Drake comes up with solid gold in this gorgeous remaster
Remember the first time you saw Uncharted? That vibrant jungle you couldn’t wait to rush into, lush greenery that was an antidote to every bit of brown that had infested games, and the alchemy that made Nathan Drake’s clothes stay sodden when he got out of water? The Nathan Drake Collection will make you feel that awe all over again.
Never played an Uncharted? You poor thing, let’s get you up to speed. Drake’s Fortune introduces main player Nathan Drake, his moustachewielding mentor Victor Sullivan and handy-witha- gun journo Elena Fisher. MacGuffin hunting abounds and turns into some world saving. Obviously. The first entry sets the template – platforming and mild puzzling mixed with cover shooting – but stands out from others of its ilk thanks to the likeable characters.
RECHARTED TERRITORY
When placed next to Among Thieves and Drake’s Deception, however, the original feels like a first draft. These sequels have a confidence in their set-pieces that Fortune lacks. In Among Thieves especially, my revisit makes me realise how much of the game has been burned into memory. The train dangling, the rooftop helicopter chase, the wander through Tenzin’s village… Among Thieves is still the best example of crafting a Hollywood blockbuster into videogame form.
Yes, they’re linear, but they have an uncanny knack of knowing just when to turn a safe clamber up a wall into a mad dash to safety. Or when to hit the brakes, before gradually ratcheting it back up to 11. When they nail the big action moments – and Uncharted rarely does ‘small’ – they still have the power to slacken the jaw. That’s what’s made Uncharted so popular. It’s a rapid escalation of ‘oh blimey!’ moments that keeps you sucked in and barrelling along.
DRAKE’S MAKEOVER
If Naughty Dog deserves credit for crafting the original adventures, then Bluepoint Games warrants as much praise for its work on the remastering. The Nathan Drake Collection is a technical stunner and easily one of the bestlooking remasters to grace the PS4. Running at a smooth 60fps and in 1080p, it’s amazing how well it’s been scrubbed up. And while you can’t miss the dramatically decreased loading times, or improved lighting and textures, it’s the little details that really catch the eye. Dust rising from cover that’s been shredded by gunfire, or the chamber of the AK47 clattering open to spit out bullets. It’s a collection of successful tweaks that makes the games look how your mind’s eye thinks they looked when they came out.
Additions above the surface are similarly subtle. Each game now has two extra difficulty modes at opposite ends of the spectrum. Explorer effectively removes any level of challenge from combat so you can saunter through the games like an extra quippy Marvel superhero. It comes at the cost, however, of earning any trophies or having your stats tracked, so while the nerfing eases in first timers, it renders it pointless for everyone else.
On the other end is Brutal, which replaces Crushing as the difficulty to unlock. As the name implies, it will punish you. Frequently. At best, you might be able to take three shots. At worst, one-shot kills are not uncommon. If constant, humiliating death is how you enjoy games, this is the mode for you. Otherwise, steer clear. Twenty minutes was enough to endanger my DualShock 4 to rage-based destruction.
JUNGLE RUN
There’s also a speed run mode that tracks your playtime across individual levels as well as the entire campaign, with the allure of leaderboard places waiting for you at the finishing line. It’s an intriguing addition. While the fundamental game is built around the spectacle of the story, the speed runs add a potentially massive amount of replayability and a new mindset to adopt, should you be desperate to stake your claim as the fastest ’charter.
Finally, there’s the photo mode – it’s in the options menu, something I found out by accident – that should set your budding compositional genius free. You get the usual effects to tinker with – depth of field, filters and frames – and with an engine this purddy, your timelines will likely be filled with snaps come launch day. All these new additions together don’t add or take away from the core experience, but they at least give returning fans something to experiment with.
As remasters go, it’s evident that a lot of love has gone into ensuring it’s the best possible version of these games, but a few minor issues crop up. More than once some ugly clipping marred my rollercoaster ride through Uncharted history, and even on Crushing, the AI is too oblivious to Drake sneaking in for some neck snapping. When he plummets a good ten feet behind someone, I refuse to believe that guard isn’t going to hear a thud and spin around.
These issues never truly spoil the experience, but for three games that are at their best with a total suspension of disbelief, anything that breaks the spell can irk. Still, Uncharted’s breakneck pace means you’re usually too busy hurtling onto the next setpiece to care.
Bluepoint has a history of stellar remasters and The Nathan Drake Collection is up there with the best, appealing to newbies and veterans alike. Not only is it a graphical powerhouse that gives Naughty Dog’s poster boy the touch-up he deserved, but nearly every change made is positive. And no matter how many times you’ve witnessed it, there’s something undeniably powerful about seeing Drake’s clothes dry in front of your eyes. Ahem. Consider the stage now set for Uncharted 4 in March.
VERDICT
Three of the best games on PS3 remastered so they look like they came out last week, and all on one disc to boot? It’s a no-brainer for fans and newcomers alike.