Unchartedis one of the most revered gaming franchises of the last two decades, and has forged a fantastic legacy thanks to its beautiful scenery, engaging combat encounters, and stellar writing. Chief among its strengths is the cast of diverse and likable characters. Nathan Drake takes up most of the headlines and the box art for each game, but he’s regularly propped up by the likes ofVictor Sullivan, Elena Fisher, and Charlie Cutter.
Rumors surrounding a potential fifth game in theUnchartedseries are becoming more prevalent, and as such it’s easy to theorize about what direction it will go. The end of the fourth game means that Nate’s grand journey has surely reached its conclusion, but a new protagonist taking the starring role isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Should it happen,Uncharted 5has to be incredibly careful with its selection of Drake’s successor, as he has set the bar so frightfully high since 2007.
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Nathan Drake Left Huge Shoes to Fill
Though 2017’sUncharted: The Lost Legacywas a great experience with fan-favorite Chloe Frazer, it was missing the spark that the rest of the series had in abundance. It switched to a more open-ended approach, but this wasn’t the most substantial change, as the lack ofNathan Drake’s cheeky charmmade the game’s story feel far less impactful. That game lifted a lot of core components from previous games like its combat, traversal, and visual fidelity, but the absence of Nate showed thatUncharted’s magic extends far beyond its gameplay and presentation. It’s hard to imagine a fifth mainline title that doesn’t feature him as the protagonist, but with his beautiful conclusion at the end ofA Thief’s Endit would feel like even more of a disservice to drag him out of a happy retirement.
Nathan Drake is special because he took the typical Indiana Jones/Lara Croft character type and injected so much more life into it. Those characters are fantastic, andCrystal Dynamics' take on Lara Croft is sublime, but Nate was far easier to love with his flaws on show and his unrelenting charisma carrying the otherwise cookie-cutter stories forward. Replacing him would be likeHalomoving off of Master Chief like it tried to do inHalo 5.It needs to be done with immense care, slotting in a new personality that people can grow to love but isn’t a copy of the main character that came before them.
Uncharted 5 isn’t Short of Protagonist Options
By the time players close the book on Nate’s Journey there are plenty of people who are in prime position to take up the mantle of being the main character inUncharted 5. It could be someone different all together, but Nadine, Chloe, Sam, Rafe, or even Cassie Drake could all be suitable personalities to be front and center of a new story. Such people have already had an introduction, and while some were less than righteous,Uncharted 5could be an opportunity for them to find a less villainous path,much like Nadine Ross did inThe Lost Legacy. Nate was far from moral, being a treasure hunter and thief himself, and his broad interpretation of morality was one of his best and most interesting traits.
Despite Naughty Dog insisting it’s done withUncharted, should a fifth gamecome to fruition at another developer it has all the foundations it needs to be a success. The series has fans far and wide, and it would surely make financial sense for another installment, but the game’s success starts with the right personality at the forefront. Nathan Drake is already enshrined in the gaming hall of fame, butUnchartedcould still continue, and the characters that are around atUncharted 4’s conclusion could be the perfect fit to be the protagonist. Nate left a huge hole, and heavy is the head that steals the crown.
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