Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Sony has decided to give Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy the "remaster" treatment, re-releasing them together on PC and PlayStation 5 via the Legacy of Thieves Collection. This review however is mostly focused on the PS5 version, as it's release is scheduled for January 28 - the PC version has no date currently assigned.

So here's what you need to know about the collection: it's going to cost £44.99 / €49.99, and it packs enhanced versions of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy singleplayer campaigns, meaning both game's multiplayer modes were excluded from the collection. If you already have both games on PS4 - purchased separately or through the Digital Bundle - you can upgrade to the PS5 version for €9.99 (£10). This also applies to those who own the disc versions, but anyone that got them via PS Plus offers are not eligible for the upgrade.

Both games benefit from the same improvements, and feature three graphical options to choose from: Fidelity Mode runs at 4K and 30 frames per second, Performance Mode uses dynamic resolution at 60 frames per second, and Performance Mode+ runs at 1080p and 120 frames per second on televisions that support 120Hz. In addition to the graphical modes, these versions feature near-instant loading times, support for PS5's 3D Audio, and new tweaks that take advantage of DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

Good improvements on paper, no doubt, but are they obvious on practice? Well, apart from the move to 60 frames per second... not really. In fact, we don't really feel these games needed any sort of a remaster to be honest. Both could have been improved merely with a 60 frames per second update on PS5, as Sony already did with The Last of Us: Part II, God of War, and Horizon: Zero Dawn.

It's true that the graphical detail on these versions is superior to the original versions, but it's nothing that will make a big difference. The same can be said for the 3D Audio and DualSense functions. Yes, it's true that the games use them, but it's nothing on par to something like Returnal or Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. It's something far more discreet. The fact that this collection doesn't bring any new content, on the contrary as it removed the multiplayer modes, is another factor to consider. Both Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding appeared in their respective PS5 versions with new content, which is always a nice incentive. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves on the other hand is the mere collection of the two campaigns as they were.

That said, we're still talking about two very high quality action games. Naughty Dog's attention to detail is unparalleled in the video game industry, and both benefit from huge production values. Graphics, script, story, sound, actors' performances, and action set pieces were among the best ever when the games were originally released, and they are still at a very high level today.

The same cannot be said for the gameplay however. Uncharted was never a game with amazing gameplay, especially in terms of the cover and shooting systems, but it was still pretty good. Nowadays the age of these mechanics is a little more noticeable, not least because we've already seen Naughty Dog do quite better in terms of controls with The Last of Us: Part II. It's still fun, and the gameplay allows for great moments of intensity and action, but it lacks the satisfaction that some modern games provide.

In short, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a very good collection, bringing together two fantastic adventures. Enjoying both at 60 frames per second is a delight, and even if the gameplay is a little dated, it's still enough to deliver a great action experience. It will certainly be an unmissable package when it appears on PC, and the same is true for anyone with a PS5 that is yet to experience them. That said, we don't think it's enough to recommend a new purchase or even the €9.99 upgrade if you already finished it, unless you're a really big fan and are looking forward to a rerun.

For more details on each specific game, check our Uncharted 4 review and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy review.