Naughty Dog's Uncharted series is one of the most revered video game franchises of all time. Therefore, it might surprise newcomers just how understated the first attempt at the adventuring series actually was. Taking inspiration from the likes of Tomb Raider as well as cinematic heroes like Indiana Jones, Drake's Fortune placed an emphasis on characters and platforming over the gunplay and huge set-pieces that Uncharted later became known for. As a result, nothing in particular stands out as the game's defining feature, and the entire experience feels like a scaled-down version of what it could have been. With floaty shooting and a limited scope compared to the later games in the franchise, Drake's Fortune suffers from being not quite imaginative enough. There's a similar sense of structure and scale to everything you do in the game, with the surprises and surreal gameplay twists that provided some of the most memorable moments in later titles completely absent in this well-intentioned original.
