Naughty Dog currently serves as one of the leading names in gaming. The company has generated widespread acclaim for its video games, most of which are praised for their visual quality, storytelling, and gameplay. There are few reliable studios in gaming today, but Naughty Dog is undeniably one of them.
The company has actually been around since 1984, and their first video game -an educational title called Math Jam - was released the following year. They didn't become a household name until the mid-'90s with Crash Bandicoot, and they have remained one of the most famous names in gaming ever since.
The Last Of Us: Left Behind (2014) - 88
Left Behind is a brilliant bit of DLC, serving as an expansion pack and prequel to the core game. Players control Ellie prior to and during the events of the first game, with the story covering her relationship with Riley, the bite she receives on her arm, and finding medication for Joel.
Like the core game, Left Behind received praise for its gameplay (which remained virtually unchanged), writing and characterization, and visuals. It also received praise for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ elements, including a kiss between Riley and Ellie.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007) - 88
Serving as the first entry in the popular Uncharted series, Drake's Fortune was released in November 2007 - exactly one year after the launch of the console. The PS3 was in dire need of a killer app, and Drake's Fortune was it.
Taking large inspiration from the Indiana Jones movies, Uncharted introduced the gaming sphere to Nathan Drake and wowed critics with its impressive graphics, strong writing, and deft gameplay that balanced action movie bombast with enticing adventure.
Crash Team Racing (1999) - 88
Kart racing games became all the rage following the success of Mario Kart 64. It suddenly seemed like every popular franchise was doing its own iteration of the genre, and Crash Bandicoot was no different.
Serving as the fourth entry in the popular series, Crash Team Racing was a kart racing title containing 15 characters from the core series. Unlike many Mario Kart clones, Crash Team Racing was actually well worth playing, with its gameplay and visuals receiving endless praise from critics and fans alike.
Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001) - 90
Following the success of Crash Bandicoot, Naughty Dog continued in the platforming genre with Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. Released in December of 2001, Jak and Daxter set a new standard in video game visuals, with its stellar graphics (for the time) receiving endless praise from critics.
The unique gameplay blending elements of action, shooter, platforming, and puzzler were also well received, with its creativity and variety being singled out for praise. Platformers don't get much better than this.
Crash Bandicoot: Warped (1998) - 91
The Crash Bandicoot series was enormously popular by the late '90s, and Warped did nothing to end the series' popularity. Serving as the third entry in the series, Warped received enormous amounts of praise for its gameplay and technicality, with many critics taking note of its stellar graphics and sound design.
It is the best-reviewed game of the Crash Bandicoot franchise on Metacritic, sitting at 91. It is also the only game in the original series to reach a score of 90 and above.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011) - 92
Uncharted 3 is unfairly remembered as a disappointment, by some, as it had the enormous (and borderline impossible) task of following Uncharted 2. For many, it did nothing to move the series forward, and only proved a worse version of the second game.
But when evaluated on its own terms, Uncharted 3 stands as an exemplary action title. Like its predecessors, Uncharted 3 received wide praise for its storytelling, sense of adventure (this one primarily taking place in the desert of Yemen), and bombastic action set pieces.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016) - 93
Released five years after Uncharted 3, A Thief's End saw a change in the creative department. The first three Uncharted games were overseen by Amy Hennig, but she was replaced by Bruce Straley (who co-directed Uncharted 2 with Hennig) and The Last of Us's Neil Druckmann for A Thief's End.
Luckily, the creative shift did not result in a lesser product. The game's visuals and production values were widely acclaimed, and the game wonderfully (and quite touchingly) concluded the adventures of Nathan Drake, Sully, and Elena.
The Last Of Us Part II (2020) - 93
2020 was a tough year, but at least it saw the release of The Last of Us Part II. Unfortunately, the game was mired in controversy, and audience reception wasn't so hot. The game's Metacritic user score sits at just 5.7, which is in large part due to the game's clunky pacing, deceptive marketing, and the fact that players controlled a new character named Abby for half the game.
However, critics adored the title for its gameplay, visuals, experimentation, and themes regarding revenge and cyclical violence.
The Last Of Us (2013) - 95
Despite the sequel's divisive nature, the original The Last of Us will always be remembered as a classic. Released in June of 2013, The Last of Us was essentially Children of Men and The Road in video game form. Players controlled Joel, a grieving father who is tasked with protecting young Ellie. Ellie may be immune to the world-ending virus, and the two venture cross-country to seek scientists willing to study Ellie.
The game's story and character work were widely acclaimed, as were the visuals, themes, and gameplay, which deftly blended elements of shooters, third-person adventures, and horror.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) - 96
Naughty Dog's masterpiece, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves made major waves upon its release in October 2009. The game took everything that made the first Uncharted great - the adventure, the characters, the story, the action - and dialed it up to 11.
Everything was better, with the action set pieces receiving particular acclaim. Many critics compared playing Uncharted 2 to watching a summer blockbuster, with the production values being unlike anything seen in gaming at the time. It's an all-time gaming classic.