Today, Sid Shuman, Social Media Director at SIEA, took to the PlayStation Blog and revealed some interesting new tidbits -- which came from his "unprecedented access to the minds" at developer Naughty Dog -- about the upcoming standalone expansion, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. 

(Spoilers for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End throughout)

As you may know, The Lost Legacy is a new story set six to twelve months after the events of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. The actions kicks off with a search for a priceless relic: the Tusk of Ganesha.

You play as Chloe Frazer (who you may remember as a central character in Uncharted 2 and for her brief appearance in Uncharted 3), accompanied by Nadine Ross (who first appeared in Uncharted 4, as a relatively major character). Nadine and Chloe are described as reluctant partners who don't see eye-to-eye, but who have to work together to stop antagonist of the game, Asav, from obtaining the Tusk.

Josh Scherr, writer of the game, provided the following explanation as to why Naughty Dog is revisiting Chloe:

“She’s an interesting character with a darker moral compass compared to Drake. They’re both treasure hunters. Drake has a bit of a hero complex, but Chloe looks out for number one, first and foremost.”

Nadine is said to be motivated by her desperation, after Shoreline crumbles and puts her out of work. Scherr adds the following about her inclusion:

“Chloe would need somebody with military expertise. In all of Uncharted, Nadine is probably the most rational and practical character we’ve ever introduced. She tends to take a direct approach.”

Creative Director Shaun Escayg adds:

“They’re opposites. Chloe is spontaneous and impulsive, where Nadine is by the book, structured. That made for a good pairing.”

The expansion also includes some new tools and weapons, including a silenced pistol (The first lethal stealth weapon in Uncharted history). This is said to expand stealth play and combat options. C4 is also set to be included after it proved popular in Uncharted 4's multiplayer.

There is also an increased range of options for combat encounters. Game Director Kurt Margenau adds :

“There are entire combat setups that you can skip, go around, or approach from any direction. It’s got a bigger, more organic feel, with more player choice and more stealth options.”

As we saw in the game's PlayStation Experience 2016 debut trailer, there is also a new mechanic of lockpicking. However, the exact mechanics of this are still a work in progress, but the team is said to be so fixated on capturing the tactical feel of the act in-game that they purchased a real lockpicking kit to practice with.

Lastly, it has also been confirmed that Nathan Drake will not be making a cameo. Scherr says the following about why the team made this decision:

“We entertained a few possible ideas around including Nate as a secondary character. But everything we did felt superfluous because we tied it all up with Uncharted 4.” Margenau was even more direct. “We’re not going to touch on Nathan Drake in this, at all.”

“You can sort of imagine Drake sitting on the couch playing Crash Bandicoot while Chloe and Nadine are off galavanting."

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is set to be the first ever standalone release in history of the Uncharted series and will be Naughty Dog’s most substantial story expansion to date. It will be available as a standalone PS4 game on store shelves, as well as for digital download. If you already purchased the Uncharted 4 Digital Deluxe Edition or the Explorer’s Pack, you will automatically receive the expansion at launch.

It’s worth noting that The Lost Legacy will be a lengthier experience than The Last of Us: Left Behind, but shorter than Uncharted 4. Where it exactly falls between these two, has not been detailed.