Continuing the saga of Cole MacGrath, Sucker Punch Production recently dished out the new inFamous title. Following the affirmative response received by the original game, enthusiasm surrounding the new chapter has been on an all time high. After being under development for over a year, the second installment is finally here and telling us more about MacGrath’s course to defeating the prophesized Beast. So, we’ve donned the garb of the Electric Man to enjoy powers that seem so unreal to our mundane lives. And here’s how it feels to beat down baddies, elicit energy out of power vaults and meet a dreaded nightmare as we put together this inFamous 2 review.
The inFamous 2 game starts off with a flashback, giving a quick recap of how MacGrath attained his current status as the Electric Man or, infamously, the demon. So, what is Cole up to in this title? Well, Empire City has crumbled to ruins and the combat zone has shifted to a place called New Marais. Zeke is back to lend a helping hand and there’s also someone called Lucy Kuo. Other significant characters which appear in and out of the frame include Joseph Bertrand III, Nix and hordes of mutated beings. All these characters play their parts just right but Cole takes away the cake with his ways and we loved being this hesitant protagonist as the ambush unfolds piece by piece through several missions.
He’s not really a reluctant superhero as several manifestos describe him to be. Rather, Cole’s just an ordinary guy bestowed with extraordinary powers and tasked to annihilate something so obnoxious that making choices is not an alternative in itself. And when you step into this position, the intricacy of balancing sheer nature of power and the need to perform good deeds comes through in a valiant way. The ensuing result, that is, the feeling of being dominant, drives the fate of Cole as you select to either smack those who loathe him or turn them into fans. The decisions which you make through the title not only define Karma but also extend an opportunity to explore your darker (or even brighter) side. Besides, these choices build up the ground for multiple endings, enhancing the replay value of the title.
What really makes this battle an interesting cause to fight for is its gameplay and gripping narrative. The plot has been designed to further describe Cole’s path for a final showdown against the Beast. On the way, it presents a leeway for numerous side missions, heroic and wicked acts as well as dramatic means to traverse. We glided across the city sky with our arms powered by electric flares while ropes dangling from a rooftop to another and grind wires made for a convenient mode of transportation. This particular in-game structure bears a striking resemblance with Sucker Punch Production’s Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves where Cooper, not so infamously, moves in a similar fashion.
While Cole jumps, grinds and flies over New Marais, taking up side missions and amplifying his powers, several opponents crop up to exterminate him. These include members of the Militia controlled by Bertrand and mutated beings referred to as the Corrupted. Facilitating players to derive the most from this experience, the title presents innovative introductions like the Amp and unlockable items such as Iconic Vortex and Iconic Freeze amongst others. As we faced the Militia, Ravagers, Swamp Monsters and others, the expansive arsenal of attacks paved way for thrilling combats, quenching our thirst for dynamic third person action.
The abundance of fighting moves on the roster implies that each can be used as per differing situation. It is easy to tackle some enemies with a simple whack of the Amp whereas crushing others necessitates a chain of bolts. The melee combat is perceived exceptionally well and so has been the ability to shoot bolts, unleash innovative assaults and launch grenades. However, what kept us glued to the theatre of war was the looming advent of the Beast which we were informed about through a timely reminder.
It’s not like inFamous 2 is all impeccable without a single flaw. Some problems still persist to stop it from being epic. The camera tends to change view at a rapid pace and projects images from inappropriate and even difficult angles. Consequently, we found ourselves in a soup as we tried taking down large factions of the Militia. We were also caught in tight spots while sticking to being either plain good or evil. Well, although the Karma system prevails strongly in this chapter, there are flaws in the way it has been shaped. We could easily hit civilians and yet get away with some positive karma while playing ‘good opportunities’ or perform a kind task but deserve little respect through an evil mission.
Sony’s LittleBigPlanet appears to have whipped up a far more illustrious storm than what meets the eye. With this title, the publisher tries to pull off the same UGC functionality as Sucker Punch attempts to transform gamers into creators. The included user generated content functionality is quite straightforward and it’s easy to learn tricks of this trade. For starters, players can see how this works by visiting integrated mission templates or get their wits together for creating all new missions on their own. Unlike LBP where enthusiasts craft everything from the ground up, the landscape here is already constructed. New Marais remains the backdrop for all user generated missions and there’s a methodic pattern that guides the rest of the UGC architecture.
Coming to the visual imagery and sounds, the inFamous 2 game’s revamped graphics and superior color reproduction set it apart from the previous one. Not that the initial installment was any bad but this one turned out to be better than we’d believed. The open world setting is well crafted and rolls out an extensive landscape to explore. The destructive environments and bustling city life are some more plus points which outweigh issues generated by complicated camera angles. Another aspect which distinguishes it from the original title is the voice of MacGrath. Replacing Jason Cottle, Eric Laden is the voice behind the superhero or super villain, as you may like it. Further, the top-notch acting for all other in-game characters adds zing into gameplay. Chipping together all these elements and the entire story are the crisply designed cut-scenes and the overall direction.
Final Word: inFamous 2 serves for engrossing gaming sessions on the PS3, surpassing several benchmarks set by the previous title in the franchise. The developer has managed to retain the fundamental essence of the story even as it introduces varied new features. Numerous factors work in the favor of the game whereas some don’t. Nevertheless, the title delivers superior gratification even as few tweaks in areas of camera angles and visuals could have further fortified its position in this genre.
Graphics: 8/10.
Sounds: 8.5/10.
Environments: 9/10.
Gameplay: 9/10.
Replay Value: 9.5/10.
Overall (not an average): 9/10.