Did Neil Druckmann make a deal with the devil?

Did Neil Druckmann make a deal with the devil sometime between Uncharted 2 and The Last Of Us?

[ArchangelMike]

Brilliant article. A very good read. I can;t wait to see what ND does next... and yes I hope it's The Last of Us 2!

[nveenio]

I feel like I've seen all I can see of the world of The Last of Us. In the first game, we saw multiple cities and skylines, the wilderness, and even a diverse plotting of characters. If they went back into that world, I feel like it would all be too familiar. I mean, people complained about Uncharted 4 being too formulaic, and it's the best achievement in games. The Last of Us 2 really couldn't bring much more to the table. That's why I wish they would go Western or Space, but with Mass Effect and a likely Red Dead reveal on the horizon, I can't imagine them wanting to enter those genres. So The Last of Us 2 is almost a guarantee, if even to just play it safe. I just think that Naughty Dog has so much more to offer us.

If I could have anything, I would have them craft an episodic rendition of Stephen King's The Dark Tower.

[jukins]

I understand what you're saying but you could say that about any game especially one with a sequel. It's up to the developers to make the familiar fun and worth playing

[generic-user-name]

I think it's just a tad bit too early to presume to know anything about TLoU, for all we know it could take place in a different time period or in a different continent and it'll surely have a different cast. And you say they played it safe with U4 and yet call it the best achievement in games? I think ND have more than earned us giving them the benefit of the doubt no matter what they do.

As for Dark Tower, that would be an awful game and the last 2 books were pretty bad, it's bad enough it's about to be butchered in Holllywood.

[Sweetbrandigirl]

You really didn't get that TLOU was about Story and about the Character arch and theres plenty about the character stories we don't known. I'm Still hoping we get to fill in the 20 yr gap between the night Sarah died and where the game opens in Boston. I'd also like to hear Tommy's story and find out why he and they went their separate ways. I'd also like a change to play as Tess I really liked her and felt her arch was way to short. Then theres Bill and Frank I'd like to hear more about their story. So yeah theres tons of milage left in TLOU.

[Retard]

Inveni0,

The Dark Tower could only be made by the likes of ND. Good call, and I'd flip & preorder ASAP if they made a game post-books.

[InTheZoneAC]

on one hand you say U4 is too formulaic BUT YOU THINK IT'S THE BEST ONE IN THE SERIES. And how else is Uncharted supposed to be, it's Uncharted...

on the other hand you then bash the idea of a TLoU sequel. I'm not sure you even understand your own post.

[Skankinruby]

Because zombies hadn't been done countless times as well? They can take any existing concept and turn it into a masterpiece, the last of us is living proof of that. I would love to see naughty dog take over other genres.

[victorMaje]

Can't believe you got disagrees for speaking your mind.
Western or space game by ND would be incredible!

[nveenio]

@generic-user-name

*I* didn't say U4 was playing it safe. Other people did. I think it was brilliant.

[-Foxtrot]

He made a deal with Anita Sarkeesian?

[UltraNova]

You are asking for it dude...

OT: Great read(finally) keep posting pieces like this guys!

[johndoe11211]

Don't know why you're getting disagrees. He's actually a big supporter of anita, but I know how it goes around here when you have facts that can be easily verified but your opinion is unpopular.,

[Aither]

I was a huge fan of Druckmann until I found out what he did, even wrote a report on him because I believe he is such a great developer. However that respect has vanished a great deal when I found out he aligned himself with Anita Sarkeesian. While I still believe that he is a great developer as Naughty Dog has masterpieces accompanied by his talent, the fact that he would betray the gaming community to follow a feminazi movement led by the biggest lying money grub this century is beyond words. For him to make the judgment that Anita is a legitimate source of information is completely asinine and I would urge him to watch those who have called her out on her blatant sexism on numerous occasions from those with articulate rebuttals to her nonsense like Thunderfoot and Sargon of Akkad among others that don't give into the SJW lies. I cannot deny that Niel is a great developer, but the fact that he changed the ending of Uncharted 4 based on what Anita Sarkeesian says has made me lose all respect for him as an individual.

