continued to refine the cinematic mix between gameplay and storytelling. As I direct result of this they are in my opinion the highest regarded studio in gaming right now. Both titles in this collection are prime examples of how fluid they have become, with the team able to add so much contextual storytelling while you are in the thick of the action or travelling between objectives.
Let’s talk about improvements. I had been wanting to revisit Uncharted 4 for a while now, but I forced myself to hold off on the hopes that a 60fps version would become available. Well, that’s one of the many welcome additions to the Legacy of Thieves collection. The game has two options, allowing 4K/30fps in fidelity mode, and 1440p/60fps in performance. There’s even a Performance+ mode that allows 120fps. While you can’t go wrong with any option, I highly recommend taking one of the increased framerates, as it really improves the gameplay experience. Textures have also been improved thanks to the resolution bump, and while side by side comparisons sometimes don’t look drastic, we have to remember that both of these titles pushed the PS4 to the limit on their initial launches and still look incredible today.
Alongside the performance and graphical boost, for the first time in the series, we get Dualsense integration. While not as in your face as Astro’s Playroom, the granularity of the haptic feedback does enhance the experience over the original dual shock. The adaptive triggers play their part as well, offering resistance when using weapons. The 3D audio is something that impressed me most though. This may be the best application of the tech to date, allowing you to pinpoint sounds from all directions. Load times are also lightning quick. I timed getting from the main menu to continuing my autosave and taking control of Drake in Uncharted 4 at 6.03 seconds. While this isn’t something new for Sony’s latest system, it never fails to impress.
A lot has been made about the value proposition here. If you don’t own either game on PlayStation 4 then the collection comes in at £44.99. However, if you do own even one of the games digitally (not including Uncharted 4 from the PS+ collection) or physically then only a £9.99 upgrade fee is required. Personally, I feel like the upgrade price is justified. The collection provides far more than just a performance boost. Dualsense integration and 3D audio take time to develop. And if for some reason you haven’t played these titles before, you are getting fully updated versions of two of the best PlayStation 4 games ever made for less than a standard new release.
No game is perfect though, and the Legacy of Thieves Collection does have one flaw. Its trophy list. The blueprint was already there, with both games being originally released with platinum trophies. However, for some unknown reason, what we have been given is the standard Uncharted 4 trophy list, minus the multiplayer trophies, and then the full list for Lost Legacy added as DLC. While unlikely to be a deal-breaker for anyone, it does highlight again that PlayStation needs to take trophies more seriously.
Overall, the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection is a complete joy to experience. Naughty Dog are masters of their craft and that is on full display here. Jam-packed with memorable moments, unforgettable action and some of the best fleshed out characters ever seen in a video game. This should be in every gamer’s collection.
-Craig ✌️
