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.
Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.