[Aither]

Oh and Foxtrot, you weren't wrong in your reference. It is just there are a lot of ignorant fanboys out there that don't have a mind of their own when it comes to comes to making a judgement on matters like this. I have been one of the biggest fans of Naughty Dog since Jak and Dexter and Druckmann is the reason why I took such an interest in not only the games that were being developed but the developers themselves. So it came as a huge shock that someone who had a hand in Chloe and Drake interactions from Uncharted 2 and what could be considered all the sexual innuendoes from that masterpiece that would make Anita blow a head gasket has now come out as a fan of hers. It is very hypocritical to say the least and perhaps this sudden change along with the current 180 that happened with David Jaffe in his recent conversion to feminism, perhaps there is a little something more sinister afoot at SONY than we think?

[zcmilano]

What's great about the article? Doesn't even relate to the premise of its title. A complete ramble.

[attilayavuzer]

TLOU's story feels finished to me. The uncertainty of it feels appropriate. Not sure what they'd do with a sequel...

[Tctczach]

When they have a team that talented and a group of writers that strong it should be hard to mess up. They are pumping out nothing but quality so good on them.

[C-H-E-F]

I do agree, but every game they start they only have the "core team" the rest of the "cast" is added on some rehired most new hires. It's interesting that they are able to keep this success going because their team changes constantly. well the added cast not the core team. lOl

[kneon]

Like any software project, the core team forms the culture of the group. As long as they maintain their typical level of quality then the rest of the team doing the more mundane grunt work will have to step up or be canned.

[blacktiger]

That's where you are wrong! You can have the best programming in the world and still fail. Sometimes communication is important as programming. So no! It can fail even in a perfect world!

[C-H-E-F]

As some of you may know, I own my own mobile applications company and this is the key to our success. A great communicator to a subpar programmer is better than a know-it-all any day of the week. Actually "know-it-alls" normally are isolated to career builder somewhere haha. As @Blacktiger said I totally agree communication is atleast 70% of ND success.

[fdkenzo]

I canot wait to see theyr next project

[TwoForce]

I can't wait for ND next game !

[Sunny_D]

Naughty Dog are my all time favorite studio. They're the dev that makes me drop everything I'm doing and find out what new bombshell they're about to drop on us.

[Genuine-User]

Alternatively, did Bruce Straley make a deal with Archangle Gabriel?

[OB1Biker]

In the last of us, I often thought of Joel as a sort of angel of death.

[Lord_of_Cinder]

Couldn't be a pact with God? How can someone believes they can get something good from a pact with the devil is beyond me.

[OldDanNew]

Just your standard Faustian pact : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/...

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

It's just our societies infatuation with everything evil at play again.

[rainslacker]

Because the only people that get ahead in life are the evil ones.

[danny818]

well financially. Apocalypse verse: 13:17 "And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark — the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is six hundred" Many conspiracy theorist believe those that have power or are well known have to have the sign of the devil or a pact to be able to have a successfull company in todays society

[nX]

How you could believe that a "pact with god" makes more sense is beyond me as well. Ever heard of phrases?

[Jayszen]

What was the point of this article? If it was to honour Mr. Druckmann, then surely it can do that without all this 'deal with the devil' flavouring. The writer likes the Uncharted series so much but then lists over 17 problems which are all subjective by the way and may well be listed as strengths by anyone else and then goes on to suggest that Uncharted 4 was Druckmann putting right all the negatives the writer has listed. Neil and his colleague Bruce and their team were obviously making the game using all of the experience they have amassed to date and having learnt from mistakes and missteps over the last few years. No deal with the devil necessary - just some talented and dedicated individuals who love making games for the rest of us. This is Naughty Dog.

[senorfartcushion]

Sigh

One man is NOT Naughty Dog. They are a team.

Plus, Druckman co-directs everything he does. Shall i acknowledge Bruce Straley?

[opinionated]

Bruce and Amy were a better team.

