Honestly, playing through Nate’s third outing feels different today than it did back in 2011. Most people jumping into an Uncharted Drake's Deception walkthrough are looking for puzzle solutions or how to beat those annoying "brute" enemies, but there is a layer of weirdness to this game that often goes unmentioned. It’s a masterpiece of set-pieces, sure. But the mechanics? They can be a bit of a nightmare if you try to play it like a modern cover shooter.
You’ve got the chateau fire, the sinking cruise ship, and that plane crash that everyone remembers. But between those beats, the game throws some genuinely cryptic stuff at you. If you're stuck, it’s probably not because you're bad at the game; it’s usually because the game is being a bit "cheap" with its logic.
The London Underground and Those Early Headaches
The game starts in a London pub, and it’s basically a tutorial for the revamped melee system. Don’t just mash square. You have to time the triangle prompts to counter, or you’ll get tossed around like a ragdoll. Once you get into the actual "London Underground" chapters (Chapter 4 and 5), the difficulty spikes.
Here is the thing: stealth in Uncharted 3 is... finicky. You can take out a few guys silently in the library, but the game almost always forces a shootout. In the library, there is a Victorian Gold Sovereign hidden under a display case on the upper floor. Most people miss it because they’re too busy trying not to get shot by Marlowe’s goons.
Solving the Brazen Bull and the Knights
Chapter 6, "The Chateau," is where the first real "I need a walkthrough" moment happens. You’ll find yourself in a room with a floor full of symbols and some statues.
- The Knight Puzzle: You need to move the four knights so they face the correct direction. Check Nate’s journal (press Select). The symbols on the floor correspond to where the knights should stand.
- The Floor Tiles: This one is a classic. You have to walk on the symbols in a specific order: 4 of one, then 3 of another, and so on. If you step on the wrong one, you start over. Just look at the ceiling or the journal—the symbols are there, but the game doesn't hold your hand.
That Infamous Shipyard and the "Brute" Problem
If there’s one part of an Uncharted Drake's Deception walkthrough that everyone scrolls down to find, it’s Chapter 12: Abducted. This is the shipyard. It is, quite frankly, one of the most frustrating combat encounters in the entire trilogy.
You are surrounded by water, rusting ships, and enemies with laser sights. The "Brutes"—those massive guys who take twenty bullets to the face—show up here constantly.
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- Tip: Don't stay in cover. It sounds counterintuitive, but the AI in Uncharted 3 is designed to flush you out with grenades.
- The Strat: Run and gun. Seriously. Hip-fire is surprisingly accurate at close range.
- The Big Guys: When a Brute grabs you, it’s a scripted QTE. Mash the counter button, but don't try to out-punch them from the start. Soften them up with a grenade or a few rounds from a KAL-7 first.
The cruise ship section (Chapter 14 and 15) is visually stunning but mechanically a mess. When the ship starts tilting, your platforming logic has to shift 90 degrees. It’s easy to fall to your death just because the camera angle changed and your joystick input didn't adjust.
The Desert and the Hallucinations of Ubar
Once you survive the plane crash—which is mostly a cinematic experience where you just need to keep moving forward—you hit the Rub' al Khali desert.
Chapter 18 and 19 are where the story gets heavy. When you finally reach the "Atlantis of the Sands" (Iram of the Pillars), the game introduces "Djinn" enemies. These guys are basically standard soldiers who teleport and throw fireballs.
They aren't actually demons; they’re hallucinations caused by the tainted water in the city. To beat them, you need high-fire-rate weapons. The M9 or the TAU Sniper (if you can find one) are your best friends here. Don't bother with stealth in the final city. It’s a straight-up war zone.
Finding the Strange Relic
You can't call it a proper Uncharted run without finding the Strange Relic (the Precursor Orb from Jak & Daxter). In Drake's Deception, it’s in Chapter 4. When you’re in the underground cylindrical sewer area, look up. You have to climb a pipe that seems like it leads nowhere. It’s right there at the top.
Why Your Strategy Might Be Failing
Most players struggle because they try to play on "Crushing" or "Brutal" difficulty using Uncharted 2 tactics. In this game, the enemies are way more aggressive. They will flank you in seconds.
Also, the shooting mechanics felt a bit "off" at launch—Naughty Dog actually patched them later because the aiming had a weird diagonal lag. If you’re playing the Nathan Drake Collection on PS4 or PS5, this is fixed. If you’re on an old PS3 disc, God help you. Use the "corner poking" trick: stand behind cover without actually pressing the "take cover" button. You can aim around the corner while staying mostly protected. It’s a bit of a cheese, but on higher difficulties, it’s survival.
Practical Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently staring at a puzzle or stuck in a firefight, here is what you should do right now:
- Check the Journal: 90% of the puzzle answers are literally drawn in Nate's book. If a symbol looks important, it is.
- Prioritize Snipers: In the shipyard and the desert, the guys with the red laser sights are your biggest threat. Take them out first, even if a guy with a shotgun is running at you. One sniper shot will stun you long enough for the shotgun guy to finish the job.
- Use the Environment: Look for red barrels. They are clichéd, but in the chateau and the desert settlement, they are the only way to clear out groups of three or more enemies at once.
- Save the Mag 5: If you find a Mag 5 pistol, keep it for the armored guys. It’s one of the few guns that can pop a helmet in one or two shots.
The end of the game is a frantic escape. When the city starts crumbling, don't stop to look at the scenery. Follow Sully. He generally knows the path, and the game will kill you if you linger for even five seconds to admire the collapsing architecture. Once you hit the final cinematic with the ring and the plane, you’re home free. Just remember: it was never about the gold anyway.