Uncharted: Drake's Fortune: An Action-Packed Treasure-Hunting Adventure Game

 Uncharted: Drake's Fortune: An Action-Packed Treasure-Hunting Adventure Game

The interactivity of video games is something I've rarely touched on in this blog outside of a single exception: The demo for Bandai Namco's Scarlet Nexus. But I think it's something I should do more often, as not only do some video games tell unique and interesting tales, but they also allow for direct interactivity between the audience and the medium. I'm sure hundreds if not thousands of articles and essays have already been written on the subject of how video games offer an interactive narrative that, while often on a specific path, allow players to choose how that journey plays out. But that's the joy of video games, really. The fact that you're experiencing a story right alongside the characters you play as. Not to mention that it allows players to take on new, exciting roles they simply never would be able to in real life.

One video game that tells a fun, engaging story while also immersing the player in strategic combat sequences is Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Created by game director Amy Hennig, Drake's Fortune follows Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who claims to be a descendant of English explorer Sir Francis Drake. The game drops players right into the action, with Nathan hauling Francis Drake's long-lost casket onto his boat, accompanied by investigative journalist Elena Fisher who is filming the event. Inside the coffin, the duo find Francis Drake's diary, which holds coordinates to the long-lost treasure of El Dorado. While this cutscene demonstrates the story-based reason for the events in the game that follow, the next part of the game introduces players to the main action-based facet. Uncharted is a third-person shooter, in that players take control of Nathan Drake who, with a variety of weapons throughout the game, racks up a body count of pirates and rival treasure hunters on his way to El Dorado.

This first stage of the game introduces players to the combat mechanics when pirates attack Nate's boat. He and Elena duck for cover, the player controlling Nate and deciding when he goes for cover and when he shoots at the pirates. Eventually, there's a point where some of them start climbing onto the boat, introducing the one underutilized mechanic in the game: Physical combat. At close range, Nate can fight with his fists against opponents, something that, at first glance, feels like it would be a creatively-utilized mechanic. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of enemies that show up in the game alongside their various firearm types, punching doesn't get you as far as a bullet can. Though in this first stage, it's nice to know that there's a second option for combat that you can use to challenge yourself if you want to make the game a little more risky. Personally, though, setting the game on Normal difficulty and using cover and guns was enough of a risk for me.

As the game unfolds, the player is introduced to more story-based situations that complicate the scenario. As it turns out, Nate is working alongside his mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan to locate what they believed to be the lost city of El Dorado. As it turns out, however, Francis Drake's diary indicates El Dorado to be a golden idol of sorts. Investigating new locations further puts Drake at odds with another treasure hunter, Gabriel Roman, a man with a multitude of gunmen on his side and to whom Sully owes a massive debt. The game becomes a race against time across ruins and a jungle landscape as Nate and his companions attempt to find the idol of El Dorado before Roman and his men can get to it first. And the game continues to throw twist after twist into its story with every passing level.

The biggest strength the first entry in the Uncharted series has is its interesting story. While serious moments do happen, the game always tries to maintain a fun air, especially through the witty quips Nathan Drake is known for. The story and some gameplay elements alike feel heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, with some rather similar surface-level elements showing up in the story as the game progresses. Despite some level of predictability to it all, the fact that there's such a vast layer of fun interspersed throughout the story is what makes Drake's Fortune memorable. I'll never forget the moment when Nate is first captured by one of Roman's men, only to reveal that said captor is a rival of his from former treasure hunts. While the audience never gets a full picture as to the extent of their competition against one another, the dialogue and even body language in the character models lend credence to their rivalry. Not to mention the banter between the two feels like it comes right out of a standard popcorn adventure film.

The meat of the game, though, comes in the form of the gameplay. Here, however, is also where the game falters just a bit. To preface, I want to emphasize that I enjoyed Drake's Fortune's gameplay, especially given what could have been just a typical run and gun game. The game requires strategy when dealing with enemies, some of whom are right in front of you, or others that sneak up on you when you least expect it. It makes for a heart-pounding experience because you never know when you're going to have to find cover and ammo as guys with guns start to swarm you. Even in Normal mode, all it takes is a few hits for you to die and have to restart from the last checkpoint in the mission. Not only do you have to play it smart with your cover, but you also have to play it smart with your ammo. Ammunition is scattered throughout each level, but is most often retrieved from killing enemies. It's sparse if you're not aiming every shot with the intent to kill enemies as fast as possible. If you're not aiming with speed and precision, then you're going to have a bad time when a horde of enemies comes rushing at you from all four corners when you're down to your last AK-47 clip (trust me on this one).

This structure, though, also serves as a "copper lining" of sorts for the game, as to some degree there is a level of negativity to the gameplay loop. One of the biggest issues is the lack of variation that comes with taking cover and shooting at would-be treasure hoarders. Every encounter--barring a few awesome changes in the final third of the game--has the same basic elements to it. Yes, these encounters are often spiced up by being in different ruinous locations across the same jungle-like environment. However, the basic pattern got stale around the halfway point of the game. You're running along a level, hoping you're not about to get shot at, when you see armed men in the distance aiming down sights at you. Thus ensues a game of stationary cat and mouse as you try and sneak out of cover just at the right time so you can both take down your opponent and not get shot yourself. It's this often-repetitive way of playing the game that makes it feel rather dull at some point. While encountering a semi-stationary group of enemies in one location that you have to clear out does wane later in the game--or is at least given a much fresher coat of paint--the initial loop does feel like it overstays its welcome.

Either way, though, it's still fun. Just as fun as some of the secrets you can find in the game. While each level is fairly linear without much to do in the way of major exploration, there are ways in which you can challenge yourself throughout your playthrough. One of these involves unlocking new skins for Drake by collecting a certain number of treasures hidden throughout each mission. Sixty in total, collecting different numbers will allow you to play as Nathan Drake in different costumes, or as Elena and Sully. This doesn't change the gameplay and is cosmetic only, but it can still be fun to realize that you've collected enough shiny objects on the ground to play in costumes or as characters you'd never be able to control otherwise. It's a nice touch and something that remains a permanent fixture of the Uncharted series in later games. Collecting these optional treasures also add some immersion to the game, turning you into a real treasure hunter intent on exchanging your horde for great rewards.

If you're someone who wishes they could live out the life of an intrepid explorer in the digital world, then Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is the game for you. While there is some level of repetition as the game progresses, there's enough changes to the gameplay throughout to where it only slogs a little bit near the middle of the game. The story is solid the whole way through, with a lot of entertaining moments and a few surprises you definitely won't see coming. Collecting treasures is fun and makes for some great cosmetic achievements if unlocking costumes for your playable character interests you. Overall, it's just a really fun game with a lot of action and a great story. Since scouring for an original copy on the PlayStation 3 is a bit more difficult these days, your best bet is to buy Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection for the PlayStation 4, giving you access to entire original Uncharted trilogy with remastered graphics. If any of this sounds interesting to you and you happen to own a PS4, then I implore you to start on your long road to El Dorado.

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