Andrew McMahon
Now, over half a decade later, the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is here to indoctrinate an entire new fandom into the fold of treasure hunters, as it brings the series’ two most recent (and best) games to PC, marking the series debut on the platform.
To be exact, this bundle contains Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. Shocking no one, both titles still hold up brilliantly on PC when it comes to gameplay and technical specs.
For continuity’s sake, I started with the former and was blown away by how immersed I was as soon as the game loaded its iconic boat chase scene. When I first played this scene back in 2016, I felt similar emotions of shock and awe, as it was hard to deny just how cool it was to be thrown right into the action and with such an epic scene. Getting to relive that joy again like it was the first time was an unexpected treat.
Even if you’re a PC player trying the game for the first time with no context of the previous story, I’ve no doubt you’ll be hooked on the mystery and intrigue of Nathan and Sam’s plight right from the get-go.
Are the stories a bit trope-y? Oh absolutely, but in the best way possible, as the games let you take control of your own Hollywood blockbuster while also including likable leads like Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer to make for really compelling narratives and stories about character growth. It also doesn’t hurt that Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection looks gorgeous.
While the PS4 version of the game looked amazing, too, the contrast and detail on PC is noticeably better, as lighting is more realistic, and textures flow so much more smoothly. Nate’s shirt getting soaked after he’s dumped in the water was so authentic that I couldn’t help but remember every time I’ve gotten soaked in clothing as well. That’s how absorbed Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC made me feel.
Uncharted: Lost Legacy was also as solid as I remember, but it definitely was the weaker of the two in terms of content, as it was clear that Chloe’s tale was a bit more of a side story instead of a full-blown adventure. With that said, both games’ landscapes were insanely beautiful.
From the wildlife of locals like Madagascar and India to the overgrown lost city of Libertalia, just about every location you visit in the game is that much more beautiful when rendered at 1440p and 60FPS, even without an RTX graphics card. Traversing and shooting throughout these environments in this high quality really did feel like a whole new experience.
If there was one area that I’d say was more of a downside than an upside with the transition to PC in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, it’s that mouse and keyboard don’t feel as good as a PlayStation controller. Whenever I tried to play using the old WASD approach, gameplay and movement just felt a little floating, mostly on higher difficulties when aiming without assistance.
Thankfully, there is DualSense support, so plugging in my PS5 controller was a breeze. Honestly, though, When push comes to shove, the difference isn’t going to be too drastic for most people giving the game a go that are used to mouse and keyboard controls. Sadly, my 30-year-old bones simply can’t take the strain of the movement anymore.
When all is said and done, you owe it to yourself to play the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC. Regardless of whether you’ve played it before on PlayStation or are jumping in for the first time, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is well worth playing on the platform.
The high fidelity of visuals, framerate, and overall gameplay make for an even more immersive experience than that of what you can experience on console. Trust me when I say that this is one adventure you won’t want to miss out on, as the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection continues Naughty Dog’s streak of settings the bar impossibly high for action-adventure games.
Here’s to hoping that when Naughty Dog does decide to eventually return to the series, they’re sure to also bring it to PC, as its grand scope just feels magnificent when it’s pushed to its highest possible limits.
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