Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection Review

Of all the candidates for a remaster, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy weren't exactly at the top of our list. The primary issue with Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is that both games included here were already excellent and visually accomplished upon their PS4 release, and, therefore, remastering them seems a largely redundant exercise. If you're new to either game, then why wouldn't you pick up PS4 copies of Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy on the cheap? You can still play them on your PS5. The question is, does the Legacy of Thieves Collection provide a compelling enough reason to shell out? These are games that have been thoroughly charted - for many, there’s little in the way of uncharted territory here.

I can never make these magic eye pictures work.

What we do get here is support for 4K resolution at 30 frames per second in the default Fidelity Mode, or a lower resolution at 60fps in Performance Mode. Alternatively, you can play at 1080p and 120fps via 'Performance+ Mode', should you have a display that supports such a number of frames. Unless you're comparing the PS4 and PS5 versions side-by-side, however, it's difficult to see where the changes have been made, but, if you already own either game, then the $10/£10/€10 upgrade option is a bit of a no-brainer, if only to have an excuse to revisit two genuinely stunning adventures. And, indeed, the boosted 60fps/120fps frame rate and near-instantaneous loading times are nothing to be sniffed at.

While it's somewhat puzzling for developer Naughty Dog to issue a remaster of the two most visually jaw-dropping chapters in the series (a remaster of PS Vita entry Golden Abyss might have been nice), it also feels churlish not to embrace the chance to take a second dive into Nathan Drake's rip-roaring swansong, and that game's superlative spin-off yarn, featuring Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. The bottom line is that, several years on, both games still hold up to scrutiny, and provide freewheeling wisecracks and explosive set pieces. If you've yet to play either, there's really no compelling reason not to do so now, despite the absence of Uncharted 4’s surprisingly competent online multiplayer component.

Released in 2016, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is the sensational conclusion to Nathan Drake's treasure hunting exploits, taking in gorgeous vistas and rewarding exploration. Combat feels a mite clunky and stealth isn't the most enjoyable aspect of the game, but it remains unrivalled for Hollywood-level narrative and thrills. Its foray into an open Madagascar environment, from behind the wheel of an off-road vehicle, might slow things down a little, but the sheer quality of the action, and the interplay between Drake, long-suffering mentor Sully, and brother Sam, as they search for Captain Henry Avery's lost treasure, provides a constant source of joy.

There's similarly entertaining interplay between Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, the erstwhile mercenaries joining forces to track down the fabled (and hugely valuable) Tusk of Ganesh in a race against time, and the villainous Asav. Taking in another slew of spectacular locations, including ancient lost cities, and the Western Ghats in India, The Lost Legacy conjures its own fair share of astonishing moments, making you wish for more from Chloe and Nadine – there's no doubt the duo could support any number of full-blooded Uncharted sequels.

A smaller Uncharted spin-off, some might have chosen to let The Lost Legacy pass them by, and to do so is a huge mistake. You can rectify that by playing the game via the Legacy of Thieves Collection, and get all of the aforementioned refinements, as well as lovely 3D spatial audio and all sorts of DualSense features, like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Weapons, driving, and traversal all benefit from the rippling of the PS5 controller, gunfire, grabbed ledges, and thrown punches all sending tremors through your fingertips.

Oh, crap.

And while Naughty Dog even acknowledges that both games “still stand the test of time” without the extraneous PS5 bells and whistles, there's just about enough on offer here to warrant another bite of the cherry. If you've played neither game previously and happen to own a PS5, then there's really nothing preventing you from giving this a go. Obviously, the absence of multiplayer is a downer, so all you're really getting is the single-player campaign portion of each game. If you like, you can transfer your PS4 save data, pop your trophies, and keep playing, if you left your playthrough dangling on PS4.

Once you've put the controller down on Uncharted, perhaps for a second time, don't be surprised if you end up feeling an air of melancholy. With Uncharted 4 seemingly marking Drake’s retirement (subtitle ‘A Thief’s End’ is a dead giveaway), what the future holds for the series is uncertain. Clearly, there will be more adventuring and derring-do in future Uncharted games, but, in a sense, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a fine way to underline a vital era in an iconic PlayStation franchise. Initially seen as a pretender to Lara Croft's tomb raiding crown, Uncharted has grown into its own rich and engaging universe, perhaps even eclipsing Ms. Croft for globetrotting action, breathtaking sights, and cinematic action - whatever comes next will have a hard time measuring up to this.

You can read our original Uncharted 4: A Thief's End review here and original Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review here.