Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is first and foremost a story and character driven game that will explore what is “driving” Nathan Drake, according to its co-directors.
In a wide-ranging interview with Game Informer, developers Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann stated that despite the monumental effort being put into Uncharted 4’s graphics and gameplay mechanics, their primary focus for the upcoming action-adventure title is on storytelling and connecting with players on a deeper level.
Bruce Straley said: “Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is make a character-driven game. Everything is about the characters. When I get done with this adventure; yeah, I’ve done all this cool stuff, but ultimately I want to know more as a human, about this other human: that’s storytelling.”
The pair went on to discuss Drake’s personality, and how players will explore what’s driving him, who he is and “what makes him tick”.
Straley said: “Nathan Drake is an interesting character, in that he’s got this facade that everybody believes, as he’s quippy and he’s off the cuff, but over the course of each game, you’ve seen that he’s actually driven by something way deeper than what’s on the surface.”
He went on to state that despite the series’ supporting cast helping to reveal certain aspects of Drake’s personality, the development team have “also left a few things, some loose ends here and there” and “still have a story to tell about something else inside of him”.
Co-director Neil Druckmann, who worked with Straley on The Last of Us, added: “One of the themes that we’re exploring with Uncharted 4 is the idea of obsession; and, you know, passion can become obsession; can become an addiction… Every treasure that Drake’s pursuing has a cost to it; an emotional cost or a relationship cost.”
Do you want to see The Last of Us’ brand of hard-hitting storytelling resurface in Uncharted 4? Or would you rather see a more light-hearted affair that emphasises high-adrenaline action over plot building? Sound off below.