Uncharted

Officially Uncharted (franchise)

LEGENDARY SONY-EXCLUSIVE CINEMATIC ACTION-ADVENTURE FRANCHISE by NAUGHTY DOG (2007-2017). Series stars charming treasure-hunter NATHAN DRAKE (voiced by NOLAN NORTH) — descendant of Sir Francis Drake — in Indiana Jones-esque globe-trotting expeditions. 5 mainline games sold 41M+ COPIES. UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (2009) + UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF'S END (2016) considered TWO OF THE GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME. Iconic for CINEMATIC SET-PIECES (crashing train chapter, sinking cruise ship, mid-air plane crash), witty banter, blockbuster storytelling. UNCHARTED: LEGACY OF THIEVES COLLECTION (2022) remasters U4 + Lost Legacy for PS5 + PC.

📐Console + TV / PC⏱~720 min🌤indoor

What is Uncharted?

UNCHARTED is a LEGENDARY SONY-EXCLUSIVE CINEMATIC ACTION-ADVENTURE VIDEO GAME FRANCHISE developed by NAUGHTY DOG (Sony subsidiary; also The Last of Us, Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter). ORIGINAL UNCHARTED: DRAKE'S FORTUNE released NOVEMBER 2007 on PS3, directed by AMY HENNIG (previously Legacy of Kain series). Series stars charming treasure-hunter NATHAN DRAKE — descendant claimant of Sir Francis Drake, orphan raised in Colombian orphanage — voiced by NOLAN NORTH (iconic performance capture; helped establish Naughty Dog's mocap-first design). Indiana Jones-esque globe-trotting expeditions: Amazon (U1), Tibet + Nepal + Turkey (U2), Yemen + Syrian desert + Rub' al Khali (U3), Madagascar + Scotland + Panama + King's Bay island (U4), India + Western Ghats (Lost Legacy). MAINLINE ENTRIES: UNCHARTED: DRAKE'S FORTUNE (2007 PS3, launched franchise); UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (2009 PS3, widely considered ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME + won 200+ awards + Game of the Year Game Awards 2009); UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE'S DECEPTION (2011 PS3, ambitious but underwhelming vs U2); UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF'S END (2016 PS4, directed by BRUCE STRALEY + NEIL DRUCKMANN after Amy Hennig departure, considered pinnacle of franchise + one of greatest games ever + won 100+ awards); UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY (2017 PS4, standalone spin-off starring Chloe Frazer + Nadine Ross). SIDE ENTRIES: UNCHARTED: GOLDEN ABYSS (2011 PS Vita launch title), UNCHARTED: FIGHT FOR FORTUNE (2012 Vita card game). REMASTERED: UNCHARTED: THE NATHAN DRAKE COLLECTION (2015 PS4) bundles U1-3 remastered; UNCHARTED: LEGACY OF THIEVES COLLECTION (January 2022 PS5, then October 2022 PC via Epic + Steam) remasters U4 + Lost Legacy in 4K 60fps. FILM: Uncharted (February 2022, Sony Pictures, TOM HOLLAND as Drake + MARK WAHLBERG as Sully) — mixed reception, but decent box office ($400M+). 41M+ COPIES SOLD franchise-wide across mainline entries. Iconic for CINEMATIC SET-PIECES (crashing train chapter U2, sinking cruise ship + capsizing turret U3, mid-air plane crash U3, motorcycle chase U4, jeep chase in Madagascar U4), witty banter between Drake + Sully (voiced by RICHARD MCGONAGLE) + Elena Fisher (EMILY ROSE), and blockbuster Hollywood-style storytelling. Franchise credited with elevating video game storytelling + establishing performance capture as industry standard.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Play through cinematic Indiana Jones-style adventures; solve puzzles, engage in third-person gunfights + melee brawls, climb + platform through gorgeous set-pieces.

Rules

Basic rules

Third-person shooter + platformer + puzzle solver
Cover shooting (auto-cover), acrobatic parkour climbing, puzzle chapters.
Melee: press square to punch; combos for finishers
Iconic hand-to-hand brawls.
Weapons: pick up enemies' guns (limited ammo)
Constant weapon rotation.
Climb + platform via yellow hand-holds
Naughty Dog signature 'yellow paint' guidance.
Puzzles: use Drake's journal for clues
Journal accessible via touchpad/menu.
Set-piece chapters: heavily scripted cinematic action
Iconic sequences like sinking cruise ship, plane crash.

Scoring

Story-driven; no VP. Track treasures collected (100+ per game), chapter completion, difficulty completion, trophies.

Action	Points
Complete chapter	Story progression
Find treasure (100+ per game)	Trophy + collection progress
Crushing / Brutal difficulty clear	Highest difficulty trophies
Speedrun completion	Speedrun leaderboard entries

Win condition · Complete narrative campaign per game; multiple entries in franchise; no branching endings.

