From wise-cracking, globe-trotting adventurer to conflicted family man (with a brief stint as a Subway spokesperson for a time), the evolution of Nathan Drake over the Uncharted series has been a fascinating one to watch.
Naughty Dog built its reputation for its movie-quality narratives primarily off the back of the Uncharted franchise (with a little help from The Last of Us, sure), and it’s undoubtedly in large part thanks to the connection that players formed with Nathan Drake, alongside the rest of the crew he collides with throughout the series.
Uncharted is now perhaps best known for combining the daring-do and whip-sharp wisecracking of Indiana Jones with the bombastic set-pieces of a modern James Bond film. However, both Nathan and Uncharted started in a very different direction. While Nate’s resourcefulness, cleverness, and resolve haven’t been diminished, he was originally supposed to be much more in the vein of the adventure pulp novels and films that Indiana Jones was a more direct send-up of when initially put together by designer Kory Heinzen and writer Amy Hennig (also behind much of the phenomenal writing in the Legacy of Kain series). As he evolved, Drake becomes more of the every-man, with a physical appearance that wasn’t all that different from what the market expected. However, a focus on believability in animation, combined with a rather unique mix of inspirations, from the likeability and daring of Johnny Knoxville to the charm of Harrison Ford, made him plenty unique. He became a more vibrant and colourful character, while still remaining every bit as relatable, and the focus on this believability only increased with each game.
Of course, we can’t talk about Nate without talking Nolan North. An industry icon now, in no small part thanks to this role, the voice actor played an important part in defining and bringing Nate to life. He’s often thanked for the realistic reactions Nate shows in all manner of situations, and no short amount of the charm the adventurer has to offer.
Our adventures with Drake begin, as many of his adventures do, with the discovery of a clue that is said to lead to untold wealth. In this case, it’s the coffin of Sir Francis Drake, containing a diary that is supposed to lead to El Dorado. From there, he adventures with long-term partner-in-crime Victor Sullivan and reporter Elena Fisher, battling mercenaries and pirates after the same prize. The narrative turns on its head a little when it turns out that an idol from El Dorado has cursed past wealth-seekers to become zombies. In the end, Nate, Elena, and Sully make off with some treasure, the enemies defeated, and a healthy dose of chemistry being shown between the former two.
While Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune kept things focused on the adventure enough, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves starts looking more into the man himself as he’s hired to steal an artefact from a Turkish museum alongside former flame, Chloe Frazer. After the two rekindle their relationship, they’re betrayed by third-man of the party, Harry Flynn, which leads to a chase of the treasure that spirals further into a quest to find Marco Polo’s lost fleet. However, just because Chloe’s back on the scene does mean that the affection building between Elena and Drake is forgotten either. The love triangle serves to keep players on their toes for the rest of the game until it’s shown to be Elena who wins her man by the end.
Drake’s Deception is the third game of the series and one that takes a very different look at Nathan Drake. Yet again, he’s on the hunt for another mythical city, but this time the narrative focuses much more on the love story between him and Elena. It looks over a marriage between the two that, by the game’s opening, has broken apart, leaving them estranged and separated. What’s more, we get a much deeper look into Drake’s past, showing that he’s not the man that any of the characters (or players for that matter), expected him to be. Hence the clever title. We see the hard circumstances that shaped him to be the escapist that he is, as well as the beginning of his relationship with his best friend Sully. At the core of the story, however, is that relationship with Elena. Not to get too much into spoilers, but many fans consider the resolution of that arc to be some of Naughty Dog’s most real writing.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, would prove to be the final game starring Nathan Drake (for now,) as the name suggests. However, it was also another departure from the vein of past games. This time, it wasn’t entirely intentional either, but largely caused by the removal of Amy Hennig from Naughty Dog (an occurrence that has drawn plenty of speculation and arguments in itself.) Under the helm of Neil Druckmann, Uncharted 4 had its story rewritten from the ground up. Now, we see a retired Drake living the family life with Elena, only to get dragged back into the treasure hunting life by the appearance of an old acquaintance. While some have their issues with portions of the game’s narrative, it’s a nice bow to everything that made Drake who he is. The conflict between the escape to the adventure he had used to soothe his pains as a younger man and the happiness he has found in his new family and the relationships with each of the characters he has met comes to the fore. The ending seems pretty definitive for Nate, but it does leave the door open for a potential future hero, as his daughter Cassie discovers her parents’ past adventures, lighting an entirely new inspiration.
Nathan Drake represents one of the most recognizable franchises in all of PlayStation history, not to mention Naughty Dog’s evolution from Bandicoots to blockbusters. Who knows if A Thief’s End is truly the last we’ll see of old Nate, but there are few video game characters who have enjoyed a journey so complete.
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