One of Uncharted 4's Greatest Stories is told in Collectibles

Uncharted is without a doubt my favorite video game series. I was sixteen when my parents bought me a PlayStation 3, with only two games: Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Don’t get me wrong, Bad Company 2 was surely life-changing, but it did not hold a candle to what Uncharted 2 sparked inside me. Naughty Dog Inc.’s adventure series showed me what games can truly be.

Uncharted 1, 2, and 3 are all outstanding games, each of them building on their collective strengths, compounding those positive qualities as the series progresses. Storytelling, gameplay, visuals, and everything in between just got better and better and better. After Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, some of us naively thought that they couldn’t get any better. The very idea of, what at the time would be dubbed “next generation,” would hold in store for the continuation of so many of our favorite games. When Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was announced, the gaming world’s collective jaws dropped. I was, of course, giddy with anticipation, and of course I was not disappointed.

I won’t bother reviewing Uncharted 4 again, as I’d like to focus on a very particular aspect of the game. Suffice it to say, the game is a visual and narrative masterpiece combining it’s tell tale action and puzzle plays with one of the more mature and developed storylines of the decade. Now, enough of me gushing over it, let’s get down to the discussion. For those of you who have not played Uncharted 4, please note that this may have a few spoilers. For those who have played, you are undoubtedly familiar with the game’s collectibles systems. Aside from finding treasures that aren’t typically linked to the story, the hero Nathan Drake can find papers, journals, letters and conversations that act as more narrative-driven "discoverables." A small handful of these written find are connects, and one storyline in particular hit me hard.

Uncharted 4 follows adventurer and Indiana Jones-like rogue, Nathan Drake on his final adventure. A quest with his once-thought-dead brother Sam to uncover a massive cache of pirate treasure leads them to lost colony off the coast of Madagascar. Upon fighting their way through scores of competing mercenaries, Nathan falls off cliff face and bonks his noggin on the way down. The game takes this time to initiate a flashback to Nathan and Sam’s childhood, during a semi-innocent break-in to collect the journals of their late mother. An apparent home a collector, young Sam and younger Nate are positively dumbfounded at the sight of genuine sarcophagi, suits of armor, and other ancient and precious antiquities. It’s a massive house and seemingly abandoned house. Their mother’s journal must be here somewhere, so the house has a number of interaction points: some leading to nothing, only one leading to their goal, and a few leading to something else. A tragic love story, which conveys so very much through three single letters.

The very first collectible letter you can discover is in the attic, among a plethora of papers, boxes of hiking equipment, and dust. It’s a simple letter with an attached photo, addressed to a woman named Evelyn, an apparent historian. The letter is a simple introduction from a fellow historian named Kenichiro Namba, asking Evelyn’s opinion on a suit of armor he found, and invitation to discuss it. Alone, this letter is easy to discount as a genuine correspondence between to colleagues in their field. It is not until the second letter is found when players realize that this simple letter was the spark that ignited an eventual marriage and family.

However, as Nate and Same explore the house, a second letter from Kenichiro shows that while Evelyn and “Ken” were married and event had a son, their marriage did not last. This next letter appears to jump twenty years at the very latest, as Ken explains how their son Edmund (under the seemingly permanent custody of Ken) has graduated from college at the top of his class. Ken’s demeanor is extremely pleasant and respectful, and he even notes some of Evelyn’s recent accomplishments. Context from the letter reveals that Evelyn denied Edmund’s wish to join him on a trip to India, hinting at Evelyn’s strained relationship with her family, and an apparent lack of mutual interest in Ken’s well-being. Furthermore, a photo of Edmund’s graduation shows his father wheelchair, the probable result of an accident or illness. Two letters down, and an entire saga of a tumultuous relationship painted before us.

As the chapter wraps up, Nate can find one last letter pertaining to Evelyn and Kenichiro. The letter is found in a decrepit room, adorned with a number of pain pills, medical equipment, and a picture of Evelyn, Kenichiro, and baby Edmund. This letter, jumping yet another decade or so, is from Edmund. Evelyn has apparently been paying, or attempting to pay alimony to her son’s family. Edmund finds this attempt to “rekindle” their relationship as an affront to him. The letter shows that a major pain point for Edmund is the lack of Evelyn’s presence at “Dad’s” funeral. Three letters read, and a very sad story presented before us.

Parallels to Nathan and his savvy wife Elena are ever-present throughout the story of Evelyn and Ken. I find it poetic and narratively masterful for young Nate to read and understand the tragic result of Evelyn’s ambition and obsessions, as the game’s overall narrative has Elena and Nate’s own marriage teetering on the edge due to his inability to let go of his treasure hunting kicks. I find this string of collectibles to be absolutely pristine, and without a doubt represents one of the finer stories of the game. So much accomplished in so few turns; there’s a reason Naughty Dog’s team is one of the best in the business.

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Ben Stembridge, Editor-in-Chief

Ben leads the reviews and news coverage for Game Chop. He also offers opinions on games and the industry, covering a wide range of genres and platforms. Ben especially enjoys discussions on game narratives, design styles, and independent titles.

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