Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is the first major release for the PlayStation 5 in 2022. Although we are facing a couple of remasters, the return of Nathan Drake will always be a major event for the Japanese brand. We must also not forget that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and its expansion, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, both included in this collection, were some of the best experiences that the previous generation left us.
If Naughty Dog has distinguished itself for anything over the past two decades, it's its meticulous attention to storytelling. Although I will not delve fully into this section, because we already did that in 2016 and there is no change or novelty in this regard, there are some points that would be interesting to highlight. Especially for those who, for one reason or another, have not had the opportunity to enjoy this fantastic adventure and are about to do so on their PS5 —and later on PC—.
Uncharted 4 is, narratively speaking, the highlight of the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. His story puts us back on the feet of Nathan Drake, the charismatic treasure hunter who, for the first time in a long time, is reunited with his brother —everyone thought he was dead. The problem is that Sam Drake is used to getting into trouble and drags everyone around him.
Despite this, he is able to convince Nate to search for Henry Avery's treasure and embark on a new adventure; one that he enjoys almost from start to finish. And I say “almost” because it is also true that, at specific moments, the story loses some rhythm. However, it is nothing serious that compromises the quality of the campaign in general terms. Naughty Dog once again showed their mastery at telling stories that keep your interest most of the time.
The Thief's End stands out, like its predecessors, for the relationships that are formed —or strengthened— between characters; both the already known (Sully, Elena, Chloe) and the new ones. In addition, the narrative twists are guaranteed, because on more than one occasion you will be surprised by what is happening on the screen. Those turns, of course, usually go against the protagonists, but nobody said that finding such a coveted treasure was going to be easy.
Once you complete the main campaign, it's time to explore new directions in The Lost Legacy. In said expansion, however, it is not Nathan Drake who is the main character, but Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. The events of this adventure take place shortly after Uncharted 4 and take us to India, where the protagonists try to find the Fang of Ganesh.
Although its history is shorter, it maintains a quality standard identical to that of the main campaign. In fact, some find The Lost Legacy Lost to be more fun than A Thief's End, perhaps because the frantic pacing hardly leaves room for respite. Also, of course, it was the first time the franchise allowed us to control a character other than Nathan Drake. You can be sure that the expansion will give you several hours of additional fun.
It is time, now, to delve into the technical innovations offered by Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. First, there is the visual section. As other games have done in the current generation of consoles, the graphical performance is left to the player's choice. Thus, we will have a Fidelity mode where the resolution is raised to 4K native, but maintaining the 30 FPS of the original title.
Now, if you're willing to twist your experience, there's the Performance mode that bumps the framerate up to 60 FPS. Of course, the resolution is upscaled to 4K from 1440p. Finally, there is the Performance + mode, with which it is possible to play at 1080p and 120 FPS. My recomendation? Being a game focused on the narrative and cinematic experience, but with many action scenes, the Performance mode at 60 FPS is ideal. In addition, the change that you will notice with respect to the original installment is brutal.
Another improvement that you will notice immediately is the quality of the textures. Although Uncharted 4 was already a benchmark in this regard, Sony has dedicated efforts so that the textures and other assets are up to a next-gen remastering. In summary, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection fulfills what can be expected visually from this type of relaunch.
Finally, you should know that the main game and its expansion embrace integration with the DualSense. It's a path that Death Stranding Director's Cut and Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut have already followed in the recent past. What does it mean? Thanks to the adjustable triggers you can feel the tension when pulling the trigger of a weapon or when using the rope, to name a couple of examples. However, the greatest benefit is provided by the haptic feedback, since you will feel precise vibrations, and at the same time different, depending on the action performed. Fire a weapon, hit enemies, move objects, or drive a vehicle; everything is taken care of with a great level of detail.
Without a doubt, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is an excellent opportunity to revisit Nathan Drake's great adventure, but now with improved visuals —you can transfer your PS4 game—. Believe me, 60 FPS alone makes it worth the jump. And if this will be your first experience with the title and the expansion, you will be more than satisfied.
How is the price issue? If you already have Uncharted 4 or The Lost Legacy, whether physical or digital -the PlayStation Plus Collection version does not count-, you can pay 10 dollars/euros to obtain their respective remastering. The complete collection, meanwhile, will be available for 50 dollars/euros from January 28.
