Though the studio may have started with more cartoon-type games like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, Naughty Dog has since moved on to more realistic adventure games like Uncharted and The Last of Us.
It’s been confirmed that Neil Druckmann’s next game won’t be The Last of Us Part III, and thanks to The Game Awards, fans now have a look at his next title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Announce
The game was first revealed at the Game Awards. While it was previously speculated to be a fantasy title, it now looks like it will be a massive retro sci-fi game with an 80s aesthetic.
The official description for the game reads:
“Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is the newest franchise in development for the PlayStation 5 console from Naughty Dog, the studio behind acclaimed series like The Last of Us and UNCHARTED. Set thousands of years in the future, Intergalactic puts players into the role of 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. 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.”
Though the game looks pretty futuristic, it does have retro sci-fi elements like CDs and a lot of analog controls. It’s also said that the game is heavily inspired by old sci-fi properties like Akira and Cowboy Bebop; even Jordan’s ship could pass for an alternate version of Spike Spiegel’s Swordfish.
The role of Jordan is played by Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and other confirmed cast members include Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, Silicon Valley), Tony Dalton (Better Call Saul), and Troy Baker (The Last of Us).
It’s also worth mentioning that the music will also be provided by Nine Inch Nail members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The two recently provided the score for the hit film Challengers as well as the upcoming Tron: Ares starring Jared Leto.
Naughty Dog’s Deepest Gameplay
In a recent Naughty Dog blog post from director Neil Druckmann, it’s been commented that Intergalactic is going to have the ‘deepest gameplay’ that ND has ever done, and it will incorporate a lot of their game design experience from previous IP.
The announcement reads, “What we can tell you is that this game lives up to the Naughty Dog tradition of creating an emotional, character-driven epic journey. Our narrative goals are rivaled only by our gameplay ambitions.”
It’s unclear what exactly to expect from Druckmann this time, but it does seem like this is a lot closer to Guardians of the Galaxy as compared to The Last of Us. With the next TLOU game expected to be even darker, maybe Intergalactic is the brevity that Naughty Dog needs before they jump right back into Ellie’s apocalypse filled with fungus zombies.
It’s not clear when the next update for Intergalactic is going to be, but at least fans have an idea of what to look forward to in the next year. It’s going to be nice not having someone asking about TLOU3 for the millionth time whenever Naughty Dog posts something.
No release date has been announced for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but the game is expected to launch for the PS5 sometime in the next few years.