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Neil Druckmann is one of the most well-known and celebrated figures in the gaming and entertainment industry. But that doesn’t mean he has been free of controversy. A lot of fans have criticized him for a lot of things from the direction ofThe Last of Us Part 2, to his personal comments.
One of the most debated aspects of his career is his work onUncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which he took over after Amy Hennig’s departure. While Hennig had a different version in mind, the version we eventually got from Druckmann is arguably better in a lot of ways. And it has nothing to do with Hennig’s design being bad.
Neil Druckmann made a lot of crucial changes toUncharted 4, and they worked
Amy Hennig had spent years developingUncharted 4before she left the studio.According to Nolan North, the voice of Nathan Drake, the studio scrapped nearly seven months of work, recasting key roles and reworking major story elements. This included changing the direction of Sam Drake, who was supposed to be more of an antagonist rather than a long-lost brother in need of help.
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One of the biggest changes we think was the complete rewrite of the game after Hennig’s departure. According to Nathan Drake’s voice actor, Nolan North, the team had already spent seven months working on Hennig’s version before it was scrapped. So they ended up recasting key roles, including Todd Stashwick as Sam and Alan Tudyk as Rafe, and replacing them with Troy Baker and Warren Kole, respectively.
#VideoGameCharacter of the DayNadine Ross —#Uncharted#TheLostLegacy“Fair warning — last person who betrayed me ended up dead.”pic.twitter.com/usoSX0B1TH
Hennig’s version ofUncharted 4also lacked two key elements: the flashback sequences of Nathan’s childhood and the introduction of Nadine Ross. The childhood flashbacks helped with Nathan and Sam’s relationship, butNadine’s inclusion was more controversial. That’s because she was played by Laura Bailey, a white actress voicing a Black South African character. Do you think studios could pull that off today?
Druckmann’s controversies don’t take away his success
Despite the major rewrites, Hennig herself has stated thatUncharted 4’s “DNA and the core story were all there” when she left (viaVG247). Many of the chapter beats remained the same, and the overall direction of Nathan’s final adventure didn’t change dramatically. Some players have even said that even knowing Hennig’s version, the one we actually got is still better.
So even though Druckmann isn’t on the community’s good side for the most part, you can’t denyUncharted 4‘sstory was pretty darn good. He has been criticized more than needed for the story ofThe Last of Us Part 2. And his public statements and social media presence have led to backlash. But we have to separate fiction from reality.
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Looking back, it’s fair to wonder how differentUncharted 4would have been had Hennig remained at the helm. Would Sam as an antagonist have added more depth to the story, or would it have felt too similar to the other twist betrayals in the series?
At the end of the day,Uncharted 4and the series itself is one the most celebrated and beloved in gaming. Hennig’s original vision had its merits, but the final version delivered a more polished and emotionally balanced story. What are your thoughts on howUncharted 4ended up?
Daniel Royte
Gaming Writer
Articles Published :1370
As part of the FandomWire team, Daniel has followed the hero-shooter genre closely with a focus on titles like VALORANT, Apex Legends, and Marvel Rivals. You can also find him providing insight on the latest AAA titles from Elden Ring to GTA 6 and exploring the world of gacha games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves. With more than 1,000 articles under his belt, you’ll need to look no further for a unique insight into every situation.If he’s not looking for the latest video game news, you’ll find him cheering on Ferrari in the race tracks of Formula 1 or at the theatres for the latest MCU releases.
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