No stranger to controversy, Naughty Dog’s reveal of its upcoming latest IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, has been met with what can best be described as a mixed reception. The debut trailer for Intergalactic was flooded with negative reactions and suffered an unfavorable like-to-dislike ratio, prompting Naughty Dog to outright disable comments on YouTube. On the other side of the response to Intergalactic‘s reveal is a contingent of fans who have high hopes that the game will maintain the same standard of polish and storytelling that Naughty Dog is known for. Regardless of which camp players fall into, there’s little doubt that Intergalactic‘s musical score will be an instant win for the title.
In addition to briefly introducing players to the world and characters of Intergalactic, the trailer dropped a bombshell by revealing that the title’s original score would be composed by none other than Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. From what was shown of Intergalactic‘s original, non-licensed music in the trailer, players can expect an evocative synth-laden score that carries many of the trademarks that Ross and Reznor are known for across their highly acclaimed and award-winning body of work. In terms of its soundtrack, Intergalactic is already ahead of the curve.
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Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is Naughty Dog’s first opportunity in quite a while to pave a new path for itself, even in its storytelling.
Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor’s Contributions to Intergalactic Bode Well
Though his more recent body of work primarily consists of official scores and soundtracks with composition partner Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor is perhaps best known for his pioneering work as the sole driving force behind Nine Inch Nails. While various artists including Ross have contributed to Nine Inch Nails’ groundbreaking output throughout the years, the project is essentially a solo act with Reznor behind the helm, and the importance of Nine Inch Nails’ contributions to industrial music and alternative rock can’t be overstated. In his off time from Nine Inch Nails, Reznor has pivoted his artistic talents toward scoring films and games including the iconic soundtrack for Quake, with similar acclaim and success following in tow.
Ross and Reznor are fresh off of yet another award for the pair’s work on the score to the film Challengers, with the recent Golden Globe win the 9th major award the duo have earned for their work. While Reznor and Ross’ scores are unique and suited to each project, they share elements such as minimalistic, electronic composition meant to be evocative and emotional. Given Intergalactic‘s retrofuturist sci-fi setting, it’s hard to think of a pair more suited to score the game, and it just may earn them and Intergalactic developer Naughty Dog further recognition for their efforts.
What to Expect From Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s OST
In addition to the original compositions scored specifically for Intergalactic by Ross and Reznor, it’s a safe assumption that Intergalactic will include at least some licensed music, as shown in Intergalactic‘s debut trailer. The music in the reveal was a mix of what was immediately recognizable as moody electronic soundscapes akin to Ross and Reznor’s previous work, and the back half of the trailer featured the track “It’s a Sin” by British synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Given Intergalactic‘s protagonist’s apparent fondness for 1980s pop culture–and Sony’s vast catalog of licensed music it owns rights to–Intergalactic may feature a mix of original songs and other hits from the decade.
Despite players knowing very little about Intergalactic other than what was shown in the trailer, it hasn’t stopped a sizable contingent of fans from sounding off regarding their expectations for the game. Naughty Dog’s past work indicates that Intergalactic should deliver on both its gameplay and story, but at the very least, players can rest assured that the game will sound great thanks to the pedigree of its composers.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment