In depth review for inFamous.
Yet, while the explosion tore through the city with devastating force, bicycle messenger Cole MacGrath feels electricity surging through his body, allowing bolts of lightning to erupt out his hands and for feats of superhuman strength to be possible. Cole fires out electricity in bursts and orbs, sprinkles the surrounding area with erratic sparks and crashes to the ground with an earth-shaking pulse, all while throbbing with his new effervescent blood. But while his powers are unpredictable and extraordinary, his urban-gymnastics are reserved and authentic. He scrambles up pipes and poles and leaps from sill to crevice with a satisfying stickiness, each movement deliberate and conscious. His gymnasium is the city, a sandbox world that unlocks as the story progresses and resurges with electricity as Cole enters the sewers to recharge the city's hearts. While the city's power is off, Cole's abilities are rendered near useless so a stealthy scamper across the rooftops gives an exhilarating view of the riots below. However, despite housing three suburbs, Empire City is painted with the same brush and decorated with the same stamps; outside of a few unique landmarks, each island struggles to have a distinctive identity. inFamous works best when its two game mechanics, parkour and combat, complement and balance each other. You cling to a street lamp only to exert a shockwave that ricochets an incoming grenade. You grind across the power lines that drape between buildings, firing electrical blasts and narrowly leaping over a rocket. Alone, the mechanics are solid. Together, they are breathtaking. Later missions embrace the city's verticality as colossal structures are scaled and aircraft circle the city, while enemies gather in groups and flank and flush you out with grenades, so complete command of your many powers is indispensable.
Graphics are really top notch in inFamous, and make the game worth playing! As you work through the game's tasks, both side missions and storyline advancing tasks, Cole makes a mark on the world. Pirate TV broadcasts name check him, posters displaying his powers flood the city and bystanders will either take photos and cheer, or yell names and throw rocks. The game employs the karma and notoriety systems of games like Fallout and Fable, managing to give thorny moral dichotomies and a true agency in the world, despite its otherwise shallow exterior. inFamous' storyline is certainly motivating; twists and reveals keep you playing and a sprinkling of audio-diaries (characterised as sky-high dead drops) add further intrigue. Ultimately the final reveal is an underwhelming plot twist, right before the credits roll – too late to be taken seriously. Luckily, Sucker Punch's comic book obsession lends itself to great set pieces and zany characters that overshadow the confusing plot.
Its mechanics, both combat and exploration, are refined to perfection and combine with ease. Its city is the perfect playground and its characters are true comic heroes and villains. Rampaging through Empire City, lighting up the streets with your heroic power or your vengeful might, inFamous might just be the best comic book game to not have a comic book. Overall, this is a great game to have in your collection, and is worth a buy!
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Graphics: 5/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Sound: 5/5
Enemie AI: 4/5
Replay Value: 5/5