9 Developers That KNEW You'd Break Their Game

7. Naughty Dog - Ludonarrative Dissonance (Uncharted 4)

uncharted 4 ludonarrative dissonance
Naughty Dog

For the longest time, there's been criticism of Nathan Drake's... approach, let's say, to wanton bloodshed, and the pile of bodies he leaves in his wake.

Though personally I just liken his antics to something like the A-Team or literally any action hero whose authors don't acknowledge the horrors of killing en masse, many players and critics say the fact Nate remains thoroughly chirpy throughout breaks the experience.

By the time Uncharted 4 came around and Nate's story was presented more grounded than ever, Naughty Dog chose to steer directly into this criticism, creating a trophy called "Ludonarrative Dissonance", that triggers for everyone over the course of the game.

Tied to killing 1000 enemies - something you'll likely have done before the halfway mark - this term was created by veteran developer Clint Hocking, and references the specific thematic disconnect between how someone is presented in cutscenes, versus that of gameplay.

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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.