The third installment of the Uncharted franchise and the last game of The Nathan Drake Collection was originally released in 2011 for the PlayStation 3. The title scene opens to a map, two passports, a compass, a cup of coffee, and a gun. The player is also greeted with a quote from T.E. Lawrence read by our protagonist Nathan Drake about those who dream during the day being dangerous men.
The Uncharted series is categorized as an action adventure game and our third escapade with the lovable treasure hunter does not disappoint. However, Uncharted is more than just a shooting game. The story, immersive environments, characters, and the performances of the actors playing those characters create a cinematic experience for the player that leaves a lasting impression. Although this is not the last game in the world of Nathan Drake it feels like it could have been. The gangs all here including: Chloe Frazer from Uncharted 2 and the introduction of the character of Charlie who was voiced by Graham McTavish although he may look and sound familiar since he also voiced our villain from Uncharted 2, Lazarevic.
Our villain in this game is a woman named Katherine Marlowe referred to as Scary Poppins and her henchman, Talbot. Marlowe is someone from Drake and Sully’s past. We learn about this early on when we get a flashback with playable chapters of when Sully and a fifteen-year-old Drake meet for the first time in the streets of Colombia. Remember when I said this feels like a wrap up, they meet when Drake steals the infamous Francis Drake ring from a museum. The same ring Marlowe will try to take from him in modern times. Francis Drake is once again our historical guide. Although this time, Nathan Drake and crew will have to follow in the footsteps of famous archaeologist TE Lawrence better known as Lawrence of Arabia to find what Francis Drake was looking for. From London, to France, to Syria, to Yemen, this trip takes us over land, sea, and air and it’s Nathan Drake so you know that everything he touches breaks and everyone questions whether his motives are pure.
Uncharted 3 is my favorite of the franchise. Although the graphics are not quite as impressive as Uncharted 4, the settings are and the story has a lot of heart. There is so much that happens in this game and we see how far these characters have come since we were first introduced to them only 4 years prior. There is also a huge improvement in game play, specifically the ability to change the camera angles and shooting mechanics. Which is important when you have to run from giant spiders and shoot at pirates from the side of a wrecked ship.
Nathan Drake has been beaten, shot, drugged, and kidnapped but he never gives up, especially when those he cares about are in danger. It is like he says, “True greatness is what you do with the hand you’re dealt”, and Nathan Drake never folds.
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