Though it’s still rather shrouded in mystery,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophetcertainly has the air of a fascinating and promising single-player adventure. Its allure is helped considerably by the fact that it’s thefirst new IP from Naughty Dogin over a decade, holding an implicit promise to show the famous, influential games developer in a new light.
Indeed, the high-sci-fi, spacebound premise ofIntergalacticputs it a world apart (no pun intended) from the likes ofThe Last of UsandUncharted, though it may still share some similarities with the latter. Again, not much is known about the upcoming action-adventure title, but its reveal trailer certainly gestures toward a swashbuckling, cheeky, and lighthearted tone that should feel familiar to fans of Nathan Drake’s misadventures. Of course, there’s an indication of a more sober, serious undercurrent, which will hopefully giveIntergalacticsome much-needed heart and intrigue to go along with its action-adventure antics. Still, ifIntergalacticis asUncharted-like as it seems to be, then perhaps Naughty Dog could benefit from aLast of Us-like game to counterbalance it.
After Intergalactic, Naughty Dog May Have a More Serious Game Up Its Sleeve
Naughty Dog Could Repeat Its Uncharted, TLOU Dynamic
The 2010s saw Naughty Dog engage in a rather interesting, albeit short-lived, release strategy. The critically acclaimedUnchartedseries hit its stride withUncharted 2: Among Thievesin 2010, which was chased by the slightly less beloved, but still well-receivedUncharted 3: Drakes Deceptionjust a year later. Then, in 2013,Naughty Dog releasedThe Last of Us, which is perhaps its most influential and important game, and the remainder of the decade was consumed byUncharted 4andThe Last of Us 2, which launched in 2016 and 2020, respectively.
This pattern had a profound effect on the studio’s release strategy and reputation, whether intentional or not. Alternating between Uncharted andThe Last of Usallowed Naughty Dog to exercise both its comedic and dramatic writing chops, leading to an image of the studio that was at once more complete and more versatile. It’s also worth noting thatThe Last of Usostensibly had a creative impact onUncharted, asUncharted 4, the only game in the series released afterTLOU, had a noticeably more somber and mature tone compared to its predecessors. Perhaps this synergy and tonal experimentation could be repeated withIntergalacticand Naughty Dog’s next IP.
Intergalactic Being a New IP Is Great, and Should Only Be the First Step for Naughty Dog
WhileIntergalactichas received some hate, for mostly arbitrary reasons, its status as a fresh IP should be celebrated by all gamers. Game studios and publishers are under immense pressure to stick to a handful of already-established IP, as these are far less risky and have more profit potential. However, this approach can also lead to stagnation, leading to diminishing returns over time. More importantly, it results in a lack of exciting, passion-driven projects for gaming audiences. In short,Intergalacticis Naughty Dog stepping awayfrom the uber-popularTLOUandUnchartedseries, and this is a good thing.
At one point,The Last of Uswas itself an unfamiliar IP, breaking onto the scene as a bold new direction for Naughty Dog.Intergalactic, though perhaps understandably compared toUncharted, will likely have its own unique identity, one that will go on to shape the longer legacy of Naughty Dog, and yet another IP in its wake would contribute to this legacy as well. If this theoretical next IP could explore fundamentally different narrative or emotional ideas, like howThe Last of Uswas a hard pivot away fromUncharted’s modus operandi, then the studio’s constitution could become much richer indeed.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
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.
