Uncharted has always been a series that delights in hiding clever secrets and cheeky references, keeping players on their toes with surprises big and small.
One of its most memorable Easter eggs comes from Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, where players can relive a level from Crash Bandicoot—a loving nod to Naughty Dog’s earlier days. It’s the kind of moment that never loses its charm, no matter how many times it’s replayed.
But Naughty Dog’s talent for playful touches goes back much further, all the way to the very first Uncharted title released in 2007—and even beyond that.
In Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, during the opening mission, players fend off waves of attacking pirates while navigating a small boat. However, some curious players who dared to leap into the surrounding water stumbled upon a hilarious—and slightly terrifying—secret way to meet an unexpected end.
When you jump into the sea, Nathan Drake floats briefly as enemies take potshots from above. Just as you start to wonder whether you can swim to safety, a pirate suddenly lunges out from beneath the waves, dragging Drake underwater. The result? A quick “Ambushed” game over screen. It’s equal parts funny and startling—a perfect example of Naughty Dog’s flair for dark humor. Interestingly, this can happen again in later missions whenever Drake decides to take an unsanctioned dip.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Naughty Dog has punished players for testing watery limits. In Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, wandering too deep into the ocean summons a hungry shark that ends your adventure just as quickly.
The idea of water-based penalties is actually pretty common across gaming. Many developers seem determined to stop players from swimming too far off course. Grand Theft Auto V does something similar—venture too far into the open ocean, and a shark will appear to settle things. Even Scarface: The World Is Yours includes an elaborate animation showing the player being devoured if they stray too far from shore.
All these tiny details remind us how much thought developers put into shaping not just stories and gameplay, but the playful boundaries of their worlds. And even after all these years, it’s exciting to see Uncharted still manage to surprise its fans. It makes you wonder—if Uncharted 5 ever happens, will Naughty Dog once again hide these little moments that make exploration so rewarding?
