Intergalactic: A Cyberpunk Masterpiece in the Making?

I won't get into all the controversy and rage surrounding the new Intergalactic game from Naughty Dog, showcased at The Game Awards a few days ago. The game isn't out yet, and I'd like to reserve my final decision on whether or not the game is good until it's released. Only then can I truly experience the gameplay loop, narrative, and overall universe the developers have set up.

What I will say so far is this: if you just accept the premise of the character and the world expressed in the brief trailer, the game actually looks really cool. Obviously, there are a ton of nods to the classic anime Akira, which is like the sci-fi mood board of all mood boards. Akira is widely cited as inspiration for so many projects, from The Matrix to Kanye West's "Stronger" music video. It's constantly referenced in pop culture for its stylistic take on a cyberpunk universe.

You might be tired of Akira references in other media. For example, the main character of Intergalactic, Jordan A. Mun, is seen in the trailer rocking a red jacket similar to Shotaro Kaneda's iconic one from Akira. Personally, I don't mind the reference.

When paired with the incredible music composed by none other than Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, you've got me very interested in this game. Reznor and Ross are most well-known for being members of Nine Inch Nails and for their mastery of dark, experimental, moody synthesizers and production. I’m a huge admirer of their work, so pairing their sinister, final-boss ambiance with some ’80s nostalgic synthwave references and classic cyberpunk anime elements from Akira, combined with the incredible action-adventure gameplay we’ve come to expect from Naughty Dog, makes this game seem incredibly promising.

Does the trailer confirm the game will be good? No, it doesn’t. Could the narrative actually turn out to be junk? It could be. But I’m willing to give this title a chance. I’d say don’t judge it too quickly. The art direction is there, the sound design is there, and the gameplay is likely to be incredible. Just look at this shot from the trailer showcasing an absolutely stunning crimson-red Porsche 984 Tempest NDX spaceship with its very own jukebox-style Sony CD disc changer—another ode to Akira.

Actually, just writing about it is getting me a bit too excited. If Naughty Dog does this right, they may have a video game masterpiece on their hands that will make all the online haters and keyboard warriors eat their hats.

Just look at this image from the trailer!

I’m in, I’m in, I’m in!