The games follow globe-trotting treasure hunts involving artifacts such as El Dorado and the Cintamani Stone, with platforming, combat, and puzzle sequences that contain no character creation systems, pronoun selections, or identity-driven mechanics. Casting adheres strictly to the original canon without any gender or race alterations to established characters, and the premise remains rooted in classic pulp adventure rather than any thematic focus on social issues. Heterosexual romance arcs with Elena Fisher and Chloe Frazer function as narrative subplots that advance the story without activist framing or emphasis on representation.

Development occurred well before Naughty Dog introduced later diversity initiatives, resulting in a complete absence of DEI mandates, consultancy involvement, LGBTQ+ characters, or social justice plot elements. This pre-2015 foundation keeps the focus on entertainment-driven storytelling and avoids the ideological intrusions that appear in subsequent titles from the studio.