Summary
Much to the surprise of almost everyone, the 2024 Game Awards ceremony revealed a first look atIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a brand-new IP fromUnchartedandThe Last of Usdeveloper, Naughty Dog. As nothing more than areveal forIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the trailer is very cryptic as far as what the game will offer once it launches, and that very much includes the combat.
At the same time, a brief look atIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s combat is shown in the game’s reveal trailer, though not nearly enough to get a firm grasp on what the game’s combat will ultimately be like. However, what is shown seems to indicate what will potentially be a major departure for Naughty Dog when it comes to combat mechanics.
Intergalactic’s Blade Looks Like a Departure From the Naughty Dog Norm
Naughty Dog’s Combat Traditionally Emphasizes Gunplay
For the most part, at least as far as its biggest franchises go,Naughty Dog’s combathas traditionally emphasized ranged combat, with melee combat being more supplementary than anything else. The developer’s biggest franchises —UnchartedandThe Last of Us, for example — have almost always seen players subduing foes from afar with a ranged weapon, like a pistol or a bow. InUncharted, it’s entirely possible for players to engage in hand-to-hand combat if necessary, but the whole system is fairly straightforward, generally relying more on single-button presses.
For the most part, at least as far as its biggest franchises go, Naughty Dog’s combat has traditionally emphasized ranged combat, with melee combat being more supplementary than anything else.
InThe Last of Us, players are even more encouraged to stay away from enemies, as getting caught by an Infected can result in an untimely death. That being said, it is still possible to engage enemies inmelee combat inThe Last of Us, though, likeUncharted, it is a very simple system that requires minimal effort and showcases little creativity. The implementation of such simple melee combat systems in Naughty Dog games likeUnchartedandThe Last of Usjust goes to show how much more ranged combat in these games is highlighted, and, therefore, how much more time the developer spent fleshing out each game’s ranged battle mechanics.
Intergalactic Seems to Emphasize Melee Combat
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, on the other hand, seems to emphasize melee combat more than anything else. In fact, based onIntergalactic’s reveal trailer, ranged combat doesn’t appear to even be a thing, although it can be assumed that players will be able to engage in ranged combat on both the ground and in space. There is hardly anycombat shown in theIntergalacticreveal trailer, and what is shown is purely melee-oriented, with the game’s protagonist using a large, sci-fi-looking red blade to attack an enemy. If that and the game’s key art are signs of what is to come, it’s safe to sayIntergalacticwill be a melee-focused game, which would mark a major departure for Naughty Dog.
Naughty Dog has proven before that it can make combat feel intense and exciting, but that has almost always applied to the ranged combat systems found in other franchises from the developer, likeUnchartedandThe Last of Us. As such, it’s hard to discern at the moment howIntergalactic’s presumed melee-focused combat will pan out, especially since, in order for melee combat in a game to feel exciting, players need access to diverse skills and the mechanics can’t afford to feel sluggish, unresponsive, or unintuitive. However, it’s possibleIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetmay be able to lay a new path for Naughty Dog when it comes to combat, potentially securing its future in the hand-to-hand arena.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
WHERE TO PLAY
Intergalactic: The Heretic Propher follows 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. In fact, anyone who’s flown to it hoping to unravel its mysterious past was never heard from again. 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.
