Uncharted: The Lost Legacy preview discusses level design, characters; no Nathan Drake cameo

The PlayStation Blog has gone up with a new preview of the December-announced Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, providing new information and artwork on the 2017-due Uncharted title.

Here’s a summary of the preview:

• The game is set in the southern tip of India.
• There will be “beautiful, big landscapes to traverse and explore, that sense of a surprise around every corner,” according to creative director Shaun Escayg.
• The story is set six to 12 months after the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. It begins with the search for a priceless relic known as the “Tusk of Ganesh” and an unlikely pairing—Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. The two don’t always see eye-to-eye, but must work together to obtain the tusk from a mysterious warlord named Asav.
• Naughty Dog wanted to revisit Chloe because she is an interesting character with a darker moral compass compared to Nathan Drake. “They’re both treasure hunters. Drake has a bit of a hero complex, but Chloe looks out for number one, first and foremost,” writer Josh Scherr said. Chloe initiates the hunt for the Tusk.
• Nadine’s appearance is partially born out of the consequences of her actions in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. With Shoreline crumbling, she’s out of work and desperate. Creative director Shaun Escayg says that Chloe needs someone with military expertise, and that Nadine is ” probably the most rational and practical character we’ve ever introduced” in the Uncharted series, tending to take a “direct approach.”
• Chloe and Nadine are “opposites,” according to creative director Shaun Escayg. “Chloe is spontaneous and impulsive, where Nadine is by the book, structured. That made for a good pairing.” Game director Kurt Margenau added, “Both of them are in positions they aren’t used to being in. Chloe, in terms of taking charge. Nadine, who is used to running the show, is now the hired gun. They’re both figuring it out as they go.”
• The gameplay of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is similar to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Further refinements and enhancements based on lessons learned during the latter’s development cycle are being added, however.
• In terms of level design, starting with one “pivotal section” of the game, the team wants to provide a more expansive environment that gives players more ways to explore at their own pace. Game director Kurt Margenau calls it “the biggest [area] ever for an Uncharted game.”
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End faced concessions in terms of going even bigger on certain huge locations like Madagascar, but Uncharted: The Lost Legacy won’t as it will benefit from an updated production process that can see up to five teams working on one location at a time.
• Levels will feature traversal challenges, environmental puzzles, shootouts, secrets like new hidden treasures, environmental variety (lush jungles, soaring mountains, ancient temples, etc.), and more.
• New weapons include the silenced pistol, the C4, and an increased range of options available for combat encounters. Director Kurt Margenau explained, “There are entire combat setups that you can skip, go around, or approach from any direction. It’s got a bigger, more organic feel, with more player choice and more stealth options.”
• Lock picking is a new mechanic, though the exact mechanics are still a work in progress. Naughty Dog purchased a real lock picking kit to practice with in developing the game’s version.
• Uncharted‘s iconic action set pieces will return. According to director Kurt Margenau, there will be “things we’ve never done.”
• Nathan Drake will not appear as a cameo character. Writer Josh Scherr explained, “We entertained a few possible ideas around including Nate as a secondary character. But everything we did felt superfluous because we tied it all up with Uncharted 4. We’re not going to touch on Nathan Drake in this, at all.”

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy will launch for PlayStation 4 in 2017.

View the artwork at the gallery.

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