PresentationIn 2009, Sucker Punch (creators of Sly: Thievious Raccoonus) had released the Sandbox/Action/Adventure game named Infamous (spelled inFamous, but do I give?), which was a smash hit first hand. Overall, I have to say, it was and still is impressive on all accounts of the most important content that SHOULD be in a video game (Replayability, Story, and Gameplay).
StoryI might as well start with the story now so I might not confuse you with the gameplay. And there may be some spoilers, so you have been warned.
Okay so, the overall story begins with our hero, Cole McGrath, your average bike courier and parkour enthusiast. One day he was called in to carry out a somewhat mysterious package to a somewhat mysterious place and Cole, being the respectful courier that he is, accepts.....but then a "curiosity killed the cat" moment occurs when he opens the package and a huge explosion takes a huge toll on Empire City (Don't you just love it when Cole is so stupid?) Well, he gets stupider later, so watch out). Empire City then gets the quarantine treatment, which pits the residents against each other, struggling for food, shelter, blah blah blah. however, the gangs of Empire City are also stuck in there, three of which are the Reapers, Dust Men, and the First Sons. Meanwhile, Cole , who miraculously survived the blast, has received amazing electrical powers, which he then begins to learn to use over time, with the help of his friend, Zeke Dunbar. Cole is also conflicted with certain struggles and morality issues, deciding between using his powers for good, or pure evil. That's all I'm going to tell you, so hush!
But overall, the story of inFamous is decent enough, creating a basic superhero story with a unique way of building up on your own in terms of choice.
Gameplay Gameplay is just somewhat reminiscent of a third person shooter and free roam aspect. There are also two different forms of missions. There are Story Missions which, of course, progress through the story, then there are Side Missions, which increase or decrease the Karma Meter. Now here is where I stop in order to explain the Karma Meter. This is where the game gets REALLY interesting. The whole point of inFamous is choices. Choices are everything and help with character development and how powerful you become. You can either become ultimately good or devilishly evil. Both have different upgrades regarding almost every power you acquire. Oh and also there are certain actions you may be able to pull off in order to increase or decrease the meter. This may range from beating up goons down towards even helping those lowdown thugs. Now back towards the Side Missions. The Side Missions are gradually unlocked through story progression. There are many types dealing with each of the three gangs, but they get harder the more you complete them, depending on your skill.
Health is also an important part of the game and is justified throughout the story. As said in the game, Cole is a walking battery. He constantly needs to become charged throughout the game and must find any source of electricity he can or he becomes left with melee combat until he finds a source. This is a great way in order to test your quick wit and scavenging ability.
Overall, the gameplay is smooth, but some controls may be out of your control, but this is only minor and unnoticeable.
GraphicsUpon first sight of what the game has to offer (Mind you, this was made in 2009), the graphics might not be so acceptable towards first-timers. The character models may seem slightly off abut the city is a prime example of becoming true to an actual apocalyptic crisis. All in all, the graphics may look either nice or very unbearable, depending on how much you have been playing PS2 games.
SoundThe soundtrack for this game is simply amazing. When going through certain environments, the tension of the music may increase or lower due to how the action holds up in the situation at hand. The sound effects are loud as well, the environment unfolding everywhere around you. Explosions in battle, static sounds from lightning bolts, and my personal favorite, the gruesome garbling of the Reapers as they attack and search for you restlessly. The voice acting is top notch as well, giving a comforting feeling and and shows actual emotion as the story progresses when making the different choices given.
Lasting AppealThis game pits you against many things you may be able to collect, including Blast Shards for example. You might be tempted to try and collect them all in one sitting, but this is somewhat impossible unless you're a great tracker. And if you might be a trophy whore, you'll be spending about 3 full games getting these, one game progressed through Hard mode. I am currently 70% through in terms of trophies, but you might need to take some breaks on this game before going insane with completing everything. But if you are up for at least a couple of months of hard work I wish you good luck and godspeed.
(PROS)
- Very well presented, with a lively environment and a story that will keep you on your toes all the way through.
- Gameplay is very rich and smooth, and gives great innovation in terms of what you are doing in the story.
- The karma system works great with how you want to play.
- Great lasting appeal depending on how long you spend in each session.
(CONS)
- Somewhat mediocre graphics (I like them!) but it depends on how you prefer your games.
- Glitches that can be a nuisance if they linger on for too long.
Presentation: 8/10
Graphics: 7.5/10
Sound: 9/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Lasting Appeal: 8/10
Overall: 41.5/50
(Hope this was good for my first review and if you guys liked it, I'll cook up another one!
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