• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

I miss Naughty Dog so much

PS3 days are long gone, ND bros.
happy lip sync battle GIF by Paramount Network
 
I think they peaked at Uncharted 3. It reached heights the gameplay formula never could under Tomb Raider. Last of Us was impressive for its narrative and pacing but the handholding was unbearable. These days they can't do narrative with good pacing to save their lives but the handholding is even worse. No matter how AAAA their production quality is I cannot help but feel like a tourist in their new games instead of a player.
 
they are dead to me. That's how much damage a very bad game can make to your brand... and it doesn't help that they keep milking that atrocity like there is no tomorrow.

It's funny because from U2 to TLoU, there was nothing less than universal acclaim.
 
I liked ND and what they brought on the table on PS3.

I also liked TLOU2, I think its encounter design and the options you have at your disposal are fantastic. But I kind of outgrew these type of games. They do the same trick every time, holding your hand, throwing set pieces at you and funnel you to the next spectacle.

Its alarming that this studio this size and with these funds, who had a good rate of output before (4 games on PS3, and DLC), still is a no show on PS5 and probably will be well into 2026 or even 2027. I think they reflect the issues todays development faces, it needs to be big, expensive and succesful. Perhaps they should scale down, do a Jak game. Or some smaller project like Lost Legacy. Instead they have zip for over 5 years.
 
They were great during a specific time period

I dont care at all about their handholdy design and set pieces anymore anymore. Predictable design today

And their upcoming game looks.. ehhh
 
Werewolf Jones said:
The Last of Us 2 took a massive narrative risk that no one would dare accomplish. You'll probably never see anything like it again.
Click to expand...
The TV show took the same risk and failed just the same. If you set out on revenge don't go limp dick at the climax and do not kill the universally beloved lead characters to give the spotlight to polarizing side characters.
 
NeverYouMind said:
The TV show took the same risk and failed just the same. If you set out on revenge don't go limp dick at the climax and do not kill the universally beloved lead characters to give the spotlight to polarizing side characters.
Click to expand...
The first season alone was shockingly bad compared to the game.
 
They are DEFINITELY the best remaster studio in the industry I mean just look at all those remasters we have from them
 
I miss Naughty Dog too.
Sadly every game they have done since Crash Bandicoot 2 has been considerably worse than the previous one, culminating in the woke smelly turd of TLOU2.
 
Danjin44 said:
I love games as well but that doesn't mean I'm going to like every game, same way I dont love every movie that comes out.
Click to expand...
Truth.

NeverYouMind said:
do not kill the universally beloved
Click to expand...
lolz, nahhhhh

They should continue to do what ever the fuck they want with their story.

Go make your own game and do the story the way you wish.

I'm fine with the creative freedom they have and I'm more happy they took a risk vs the same copy and paste, safe bullshit that goes on regarding these cookie cutter stories we see in gaming. Look at Yakuza, be like "Yakuza 78 : Kazuma Kiryu Elderly Nursing Home Mayhem. Will Kiryu find out which Nurse stole his Onigiri? " We know the fucker will live as he has in the last 77 Yakuza titles, so you go along for this, at this point hilarious story, knowing damn well nothing of real finality happens with the character.

The more you do this, the less people take those universes seriously and the "danger" they are in starts to be come comical, boring, stale etc. I love both IP btw, I'm merely making a point that you can't really keep going with the safe "do not kill the loooovvvved" xyz.


So zero danger? Good guy is always safe no matter what? lol, the fuck? At that point, go watch a cartoon or something kid friendly or something man. We have more then enough "good guy never dies" shit to go around.

I respect the risk taken to do an violent story where no one is safe.
 
Last edited:
I miss them releasing a new game every 2 years, I also missed valve making single player games but they are finally back with half life alyx release and more supposedly on the way
 
EDMIX said:
I respect the risk taken to do an violent story where no one is safe.
Click to expand...
That is never the case as some character has to keep the story going. Game of Thrones did the same shit and it sucks too in retrospect.