[Dark_Knightmare2]

Hard to say Bruce and Amy only Co directed uc 2 together which is a masterpiece but Bruce and Neil did tlou and uc 4 two masterpieces and in the case of uc 4 the best uc game out of the series. So going by that the nod would have to go to Bruce and Neil but like i said it's too hard because there wasn't a big body of work for either really

[deafdani]

Yes, and he didn't even direct Uncharted 2. That was still Amy, along with Straley.

In my opinion, people are giving Druckmann way too much credit, while ignoring the other people in the team that played just as big a part in those games, if not bigger. Sigh.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

But he directed TLOU and U4 so?
Amy just got an award from BAFTA

Everyone gets it bit of fame. This is just one article witb an exagerated headline

Jeezz

[Underworld]

I love The Last of Us and Uncharted and Naughty Dog are excellent developers, but when I heard Sarkeesian's work has affected them, I was disappointed and it gives me some concern for their future titles. I think you can see some of that and I hope they don't go SJW.

[TwoForce]

Dude, there are a lot of developer affected by this.

[rainslacker]

I see more realistic character development, and showing that all these feminist talking points can be presented as normal by not making that big of a deal out of the people that represent them in their games.

I'd much prefer that over some shoehorned political statement being shallowly wedged into a game, or characters made into something just for the sake of it, with no character development to back it up.

IMO, ND approach to normalcy is probably the most subtle of any other developer that has decided to shoehorn something into their game, and much better than those that make games for the sole purpose of making political statements. ND focuses on the characters, with all the SJW stuff just being what they are as part of a greater whole, but I have yet to see them make it into who those characters are as a major character trait. For all intents and purposes, outside of what's required for game play mechanics and narrative devices, ND characters are pretty normal, and react to most things as a normal person would. To me, that's how characters should be approached, and not have focus be put on the inconsequential.

[gaffyh]

Really well written and entertaining read.

[thornh]

Naughty Dog and From are my favorite studios right now. Sony Santa Monica was always up there too. I hope they show us something this year at E3.

[AnubisG]

Well he did, and the demons name is Anita Sarkeesian.

[trywizardo]

you know nothing john snow...

[PistolsAtDawn]

No, he just knows how to make great games like lots of other developers, and he knows how to hire great writers for games that rely on narrative. Saying "Neil did it" is disingenuous. They are both great games, but a deal with the devil was struck, he would have done it all by himself and the gameplay for UC4 and TLoU would have been better.

[MagicBeanz]

He's just good at what he does, and their next game will be another masterpiece because of it.

[Jburr94]

Solid article, this is the type of articles that should be on the site. Not stuff for click bait.

[zcmilano]

It was a good article, but ironically the title is pretty misleading, which is the definition of click bait.

The title is the only reason this has fired up, not the quality of the writing.

[Jburr94]

True

[opinionated]

"Neil Druckmann’s Left Behind was adjudged to have been the best written of all games released in 2014."

😂 I don't know if the shameless knob riding is worse in that article or the comment section. The article is definitely at home here on n4g though. The blind loyalty of these fanboys could only be explained by the supernatural. It would explain myself as well, I instinctually reject evil.

Lol@bruce calling sarkeesian the devil. I believe.

[esmittystud101]

For the love of god we all know how Ellie's story endes..........American TV makes sure we get "Ellie's story" on every tv show every movie now. Its rediculous. Even my sister that is gay says that they are just trying way too hard now. Please. We know she is gay and what she is going to go through. Just stop. Its like a broken record now.

[GamePeace]

I respect what they do even though I am not a fan of their approach. You can disagree with me or hate me, but I think they're a little bit overhyped by the press and the fanboys/girls. Their games focus too much on hollywood-like narrative and presentation in my eyes. I wish more game developers of today would focus more on innovative gameplay-mechanics and a robust overall system, to keep the players coming back, expanding on longevity along with an inspiring and original design. Another thing I wish for is that those videogame journalists would be a little bit more scentific and objective whenever they decide to write something about someone or something. This fairy tale trash with the jesus and the devil is a little bit embarrasing and pathetic at the same time.

