The dust has settled following The Game Awards, and after catching up on some sleep, I think I may finally be ready to processIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. You should know that I’m a major fan of Naughty Dog and while The Last of Us is the series that I hold dearest, I’m also head over heels for Uncharted and Crash Bandicoot too. Yet despite my complete and utter faith in the studio, I was concerned in the lead-up to The Game Awards after whisperings of a supposed new IP gained traction.
Naughty Dogis, beyond being an innovative powerhouse, masterful when it comes to the art of storytelling. That’s personally what I look for in a game - something that uses the immersion and complicity of gameplay to immerse you in a story like no other artform can. The depths of which a video game can move me are why I work in this industry. The Last of Us is a shining example of what I’ve just explained in action, but I’m already confident thatIntergalacticwill be too. Naturally, it’s early days, and we can never truly pass judgement on a project until the finished iteration is in our hands. But I do want to delve into the trailer to explain why, at this point in time, I’m hopeful that we’re in for a thrilling ride - and one that feels like a Naughty Dog classic.
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Before I do so, remind yourself of the trailer below.
“The suffering of generations must be endured to achieve our divine end,” isn’t the cheeriest of opening statements so despite the trailer’s upbeat 80s synth soundtrack,Intergalacticclearly isn’t going to stray far from Naughty Dog’s established penchant for creating games that address difficult subject matter.The Last of Us Part IIis a prime example of that, butIntergalacticcould boast some equally complex narrative threads if we’re to assume that this seeming display of religious heresy is tied into why Jordan is stuck on Sempiria (which doesn’t feel like a stretch as the quote is attributed to ‘Ancient Sempirian Scripture’).
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“He’s not worth it,” AJ says about the risk of travelling to Sempiria, so I’m leaning towards Jordan not being on excellent terms with her ex-accomplices. I might be wrong. It could be a yearning to reunite, but Jordan comes across as having a laser focus, the type you might have if seeking revenge or justice. I do also want to touch on AJ’s tease of the “crazy rumours” which she corrects as “facts” about what happened on Sempiria … What did this titular ‘Heretic Prophet’ do?
It’s during this conversation that Jordan puts on a jacket which, to my eye, was not all that remarkable but how silly I am. I’ve seen game developers across social media remarking on what a feat this is technically, so this is information I’ve absorbed to share with you all. Graphically, gaming may be reaching somewhat of a peak but clearly Naughty Dog is still looking for ways to innovate and push the boat out, something else to look forward to in this title.
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Before Jordan sets off to Sempiria, she sets The Pet Shop Boys’Actuallyalbum to play, specifically the song ‘It’s A Sin’. Sinning … religious heresy … I see what’s going on here. A small nod to the game’s general themes aside, I’ll be harkening back to this scene in just a moment, particularly the fact that Jordan’s music set up features an equaliser. You see, we next see Jordan having presumably landed on Sempiria facing off against a very large robot, albeit one with a sort of ‘ancient look’, if that’s possible, due to the fact that it’s covered in runes. These are likely linked to whatever heresy the Sempirian fanatics got caught up in. There’s very little to glean from the robot though other than it being ridiculously f**king cool.
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What is significant to me in this scene is Jordan’s sword which if you study closely when activated has a neon blade shaped like … yes, an equaliser. Jordan launches into battle looking effortlessly badass before the game’s title card appears, ending the trailer but let’s just take a moment to think about what this could mean. When the game was announced at The Game Awards, a major emphasis was placed on the fact that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, of Nine Inch Nails fame, would be creating the game’s soundtrack.
NowIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetisn’t the first 80s themed project to place an emphasis on music. We’ve seen this all before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’sGuardians of the Galaxy. What I am wondering though is whetherIntergalacticwill include rhythm action game-inspired gameplay, the ‘shoot to the beat’ kind. It’s a trope that’s been around in gaming for some time, but it’s very rarely seen outside of its genre. I personally can’t think of a major AAA narrative-driven release to base its combat around music and rhythm that’s launched as of late.
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Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophetis totally new ground for Naughty Dog, but it’s ground that I feel comfortable treading. The studio’s penchant for technical innovation and complex and challenging storytelling appears to be present. If they pull this off, I have no doubt that longtime fans of the studio will feel right at home in this new world.
Topics:Naughty Dog,PlayStation,PlayStation 5,Sony,The Last Of Us,The Last Of Us Part 2,Uncharted,Intergalactic,Opinion
