inFAMOUS Review (PS3)

The Good, The Bad & The Awesome.

If you woke up with superpowers, how would you live your life? Would you selflessly help others or use your new abilities for selfish gain? Better yet, would you choose to be famous or infamous?

These decisions are just the tip of the iceberg in Sucker Punch Productions’ sandbox style, super powered title inFAMOUS. As Cole, you will traverse the highs and lows of the expansive Empire City, using your skills for good or evil. The choice is very literally up to you.

But what’s a super hero/villain without a backstory? Cole was a simple courier charged with delivering a mysterious package. Cole is instructed to open the package only to discover a powerful device we come to know as the ray sphere. The ray sphere causes an explosion which destroys six city blocks, killing thousands, and forces the government to place Empire City under quarantine. No one gets in, and no one gets out.

Two weeks later Cole wakes up in a hospital with superpowers and a serious case of buyer’s remorse. His girlfriend Trish blames him for the death of her sister, his best friend Zeke is envious of his newfound gift, and certifiably insane gang members have overrun the city.

Thus begins your quest. You can freely roam Empire City saving or destroying the populous at your leisure, or do the same from a mission-based standpoint. Either way, enough good acts will grant you access to higher ranks like hero and the opposite will help you become “infamous.”

While Cole can learn a vast number of skills regardless of his karmic state, the big gun powers apply to your choice of a noble or vile career path. Having good karma will give you access to skills that are healing focused and destroying the city will hook you up with powers that, well… help you destroy it faster.

The karmic system delves deeper than the gameplay alone. Choosing to keep air dropped food for yourself versus sharing with the citizens will not only cause people to despise you, but your beloved Trish will revile you even more as well. You can make Cole into any type of super powered persona you choose, and the world around you will reflect it.

Equally, if not more fun, than the combat is traversing the city itself. Cole was an avid free runner before the blast, and his parkour skills make climbing tall buildings a cinch. If any object in the environment has an edge or outcropping that Cole can reach, you can climb it. The entire city is a playground and just about no areas you can imagine are off limits which makes for some serious fun.

Eventually powers incorporate into your free running as well. Before you know it, you’ll be running (or charging into) a horde of enemies by climbing a building, grinding a power line, jumping, then hovering into their midst with a final electric ground slam for good taste. The opportunities available between combat and the environment are limited solely by your creativity.

By completing missions you can restore power to the city, which in turn allows you to charge up your powers. Cole can recharge by drawing electricity from any environmental object (or person) with a current. Certain areas that are throbbing with juice allow you to go gung ho into fights, while sections experiencing a black out will require more stealthy approaches.

And missions are aplenty. Sucker Punch has done a stellar job of keeping things diverse by offering sneaking, brawling, sleuthing, and rescue missions. AND a ton of others as well. Part of inFAMOUS’ incredible appeal is its freedom to explore at your leisure or access one of over a hundred missions. There’s always something to do and it’s always fun.

Major story sequences are told through loosely animated, but exceptionally well drawn stills. This moving graphic novel approach really hooks you into the comic book super power vibe, and adds some real gravity to the characters. The only downside to this presentation is exposition scenes that use the in-game models. While the in-game look is great for exploring and pummeling foes, it’s not so hot at having people pantomime a conversation.

inFAMOUS also feature a plethora of collectible items guaranteed to make sure you scrounge every nook and cranny of Empire City, and have a blast doing it. Blast Shards increase you power meter and Dead Drops (encrypted audio messages) elaborate on the story. The best part is that both are easily viewable on your radar. While this may seem like an easy gimme, knowing where a blast shard is and “getting” to it are two different monsters.

The Time:
One hundred percenting the Hero and Infamous ranks took me a solid 30 hours and I enjoyed every second of it. If you’re looking for a quick stroll through Empire City its ready and waiting, and if you’re wanting a gaming marathon look no further.
(8.0/10)

The Game:
Solid controls, an engaging story, and over the top abuse of powers are all here. For a brand new IP, Sucker Punch has managed to create a pristine PS3 title and the best superhero game since Spider-Man 2.
(9.0/10)

The Verdict:
With great power comes great responsibility and the power to destroy almost anything in your path calls for some serious decision-making. Regardless of the path you choose, inFAMOUS will continue to tickle your comic book fancy well after the credits have rolled.