There's no denying that the PS3 had a tough start. With only a few First Party games like Warhawk and Motorstorm, its triple-a lineup was pretty dismal. However, the PS3 has begun to pick up steam with games such as MGS4, Uncharted, and Ratchet and Clank. Now it has yet another game to add to its triple-a lineup: inFamous. Developed by Sucker Punch, the same developer which brought us the awesome Sly Cooper franchise, inFamous is Sucker Punch's take on the epic story of a modern day super hero. The game puts you in control of an everyday man named Cole McGrath. Once an ordinary bike messenger/urban explorer, Cole's life changes in a heartbeat when a package he's carrying explodes, annihilating everything and everyone within a half-mile radius... everyone that is except Cole himself. Nearly dying because of the blast, Cole is nursed back to health thanks to his girlfriend doctor Trish, and wisecracking conspiracy theorist best friend Zeke. As he slowly regains his strength, Cole makes a startling discovery. Somehow the explosion granted him the ability to store and control electricity, essentially making him a super human living in a post-apocalyptic city filled with disease, famine, and violence. I call Cole a super human, not a super hero, because you as the player get to decide if Cole becomes a compassionate defender of the innocent or a selfish oppressor of those weaker than himself. Sucker Punch does a superb job in giving you complete freedom to explore the destroyed Empire City and making the tough moral choices Cole encounters as he struggles to control his evolving powers while searching for answers as to why he alone survived the blast and what caused it.
This freedom of exploration is represented by Cole’s amazing urban exploration skills which allows him to grab and climb any pole, building ledge, tree, etc. he sees. This amazing feature works marvelously, allowing the player to easily guide Cole throughout the city and traverse obstacles, and just looks awesome. Freedom also extends to the moral choices you make as you encounter these “karma moments” throughout the city. Do you graciously share the food drops with the starving citizens, or do you drive them off with your powers and hoard the food for yourself? The choices you make, whether good or evil, have a deep impact on how Cole’s friends and the citizens of Empire City think of him and how the city evolves based on your actions. In addition, the “karma” you receive affects what super powers are available for you to purchase. As Cole’s powers evolve, you can choose how you spend the experience points you receive for completing missions and side quests throughout the city. Each power has a good or evil side that can be leveled up, and each offer unique abilities depending on if you are good or evil. You can utilize Cole’s powers at any time (as long as you are fully charged) by holding the L1 button and pressing R1 for regular lightning zaps or the face buttons for special, energy draining powers like grenades and “Force Pushes”.
As far as story wise, inFamous delivers. With countless plot twists and turns, the story is a conspiracy filled thriller that will have you guessing until the credits roll. Cole, his friends, and even Empire City itself are all well developed characters, and easily convey the sense of fear and hopelessness of those caught in a post-apocalyptic world with no one to help them. And you as the player can help them… or oppress them. As a hero Cole stands up for the citizens and defends them from the vicious gangs which have overrun the city. Or as a villain, Cole seeks only his own interests and cares nothing about the welfare of others. Which will you choose?
inFamous is a thrilling and thought provoking game. Filled with very human and relatable characters and deep moral questions, inFamous deeply explores the themes of responsibility and power and how one individual, granted with an unimaginable gift, can use or abuse this authority. Sucker Punch has crafted another brilliant game and I can’t wait to find out what they have in store for this amazing new franchise.
10/10