Uncharted 4's Nathan Drake Actor Calls It Role of a Lifetime


Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is now just a few hours away from release. It’s the final game in the series to star Nathan Drake, who is voiced by Nolan North. Now, North has opened up on his experience playing the character for the past 10 years in a new video from the PlayStation YouTube channel.

“It’s surreal,” North said about playing the same part for a decade. “You never think you’re going to get the job of a lifetime. And then something like this comes along.”

You can watch the full video here.

North went on to say that Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was never referred to as Uncharted 1; he had no expectations that there would be another game, and another, and another.

“Now, it’s all over. Bittersweet, but it’s been a great ride,” he said.

Drake’s Fortune was released in 2007, so the franchise hasn’t celebrated its tenth anniversary just yet. Still, North was no doubt approached before 2007 to work on the game, meaning his relationship with the franchise extends closer to a decade.

Sam Drake actor Troy Baker is also featured in the video. He said he was a big fan of Uncharted before ever getting the call to play Sam Drake.

“All I wanted to do was I wanted to be one of the red shirts that Nathan Drake kills,” Baker said. “All I wanted to do was that. I remember where I was when [co-director] Neil Druckmann called me. He said, ‘I gotta bring you in; how do you feel about playing Nathan Drake’s brother?’ And I told him, ‘Don’t mess with me, man; don’t lie to me if this isn’t going to be true.’”

North and Baker speak frankly on a number of other topics in the 12-minute video; it’s well worth a watch.

Uncharted 4 launches on May 10 exclusively for PlayStation 4. It is not only the last game to star Nathan Drake, but also the final entry that Naughty Dog plans to make. However, there could be an Uncharted 5 with a different studio.

GameSpot scored Uncharted 4 a 10/10.

“In its writing, in its design, in its understanding of what makes games unique, Uncharted 4 is something to aspire to,” critic Mike Mahardy said. “It’s a shining example. And we’ll be talking about it for years to come.”

For more on the game’s critical reception, check out this review roundup.

In other news, co-director Bruce Straley has advised against rushing through Uncharted 4. “Take your time. Its not like the last three. Don’t try to gobble it down in one sitting. Settle in. Enjoy the moment,” he said.

Additionally, a technical analysis of the game concluded it is a “must-play experience that delivers the rare mix of pitch perfect gameplay and high-end visuals.” On top of that, Twitter has added a Nathan Drake emoji.