Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is the latest project from the developers behind iconic gaming franchises such as Uncharted and The Last of Us. The gaming community has been eager to see what Naughty Dog has been up to for the past couple of years since the current console generation only received a handful of remasters and remakes on their part, and it seems like we have a reason behind the secrecy of this ambitious project.
Druckmann is no stranger to projects with thought-provoking stories, and it seems like he will take it a step further with one major deviation from his previous games.
Prepare to Feel Lost and Confused While Playing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
During an episode of Sony’s Creator to Creator podcast, Druckmann was joined by director Alex Garland where the two creatives dug deep about their respective routines for telling a human story. Garland praised Druckmann’s work on The Last of Us and mentioned how it motivated him as a storyteller to improve. The conversation shifted toward future projects, and Druckmann gave some new details about his upcoming game.
Around the 45:07 timestamp, Druckmann discussed how Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will be unlike any game he has worked on. Instead of following a linear path, Druckmann designed this new story to make players feel lost and confused.
So many of the previous games we’ve done, there’s always, like, an ally with you,” he said. “I really want you to be lost in a place that you’re really confused about what happened here, who are the people here, what was their history. And in order to get off this planet — again, no one has been heard from this planet for 600 years or so — if you ever have hoped to have a chance to get off, you have to figure out what happened here.
This new approach to storytelling is a breath of fresh air for Naughty Dog since most of their stories are linear and straightforward. Players embark on a mission to reach a certain destination and let the story unravel. However, this change might not sit well with some fans who are into a linear experience paired with a strong narrative.
Change is inevitable, and Druckmann knew he had to spice up the formula to deliver something different and unique. If game developers continue to reuse certain strategies, there will be no room for innovation. While being skeptical about this new project is not unheard of, this doesn’t mean the developers are unaware of what the fan base wants.
Jordan Might Explore the Planet of Sempiria All by Her Lonesome
As players set foot on Sempiria, they will ponder how things ended up the way they are. Another key difference is that Jordan will likely be alone throughout the story. Naughty Dog games always feature a buddy or a companion, and changing this formula seems to be a step in a new direction.
The decision to exclude a buddy in this new adventure may seem scary, especially since you are stranded on an alien planet that could be the home of hostile forces; however, this encourages the player to discover the secrets by themselves. This could make fans of older games feel like the developers are no longer playing it safe and are ready to show something new.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out our list of easter eggs you might have missed during the Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet teaser, and how Neil Druckmann weighs his options for making The Last of Us Part 3.
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Rouvin Josef Quirimit is a Content Writer, an avid gamer (on his PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch), and film enthusiast. He was fortunate to grow up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was enamored by the storytelling of a shared universe full of heart and spectacle. His love for movies led him to great single-player games and he intends to cover major franchises for years to come!
