Battling goons from South Africa, blowing up ancient ruins and trying not to get killed when you get the combination for a puzzle wrong. What more could you want in a game?
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the latest installment of the Uncharted game series and by far one of my favorite games to date. The story and characters are engaging and high-stress situations at key points, combined with the witty comments from the characters, do everything to make this game a great experience for everyone that plays it.
With an average of 15-hour game time and plenty of collectibles hidden throughout the map, as well as an online multiplayer option, there’s plenty for you to do. However, if you’re a weirdo who likes some variation in their games (and doesn’t want to keep playing the same game over and over until you can quote every word back at the characters), finding a couple of similar games is probably your best course of action.
Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of games similar to Uncharted, each with their own added charm that will enable you to get the same experience with a different story.
10. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag (PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/Wii U/PlayStation 4/Microsoft Windows/Xbox One/Nintendo Switch)
Edward Kenway, the pirate assassin
Youtube Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzIwI6O03LI&ab_channel=GameNews
If you enjoyed the piracy, murder, and theft, but were missing more of an open-world option, then Black Flag is the game for you. Travel and adventure as an ambitious pirate captain, who sometimes seems to forget which game series he’s from.
Unlike its predecessors, Black Flagprotagonist focuses less on the drama of the Assassins and Templars and more on the way its protagonist works the system and manipulates everyone so situations better suit his needs. It’s rather entertaining and a refreshing change of pace to see Edward Kenway play both sides and see a bit more of a grey area in both factions rather than the typical 'good’ vs. ‘bad’.
While the story of Black Flag falls a little flat in some places, it is still a fully immersive game that is well worth the play, though I would not recommend it to first-time players that are unfamiliar with the series and have a penchant for accidentally jumping off of things when they’re not supposed to (especially if you have a brother that will scream at you when you make mistakes).
9. Horizon: Forbidden West (PlayStation4/PlayStation 5)
Fight machines and save a dying post-apocalyptic world as Aloy
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq594XmpPBg&ab_channel=PlayStation
As someone who fell absolutely in love with the first installment of Horizon, Forbidden West was nothing if not amazing. The game does nothing to disappoint, diving even further into the world and its characters than the first one did. It perfectly expands on Aloy’s story and can capture anyone’s attention with ease.
The similarities to A Thief’s End are seen mainly in the climbing mechanics and graphics, though Horizon outplays Uncharted drastically. The adventure style of the game and exploring a world long since lost to time are where the similarities to Uncharted end.
The Forbidden West is a great next game to play, especially if you’re looking for a game with a more open-world concept and incredible storytelling. I can safely report that the only time I accidentally jumped off something I wasn’t supposed to, was when I forgot that you could grapple down a Tallneck.
8. A Way Out (Microsoft Windows/PlayStation 4/Xbox One)
Trying to escape a prison on your own is difficult, why not make it more challenging by having a buddy tag along.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGZGSdgJVPM&ab_channel=ElectronicArts
An epic co-op prison escape game that ties adventure, exploration, and teamwork together. If you ever thought that Uncharted would be more fun with a partner, then this is the game for you.
A Way Out is an interesting story about two prisoners trying to escape capture. The game forces cooperation between you and a friend by not allowing single-player as an option, making for very interesting gameplay and decisions that change the game in a very interesting way.
The game follows a linear, story-driven path that players can’t deviate from, though it does all it can to keep you invested, never making two situations too similar. The game focuses largely on the story. I suggest not playing with someone that gets frustrated with you easily.
7. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/Microsoft Windows)
An unlikely pair trying to survive a post-apocalyptic world
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJsvqqO3SNY&ab_channel=XboxViewTV
If you enjoyed the complicated puzzles and the more linear world of Uncharted, then Enslaved is the game for you. Set in a post-post-apocalyptic world, you play as Monkey (voiced by Andy Serkis), who wakes up on a slave ship and, after crashing said ship, is soon enslaved by an escapee.
The look of the world is stunning, and the story is intriguing and engaging. Even the characters' faces are brilliantly done and further brought to life through brilliant voice acting. Unfortunately, the ending is a bit disappointing and anti-climatic, leaving you curious about what happens next but confused because there is no after.
6. Control (Microsoft Windows/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Amazon Luna/Nintendo Switch/PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X/S/Stadia)
Jesse trying to find her brother and figure out what's wrong with The Oldest House
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F74LLDhAhhI&ab_channel=GameSpotTrailers
If you enjoyed the combat of Uncharted, but want something a little more interesting than ducking behind cover and shooting, then Control might be the game for you. You play as Jesse, the newly appointed director of the FBC, who has only come to find her brother, who was taken from her by the FBC when they were children.
