Naughty Dog's next project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, is shaping up to be a big one. A major departure from the more grounded, dark, and relatable stories of Uncharted and The Last of Us, Intergalactic has its feet firmly planted in sci-fi soil—remarkably fresh ground for the storied studio.
Though one could consider Jak & Daxter and The Last of Us to be science fiction, they are more like science fantasy and science horror, respectively. They are far removed from the synth-infused space-faring antics of Intergalactic.
At the time of writing, very little is known about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet beyond the broad-strokes elements of its genre roots. Knowing Naughty Dog, though, it seems safe to say that the story will be mature and character-driven, and that the game's graphical fidelity, animation quality, and character design will all be industry-leading. Gameplay is a much bigger question mark, however, as the sense of exploration and adventure that comes along with the space opera framework could provide different opportunities than the setpiece-driven structure of Uncharted and the survival horror staples of The Last of Us. But these more conceptual elements are Naughty Dog's bread and butter. Combat may pose a greater challenge.
Why The Last of Us 2 Fans Should Keep an Eye on Intergalactic
Naughty Dog's new game may not be TLOU, but Part 2 fans may have plenty of reason to celebrate Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Intergalactic's Apparent Focus On Melee Combat Will Be Interesting to Watch Unfold
Naughty Dog Isn't Exactly Known for Melee Combat
Uncharted and The Last of Us, for all of their many differences, share one major similarity: they are both designed around gunplay. Sure, they both have melee options, with The Last of Us 2 in particular doubling down on close-range combat, but fisticuffs are usually not the ideal way to approach enemy encounters in either of these franchises. This is reflected in the design of melee abilities, which are quite shallow, even at their most fleshed-out.
The Last of Us 2 was reportedly meant to have a greater melee focus, inspired by the likes of Bloodborne, so perhaps these ideas could be carried over into Intergalactic.
This could translate to Intergalactic in less-than-ideal ways. It wouldn't be surprising if there were firearms in the game, of course, but its marketing thus far seems to imply that the vibrant red sword will be the player's main tool for dispatching enemies. With a sword serving as the primary mode of attack for the game's entire duration, any sense of novelty could theoretically be trumped by repetitiveness and shallowness. That is, unless Naughty Dog steps up its game in the close-combat department.
Naughty Dog Will Probably Step Up Its Game in the Close Combat Department
Even in the days of Jak & Daxter, Naughty Dog has impressed with its writing, and there's little reason to believe that things will be different with Intergalactic. But something that is often overlooked, and even unfairly decried, is the studio's push for more complex and multifaceted gameplay. Uncharted 4, for example, is such a radical step-up from its predecessor in terms of combat that it can sometimes feel like it's part of a different series: encounters revolve around a cat-and-mouse dynamic, with players being rewarded for both aggressive and measured tactics. The Last of Us 2 improves even further on this framework by keeping the cat-and-mouse design while giving the player more unique tools to solve their problems.
All of this is to say that, although Naughty Dog is often thought of as "the story-driven developer," it is quite capable of being ambitious when it comes to the interactive elements of its games as well. Perhaps Intergalactic will continue to build upon the aforementioned cat-and-mouse framework, or perhaps it will adopt a different one entirely, but there's definitely reason to believe that its combat will be thoughtfully designed.
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
Intergalactic: The Heretic Propher follows Jordan A. Mun, a dangerous bounty hunter who ends up stranded on Sempiria – a distant planet whose communication with the outside universe went dark hundreds of years ago. In fact, anyone who’s flown to it hoping to unravel its mysterious past was never heard from again. Jordan will have to use all her skills and wits if she hopes to be the first person in over 600 years to leave its orbit.