Playing area

Called

Console + TV / PC

Dimensions

Any TV / monitor

PS3 (originals U1-3), PS4 (Nathan Drake Collection U1-3 remaster + U4 + Lost Legacy), PS5 (Legacy of Thieves Collection), PC (Legacy of Thieves 2022).

Equipment

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection ($50 USD)
PS5 + PC; U4 + Lost Legacy remastered 4K 60fps
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection ($20-30, PS4)
U1 + U2 + U3 remastered
Standard PS controller or PC keyboard+mouse
Third-person shooter; controllers preferred
Uncharted (2022 film) rental $4
Live-action adaptation

Strategies

Use cover extensively
Cover-shooting is core; sticky cover keeps you alive.
Melee interruptions for close enemies
Punch combos knock down heavy enemies faster than guns.
Grenade for grouped enemies
Cook + throw for maximum effect.
Explore off the path for treasures
Optional collectibles reward exploration.
Crushing/Brutal: use stealth + patience
Hardest difficulties reward careful play.

Terminology

Nathan Drake / Nate: Franchise protagonist; treasure hunter.
Sully / Victor Sullivan: Nate's mentor + partner.
Elena Fisher: Journalist love interest; recurring companion.
Chloe Frazer: Australian treasure hunter; U2/U3/Lost Legacy.
Nadine Ross: South African mercenary; U4 antagonist, Lost Legacy protagonist.
Set-piece: Naughty Dog's signature scripted cinematic action sequences.
Uncharted 4 buggy driving Madagascar chapter: Iconic open-driving section.
Journal: Nate's clue-book; puzzle hint reference.
Crushing difficulty: Hardest difficulty in early games.
Brutal difficulty (U4): One-shot-death difficulty for hardcore.

Major competitions

The Game Awards 2009 GotY (Uncharted 2)
annual · worldwide · since 2009
BAFTA Game Awards 2010 Best Story (U2)
annual · UK · since 2010
DICE Awards multiple wins (U2, U4)
annual · USA · since 2010
Metacritic: U2 96, U4 93, both all-time top-scored PS games
ongoing · worldwide · since 2009
Speedrun: All treasures + Crushing categories active
ongoing · worldwide online · since 2007

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Naughty Dog (developer)
Founded 1984 · Santa Monica, California, USA
Sony Interactive Entertainment (publisher)
Founded 1993 · Tokyo, Japan / San Mateo California

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Nolan North (US) — Voice + performance capture of Nathan Drake all games
Amy Hennig (US) — Original creator + director U1-3 (departed 2014)
Bruce Straley + Neil Druckmann (US) — Co-directors U4
Richard McGonagle (US) — Voice of Victor 'Sully' Sullivan
Emily Rose (US) — Voice of Elena Fisher
Claudia Black (AU) — Voice of Chloe Frazer
Laura Bailey (US) — Voice of Nadine Ross + Nadine's mo-cap
Tom Holland (UK) — Nathan Drake in 2022 film

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Play Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection ($50 PS5/PC)
U4 + Lost Legacy in modern quality; best entry point.

intermediate

1
Play Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection ($20-30 PS4)
U1 + U2 + U3 remasters.
2
Focus on Uncharted 2 first (widely considered greatest)
Franchise peak of Amy Hennig era.

advanced

1
Complete Crushing/Brutal difficulty + all treasures
Full completion trophies.
2
Watch behind-the-scenes docs (Naughty Dog: The Making of Uncharted)
Deep insight into game development.

Frequently asked

What is Uncharted?+

LEGENDARY SONY-EXCLUSIVE CINEMATIC ACTION-ADVENTURE FRANCHISE by NAUGHTY DOG (2007-2017). Stars charming treasure-hunter NATHAN DRAKE (voiced by NOLAN NORTH) in Indiana Jones-esque globe-trotting expeditions. 5 mainline games sold 41M+ COPIES. UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES (2009) + UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF'S END (2016) considered TWO OF THE GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME. Iconic for CINEMATIC SET-PIECES (crashing train, sinking cruise ship, mid-air plane crash), witty banter, blockbuster storytelling. UNCHARTED: LEGACY OF THIEVES COLLECTION (2022) remasters U4 + Lost Legacy for PS5 + PC.

Where to start Uncharted in 2026?+

TWO OPTIONS: (1) START WITH U4: UNCHARTED: LEGACY OF THIEVES COLLECTION ($50, PS5/PC) — U4 + Lost Legacy in 4K 60fps; you can play U4 without prior context (game explains). (2) FROM BEGINNING: UNCHARTED: NATHAN DRAKE COLLECTION ($20-30, PS4/PS5 back-compat) — U1 + U2 + U3 remastered; play in order. Recommendation: (1) START WITH LEGACY OF THIEVES for best modern experience + shortest commitment. (2) IF you love U4, backtrack to Nathan Drake Collection for U2 (all-time classic) + U1/U3 for full franchise context.

Sources & provenance

Naughty Dog — Uncharted— Naughty Dog
Wikipedia — Uncharted— Wikipedia

Last verified 2026-08-27.verified