Uncharted:
Drake's Fortune
Review

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007) is an action-adventure where you, treasure hunter Nathan Drake, follow in the footsteps of your ancestor Sir Francis Drake in search of El Dorado. You run, jump, fight, shoot, and explore a rich world that unfolds a film-like narrative about Drake and the people he meets. Along the journey, you encounter rival treasure hunters, mercenaries, and creatures who guard El Dorado.

Play is a mix of combat and puzzles, connected with climbing, exploring jungle and urban environments. During combat, you fight groups of enemies using a variety of weapons. For the puzzles, you use the notes of Sir Francis Drake to help solve environmental conundrums. Some of these puzzles require you to choose the correct path, while others require you to activate objects in a certain order and more.

While there are many games that offer a similar experience, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a PlayStation 3 launch game, offers deeper characterisation and more convincing acting. In this first game, and on into the series, players discover a fractured hero in Drake -- wanting to do the right thing but at the same time obsessed with getting the treasure (rather than the girl).

Our examiner, Jonah Monaghan, first checked Uncharted: Drake's Fortune 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 15 months ago.