(Note: There are a few plot spoilers in this article which could effect certain story reveals in the Uncharted games.)

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This, I did.” (T.E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom)

It is with this quote that Naughty Dog’s newest member of its Uncharted series begins. This quote, as cited, comes from the historical accounts of the famous T.E. Lawrence’s (AKA Lawrence of Arabia) work The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The quote fits nicely within the broader plot of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, which I will try to make minimal use of throughout this article for the sake of avoiding spoilers. (However there are a few near the end of the article.)

In starting with a quote from a famous historical figure, Uncharted 3 is no different from its two predecessors, which both were prefaced by words from Sir Francis Drake and Marco Polo. Thus each title in the series begins with a quote from a figure in history that played important roles in the colonization of the “Orient.” In fact, Drake’s own character has a personal connection with the legendary Sir Francis Drake, whom he claims to be a descendant of, and wears the figure’s ring and motto about his neck. All three games are fictional entities, but they all three still boast magnificent representations of foreign-ness that assault the gamer’s screen with hyper-stylized versions of Nepal, Syria, Borneo, France, and many more. These representations are in a way, a form of colonial creations of the other. Instead of going to Syria, or Nepal, or any of these other places (and indeed they are very much “other” places) the gamer can simply plug in and experience them from the safe distance of his/her television screen. It’s sort of like going to Disneyland.

T.E. Lawrence

The quote from Lawrence, in Uncharted 3, is particularly ironic, given the aspirations of the game. Lawrence himself was not an “Arab,” despite his immense desire to become one. Rather, he was a colonial British soldier who lived in the “Orient” and wrote ideological fiction about Arabia, which was then subsequently published as cultural and historical fact. Lawrence’s work, in academics, is frequently considered as a part of a specific school of writing, which is termed “Orientalism.”

Drake, in the footsteps of T.E. Lawrence

“The exteriority of the representation is always governed by some version of the truism that if the Orient could represent itself, it would; since it cannot, the representation does the job, for the West, and faute de mieux, for the poor Orient” (Edward Said, Orientalism)

The biggest problem with Uncharted has nothing to do with the game itself, rather it is the series’ heavy reliance of what the developers take to be historical fact, which again is rather colonial writings and representations of an “Oriental” other that was never allowed to speak for itself (to reference another academic, Gayatri Spivak.)

IGN.com is running a video on their website at the moment, which sees some of the voice talent for Uncharted 3 in “The Middle East” reviewing the historical authenticity that inspired the game. However, most of this history that the game relies on is history that was written by Orientalists like Drake, Marco Polo, and T.E. Lawrence, or ideological fictions written about them by their home countries.

Indeed the Orientalist aspect of the Uncharted games even extends into gameplay mechanics in the form of collectibles. Did anyone else who has played Uncharted 3 feel a little bad about running around these areas in the game world picking up historical artifacts as treasures?

In terms of plot, all three of the Uncharted games are also more than a little neo/post-colonial. Each game sees the globe trotting Nathan Drake in different areas pillaging treasures and saving the ever-present damsel in distress, whether it be rescuing native Nepalese people from psychotic Russian paramilitary groups (whom he attracted there, less we forget), or doubting, re-doubting, and saving the numerous female love interests across all three titles. Drake can be characterized as a white man, conquering the world of the east, all while saving the locals from their tormentors (which in each case followed Drake.)

This is all without even considering the feminine perspective. Was anyone else a little disappointed by Chloe Frazer and Elena Fisher’s complete non-roles in Uncharted 3? They are a little objectified by the games, in that they are both present to be conquered by the fortune hunting Nathan Drake, however for the videogame community they were both previously relatively strong female characters. In Uncharted 3 Elena is reduced to a heart-throb on the plot of the game; another person who has been conquered and forgotten by Drake, who now as a divorcee (presumably) is facing his own demons. Where is the Elena Fisher who sucker punched Drake back in the first title? Her role as a romantic foil starts to feel very charted at the conclusion of Uncharted 3, which felt familiar to its immediate predecessor.

Edward Said, Author of Orientalism

Videogames, more and more, are becoming a powerful medium for telling stories. Personally, I love all three of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted games, and I have nothing but glowing praise for the titles as fictional stories. However any claims of authority over historical fact must be seriously questioned, in any medium. Uncharted 3 also seems somewhat self-aware of its own Orientalism, in terms of Drake’s battle with himself, and his objectification of his friends that surround him. The cinematic scope of the game itself is also, truly a thing of beauty.

Anyone who has not played Uncharted 3 yet, and owns a PS3 needs to give it a shot.

However, as you play, think.