You know that feeling when you jump into a TV show during the third season and you're just... lost? Everyone is hugging and crying over a character you don't recognize, and you’re sitting there eating chips wondering why any of it matters. That’s exactly what happens if you try to play this series out of sync. If you want to see the full evolution of Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, playing all the uncharted games in order isn't just a suggestion—it’s basically a requirement for your soul.
I remember back in 2007 when Drake’s Fortune first dropped. People were calling it "Dude Raider." It felt like a gamble. But nearly two decades later, this franchise is the gold standard for how you tell a story in an action game. It’s not just about the climbing or the shooting; it's about watching Nathan Drake grow from a cocky, somewhat reckless treasure hunter into a man who actually has something to lose.
The Beginning of the Legend: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007)
Let's be honest for a second. Playing the first game today can feel a little janky. The "six-axis" grenade tossing was a choice that didn't age well, and the jet ski levels? Pure stress. But you absolutely cannot skip it. This is where we meet the core trio: Nate, the cigar-chomping mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan, and the tenacious journalist Elena Fisher.
The plot kicks off with the discovery of Sir Francis Drake's coffin, which—surprise—is empty except for a diary. It leads them to the hunt for El Dorado. Most people think El Dorado is a city of gold. In this game, Naughty Dog pulls a fast one and reveals it's actually a cursed golden statue.
The tonal shift in the final third of this game is wild. It goes from a sunny jungle adventure to basically a survival horror game with "Descendants" (creepy mutant Spaniards) crawling out of the walls. It’s weird, it’s jarring, and it sets the stage for the supernatural elements the series would play with for years.
The Peak: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
If Drake’s Fortune was a solid pilot episode, Among Thieves is the summer blockbuster that breaks box office records. This is usually the favorite for most fans. Why? Because of the pacing.
The game starts in media res with Nate bleeding out, hanging off a train dangling over a snowy cliff. It’s an iconic opening. From there, we flashback to how he got into this mess, chasing Marco Polo’s lost fleet and the Cintamani Stone in the Himalayas.
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We also get introduced to Chloe Frazer here. She’s the perfect foil to Elena—darker, more morally ambiguous, and someone who matches Nate’s "shady business" energy. The set pieces in this game, like the collapsing building in Nepal or the entire train sequence, changed how developers thought about "cinematic" gameplay. It wasn't just a cutscene anymore; you were playing the movie. It’s breathless.
The Ambitious Middle Child: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011)
This one is divisive. Some people love the deeper look into Nate and Sully’s relationship, while others think the plot is a bit of a mess. Honestly? Both are right.
Drake's Deception takes us to the Rub' al Khali desert in search of the "Atlantis of the Sands." The highlight here is the flashback to 15-year-old Nate meeting Sully in Colombia. It explains why they are so fiercely loyal to each other.
Technically, the game was a marvel. The cargo plane sequence, where Nate is literally hanging onto a crate thousands of feet in the air, is still one of the most technically impressive things ever put on a disc. However, the villain, Katherine Marlowe, felt a bit underutilized compared to the previous games. And the ending? It felt a little like a retread of the "lost city gets destroyed" trope. But man, the character work here is top-tier.
The Prequel for Your Pocket: Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2012)
A lot of people forget about this one because it was on the PlayStation Vita. If you’re playing all the uncharted games in order, this technically takes place before the first game on the PS3.
It wasn't developed by Naughty Dog (Sony Bend took the reins), but it feels remarkably authentic. It uses the Vita’s gimmicks—like holding the console up to a light to "read" a hidden map—in ways that actually felt cool at the time. It doesn't have the massive "wow" moments of the console games, but as a standalone adventure about the Sete Cidades, it’s a solid entry that adds more weight to Nate’s history as a career thief.
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The Grand Finale: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016)
This is the one that makes you cry. By the time we get to A Thief's End, Nate has retired. He’s living a normal life with Elena, doing underwater salvage work and playing crash bandicoot on his couch.
Then his long-lost brother Sam shows up.
The game is much more grounded and mature. The focus shifts from "where is the gold?" to "why can't Nate stop chasing the high?" It’s a deconstruction of the action hero trope. The search for Henry Avery's pirate colony, Libertalia, is gorgeous, but the real meat is the dialogue. The relationship between Nate and Sam is messy and filled with lies.
The ending—the epilogue—is arguably the best ending in gaming history. It wraps up everything in a way that feels earned. It gives Nate the peace he didn't know he needed. If you hadn't played the previous games, the emotional weight of that final scene would be totally lost on you.
The New Direction: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (2017)
Naughty Dog proved they didn't need Nathan Drake to make a great Uncharted game. The Lost Legacy stars Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross (a villain from the fourth game) on a hunt for the Tusk of Ganesh in India.
It’s shorter than the main entries, but it’s incredibly tight. The chemistry between Chloe and Nadine is fantastic—they start off hating each other and end up with a genuine, earned respect. It also features a "semi-open world" section in the Western Ghats that was a first for the series. It felt like a breath of fresh air.
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Why the Release Order Matters More Than Chronology
You could technically play Golden Abyss first, then move to Drake's Fortune. But don't do that.
The technology jump from a 2012 handheld game to a 2016 PS4 powerhouse is too jarring. More importantly, the writing evolves. In the early games, Nate is a bit of a cartoon character—charming, sure, but invincible. By the time you get to The Lost Legacy, the writing is nuanced, exploring themes of heritage, trauma, and redemption.
When you play them in the order they were released, you aren't just watching a character grow; you're watching a studio find its voice. You see the mechanics of cover-shooting and climbing being refined until they become second nature.
Essential Tips for Your Playthrough
- Don't burn out: Playing all five or six games back-to-back can be a lot. These games are "cinematic," which means they are intense. Give yourself a week between games to let the story sink in.
- Play on Normal first: The "Crushing" difficulty can be unfair in the earlier games (looking at you, Drake's Fortune). The story is the star here. Don't let a poorly placed sniper ruin the vibe.
- The Nathan Drake Collection: If you're on PS4 or PS5, grab the remastered collection of the first three games. The 60fps boost makes the first game significantly more playable.
- Legacy of Thieves Collection: For Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy, use the PS5/PC collection. The haptic feedback on the DualSense controller adds a surprising amount of immersion to the climbing.
Where to Go From Here
Once you've finished the series, you’ll likely have a "post-Uncharted" void in your life. To truly appreciate the craft, look into the "making of" documentaries for Uncharted 2 and 4. They show the absolute chaos that goes into making these "perfect" experiences.
If you're looking for the next game to play, the natural transition is the The Last of Us series if you want more Naughty Dog storytelling, or the modern Tomb Raider trilogy (2013-2018) if you want more of that specific "explorer in over their head" gameplay loop. Just remember that while Lara Croft might have the gear, Nate has the heart—and that's why we keep coming back to this series.
Start with the Nathan Drake Collection on the PlayStation Store or physical disc. It's the most accessible entry point and frequently goes on sale. Set aside about 10-12 hours for the first game, and prepare for those sessions to get longer as the games get bigger.
The journey from a shallow grave in the ocean to the quiet shores of the final epilogue is one of the best journeys in entertainment. Stick to the order, pay attention to the small character moments, and don't forget to check your journal—Nate’s doodles and notes are half the fun.