Infamous: PS3 review
The Presentation:
Game designer Sucker Punch is no newcomer when it comes to developing quality games. On the playstation 2 it brought us the fantastic Sly Cooper series, and for it’s first outing on a next gen system it brings us the fantastic InFAMOUS. You play as Cole, an average delivery man who, while out delievering a package, is in the center of an explosion that wipes out nearly all of empire city. While those around you died, you wind up with super powers.
Now the fun begins. As an electrically charged super hero, your mission is to find out why the explosion happened and how you got these powers. The game has a very distinct graphic novel feel, with all the cutscenes playing out as panels from a comic book.
The meat and potatoes of any free-roam game is the missions. The main campaign is short on its own, running a good ten or so hours, but the side missions increase that number drastically. Add in looking for blast shards and you have a good 20+hour game. Also of note, the side missions never get to repetitive, and neither do your powers. As you progress you unlock new powers to use against the enemies on the games three distinct islands. As you defeat enemies, help citizens and complete missions you earn XP. The XP you earn is used to upgrade your powers and become stronger.
And that brings me to the karma system. Throughout the game you have choices that allow you to be either good or bad. Being Good gives you light blue electricity and it alters the way your tale unfolds. Being bad gives you blood red lightning and changes the way the city reacts to you.
9/10
The Graphics:
InFamous looks incredible. The city is expansive, the lightning effects are amazing and the draw distance is phenomenal. Cole as a character is one of the best models I have seen. His movements are smooth and the detail in him is excellent. But a few graphical hiccups drop the grade down a bit. Pop-in is not prevalent but it is there, and the in-game cut-scenes can look a bit odd. Glitches occur as well. I sometimes would find myself falling through the ground to my death.
9/10
The Sound:
Presented with a lossless 7.1 surround mix, Infamous is a treat for the ears. Bass can get bombastic, and your rear channels will get a workout. The voice acting is generally excellent with the only knock being some of the pedestrians. Gun shots sound realistic, and your electric powers have quite the Umph. And not to mention the amazing musical score for the game.
9.5/10
Gameplay:
The gameplay for InFAMOUS feels great. It controls just how it should. To fire a normal blast of lightning, Hold L1 then tap R1. Each of your powers is mapped to a different button, and they are fast and simple to use.
9.5/10
Replay Value
For a game of its type, InFAMOUS has excellent re-playability. There are two very different campaigns depending on how you play, and after the game is over, there are tons of things scattered around the city to find
8/10
Overall:
InFAMOUS is one heck of a game. One that should not be missed. It’s a surefire contender for game of the year. Be sure to pick it up ASAP.
9/10
