With Cole McGrath gone, the InFamous franchise has not been shelved. Proof of that comes with this brand-new installment, Second Son.
Three years ago, Sucker Punch brought its two-part saga to an apocalyptic close, leaving its hero out of the picture and making a sequel seem highly unlikely. That was without counting on the studio's desire to keep the series alive: a new hero, a new city, new powers and a new console—everything was done to give InFamous a second wind. And the least that can be said is that the studio's work has paid off, because while it is not the game of the year, InFamous: Second Son turns out to be very enjoyable. That is an undeniable plus when you look at the state of the PS4's library.
Without exactly reinventing the wheel, and despite a few familiar plot elements that can be spotted from miles away, this InFamous's story remains engaging, despite the pitfalls caused by the series' famous "branching paths." Yes, Second Son brings back the Karma system from the previous games, giving players the choice to perform good or bad actions that will affect not only the story (a little), but also the style of play (a lot). However, this system has its limits and feels somewhat artificial. Take the first choice, which occurs right at the beginning of the game. At the end of the first encounter with Augustine, you can turn yourself over to the DUP or let the city pay the price for your silence. While you can then see the consequences of this choice on the village (which are essentially the same, with a few differences), it will not stop Delsin from leaving town to try to make up for his mistake. That is rather strange, you will agree, when you have chosen to save your own skin at the expense of an entire community. But never mind, because the story is secondary here, and while it is not uninteresting, it is quickly forgotten. What you look for in an InFamous game is power, and the feeling of power that comes with it. And on that front, let's just say the game delivers.
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The Video Review
At the end of the second InFamous game (spoiler warning), Cole McGrath faced a choice: become all-powerful and rule the world, or save it, even if that meant sending all the Conduits to their graves. As a reminder, Conduits are human beings capable of using extraordinary powers, such as electricity in Cole's case. But back to the matter at hand. Seven years have passed, and it seems that the Conduits have not all gone to meet their maker. In fact, they are now being hunted by the DUP, a decidedly unfun organization led with an iron fist by Augustine, which enjoys locking them up by force in a large prison cut off from the outside world. Classic, but still effective. On the hero front, Cole, the resident badass, has made way for Delsin Rowe, an Akomish Native American with the makings of a small-time rebel. Without going into detail, a disruptive event will turn everything upside down, this Delsin will acquire powers, and he will decide to take on the established order with a few well-placed kicks to the backside.
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Well, Pass Me the Sponge
You see, Delsin's superpower is being a sponge. Not the little Spontex sponge everyone has in their kitchen, but the good old power-absorbing kind, capable of picking up a whole arsenal of moves, each more powerful than the last. Smoke, Light and Neon: these are the three "elements" Delsin will have to learn to master throughout the adventure. And the least that can be said is that it works pretty well, because although the different elements all have the same hierarchy of powers—a melee attack, a ranged attack, a dash and so on—slight nuances make it possible to distinguish how they are used, giving the character a complete arsenal that lets him adapt to every situation. This very simple system is quickly mastered, allowing players to really enjoy themselves during the action sequences and develop their own strategies depending on the element at their disposal. To take customization even further, the Karma system (good or bad), which results from actions performed in the game, will guide your character down two distinct paths, from mastering the environment to going all-out. Something for everyone, in short.
And that is where all the fun of Second Son lies. Since this new InFamous leans heavily toward open-world games, a number of side activities are available. Outside the main missions, you can roam a Seattle entirely controlled by the DUP and work to reduce their influence to almost nothing. Destroying cameras, finding audio logs, tracking down spies and liberating districts: these are just some of the activities on offer. While it all becomes fairly repetitive over time (especially the spy sections), it at least provides short breaks between missions. And while it does not reach the variety of Saints Row IV, it is still possible to have fun and refine your play style by taking advantage of the level design. Its verticality gives more cautious players plenty of vantage points from which to ambush enemies, while those who prefer brute force can simply charge into the fray and make use of the many pieces of cover scattered at ground level.
The Elementary Particles
While Second Son's gameplay ultimately proves fairly appealing, despite a certain repetitiveness in the sequence of missions and side activities, its real strength lies elsewhere. Because despite an immediately apparent classicism, the graphics and art direction of Sucker Punch's game are impressive. First and foremost, it is the work done on Delsin's different powers that catches the eye. Whether it is Smoke and its ashen particles, Light and its fluorescent neon trails, or Video and its wonderfully glitchy rendering, everything contributes to the title's visual beauty. Exploring Seattle and fighting DUP agents while using and abusing his powers unleashes a truly impressive display of visual effects that makes full use of the PS4's potential, despite a few unwelcome slowdowns during the biggest battles. The work done on lighting is also worth highlighting, as Sucker Punch deliberately placed emphasis on it, and that quickly becomes apparent. Most of the story takes place in distinctive settings, whether at dusk or dawn—times of day that are rarely seen in games. This does, however, come with a few problems, since the game is generally too dark, sometimes hurting its readability.
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And that is not the only issue affecting the game, because as time went on, a few particularly irritating problems emerged. Starting with camera issues, which regularly spoil the fun. Between slightly sluggish rotations and unwanted background objects being placed in the foreground, you quickly find yourself unable to see what you are doing, and needless to say, that becomes very frustrating during boss fights. Since we are being critical, let us also briefly mention the AI, which generally behaves fairly well and makes full use of its abilities, but sometimes suffers from chronic stupidity or near-divine omniscience, ruining the best-laid plans.
Conclusion
Make no mistake: while InFamous: Second Son is far from being the game of the year, Sucker Punch's title remains highly enjoyable. Its story is predictable and does not spare any of the genre's clichés, but it still offers some genuinely satisfying and entertaining moments, supported by polished and suitably frantic gameplay. It is on the graphical front, however, that the game stands out, offering particularly refined visuals and atmosphere. And while you may regret the emptiness that sometimes hangs over the streets of this dystopian Seattle, as well as the repetitive nature of the activities on offer, you cannot deny the beauty of the landscapes, animations or the art direction behind the hero's powers. In the end, despite its flaws, Second Son is an enjoyable game, all the more so because, at present, the PS4 is sorely lacking titles that give it a chance to showcase its capabilities.
