Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Love & Loyalty: The Best Mothers in Literature
    • REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford
    • Podcasts Prevail During Lockdown
    • 10 Ways to Improve Your Revision
    • REVIEW: Beauty Subscription Boxes
    • Managing Your Mental Health in Lockdown
    • How 3D printing can revolutionise medicine
    • A perfect escape: Amalfi Coast
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      A guide to the recent Dutch elections

      April 8, 2021

      FCA warning : Young Investors at Risk

      April 5, 2021

      What?! Bangor University burned down two weeks ago?!

      April 1, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Love & Loyalty: The Best Mothers in Literature

      April 17, 2021

      REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford

      April 17, 2021

      Podcasts Prevail During Lockdown

      April 17, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      10 Ways to Improve Your Revision

      April 16, 2021

      REVIEW: Beauty Subscription Boxes

      April 16, 2021

      Managing Your Mental Health in Lockdown

      April 16, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      How 3D printing can revolutionise medicine

      April 15, 2021

      #DanceYourPhD- Scientists explain their thesis through interpretive dance

      April 8, 2021

      A guide to the recent Dutch elections

      April 8, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      March 23, 2021

      Marcus Rashford named on The Times Next 100 List

      March 4, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Entertainment»Amy Hennig: Gaming’s Finest
    Entertainment

    Amy Hennig: Gaming’s Finest

    LJ TaylorBy LJ TaylorMarch 23, 2014No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    amyWhen it first surfaced that Amy Hennig had left Naughty Dog, earlier this month, I couldn’t quite believe it. My favourite writer, of my favourite game leaving my favourite games company. It was upsetting news, certainly with Uncharted 4 on the horizon; what was to be the future of Nathan Drake?

    And then came the rumours that Amy had been forced out by fellow Naughty Dog directors, and duo behind the Last of Us, Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann. Naughty Dog has of course denied the rumours with co-Presidents, Evan Wells and Christoph Balestra, releasing a statement which wishes Amy luck with the future and which defends Straley and Druckmann. This is all fine and at the end of the day you wouldn’t expect Naughty Dog to say “Yes, they forced her out”, but the lack of reason for her departure does leave you questioning. However, whatever has happened has happened and the most important thing really is that Naughty Dog continue to make the very best games as they always have and that Amy gets the recognition she deserves for her work over the last decade.

    After graduating from the University of California, Berkley with a degree in English Literature, Hennig went on to film school. However, she soon dropped out and joined the gaming industry as a freelance artist working on an unreleased game for the Atari 7800 – quite the unexpected career path.

    She spent her first decade in the industry mostly working as an artist or animator and landed the lead designer role at EA for Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City. Amy slowly started to build up her reputation within the fast-growing sector and started to take on producer and director responsibilities at Crystal Dynamics. It was here where she worked on the popular Legacy of  Kain series; the franchise with which her game writing career begun.

    In 2004 she joined Naughty Dog as a creative director, pulling together all of the skills she had developed over the years ready to lead a team in gamemaking. Amy was a part of the team that worked on the popular Jak and Daxter series before penning what has become one of the Playstation’s biggest franchises; Uncharted.

    The three Uncharted games are perhaps Hennig’s best and most notable work to date and have received praise from not only the video game industry but the wider entertainment world. The game’s second instalment, Uncharted: Among Thieves, not only earnt Naughty Dog awards from across the world but Amy picked up two Writer’s Guild Awards for her work on the game.

    In an industry dominated by men, Amy has been cited multiple times for being an influential woman within the gaming world and was named in Edge Magazine’s Top 100 Influential Women in Gaming list.

    Perhaps the most loved aspect of her writing style is how she really puts the emphasis on the game’s story. Uncharted has been likened to being a ‘playable film’ on multiple occasions for not only its stunning graphics but it’s dramatic, well-padded, narrative. She has criticised other games for focusing too much on the graphics and believes that the way for video games to improve is for writers to focus on their creative expression.

    Her narrative-driven style of work is something I have come to admire the most about Amy. The high calibre writing in her Uncharted franchise rivals, and often surpasses, that of major Hollywood blockbusters. Games have started to follow suit (The Last of Us in particular) and I really believe that the best is yet to come from Amy and her writing talents!

    Her departure from Naughty Dog looks likely to leave Straley and Druckmann to take over the upcoming Uncharted 4 development and whether they can live up to her is yet to be seen. Amy’s future in the video game industry, on the other hand, is something that I definitely cannot wait to see.

    amy hennig games last of us Legacy of Kain naughty dog Uncharted WGA
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    LJ Taylor

    Senior Editor

    Related Posts

    REVIEW: Donut County – A Hole Lot of Fun

    February 28, 2021

    Games to look out for in 2021

    February 7, 2021

    REVIEW: A Short Hike – A Relaxing Getaway

    December 27, 2020

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Related/Similar Articles
    • Pancake Perfection: The UK’s Favourite Toppings Revealed
      Pancake Perfection: The UK’s Favourite Toppings Revealed
      February 16, 2021
    • DIY Wetherspoons
      DIY Wetherspoons
      February 24, 2021
    • Games to look out for in 2021
      Games to look out for in 2021
      February 7, 2021
    • REVIEW: Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Shedloads of…
      REVIEW: Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Shedloads of Story and Strategy
      November 29, 2020
    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.