It’s been almost six long years since fans got to experience anUnchartedgame for the first time, and fans are, understandably, desperate to return to the world of perilous adventuring and high-octane shootouts. Despite releasing almost seven years ago,Uncharted 4is still widely considered to be one of the best action-adventure games ever made, and still one of the most visually impressive games of all time. But regardless of it and its spin-off,Uncharted: The Lost Legacy’s success, the series hasn’t made its triumphant return just yet.
Every year, new rumors circulate thatNaughty Dog is working on a newUnchartedgame, and every year, these rumors get refuted. But while these rumors may not have been accurate, it seems inevitable that Sony will want to return to one of its flagship franchises, with or without Naughty Dog. And when that time comes, it might be best if the nextUnchartedgame isn’t a sequel, but another spin-off.
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A New Uncharted Game Should Not Be a Sequel
To many fans,Uncharted 4features the perfect ending forNathan Drake’s story. After agreeing to give up his life of adventuring to settle down with Elena, Nathan Drake ends up falling back into his past life when his long-lost brother, Sam, comes asking for help. After countless close calls, Nate is eventually rescued by Elena, who puts aside her own feelings of betrayal to help him and his brother out of their current predicament. The end ofUncharted 4sees Nate finally settle down with Elena for good, satisfied that he’s lived his life to the fullest and ready to shift his focus to becoming a good father.
By all accounts, Nathan Drake’s story is done, and the nextUnchartedgame certainly shouldn’t mess with that. While many fans will want to play as Nate once again in a direct sequel, allowing the player to do so would regress Nathan’s character once again. By the end ofUncharted 4, Nathan is finally truly happy with just a civilian’s life, and everything that comes with it. Seeing him return to the action yet again would retroactively ruin his entire arc of the last four games.
Instead, the nextUnchartedgame should focus on a different set of characters, much likeUncharted: The Lost Legacydid. In fact, the nextUnchartedgame could even focus on Nadine and Chloe once again, with the two agreeing to partner up in the future at the end ofThe Lost Legacy. Alternatively, the nextUnchartedgame could finally deliver thatSam and Sully spin-offthat fans have been asking for sinceUncharted 4, seeing the unlikely duo trekking across the globe to continue seeking their fortune. Or, if the nextUnchartedwas going to be really brave, then the spin-off could even focus on an entirely new character to the franchise, albeit one that interacts with the original cast in order to keep the game feeling authentic to the rest of the series.
That all being said, the nextUnchartedgame wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster if it was a direct sequel to the rest of the series, however, it would need to be handled with extreme care. One of the best routes to take for anUnchartedsequel is to center it aroundNate and Elena’s daughter, who players got to briefly control at the end ofUncharted 4. This is probably the best way to keep the sanctity of Nathan Drake’s story intact, while also giving fans a playable character directly related to the main cast of the series.
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