PlayExclusive: Infamous - Shockingly good!

Console: PS3
Genre: 3rd person shooter/platformer
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions


Story
In Empire city, a bicycle courier, Cole, is hired to deliver a mysterious package, only to find out it's actually a bomb. The explosion wipes out 6 city blocks, and Cole the only survivor leaves the area, only to find that he has acquired electricity-based powers. Amidst all the chaos the explosion has caused, Cole decides to head out to restore order in the city.

Gameplay
Players are thrown into another game where their actions decide what kind of hero they'll be; a ruthless and uncaring thug with no heed to collateral damage, or a shining hero, to help the denizens of the city in it's time of need, all by a Karmic meter, tipped one way or the other, depending on actions of selfless good, or selfish evil.


Each brings forth it's own style, in powers, clothing, and the overall feel of the city. If Cole is a goody-two shoes, his outfit is clean, his lightning a bright blue and the city is vibrant with people cheering in the streets. The thug, however has a washed out and mud spattered outfit complete with menacingly red lightning attacks, and the streets are rife with suffering and fear.

Even citizens change their tune, praising you in the streets, and helping you by throwing rocks at baddies, stunning them, or for the bad guy, turning on you, telling you to get lost, and attempting to feebly beat you down, if you've earned it.


Quite obviously, Cole's electrical powers are a massive part of this game, and are affected by Karma as well, with new upgrades to existing abilities unlockable, depending on how good or evil you've been.

Each rank of Hero or Infamy will get you new upgrades to your powers, making shock grenades automatically bind enemies to the ground for the hero, while turning a couple of grenades into a carpet bombing spree for the InFamous!

At every moment, Cole's powers remain a constantly evolving creature, whether players unlock new abilities each chapter, or buy them with experience, through the powers menu, leading to constant excitement no mattter where you are in the game.

Climbing plays a massive part in inFamous, as climbing buildings, and making tall bounds will be Cole 's main source of transport. Players will be able to scale large structures in minutes with greater ease than Altair from Assassins Creed, and later on, abilities like Induction grinding make for faster transport from point to point.


Graphics
With hordes of enemies bearing down on you, explosions going off everywhere, and shrapnel flying all over the screen, the PS3 doesn't even slow, stutter, or shut down at all. It keeps on plugging forward, with all the beautiful destroyed parts of the city and all it's inhabitants in real time.


Overall
With smooth platforming akin to Sucker Punch's Sly Cooper series, players get a taste of true power in a massive environment with action that keeps rolling at all times. A must buy for any PS3 owner, casual, or hardcore!

Review by Johar Aston, TheLAG

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Copyright 2009 Johar Aston, TheLAG