Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End eventually became one of Naughty Dog’s most acclaimed games, but former developer Matt Radford says the project looked very different during Amy Hennig’s time leading its development.
Speaking on the latest episode of Kiwi Talkz, Radford, a former VFX artist at Naughty Dog, discussed what he saw while working on the original version of Uncharted 4. His comments offer another firsthand account of how substantially the game changed after Hennig departed the studio in 2014.
The biggest difference involved Sam Drake. While Sam became Nathan Drake’s older brother and a major character in the final game, Radford recalls that Hennig’s version positioned him as the antagonist.
“Amy’s vision for the game that I saw didn’t have the same characters, like Sam,”
Radford said.
“Sam was the villain.”
The change was not limited to Sam’s personality or role in the story. According to Radford, the character also had a different actor attached to him during the early development of Uncharted 4.
Sam Drake Was Originally a Villain
In the finished game, Sam returns after being presumed dead and convinces Nathan to join him in searching for the lost treasure of Henry Avery. His presence ultimately becomes central to Nathan’s decision to return to a life of treasure hunting.
Hennig’s original version apparently approached the character from a very different direction.
Radford recalled that the original Sam was played by another actor who had a connection to Naughty Dog. That actor was eventually replaced, with Troy Baker taking over the role in the final game.
“There was a bunch of differences: different actor,”
Radford explained.
“The original guy they had cast, he was really nice, and he works with Amy still on the Star Wars game.”
Hennig left Naughty Dog during Uncharted 4’s development, after which Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley took over the project. The transition resulted in significant changes to the story and characters before the game eventually launched in 2016.
Early Development Was Extremely Rough
Radford also provided an idea of just how early Hennig’s version of Uncharted 4 was when he joined the project.
The developer remembered working on a prototype designed to demonstrate the game’s potential, although it was far from a finished experience.
“I remember we built this green light demo for Uncharted 4 and it ran at like one FPS on like a PC,”
Radford said.
“It was just like crazy scrappy back then.”
Despite its rough technical state, Radford said he was impressed by what Hennig was attempting.
“Amy’s vision seemed cool,”
he said.
“Like, to be honest, it seemed cool.”
However, Radford stressed that his appreciation for Hennig’s original ideas does not diminish what Naughty Dog ultimately created.
Radford Still Praises the Final Uncharted 4
The former Naughty Dog developer acknowledged that the version of Uncharted 4 directed by Druckmann and Straley was also highly successful.
“Uncharted 4 was amazing,”
Radford said.
“You can’t kind of fault Neil [Druckmann] and Bruce [Straley]’s vision because I loved that game and I loved the story they came up with.”
His comments are significant because they provide additional context for one of the most substantial creative transitions in Uncharted 4’s development.
Radford also remembered Hennig as a hands-on creative leader who remained involved with the team despite her position at Naughty Dog. He recalled her communicating with developers late at night and described her as approachable and willing to engage directly with members of the team.
“She’d be up with us, pinging you at two in the morning,”
Radford said.
Radford remains interested in seeing Hennig’s work reach players again. The veteran writer and director is currently leading development on Marvel’s Blade at Skydance New Media, following her departure from Electronic Arts.
“I just want to see Amy have her comeback,”
Radford said.
“She’s really talented.”
The original Uncharted 4 may never become a playable reality, but Radford’s recollections highlight just how much the project evolved before Naughty Dog delivered the version that fans eventually received.
