Let me start by saying that I’m not a big fan of remastered games. Well, to be more specific, I’m not a fan of some remastered games at all. For example, Tomb Raider and DmC.
Both those games are great games in their own right. But for games like those two to be remastered into definitive or GOTY editions so soon seems slightly unethical in my opinion. I’m not saying they’re bad games, I’m simply saying I don’t think it’s been long enough, nor are those games great enough to earn a remastered edition so soon.
But at times there are exceptions – most notably, the Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster that came out for the PS Vita. Final Fantasy X was instantly recognized as a PlayStation 2 classic, and it’s arguably one of the best Final Fantasy games at that. The long-awaited (and more importantly, well-earned) remaster edition of the PS2 classic was a good move on Sony and Square Enix’s part. It’s an old game that gamers of the current generation get to enjoy, and it’s also an old game where people who’ve played it get to re-play it for nostalgia’s sake.
Which brings me to the point of this article:
Do we really want the same thing for the Uncharted series?
I say, Yes!
You could argue that we’re only two years into the new generation of console gaming, and that would make an Uncharted trilogy a little premature. But I beg to differ.
An Uncharted trilogy that’s released somewhere around February or March of 2016 could help promote the upcoming Uncharted 4 game that’s been delayed. Doing so could also give Naughty Dog and Sony some extra cash. Can’t go wrong with extra cash, right?
Better Graphics and Lighting
Another good point is that even though it feels like Uncharted is still a relatively new series, don’t forget that the first Uncharted game came out eight years ago. I don’t know about you, but eight years is a LONG time to me. Long enough to make me nostalgic so I want to replay a game I’ve already played.
The way things go with remasters is that there’s usually an increase in graphical fidelity, be it the textures or the lighting. And seeing the graphics from the first Uncharted game, I don’t think many people were impressed – especially comparing it with the latest Uncharted. A remastered trilogy could mean that the first ever installment of the franchise could finally be getting a small overhaul in the graphics department. And the same goes with the other Uncharted titles as well.
Promotion for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
As I’ve mentioned before, a justified reason to release an Uncharted trilogy would be in anticipation for the latest, and also final, title in the series Uncharted 4. The concluding chapter to Nathan Drake’s saga.
A situation where players can relive his past adventures, in better graphical quality, before finally diving into the defining last installment wouldn’t be too bad of a move on Naughty Dog’s part. Nathan Drake and his gang have always been among the unforgettable characters in gaming and having experienced their past adventures will only serve as a much more immersive experience to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.
But then again… Is a trilogy NECESSARY?
To answer the above. Yes and no, depending on how you look at it. The paragraphs leading to this one were all about how there SHOULD be an Uncharted trilogy
Now here’s a reason why there shouldn’t:
Remember that Last of Us documentary where they said they had to split the team up into 2? One team would continue to focus on the Uncharted games while the latter would focus on the new IP that would eventually be Last of Us.
Now in the end, the developers did a great job on both games. But imagine if the entire team was focusing on only 1 game. Perhaps it would’ve been one of the greatest games to come out.
Making an Uncharted trilogy is not as hard as making a new installment from scratch, but it’s still work nonetheless. A trilogy would mean that there would be lesser staff to focus on their most anticipated title, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. I’m not saying that it would ruin the upcoming title, but it would feel as if the game wasn’t developed to its full potential because some staff members were too busy with the remastered trilogy.
So to finally answer the question
Is it NECESSARY?
No. It’s not. But do we want one? HECK, YEAH! A trilogy for this series would be one of the most justified remasters compared to other games like Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and DmC: Devil May Cry. It would be a great title for players who’ve never played the Uncharted games on PS3 to get a chance to experience it in better quality.
Published: Apr 17, 2015 10:06 am