Uncharted 4 to feature an AI partner

Inspired by the relationship at the heart of the award-winning The Last of Us, Naughty Dog will also provide Nathan Drake with an AI companion in the upcoming Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. The news comes from a major new preview in Game Informer magazine.

Unlike the protective relationship between Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us, however, Drake's partner will be more than capable of looking after themselves: it's Nathan's brother, Sam.

Set three years after the events of Uncharted 3, the story opens with Sam, who Nathan assumed was dead turning up out of the blue. This interrupts Nathan's hard-earned retirement and soon enough the pair are back in the treasure hunting game.

The idea, apparently, is that Naughty Dog wanted to explore the gameplay possibilities of teaming the player with a character whose abilities rival Nathan's own. Sam's jealousy regarding Nathan's skill and success will reportedly help to drive the plot.

The globe trotting adventure will feature a trip to a mythical Madagascan colony founded by pirates, and also takes in urban and snow environments. The game will be less linear, allowing you more freedom to explore and locate hidden artefacts.

As well as the introduction of Sam as an AI partner, the preview also confirms that the game will feature multiplayer modes.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is a PlayStation 4 exclusive and will launch later this year.