Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection: PS5 Review

Developer: Naughty Dog

Platform: PS5

Released by Sony Interactive

Once more into the breach with Nathan Drake with this PS5 release that doesn't really reinvent what Naughty Dog had planned with the original games, but builds on the studio's aspirations of making them more cinematic.

Collecting together the conclusion of Nathan Drake's arc in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and the shorter spinoff Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, it's worth noting these releases don't really do anything new with the core games and their mechanics, but simply gives them a performance spit and polish for the PS5 and uses the haptic feedback for gunplay.

Whether that's enough for most gamers will be a no doubt contentious issue (especially as Uncharted 4 is part of the PS Plus Collection that comes bundled with the subscription on PS5), but what is worth noting is that the games have been given a performance upgrade that makes them sing, and moves them closer to the movies the studios were clearly trying to make.

Each game offers 'Performance' and 'Performance Plus' options, 60fps and 120fps 1080p respectively, plus 'Fidelity' which locks at 30fps with a 4K resolution.

Set several years after Drake’s Deception, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End sees Nate retired, a wearied man who has given up on the thrilling Indiana Jones style life and forsaken it for a normal life with wife Elena.

However, his world’s turned upside down when his long-believed-dead brother Sam shows up and thrusts him into another adventure, with Henry Avery at its core…

It starts with the first of many rug-pulls as you find yourself on the high seas (initially believing it to be behind the wheel of a jeep) and from there, it’s a rollicking adventure that never loses sight of the personal for Drake and consequently, the player.

To say more is to reveal spoilers in what is essentially a globe-trotting game that sees Naughty Dog being as audacious with their hero, as they are with their timelines. A lot of the start of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is about parkour, hurtling through Nate’s memories and appreciating the wondrously gorgeous backgrounds that Naughty Dog’s visualised. From the grimy streets of an orphanage style break-out, to the high tops of a prison riot, this is a game that knows what its core audience wants and also how to dazzle the casual gamer who may navigate their way to this episode because of the hype.

But with enhanced visuals some of the set pieces soar; from enhanced graphics on streets to chase sequences which stand out, this is a visually compelling remaster that enhances the original's brilliance and will engage again - if you're willing to replay.

Much more than a female spin-off of Uncharted, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy stands alone as a great title, even if it does pilfer some of the dynamics from the previous games.

You get to take on the role of Chloe Frazer in her latest escapade, and are dropped into the middle of India and an escalating situation. Teaming up with Nadine Ross as the civil war starts to unfold, it's upto you two to try and retrieve the the tusk of Ganesh as a baddie Asav tries to beat you to it.

 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is nonetheless a good solid title that adds a bit of depth to the Uncharted universe.

It's great to have two solid female leads in this world of traditionally male driven heroes and the relationship between the pair grows as well as it should. There's a scale to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy that's obvious from the start when Chloe witnesses the bombing of an Indian city from the rooftops, and the arena glows orange.

Equally with the scrambling and scurrying over rooftops and buildings a very familiar move for the Uncharted games, there's still a sense of a real world being fleshed out here rather than a simple spin-off being done for financial gain.

Ultimately, the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection poses a very simple question - are you willing to pay again for games you've already bought and gone through?

With a barebones graphical upgrade, for some the price may be a bit too steep and the disappointment of little new in the package may pose a conundrum. But for those who've yet to experience the end of the Uncharted franchise, this is the best way to experience it.

A digital code for Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection was provided by PlayStation NZ for the purposes of this review.