Intergalactic will go beyond The Last of Us. Naughty Dog’s new game will take player’s confusion and loneliness to the next level

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Last December, at The Game Awards 2024, Naughty Dog studio unveiled their upcoming game titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Since then, we’ve been waiting for more details. All we know so far is the developers’ inspirations and the fact that they plan to explore religious themes in this new project.

Lately, Neil Druckmann, the leader at Naughty Dog studio, took part in a Creator-to-Creator chat arranged by Sony. During this discussion, he shared some fresh insights regarding the forthcoming game.

Game about loneliness

The storyline of “Intergalactic” unfolds a millennium from now, in an alternate universe whose timeline branched off from ours during the 1980s, following the emergence of a new faith on Sempiria. Subsequently, contact with this world ceased, leaving it isolated for six centuries. As the main character of “Intergalactic” approaches, they will arrive at this distant planet.

As a gamer, I find myself immersed in the solitude that Druckmann intentionally weaves into the journey of unraveling Sempiria’s mysteries. What truly sets Intergalactic apart from Clemens’ previous works is the stark absence of a companion to provide comfort and camaraderie. While The Last of Us post-apocalyptic setting can occasionally stir feelings of isolation and sorrow, Intergalactic promises to take this sense of detachment to new heights.

I have a concept for a game that revolves around themes of faith and solitude, as well as the feeling of being lonely. Most of our past projects have included a companion character. For this game, however, I envision the player experiencing a sense of disorientation and uncertainty in a setting where they are truly alone, without any allies to lean on.

Incidentally, the developer playfully suggested that Intergalactic might encounter “fewer” criticisms from gamers compared to The Last of Us Part II. There’s no denying that Druckmann enjoys tackling contentious subjects.

With “The Last of Us Part 2,” we chose some creative paths that elicited a great deal of criticism. While many appreciate it, there are just as many who dislike the game. However, the irony is, let’s try something less popular for a change. Let’s develop a game centered around faith and religion.

The game titled “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet” will be making its way solely to the PlayStation 5, with a specific launch date still to be announced.

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2025-03-11 15:32