Summary
While very little is currently known about its full scope,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophetis already very clearly a massive departure from Naughty Dog, who is most known for itsUnchartedandThe Last of Usfranchises. Unlike its most beloved series, Naughty Dog’sIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetwill take players to space for what already looks like an unprecedented retro sci-fi experience. WithIntergalacticbeing such a big leap for the developer, one might speculate on what the game could look like, as there seems to be no frame of reference for its premise in Naughty Dog’s past work.
That being said, there is one Naughty Dog game fans of the developer’s work might glance at first to get an idea of whatIntergalacticcould look like, simply because of the open-ended exploration potential of the upcoming sci-fi game. Specifically, it would be understandable to look atJak 2as a blueprint forIntergalactic’s world design, as it marked a significant shift for Naughty Dog, transitioning from the linear platforming ofJak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacyto a more open-world structure. However, withJak 2now being over two decades old, it may not be the best example of what the developer can do with modern technology. There is still one other, more recent Naughty Dog game, though, that might paint an even clearer picture ofIntergalactic’s potential.
The Last of Us 2 Might Hold the Blueprint to Intergalactic’s World Design
The Last of Us Part 2’s Seattle Space Is the Clearest Picture of What Intergalactic Could Look Like
The Last of Us Part 2may not be a game set in space, but one of its most significant zones might be a glimpse at whatIntergalacticcould do with its world design: Seattle. InUncharted 4, Naughty Dog experimented with semi-open-world design, butThe Last of Us Part 2ultimately expanded on those precepts with its early Seattle chapter. Initially,The Last of Us Part 2was envisioned as aBloodborne-inspired open-world game, but the developer shifted to a more linear structure to better serve the game’s narrative.
The Seattle level inThe Last of Us Part 2featured a semi-open environment where players could explore at their own pace, thereby increasing their agency in an otherwise linear story.Intergalacticcould potentially adopt a similar approach, allowing players to explore freely around a central hub or large interconnected areas. Seattle also featured numerous side quests and optional areas, like the music shop and the bank. In the same way,Intergalacticcould include rewarding side missions, secrets, or lore hidden within its world.
Intergalactic Might Be the Open-World Game The Last of Us Part 2 Almost Was
Given thatIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetis a new IP set in a sci-fi universe, it would make sense for Naughty Dog to revisit and even expand on the open-world concepts originally birthed duringThe Last of Us Part 2’s initial development stages, potentially offering players more freedom and exploration opportunities. Specificgameplay details aboutIntergalactichave yet to be disclosed, but the game’s setting and premise suggest a design that could benefit from modern open-world design.
At the very least,Intergalacticwill more than likely feature a semi-open-world design likeThe Last of Us Part 2andUncharted 4, which would still give the narrative some room to be prioritized.
Open-world games may have once been immediately looked at with disdain, but more modern experiences likeElden RingandThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildhave proven that it’s possible to make an open-world game that is still interesting and not merely bloated with repetitive content. In light of that, ifIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetends up being an open-world game, there is plenty of potential there for it to execute it well. Until more is revealed about the game, however, fans might find the best example of whatIntergalacticcould look like by examining the Seattle level inThe Last of Us Part 2and taking into account everything it offers.
