An Uncharted Remake Is the Wrong Game for Naughty Dog to Make

Uncharted is one of the definitive franchises of a certain era for PlayStation fans. The Naughty Dog series, which followed Jak and Daxter and came out alongside the first The Last of Us, further pushed the studio to create truly cinematic experiences in gaming. Uncharted might be their best accomplishment in that pursuit, given the way the games are designed specifically around creating grand moments of spectacle that wouldn’t feel out of place in a blockbuster film.

The series nominally ended in 2016, but rumors of a remake have spread after Uncharted: The Lost Legacy creative director Shaun Escagy posted pictures on social media of a “research” trip that bears some visual similarities to established settings from the first game. While a return of Nathan Drake wouldn’t be out of the question, given the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the character’s debut, I really hope it doesn’t come in the form of a remake. That would be the wrong direction for the series to take, especially given how well the older games have aged — and how exciting a sequel could be instead.

Why Uncharted Doesn’t Need A Remake

The Uncharted series was one of the best examples of the shift towards more cinematic game design in the AAA space. The series was defined less by intricate gameplay or complex customization and more by a sense of spectacle and story. The action, platforming, and puzzles in Uncharted games felt like bridges between cinematics, furthering the plot. As a result, it was the narrative and characters that were meant to keep the player’s engagement. The games could work on a stand-alone basis but are connected together thematically by Nathan’s development and character growth. The story opened with Nathan as a 21st-century riff on the heroes of pulp fiction, a treasure hunter who lived for adventure in games like Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. By the time of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, nearly a decade later, Nathan had become more focused on his loved ones, proving willing to settle down in a way he never could in older games.

Taken together, it felt like a complete story. More than that, it’s an exciting adventure that holds up visually and in functional gameplay. It’s easy to simply revisit those games from a modern perspective, and remakes wouldn’t need a massive overhaul to work with modern systems or consoles. I’m not even all that sure what a remake could do for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune other than improve the graphics, which, for the most part, hold up even nearly twenty years later. By the time Uncharted finished, as we knew it, it felt complete. It was a tight package that could potentially benefit from a re-release or even a remaster if they want to touch up the graphics for newer platforms. However, changing the actual gameplay would take away from the specific sense of spectacle that was inherent to the design, and I’d rather Naughty Dog focus its energy on other projects instead.

If We’re Getting Another Uncharted, Make It A Sequel

If Naughty Dog really wants to revisit the Uncharted series, then coming out with a legacy sequel might be the best direction to go. The epilogue to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End introduced Nathan and Elena’s teenage daughter, Cassie, who could easily take up the mantle of treasure hunter from her parents for a new adventure. Nathan and Elena could still factor into the narrative, bringing back the fan favorite characters and any other supporting figures from older games as needed.

However, this shift would allow Nathan’s story to remain resolved while opening the door to more adventures. Giving Cassie a slightly different perspective and personality than her father would allow the new games to confront the darker elements of Nathan’s history, laying the groundwork for a naturally compelling story about how the next generation sees the previous one. Cassie would also be able to go on her own adventures that benefit from the modern generation’s larger technological potential, increasing the scale and scope of the adventure.

Whereas a remake of Drake’s Fortune would naturally be treading in well-explored waters, a sequel could venture to new locations and set up different set-pieces. If Naughty Dog wants to play with the actual gameplay mechanics, an entirely new character would be a natural way to do that. They could even put emphasis on this divide by including a level or two where players do play as Nathan, similar to how Resident Evil Requiem balanced the gameplay styles between Grace and Leon. If we’re getting a new Uncharted game, there’s no reason to simply remake what came before. Instead, Naughty Dog should take the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the series to look ahead to its future instead of just reflecting on the past.