[deafdani]

Why are people lauding Neil Druckmann so much?

Uncharted 2 was directed by Amy Hennig and Bruce Straley. It was written by Druckmann, along with Josh Scherr and Hennig herself.

The Last of Us was written by Druckmann, yes, but it was directed by Straley and Druckmann.

And Uncharted 4 was directed by Straley and Druckmann, and written by Druckmann and Scherr.

So, I don't understand why people apparently recognize only Druckmann's work, while ignoring the other guys, that did as much on those games, or even more. Is it because "Druckmann" sounds cooler?

[GamePeace]

Maybe he has the 'looks', haha. Nice style with the beard.

[danny818]

it has to do with TLOU being such an amzing game and having critical acclaim. Thats all. And these basement journalist ran with it to make articles for the fans and sony fans

[GamePeace]

Do you work for Sony or why do you write the stuff you write?

Which department? PR ...?

[danny818]

just using logic.

[deafdani]

Yeah, but again... Bruce Straley also directed TLOU (and U4 for that matter). Yet almost all you see is people saying Neil Druckmann this, Neil Druckmann that.

[Livecustoms]

Very good article imo.

[iTechHeads]

TLOU2 or New IP. Doesn't matter, it will be good regardless.

[DragonDDark]

https://twitter.com/Neil_Dr...

[opinionated]

😂 even he is embarrassed by yalls pube swinging..

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

"@Neil_Druckmann That's when you know you're at the top Neil. The lesser tries to bring you down to their level."

Nice tweet!

[opinionated]

@Xi
Too bad that tweet was aimed at an article basically worshipping him lol. Your dick riding is not humbling, he is laughing at you.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

And it was directed to you moron, someone who always uses those immature terms to refer to people and says that hates Druckmann for whatever reason.

The mods have been nonexistent after this website's change

[opinionated]

@xi
The guy who made that tweet was talking about the article he obviously didn't read. Druckman was laughing at him and the people like him (you). You're embarrassing.

I don't hate Druckman at all. I have never said that, it's not personal. I just don't like the last of us or what he did to uncharted. I don't hate you either Xi, I just like teaching you the truth.

[KingofGambling]

I like the analogy with a blue musician there. Fun fact, it was Son House who started that myth that Robert Johnson sold his soul because of how he was surprised that in a short period of time that Johnson can played that well. Anyway looking forward to what Naughty Dog's are up to.

[life28]

I have one complain about this article. Uncharted, or The Last of Us is NOT Druckmann's game. It´s game made by awesome artists, actors, designers, engine programmers etc. Druckmann is no more developer, but manager. Yes, team needs good manager, but he is only face of the studio and studio is made by hundreds of people. The Last of Us and Uncharted is so good because Naughty Dog. Not Druckmann.

[ruefrak]

I'm probably the one person who did not like Last of Us: Left Behind. Some people argue that they wanted it without any shooting, but the parts where you shoot were the only interesting ones. Slowly walking around an old mall is not interesting to me. The fun in video games is in being challenged and interacting with the content on the screen. None of that happens during those moments in Left Behind. By the time it was over, I was extremely let down and slightly pissed that I bought it.

[ZombieGamerMan]

So are they referring to him selling his soul to the devil to create amazing games? or was it about that story about them kicking that guy a few weeks ago?

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Jeff Gertsmann said the story of UC4 reminded him of the story from the sequel of 'National Treasure' starring Nicholas Cage , which i believe did not win any awards .

[little-witch]

I wonder if Neil reads this headline and scratches his head...

[danny818]

it has to do more with TLOU being an overwhelming success. Being written by him.

[GamePeace]

@danny818

Your logic. Not mine, fortunately.

[DJ]

No, he did what all great people do. He studied hard, put that knowledge to work, and got things done.

[fluxmulder]

I miss Amy Hennig. So sick of this guy's SJW stories and characters.

[GamePeace]

Just because you don't like his games doesn't mean you have to dislike him personally. I'll definately support them if their next game will suit my tastes a little bit more than their previous games, although I don't think it really will ...