Combat has played a key role in the vast majority of Naughty Dog's games, with even the mascot platformer Crash Bandicoot giving players a spin attack and the ability to jump on top of enemies. Third-person shooting mechanics then became a core part of Naughty Dog's formula, with Jak and Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us all embracing shooter gameplay. But Naughty Dog never forgot its melee combat origins, and it seems like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is tapping into those roots.
Not much has been revealed about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but its December announcement trailer and promotional art suggest that the game's combat will have a melee focus, with player-character Jordan Mun wielding a red energy sword in both. Melee combat can be some of the most satisfying in gaming, with it provoking direct feedback from an enemy's character model. The Last of Us has already laid some strong foundations for Intergalactic's melee combat, but there's one potential improvement on its way that has little to do with mechanics.
Santa Monica's Sci-Fi Game Can Shake Things Up By Doing the Exact Opposite of Intergalactic
In order to differentiate itself from Intergalactic, Santa Monica Studio's rumored sci-fi game should take the complete opposite approach to combat.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's Soundtrack Could Enhance Its Combat
Intergalactic's Soundtrack Is Destined for Greatness
The founder, lead vocalist, and main songwriter of Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor is an American musician who's worked very closely with English composer Atticus Ross for around two decades now. Along with continuing to produce music together under the Nine Inch Nails banner, Reznor and Ross have worked on a wealth of movie and TV soundtracks over the years, including award-winning works like The Social Network, HBO's Watchmen, Gone Girl, and Challengers.
Though Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross don't have many video game credits under their belt (Reznor made the theme music for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Ross worked on FIFA 17), they've more than proved themselves to be excellent composers, and their trademark fast-paced electronic beats will fit Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet's Sci-Fi setting perfectly.
On top of an original score composed by Reznor and Ross, Intergalactic: Heretic Prophet will likely include some licensed music in its soundtrack. Intergalactic's reveal trailer ends with protagonist Jordan Mun using their retro-futuristic Sony sound system to play the Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin," a classic 1987 bop that acts as a nod to Intergalactic's religious narrative themes. Given how many CDs are left on the rack of Mun's sound system, it seems likely more licensed tracks will be dotted throughout Intergalactic.
How Intergalactic's Music Could Enhance Its Melee Combat
Few details are currently available for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and it's not insignificant that one of those few details is confirmation that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are attached to compose. It seems very possible that Intergalactic's soundtrack will play an important role during gameplay, likely accentuating the combat by accompanying the player's swings and stabs with frenetic techno melodies and basslines.
The use of licensed music could also pave the way for some incredibly memorable combat sequences, just as long as the chosen track fits the action on-screen. These soundtrack elements will also likely be accompanied by some first-class audio design, which is sure to make each slash of Mun's energy sword sound suitably futuristic and punchy.
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
