The Uncharted games follow the witty treasure hunter and supposed descendent of Sir Francis Drake, Nathan Drake. Each game sees him undertake an adventure to find lost treasure with the help of journalist Elena Fisher and his longtime mentor Victor “Sully” Sullivan, all the while being pursued by ruthless villains. The games are single-player action-adventures (with a multiplayer option available in the fourth entry) and are known for being highly entertaining cinematic experiences.
With the Uncharted movie adaptation starring Tom Holland on the way, many people may want to try out the games for the first time and some fans may wish to revisit them. The four main titles in the series consist of Drake's storyarc and present a thrilling narrative for the character, but completing them can definitely take some time.
How Long Does it Take to Beat the Uncharted Games?
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which was released in 2007 and sees Drake hunt for the lost treasure of El Dorado. For the main story, players take an average of around 8 hours to beat. Quicker players have beat it in 6 hours, whereas players taking their time with Nathan Drake’s first adventure finish in 16 hours instead.
The sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, was released in 2009 and follows Drake in his quest to find the city of Shambala. Uncharted 2's campaign takes a little longer to beat, with the average player beating it in around 10 hours. Players rushing through the story beat it in 8 hours. Those playing the game at a more leisurely pace beat the game’s story instead after 16 hours of play.
2011's Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception sees Drake and friends search for the lost city of Iram of the Pillars. It is on average a little quicker than the second to beat, with the main story taking around 9 hours of playtime on average. Fast playthroughs of the game’s campaign will only take 6 hours, but gamers taking their time may get a little under 20 hours out of the game. The final game in the series so far, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, is also the longest game in the series so far and was released in 2016. The player controls an older Drake coming out of retirement to find Henry Avery’s treasure. Beating the main story on average takes 15 hours. Players who take longer with the story beat the story in 21 hours and people who speed through it will instead only spend 11 hours on it.
In total, an average playthrough of the four main series Uncharted titles averages about 42 hours to beat in total. A skilled gamer or someone familiar with the games may be able to whittle that time down to 22 hours, though, while those taking their time may sink as much as 70 hours in.
How Long Does it Take to Do Everything in the Uncharted Series?
The Uncharted games do not have side quests that would lengthen the playtime for completionist players, but there are plenty of collectibles in the form of treasures and relics for these types of players to hunt down. A completionist run of the first Uncharted takes most players a little over 17 hours, but some have reported runs around 12 hours. Those scouring every nook and cranny, though, can spend 36 hours tracking down every collectible and acquiring every trophy. The first game has a total of 61 collectibles scattered throughout each chapter, but it also has a linear structure and does not involve much backtracking through previous areas of the game. Of course, this also means you'll have to be careful not to miss any collectibles.
Uncharted 2 is longer than the first game for completionists; it has a larger number of collectibles -- 101 in total -- and most players will likely miss many of these during average playthroughs. The average length to fully complete the game is over 21 hours, but laid-back players spend 36 hours completing the second game. Those hurrying through can complete it in 16 hours.
Uncharted 3 has another 101 collectibles to find, but the game is, in general, a little shorter than Uncharted 2. Completion times are, appropriately, also slightly shorter; easy-going players take 30 hours and players going through at an accelerated pace only need 13 and a half hours. The average time to complete the third game is 19 hours.
Since Uncharted 4 is a much longer game than the previous entries in the series, completion times are also much longer. There are 109 treasures to collect as in previous games, but there are also optional journal entries, notes and rare weapons that can be easy to miss. Drake also has optional conversations with the characters that accompany him throughout the adventure. Uncharted 4's trophies can also be problematic to acquire, as most players will likely need to beat the game several times to get the platinum trophy and on high difficulties. There is also a speedrun trophy that requires players to beat the game in 6 hours or less. This trophy is best acquired on an easy playthrough after already beating the game before, as players will need to perfectly speed through every puzzle and combat section.
The average time to complete Uncharted 4 clocks in at just under 30 hours. While it is still a linear game, there are more opportunities for players to explore and so those players who prefer to complete it at a slow pace spend over 46 hours on it. Quick completionists spend 21 hours on the game -- much longer than the first three games. In total, the average completion time for the whole series runs around 68 hours if you're playing normally, whereas speed runs and leisurely playthroughs total 63 hours and 149 hours respectively.
For those just looking to experience the action-packed story, the game series as a whole is quite quick to marathon. Completionists will enjoy tracking down collectibles and conversations that enhance the world and flesh out its characters, but won’t need to put in the time that a game like Red Dead Redemption 2 takes to complete. The Uncharted series suits both types of players and its enduring success proves it a necessary addition to any action-adventure lover’s game collection.