Heretic Prophet needs to improve this feature from Last Of Us and Uncharted

With the recent reveal of Naughty Dog's next big release, Intergalactic: The Heretical Prophet, Fans of the studio's previous hits will be excited to learn about the new, revised, or improved gameplay mechanics the game brings to the table. At first sight, The Heretical Prophet it looks like it could make the most of the sci-fi genre and capitalize on the possibilities the genre will open up. However, gamers will want to see if Naughty Dog has learned any new tricks and updated or improved any mechanics from its previous successful franchises - in particular, The last of us and Unknown series.

A feature of Naughty Dog's most popular series The last of us and Unknownthey are the puzzles players will encounter throughout each journey. Node Unknown series, the puzzles vary in complexity, but are generally very simple and easy to solve, requiring minimal effort compared to similar style games in the same space. Similarly, The last of us suffers from simplified puzzles in both main installments. While none of these games are made to have a lot of puzzles, the puzzles found throughout The Heretical Prophet the plot should not feel boring or like players are being given a task.

Intergalactic: Heretical Prophet needs better puzzles

Puzzles don't have to be simple in Heretic Prophet

When looking at the opportunities that a science fiction-based Naughty Dog game opens up, many will look at story elements or combat mechanics, but puzzles will almost certainly be a feature of the new game, at least given the developer's track record. . In both The last of us and the Unknown franchises, puzzle solving is a common part of getting through most levels, but these tasks are often tedious and mundane, like Ellie crossing some water using a paddle because she can't swim. The Heretical Prophet It doesn't need to make the puzzles impossible, but they should increase in difficulty as the game progresses.

These puzzles must also serve some purpose beyond introducing obstacles for the sake of creating them. While the Unknown The series gradually introduced more challenging puzzles with each new game, which acted as a reprieve from combat. Even the most challenging puzzles in Unknown 4 were simple compared to other action-adventure games in the same space, and the more complex puzzles in The last of us they just require finding safe codes in nearby areas. Puzzles that teach or introduce new mechanics typically engage players more than those that simply take players from A to B.

Not all The Heretical Prophet players will even care if there are puzzles in the game, as they sometimes end up breaking immersion or seem out of place. A science fiction setting opens up many possibilities for excellent combat and narrative developmentand players will expect more about the purpose of these puzzles. Ideally, puzzles won't feel like an afterthought or a chore and will give players more incentive to complete them. More complex puzzles that serve a clear purpose or function would also add replay value and could still be widely accessible to many players.

Many puzzles in Uncharted 4 and Last Of Us 2 were very simple

Heretic Prophet puzzles should be challenging and contribute to the story

Looking back at the puzzles in both Unknown 4 and The last of us 2, There's no specific puzzle that stands out as especially difficult, but there are many that stand out as frustrating or tedious. This is largely due to puzzles being a progression mechanic.meaning its main objective is to get players from point A to B on the map, and that's all. There are exceptions, such as security codes in Last of us that reward players with much-needed supplies or occasional treasure puzzles in Unknown 4. However, these exceptions are still not particularly challenging.

In The Last of Us 2many fans complained about the general lack of puzzleswhile others felt that fewer puzzles made sense for a story-driven action-adventure game. Of course if the puzzles they are will be part The Heretic Prophet, the developers at Naughty Dog need to find the right balance between functional and cross-cutting puzzle types. These puzzles need to serve the larger story, give the player a strong incentive to complete them other than to get to the next place, and make it fun on some level to complete them. Above all, these puzzles should give players a sense of accomplishment.

When it comes to the mechanics, purpose, and complexity of the puzzles in The Heretic ProphetIt will be important that they serve a greater purpose than simply taking players around the map or rewarding some minor supplies. Hopefully, with the possibilities that a science fiction setting presents, the puzzles in IIntergalactic: The Heretical Prophet will be improved over previous games.

Source: Naughty Dog/YouTube