Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet takes cues from Elden Ring’s player freedom and environmental storytelling. Insider Ben Hanson (MinnMax) claims the PS5 game will emphasize exploration and non-linear narrative.
Neil Druckmann cites Elden Ring and Inside as inspirations for storytelling through gameplay and world design. The trailer reveals melee combat, swordplay, and planet-based exploration—a departure from Uncharted/The Last of Us. The game in development since 2020; no release date yet.
Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Channels Elden Ring’s Open-World Vision
Naughty Dog, renowned for narrative-driven hits like The Last of Us and Uncharted, is reportedly embracing Elden Ring’s revolutionary design philosophy for its upcoming PS5 exclusive, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Industry insider Ben Hanson of MinnMax revealed the studio’s pivot toward player freedom and non-linear exploration, comparing it to FromSoftware’s 2022 Game of the Year.
Elden Ring’s Influence on Intergalactic
Hanson shared on The MinnMax Show that Naughty Dog’s new IP prioritizes uncovering planetary secrets through open-ended exploration, akin to Elden Ring’s Lands Between.
“If I’d said ‘Naughty Dog’s next game is like Elden Ring’ before the trailer, we’d have been lit on fire,” he joked, referencing initial skepticism. The game’s trailer hints at sprawling environments and lore-driven discovery, a stark contrast to the studio’s linear storytelling roots.
Neil Druckmann’s Vision: Storytelling Beyond Cutscenes
Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann has long praised games like Elden Ring for conveying narrative through environmental details and player agency. In a 2023 interview with The Washington Post, he emphasized,
“Understanding a space’s history by exploring it—that’s powerful storytelling.” Intergalactic aims to merge Naughty Dog’s signature emotional depth with Elden Ring’s hands-off approach, promising “the deepest gameplay in [their] history.”
Gameplay Evolution: Swords, Secrets, and Planets
The reveal trailer showcases a sword-wielding protagonist navigating a desolate alien world, signaling a shift from gun-centric combat in Uncharted and The Last of Us.
Melee combat and planetary exploration take center stage, with Druckmann teasing a “wildest, most creative story yet.” Players will piece together the planet’s history through environmental clues, aligning with Elden Ring’s fragmented lore style.
Release
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet was unveiled at The Game Awards 2024 and has been in development since 2020. While no release window is confirmed, its PS5 exclusivity and ambitious scope position it as a potential system seller.
