More than a museum piece
While this collection technically dates back to the mid-2010s, these remasters for PS5 and PC make them feel like they were built for today. Naughty Dog—the developer behind these—is famous for pushing hardware to its limit, and it shows. The big draw here isn't just the 4K resolution; it’s the haptic feedback on the DualSense controller. When a bridge collapses or a gun jams, you feel it in your hands. It’s a tactile layer that makes the "cinematic" label feel like more than just marketing speak.
If your kid is coming off a binge of Marvel movies or the recent Indiana Jones flicks, this is the logical next step. It’s a "prestige" game, meaning it has the high-end acting and orchestral swells of a summer blockbuster. It’s the kind of experience that makes it easy for parents to sit on the couch and just watch the story unfold without getting bored.
Two flavors of adventure
You’re getting two distinct vibes in this package. A Thief’s End is the "heavy" one. It’s a long, sprawling story about retirement, marriage, and a long-lost brother. It’s slower, more emotional, and features some of the best environmental storytelling in the industry.
The Lost Legacy, on the other hand, is a tighter, punchier experience. It swaps the series' usual lead for two female protagonists who have a fantastic "frenemy" dynamic. It’s shorter, more colorful, and honestly, a bit more fun if you don't want to commit 20+ hours to a single story. If you’re trying to decide if a game is worth the price of admission, especially when weighed against a PlayStation Plus subscription, having two full-length titles in one purchase is a massive value play.
Navigating the "T" for Teen
This is a "T" rated game that earns its rating through body count rather than grit. There’s no gore—you won't see limbs flying—but the protagonist, who is ostensibly a "good guy," will shoot his way through literally hundreds of mercenaries. It’s the "action movie logic" where the hero is charming in cutscenes but a one-man army during gameplay.
If you’re currently navigating mature gaming requests for titles like Call of Duty, Uncharted is the perfect middle ground. It offers the high-octane shooting and "cool" factor of an M-rated game but keeps the tone firmly in the realm of an adventure serial. There’s no mean-spiritedness here, and the lack of online voice chat means you don't have to worry about the toxic behavior that usually comes with shooters.
The "How to Use It" move
The puzzles in Uncharted are clever but rarely frustrating. They usually involve looking at a journal and interacting with the environment. If you have a younger kid who isn't quite ready for the fast-paced combat, they can still be the navigator. Let them hold the "journal" (or just watch the screen) and help solve the ancient ruins' riddles while the older player handles the platforming. It turns a single-player game into a surprisingly effective co-op experience.
The game also features a deep "Photo Mode." Because the environments are so absurdly detailed, kids often spend hours just lining up the perfect shot of a jungle sunset or a crumbling temple. It’s a low-stress way to engage with the game’s world without pulling a trigger.
