Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Lore & Background

Set before the events of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Golden Abyss follows Nathan Drake as he investigates a centuries-old mystery tied to the Spanish conquistador Esteban de Dorantes and the lost city of Quivira. The story begins with Drake joining an archaeological dig led by his old friend Jason Dante, but quickly unravels into a race against a ruthless paramilitary group led by the corrupt Roberto Guerro. The game introduces Marisa Chase, a young woman searching for her missing grandfather, an archaeologist who had discovered crucial clues about Quivira's location.

In Their Own Story

The jungle air was thick with the scent of wet earth and decay. I pushed aside a curtain of vines, the grip of my pistol slick with sweat. Ahead, the crumbling stone of a forgotten temple loomed, its carvings half-eaten by time. 'Dante said this was a dead end,' I muttered, but the old man's journal in my pack told a different story. Somewhere in this green hell, a city of gold waited, and with it, the truth about a betrayal that had festered for four hundred years. I could almost hear the whisper of the Golden Abyss—a chasm that swallowed conquistadors whole, daring me to follow.

Reader's Guide

The campaign follows Nathan Drake as he is drawn into a hunt for the lost city of Quivira in Panama. The central MacGuffin is the 'Golden Abyss,' a legendary chasm said to contain immense treasure—and the bones of Esteban de Dorantes. Key turning points include the discovery of a hidden temple complex where Drake must use the Vita's rear touchpad to trace ancient symbols, a gut-punch betrayal by Drake's ally Jason Dante (who trades a handshake for a knife in the back), and a desperate chase through a collapsing underground city where the ground literally crumbles beneath your feet. The story sets up Drake's rivalry with the Sully-like figure of Dante—a charming rogue with a darker streak—and introduces Marisa Chase, whose grandfather's research provides the key to the mystery. While standalone, the game establishes Drake's resourcefulness (he can now climb using touch gestures) and his tendency to stumble into larger conspiracies, foreshadowing his later adventures. The final confrontation atop a burning temple is a Vita technical showcase, with flames flickering across both screens.

Did You Know?

• Golden Abyss was the first Uncharted game developed by Bend Studio, not Naughty Dog.
• The game was designed to showcase the PlayStation Vita's unique features, including gyroscopic aiming and touch-based climbing.
• Marisa Chase, a new character created for this prequel, has not appeared in any other Uncharted game.
• The game's story was written by John Garvin, who also wrote for the Syphon Filter series.