Uncharted 4 Video Reveals New Details on Amy Hennig's Scrapped Version

A new video has unveiled a wealth of exciting information about the original, scrapped version of Uncharted 4 by Amy Hennig. For those unfamiliar with the history, Hennig was the writer and creative director for the first three Uncharted games. She began work on a fourth installment for the PS4 but abruptly left the project in early 2014, replaced by Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann.

Rumors about her departure have circulated for years, but former Naughty Dog employee Gabriel Betancourt recently told YouTuber Kiwi Talkz that Hennig's version wasn't meeting internal standards. Sony reportedly threatened to pull funding if things didn't improve, leading to Druckmann and Straley taking over. In 2021, Nathan Drake actor Nolan North stated that eight months of work on Uncharted 4 were discarded after the change.

Fans have long wondered what the game might have looked like if Hennig had stayed. A new video by YouTuber Thekempy reveals extensive details, including story changes, cut content, and more. The general premise is similar to the final product: Nathan and his friends search for Henry Avery's lost treasure while dealing with the return of his long-lost brother. Rafe remains the antagonist, though he would have been played by Alan Tudyk.

However, the story unfolds very differently. Charlie Cutter would have returned, Sam would have been more antagonistic, and players would have controlled Sully and the legendary pirate Henry Avery. Perhaps the biggest change was that Hennig's team explored a radical overhaul to Uncharted's gameplay.

Uncharted 1-3 were criticized for allowing Nathan Drake to gleefully murder people without consequence, with the violence feeling disconnected from the story. Hennig's solution was to shift toward a more melee-focused combat system, de-emphasizing gunplay. This is notable because Uncharted 4's gunplay is arguably the best in the series, thanks to fluid run-and-gun mechanics and shooting while swinging from the grappling hook.

Upon release, Uncharted 4 sold over 2.7 million copies in its first week and earned critical acclaim. It's still fascinating to hear what the game might have been like and to compare the two versions. There's no way to know which would have been better, as ideas can be great on paper but poorly executed. Either way, check out Thekempy's video for a fascinating deep dive into one of gaming's greatest "what if?" stories.

Uncharted 4 turned 10 earlier this week, prompting many retrospectives on Nathan Drake's finale. However, the story may not be over. Many fans speculate that Uncharted 5 is in development, potentially featuring Nathan Drake's daughter. What we do know is that Naughty Dog is actively working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, alongside other mystery projects.