Uncharted: The Lost Legacy gameplay, story details unveiled

Nathan Drake’s adventures may be over, but that doesn’t mean the Naughty Dog’s seminal “Uncharted” franchise has to come to an end, too. After all, the “Uncharted” universe is home to a slew of wonderful characters, a number of them just as daring and treasure-obsessed as Drake.

Enter Chloe Frazer, a woman who needs no introduction to series fans. Chloe is tough, resourceful, and as knowledgeable about ancient cultures as Drake is, which is why she became a fast favorite when she was introduced in “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.” And now, she’s about to star in her own adventure: “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.”

The folks at Game Informer have come out with a feature focusing on “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy,” and what the experience has in store for fans in terms in story, characters, and villains.

“ ‘Uncharted 4’ is kind of a sprawling, epic, globetrotting adventure,” Naughty Dog stated. “(‘Uncharted: The Lost Legacy’) is more focused. It takes place in India.”

They added: “It allows us to put all the best parts of ‘Uncharted’ in a streamlined story.”

For those who’ve yet to play “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End,” this article comes with spoilers.

Chloe and her connection to India

“Uncharted: The Lost Legacy” is set around six months after the end of “Uncharted 4.”

In the game, Chloe goes to India to seek the Tusk of Ganesh. But she’s not the only one who’s interested in the artifact; a man named Asav is also looking for it, and, as suggested by the sneak peek we were treated to at PSX, he isn’t above massacring people to achieve his goal.

Chloe can’t face Asav and his entire army alone, so she enters into an uneasy alliance with Nadine Ross, otherwise known as the woman who kicked Nathan Drake’s ass in “Uncharted 4.” Apparently, Chloe chooses Nadine to be her partner because the latter shares a history with Asav. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?

Both Chloe and Nadine are self-preservationists whom you can’t exactly describe as traditional “good guys,” so the dynamic between them – as they work together to survive crumbling temples, treacherous climbs, nasty ancient traps, and trigger-happy goons – should be interesting.

Here are a few more details about the story and characters.

We already know Chloe is Australian, but she also happens to be part Indian. It’s been some time since she’s visited India, so this adventure will be a good opportunity to explore her cultural heritage and personal history, specifically her relationship with her dad.

Hinduism will have a significant role in the story. According to Creative Director Shaun Escayg, the studio is “tying the culture and stories of the Hindu gods, even the story of the Hoysala Empire and the kings that ruled there” to our main protagonist’s narrative.

Chloe as the perfect choice

Though Chloe is the perfect heroine for “The Lost Legacy,” she wasn’t Naughty Dog’s first choice.

The studio considered a story involving Nathan Drake’s brother Sam and his mentor/father figure Sully. But the concept was eventually axed, because Sully is far too old at the end “Uncharted 4,” while his time in the Navy makes it tricky to set the adventure in the past.

Naughty Dog also considered Nathan and Elena’s daughter Cassie. But Cassie is a kid, and it would be awkward to put someone her age in combat sequences. You could argue that Ellie is a teenager who regularly gets shot at in “The Last of Us,” but that is a different universe with a completely different tone.

In the end, Naughty Dog went with Chloe. For one, she’s a fan favorite. Secondly, her past hasn’t been extensively explored, so having her as the lead protagonist is a great way to expand on not only her character, but the “Uncharted” mythos, as well.

Smaller, grander

The development team is applying to “The Lost Legacy” what they learned from fan feedback.

Thanks to “The Lost Legacy’s” smaller scope, the team has been able to refine and expand on the gameplay we experienced in “Uncharted 4.”

“This is the single largest level we’ve ever done in Uncharted,” stated designer James Cooper. Here he refers to a level called the Western Ghats, which is larger than the enormous Madagascar level in “Uncharted 4.”

Vehicles return; in one sequence, Chloe drives a jeep with a winch. The game will also feature more puzzles.

“The Lost Legacy” will be the first to feature a lockpicking minigame. And, as expected, it’ll have a surplus of side content, including special combat encounters, dialogue options, and collectibles.

Additionally, the game will feature a multiplayer mode.

Going forward

Naughty Dog doesn’t seem too keen on developing another mainline “Uncharted” title.

“I would say that Naughty Dog doing an Uncharted after this is unlikely,” studio co-president Evan Wells stated. “I would never say never, but we’ve got ‘The Last of Us Part II’ on our plates and there’s so much other stuff that (we want to explore). It’d be hard. If we magically had that two-team, three-team studio, sure – it’d be great to keep doing it. We really love the franchise, but the studio has limited resources and lots of other ideas. I’d say the likelihood is low.”

Nevertheless, the franchise could still continue under a different studio. Neil Druckmann of Naughty Dog himself admitted he wouldn’t mind seeing another developer take over – as long as said developer could capture the “essence” of what makes an “Uncharted” game. Sony owns the “Uncharted” brand, so they get to call the shots. Not to mention other studios have already developed “Uncharted” spinoff games.

Expect “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy” to come to the PlayStation 4 sometime this year. — TJD, GMA News