The graphics are gorgeous. Everything, from faces to strange geometric-looking levels to the stunning visual effects caused when you use Jesse's telekinetic power, is designed so there's no chance of being unimpressed with the game (graphics-wise). The only thing that makes the game fall short is one or two unfortunate glitches during fight scenes caused during certain portions of the game where the design of the level is too complex to keep up with the frame rate of the fight.
The combination of shooting enemies with an assortment of futuristic-looking guns and just straight up throwing debris at them makes you feel like Han Solo if he had the force.
5. Jedi: Fallen Order (Microsoft Windows/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Stadia/PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X/S)
Explore the world of Star Wars, post-Revenge of the Sith, as a Padawan trying to survive being hunted by the Imperial Inquisitors
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GLbwkfhYZk&ab_channel=EAStarWars
If you've ever wondered what Nathan Drake would be like as a Jedi… well, you won't really get what you're looking for here, but Cal is just as much fun to play. Set five years after Revenge of the Sith, we delve into the life of a surviving padawan and his master.
Fallen Order is more of an open-world game, though that's not to say the Uncharted charm is lost. There are plenty of moments to accidentally jump off of things you're not supposed to or be stuck in a room for longer than you should be because you made a seemingly irreversible mistake on a puzzle level.
The game's characters are well designed and written, and the story is an interesting tale of guilt and reconciliation. There's plenty for you to do and explore before you reach your next objective, and the game makes it clear which levels can and can't be completed based on your skill level, meaning less time wasted trying to do impossible tasks.
This is a good game for you to try next, especially if you're a major Star Wars nerd.
4. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Game Boy Advance/PlayStation 2/Nintendo GameCube/Xbox/Microsoft Windows/Mobile)
Bend the laws of physics while protecting your kingdom
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S5DVt_wo3g
The Prince of Persia is a good option for players who enjoy more classic games and want to delve deep into the original third-person platform adventure games. Follow the main character as he journeys through the palace trying to undo a mistake he made.
The game's puzzles are built into the environment of the world, making them seem more natural and cohesive. Having relative freedom to try and find your way through obstacles to get to your final destination makes the game far more interesting.
Besides combat being a bit predictable and the occasional miss-angled camera that completely obscures your vision, Prince of Persia is a good fourth to A Thief's End.
3. The Last of Us 2 (PlayStation 4)
Seeking out revenges is easier than processing through your grief
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhII1qlcZ4E
If you enjoyed the gameplay and overall design of A Thief's End but are looking for something a bit more horror-based, then look no further than Uncharted's younger sibling, The Last of Us. Follow Ellie in this intriguing story of heartbreak and revenge as she kills her way through the people that took everything from her.
There's plenty to explore and collect as you progress through the map, especially with the larger set areas, but The Last of Us is still a linear, story-driven game that pushes the player forward when it can.
The graphics of the game are gorgeous, allowing you to easily experience the micro-expressions of the characters as they struggle with their mortality, inner turmoil, and grief. You can see the love that has gone into the game, making it that much more enjoyable to play.
2. Tomb Raider (Microsoft Windows/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/OS X/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Linux/Shield TV/Stadia)
Survive on an island as a young Lara Croft on her first treasure hunt
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4SG6DfVvLs
As the first lady of adventure games to explore the past, it would be a crime not to include Lara Croft on this list. With a reboot that is slightly darker and more gritty than Uncharted, the reboot of Tomb Raider is an absolute masterpiece.
A gorgeous origin story of a well-known character, the game pays tribute to the originals while still becoming its own thing. We get to experience firsthand Lara's transformation from a traumatized survivor to a ruthless killer.
While still very much story-driven, the game does allow more open-world type exploration. Treasure hunter nerds can scratch that desperate itch by exploring the various tombs and nerding out with Lara over the finds.
Despite my very biased opinion, I will admit that Tomb Raider is a slightly better game than A Thief's End, keeping a player on the edge of their seat and almost constantly worried about Lara's state of well-being. You almost don't mind any of the treasure hunter game clichés because they're so well written into the story that a different path makes no sense.
1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PlayStation 3)
Fibd treasure and destroy the world around you while trying to get away from the bad guys
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlkkceDkT88
As biased as I am towards A Thief’s End, I know that the comparison must be made and which one stands far above the rest. At the end of the day, the second installment of the Uncharted series and the gorgeous continuation of Nathan Drake's story ranks number one.
It ranks above A Thief's End because where the fourth falls flat and seems to slow down, the second speeds up and keeps its audience actively involved in the gameplay. The puzzles are just as challenging, and the story has an extra element of intrigue as you approach the end of the game that pushes it just over the top. If you want to keep everything about the game the same while just improving on the story and pacing, then Among Thieves is the game for you.
You may also be interested in:
- All Uncharted Games (Ranked From Worst to Best)
- The Best 5 Naughty Dog Games to Play Today
- [Top 15] Best PS5 Adventure Games That Are Superb
