Uncharted: The Lost Legacy PS4 Game Review

Reviewed by Max C. on Aug 17, 2017

Rating:

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is in our hands! How great is Naughty Dogs new adventure? Read Kidzworlds PS4 game review and see what we thought of the game.

By: Max Cannon

Uncharted 4 is a great game. A really, really great game. So here's what I had to say about it during my review last year:

"Let's get this out of the way, I've never been as excited for a game as I was for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. I paid extra hard earned cash to get a copy of the game that was originally from Mexico so I could play it before it came out. And after finishing the single player and spending a lot of time with the multiplayer I can confidently say that it was worth every penny. Uncharted 4 is the best game on the PlayStation 4 by miles."

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End PS4 Game Review

"Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is what has me still playing games. It's a great send off for my favorite gaming hero and is a clear evolution of a series. It's as fun and heartwarming as I could hope for. Play this game."

So it should go without saying that I was pretty excited for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and while the opening was a bit jumbled and the story can be a bit heavy handed at times this is the best gameplay in an Uncharted game without question.

No More Nathan

In a first for the series, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy doesn't star Nathan Drake, in fact, he's not featured in the game at all. This piece of standalone content stars Chloe Frazer, a fan favorite character who adventured alongside Drake in both Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3. On the hunt for the legendary Tusk of Ganesh, Chloe teams up with Uncharted 4's Nadine Ross. Chloe is after the tusk to reap the benefits of selling it off while Nadine is looking snatch it up for a local warlord named Asav.

There are plenty of Naughty Dog hallmarks to the game's storytelling. The studio's "walk n' talk" segments are present and some very Uncharted-y one liners fit the franchise's established mold. The story's description, "on the hunt for the remain's of an ancient South Asian city, an insane warlord stands in the way of a treasure hunter," could just as easily apply to Uncharted 2, for better or for worse. Several set pieces in The Lost Legacy are lifted straight from the PS3 title but they're done even better than they were back in 2009, it definitely has a "been there, done that" sort of feel but when it's done this well I don't even care.

Uncharted's gorgeous vistas return to the new game.

Some of these story moments feel a little heavy handed and The Lost Legacy has my least favorite opening of any Uncharted game due to some weak dialogue, confusing direction through the level, and an incredibly undeserved title screen. While Nadine's struggle after the events of Uncharted 4 was certainly interesting, Chloe's story of her distant father feels cliche and forced. As time goes on the story gets better and better and though the dangerous Asav is a stereotypical villain he's at least a well-made stereotype that certainly feels threatening.

And it's Uncharted so it absolutely looks gorgeous.

More Game Than Movie

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy delivers the best gameplay we've set yet in the series. Stellar set pieces merge with the Uncharted gameplay loop better than ever. I've never disliked the gameplay of past Uncharted games like some but here it feels more refined than ever. Wider and more open spaces -- specifically one giant open setting -- reflect Uncharted 4's Madagascar but in a more involved way. Exploration feels more essential to the game than before and completing a certain optional objective will change treasure hunting for the better.

Chloe and Nadine make a fitting pair for the series.

Previous Uncharted's have dabbled in puzzles that often felt like busy work rather than a test of wit, aside from a particular puzzle in the 4th game. Each puzzle in The Lost Legacy feels thoughtful and like a worthy addition to the rest of the game. In the middle of regular exploration and combat, you'll come across locked boxes that can have their locks picked to find extra treasures and special guns.

The regular moment-to-moment gunplay, stealth, and melee combat shine better than ever. The game's open areas make sneaking around feel satisfying and better designed than usual. Sneaking around grass and up walls makes a better impression than previous games and feels like Naughty Dog is really flexing its design muscles.

Asav fits the mold for an Uncharted villain.Courtesy of Game Informer

Final Thoughts

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End consistently impressed me but I yearned for the explosive set pieces and over-the-top action moments of the earlier games but luckily Uncharted: The Lost Legacy fills that gap with some top notch gameplay. I've already replayed the game's encounters multiple times and will probably continue to in the future. While it's probably not the best overall package in the entire series it's still an entry that fits well alongside the earlier titles. If you're already an Uncharted fan you'll undoubtedly enjoy Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.