inFamous

 Review:   InFamous (PS3)

By Shift_andrew

Introduction:
I’ll admit it, the only reason I went out and bought InFamous was because I wanted to get into the Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta.   Well…that and there seems to be nothing else coming out this summer.  But mostly because I wanted to play Uncharted 2.   So, I was going into InFamous with nearly no information on what it was, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised.   Read on to find out why.

Presentation:
The setting in which the game takes place is very interesting.   The city seems to get a lot of its architectural inspiration from New York, though there are elements of Chicago present as well, such as the ever-present elevated train (more on it later).   This all works out pretty well, and contributes to the overall comic book feel of the setting.   There’s no day and night cycle, but instead the time of day will cycle as the story progresses (think Half-Life 2).   The interface is clean and non-intrusive, while the pause menu is simple to navigate (which is good because you’ll be using it quite a bit).   Character animations for Cole are amazing and make even the shortest trip around the city easy on the eyes.   The comic book style cutscenes are good, and thankfully not over used.

Graphics:
While I generally try to favor gameplay and content over graphics, I must say that I was a little disappointed in InFamous’ technical visuals.   For a PS3 exclusive, it seems like the game could have been a lot better looking. The draw distance is very nice but much of the scenery beyond your immediate field of vision is rather blurry, and sometimes the blur extends into your immediate field of vision.   I suppose this was done to keep the game engine from getting bogged down, but it just seems a little excessive from time to time.   When I first started playing, pop in was fairly prominent but it either died down as I got further in, or I stopped noticing.   Jagged edges are fairly common and in-game character models (besides Cole) are rather rough.   One nice thing is the special effects of all of Cole’s powers.   Whether it be explosions or lightning storms called down from the sky into tons of enemies, they all look great and without a framerate drop to be seen.

Sound:
InFamous has solid voice acting, though nobody is going to be winning any awards for it.   It’s sufficient, that’s all—though Cole’s buddy, Zeke, is incredibly annoying.   Cole himself sounds like the lovechild of Solid Snake and Clint Eastwood, but it’s nothing that’s going to make you want to turn the game off.   The soundtrack is nice, kicking in at just the right exciting moments, but there isn’t anything too memorable.

Gameplay:
I never played the Sly Cooper series but even in my inexperienced hands, InFamous controls extremely well.   The controls are simple and the lock-on nature of the platform make it very fluid and free flowing.   Combine these controls with the excellent animations I mentioned earlier and you have a game that’s very fun to run around in.   As you may have heard, Cole can’t get into cars.   Therefore, you generally make your way around by leaping across buildings or grinding on elevated train rails.   The city is big but with these elements in place, travel is quick and effortless, despite the lack of vehicles at your disposal.   Cole’s powers are fun to use, especially the ones that are exceptionally destructive.   The only problem with using his most devastating abilities is that civilians are likely to get caught in the crossfire, which brings us to the game’s karma system.

I love to review games that have good/evil karma systems.   After Fallout 3 fell flat on its face in that respect, I have been itching for someone to do it right (and Mass Effect 2 won’t be around until the fall).   So how well did InFamous pull it off?   Quite well, actually.   The developers seem to understand that if you’re going to put in a karma system, it should have a drastic effect on the story.   Just to throw some examples out there of the effect of turning evil; everyone will turn against you, even the NPCs inhabiting the city.   When they see you, they will cower in fear and some will throw rocks at you.   Naturally you can turn story characters against you as well, and permanently.   And with regard to the main story, it is drastically different, especially near the end.   Now, some people have complained that you have to go completely evil or completely good in this game; there is no middle ground.   That’s true, but I don’t see a problem with it.   For one, who actually wants to be neutral?   Video games (and comic books) are all about extremes.   We are neutral in real life.   Why would we want to be neutral in a video game where we gain superpowers and have to deal with the consequences?   Second of all, the game seems to be about a man who becomes either a super villain or a super hero, depending on what you want to do, both of which are extremes on opposite sides of the same spectrum.   If you’re looking for a game with a karma system that drastically alters the world and story of said game, InFamous is for you.

Lasting Appeal:
Play this game through twice.   That’s all there is to it.   I recommend saving the evil playthrough for your second time; it’s more impactful that way.   Not only are there the story differences (and they are very different) to experience but you’ll get different powers, and even Cole’s appearance will change.

Conclusion:
I came for a chance at Uncharted 2 beta but was very pleasantly surprised by an all-around good package.   The controls are tight, the platforming and combat feel great, the story is fun, and the karma system is surprisingly satisfying.   If you can get past the less-than-par visuals, you’ll find there’s a lot of fun to be had in InFamous.