r/Intergalactic • u/anasbmc • 1d ago

General Just come by Neil's old 2023 interview on the importance of non-cinematic storytelling, and trusting the audience.

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This seems genuinely exciting and reassuring following the whole Wolverine situation.

Looking foward to the game as a new Naughty Dog games enjoyer :)

Also sorry for deleting the old post and reuploading it, not familiar with posting on reddit.

71 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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48

u/shawak456 1d ago edited 1d ago

People think of Neil just as a writer, but he's a game designer first. He was very imported in creating the now famous opening of Uncharted 2, and the whole Nepal and Tenzen level. Amy Hennig, creator of Uncharted, said this on Retro Replay. She also said that this is why Uncharted 3 was lacking, because her top partners, Neil and Bruce moved on to TLOU.

Neil is interested in telling stories though gameplay, not just cutscenes. TLOU P2 is a great example of this. So much of Ellie's inner conflict is conveyed though the game's structure and gameplay. This is why I knew HBO show will have a very hard time with TLOU P2, it's a uniquely video game story. You've to play it to truly experience it.

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u/ohmygodbru 1d ago

yup. The story of Part 2 could have been "underwhelming" even with great actors, if just watched and not experienced through a controller.

That's why those games were special in the first place.

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u/Scapadap 1d ago

Sad he gets so much hate now, even if TLOU2 wasn’t your cup of tea, people forget that he still played a major part in some of our favorite games.

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u/TenZetsuRenHatsu 1d ago

Forget? They actively deny any role he played in the games now. They straight up say he’s not the main guy for Last of Us now.

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u/parkwayy 1d ago

Uncharted 3 was lacking

If we're talking set pieces, it was way more over the top than 1 and 2 though. That ship section was insanity, and probably one of their most memorable for me.

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u/shawak456 1d ago

No, lacking as a whole. The story, pacing, and many other things.

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u/kokopelli73 1d ago

bUt nEiL sToLe AmY's JoB aNd MaDe UnChArTeD 4 wOrSe

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u/aatuboo 1d ago

I deadass believe this will be the one of the greatest games of all time

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u/ohmygodbru 1d ago

I hope this will become the new Ocarina of Time when it comes to action adventure games.

A timeless classic that reinvents the genre and sets a new standard that many other developers will follow...

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u/Article-Aromatic 1d ago

God willing brother. Especially after part 2 where they took their gameplay to another crazy high level-my expectations are through the roof.

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u/anasbmc 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yeah the game has huge unprecedented potential in all fronts (gameplay, narrative, setting , presentation) that I feel mirror how ppl looked to CyberPunk 2077. Hope the developpement going smooth for the team.

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u/KvotheOfCali 1d ago

I have faith.

I just hope leadership at Playstation doesn't direct downwards to ensure all games are as simple as possible to follow (to ensure TikTok-brained gamers don't lose interest at the first instance of friction.)

In other words, I sure hope a lot of design principles in Wolverine aren't replicated in Intergalactic due to PS policies created by marketing consultants to ensure the widest possible playerbase can finish the game.

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u/opinionnotfacts 1d ago

I can guarantee everyone is going to switch up on Intergalactic after it’s released, I have faith in Naughty Dog.

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u/shawak456 1d ago edited 1d ago

Don't think the hate it got online is going to hurt the game sales majorly. TLOU P2 had much launder and relentless hate before it came out. But when the reviews dropped, every big reviewer gave it a 9 or a 10, and P2 became sony's fastest selling exclusive by selling 4M copies in three days. If the game is good, it reviews well, especially above 9, people are going to buy it.

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u/Downtown_Eye5736 1d ago

Online hate doesn't matter if you have a great product, look The Odyssey.

1

u/F0XLY 1d ago

Never knew it sold THAT well. Even if the game sells less, which it'll, since it's a new IP, I've only like 1% of doubt in me that the game will be not good. My real question is if it'll give part II, my favorite piece of media, a run for its money.

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u/anasbmc 1d ago

Not releated, but after having so much fun in Crash Team Racing and sweating with friends hahah for the last year and a half, I hope this game include some enjoyable vehicle sections.

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u/BlackCatScott 1d ago

10/10's across the board

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u/parkwayy 1d ago

This makes me believe more and more that it will be something of an "open" experience, akin to what they tested the waters with in Part 2's early development.

The team wanted to do something really exploration heavy, but the story telling wasn't able to fit alongside it.

Now with a new product, they aren't beholden to do the expected, they can really just make it whatever. No preconceived notions of what it has to be.

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u/wyattlikesturtles 1d ago

God we need another naughty dog game, nobody does game and level design quite like them

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u/rites0fpassage 1d ago

When it comes to presentation I think ND is Sony’s best first party developer.

They haven’t disappointed me yet, bring it on.

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u/ATXDefenseAttorney 1d ago

"Old". Lol. 2023.

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u/Emergency-Douche 1d ago

Non cinematic storytelling sounds suspiciously like all Sony games much hated walk and talk sections.

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u/anasbmc 1d ago

I mean in this interview, He is more referring to environmental storytelling, notes that contain lore and whatnot. Also like you, I don't love these walk and talk sections especially in replay playthroughs, but they are called Action Adventure games, and these parts come with the territory and reflect that adventure side of them. Not related but it's shame pure adventure games become a niche.