When we last saw Nathan Drake, he was relaxing on a beach house with his wife, Elena, and his daughter, Cassie. It was a happy ending for the treasure hunter. He finally broke the allure of deadly gunfights, precarious climbs, and elaborate mysteries. Nathan Drake’s story had a perfect ending and we don’t want to ruin that. What we want is another Uncharted.
Sony San Diego is working on Sony’s existing franchises. Uncharted is the prime candidate since Naughty Dog moved on to darker pastures. Throughout Uncharted’s history, we were introduced to fun characters that can carry the franchise. Nadine and Chloe already lead their own game, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and it received stellar reviews. Uncharted can exist without Nathan Drake. Let him sit on a lawn chair and sip a cocktail.
6. Cassie Drake
The ending of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End sets up future adventures for Cassie. When she finds all of Drake’s artifacts, Cassie is instantly intrigued by the treasure hunting world and her parent’s past. Continuing the series with Cassie seems like a reasonable and pre-planned progression. Nathan and Elena would be secondary characters, which would cause drama between them and her daughter. The parents wouldn’t want Cassie to follow in their footsteps, but Cassie is dead set on treasure hunting.
With all that being said, there is a reason Cassie is last on the list. True, the emotional drama between daughter and parents is intriguing, but it’s been done. The battle between a peaceful life and adventurous treasure hunting was already explored in Uncharted 4. Additionally, we’d like a game completely divorced from Nathan Drake. If Cassie were the protagonist, then he would surely show up.
5. Charlie Cutter
Charlie Cutter is a close friend of Nathan Drake and a fellow fortune hunter. He was a strong presence in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception because of his humor and loyalty to Drake. The fortune hunter double-crossed the antagonist, Katherine Marlowe, and helped Drake uncover secrets in Syria. Cutter’s claustrophobia was also a significant character trait that came up often. It wouldn’t be Uncharted without small crevices to pass through. Sadly, Cutter didn’t get the attention he deserved and left near the beginning of Uncharted 3.
Naughty Dog had to write off the character due to the actor’s availability. Cutter had to choose between burning alive and jumping off a roof. He chose the latter. Cutter was on the bench for the rest of the game. It looked like Naughty Dog had to scrap significant plans for his character. A new game is a perfect way to explore more of his character. It helps that he is already a skilled treasure hunter and has a sense of humor. The only downside: he may be too much like Drake.
4. A Chloe and Nadine Team Up
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was proof that Uncharted can exist without Nathan Drake. Nadine Ross and Chloe Fraser teamed up to find the Tusk of Ganesh in India. Their relationship was rocky at the beginning but their friendship grew over the course of the game. The two treasure hunters shared character moments through gameplay, a skill Naughty Dog has mastered.
Now we want more adventures with the duo. Their banter is fun and they both know how to get things done. This time around, the player could switch between characters for more combat opportunities and puzzle solutions. A co-op option is nice, too, only if Uncharted can keep its story-driven roots.
3. A Sam and Sully Team-Up
At the end of Uncharted 4, Naughty Dog teased a team-up between Sam and Sully. Whereas Drake and Elena decided to find treasure legally, the other two are continuing the shady route. This team-up is ideal because we still get the older, wiser Sully. Sam, on the other hand, isn’t as likable.
In Uncharted 4, Sam tricked Nate into almost ruining his marriage for treasure and greed. He is a jealous and reckless person, making for a fascinating story arch. Sam and Sully would butt heads often, but that brings deeper character growth. Sam would eventually be redeemed and more Sully is always a good thing.
2. Cassandra Morgan
A young Sam and Nathan Drake sneak into a large mansion composed of ancient artifacts. Inside, they meet an old woman named Evelyn. Thanks to Evelyn, we know more about Nathan Drake’s history and his mom. The two brothers grew up in an orphanage and didn’t know much about their parents. The information was a revelation to both the audience and the brothers.
Ever since Marlowe hinted that Drake was not Nathan’s last name, fans were seeking answers. The two brothers changed their last name to honor their mother’s theory that Sir Francis Drake had illegal heirs. Through Evelyn, the brothers realized that Cassandra Morgan, their mother, was a historian, archaeologist, and possible treasurer hunter. Cassandra’s death is shrouded by mystery, though, some say it was suicide or an illness.
A young Cassandra storyline is a satisfying way to stay with the Nathan Drake lineage. The story would follow Cassandra’s adventure to uncover the mystery of Sir Francis Drake, which would have major revelations for the previous games. We could also uncover the specifics of Cassandra’s death.
1. Young Sully
Sully is too old for this crap. A younger Sully could easily scale buildings, run away from armored trucks, and make death-defying leaps. Sully is Nate’s mentor and best friend. He is also, easily one of the best characters in the franchise. The mustached, Hawaiian shirt loving man was always there to talk some sense into Nate. He also mentored Drake from a young age and was a key reason for his successes.
We’ve seen young Sully once in Uncharted 3 and he was the same rascal we know and love. Sully is bound to have several adventures under his belt, and he is one character of whom we want more. A Sully game could incorporate his famous bi-plane into the gameplay and introduce new characters. Maybe Sully can “die” and come back to life for the third time.