P.S. Instead of continuing the story it is easier to tell another unrelated or loosely related story in the same setting instead. Had Last of Us 2 not had Ellie or Joel but told the same story it would have been better received.
 
Last edited:
The people who hated tlou2 never played the game , and they will say the light of this industry is the maker of expedition 33 boring fucking ass game.
 
Last edited:
NomenNescio said:
They're the light of this industry. Every time I play a game by them, I remember no one makes them at their level. The GOAT-tier presentation, the cutting-edge graphics, the unrivaled sound design, the music, the overall level of artistry.

I miss Dr. Uckmann's direction, the controversy surrounding their games on every release, the discussion (both serious and meme-worthy). Everything feels so stale without them.

It sucks we didn't get anything from Intergalactic on the last State of Play. We're probably looking at a 2027 release.
Click to expand...
Serious The Four GIF by Diddy
 
Senua said:
You beat a 50 hour RPG that you thought was "boring fucking ass"

I'm not sure the game is the stupid one 🤭
Click to expand...
The game is OK game at the best, yes the gameplay is boring, the story was ok at the beginning but in the end was meh. So to say this game is masterpiece is BS.
 
PSbigfan said:
The game is OK game at the best, yes the gameplay is boring, the story was ok at the beginning but in the end was meh. So to say this game is masterpiece is BS.
Click to expand...
Agreed, glad we concur! Though, the first game is still brilliant. My man Joel


Naww your edited it, you're no fun
 
Last edited:
Uncharted and TLOU were fantastic games from ND. Wish we had more of them. Three last gen. Zero so far this gen. No telling when Intergalactic will be here. Really sucks.
 
Last edited:
RetroGamingUK said:
I miss Bruce Straley

Very few devs have achieved this is a generation.

FPpGzB3ItYccz9TN.jpeg
Click to expand...
PS3 is what made the PS4 sell I believe Xbox sold the XboxOne with multiplayer. To be honest PS3 had the best multiplayer games along with some of the greatest single player games. Socom Confrontation although buggy is one of my favorite PVP games.

All of Sonys studios were at their peak during the PS3 era.

PS4 and PS5's game library from Sony don't compare to the PS3.
 
Good to see weekend GAF is alive and well
 
Last edited:
Still Sony's best studio but also has the same output as Rockstar without having to support one of the biggest live service games. Literally dissapeared for the entire gen despite a huge amount of devs.

Werewolf Jones said:
The Last of Us 2 took a massive narrative risk that no one would dare accomplish. You'll probably never see anything like it again.
Click to expand...
Only if your plot exposure is gaming and silly culture wars/ gamer outrage.

Don't get me wrong its a solid 7 out of 10 plot. But if you've read a bunch of books, its nothing groundbreaking. Perhaps, in the realm of AAA games.
 
Last edited:
I miss playing as a male protagonist in a Naughty Dog game.

ND under Neil Druckmann's leadership is a shadow of its former glory and one of the most hated studios.

I mean damn!! They were the most celebrated studio during the PS3 days.
 
Since Druckman as head of the studio they've started to spit on their legacy.
I miss the old Naughty Dog, yes! This new one will not see my money anymore.

#joeldeservedbetter
 
Peak Naughty Dog is one of the best western developers ever imo. They are now a shell of their former selves. It's a shame cause the PS3 era was amazing. Sony in general this gen has been very lackluster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I miss "The Evil Within" so much...
2
96
2K
Judge Magister replied
Naughty Dog was right to cancel TLoU Online (Laura Fryer)
2
54
842
RedC replied
I miss Deus Ex
2 3
117
274
poodaddy replied
I miss Destiny 2
2 3 4
180
1K
Bondo replied
Naughty Dog 40th Anniversary Retrospective
Trailer  2
58
1K
alabtrosMyster replied
Top Bottom