Double trouble sans Nathan Drake – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

The leading ladies of The Lost Legacy.

This summer I had the privilege to try out all the main entries in the famous Uncharted series, which stars the charismatic Indiana Jones-aficionado Nathan Drake following his adventures all over the world with his colorful troupe of companions and villains. His story concludes with Uncharted 4 giving way to The Lost Legacy (TLL), a 2017 spin-off title starring Chloe Frazer, Drake’s former adventure companion, and Nadine Ross, one of Uncharted 4’s villains. Together they travel to India in search of the Hindu god Ganesh’s tusk and fighting Indian rebels and their leader, Asav. Although TLL is a spin-off title to a highly successful franchise, it definitely stands out on its own, so much so that the player may not even notice Drake’s absence.

TLL is an action-adventure game heavily basing its gameplay upon Uncharted 4’s mechanics. It features gun and melee combat as well as stealth. TLL encourages playing stealthily while utilizing the magnificent environment design. The bushes are lush and plenty, so hiding in plain sight is not a problem. The player can also go in guns blazing. TLL offers various types of weapons varying from pistols and revolvers to rifles and shotguns. At times Chloe can also throw grenades and C4s at the enemies. There are no weapon modification features available, so it’s just picking up a weapon and ammo and shooting away.

The gameplay also features platforming elements familiar from the previous Uncharteds: rock-climbing, jumping over cliffs and traversing through treacherous terrains are all present, and is as thrilling as with Nathan. TLL also features some of the most mind-numbingly hard (but fun) puzzles in the Uncharted series. There’s hopping over tiles while dodging attacking statues, and then there’s matching shadows to their obscure, metallic counterparts taking me almost an hour to solve. A unique addition to the series is the open-world chapter early in the game. By completing extra puzzles and tasks the player can acquire a special bracelet to aid in finding treasures in game.

Chloe fears nothing.

Unfortunately, I found this chapter to slow down the otherwise perfect pace of TLL. Rocky and hilly terrain makes it very unpleasant to traverse around with the jeep Chloe drives in the chapter. The best part of TLL is undoubtedly the leading ladies’ chemistry. It works well, despite them being polar opposites to one another: Chloe being witty and cheeky and Nadine tough-as-nails, no-nonsense ex-mercenary. Their constant chattering adds to the story and makes TLL a joy to play.

TLL is a must for Uncharted fans. Despite its short length, TLL’s pacing and action sequences are one of the best in the franchise. So, if you haven’t played this already, I highly recommend picking this up and give it a go!