Review - inFamous: Second Son (PS4)

Expectations were high for Sucker Punch's newest installment in the inFamous franchise when it launched earlier this year. Indeed, many people (myself included) were claiming it to be the first game on the PS4 that would give consumers a 'true' reason to buy the system. However, after the recent announcement that PS4 has maintained its position as the best selling console for nine consecutive months and that over ten million units have been sold to consumers, it has become clear that Sony's newest console has needed little help from first party software.

Many believe that Sucker Punch crumbled under the pressure of the high expectations placed upon them. As a result of this, they feel the game that was released has a story lacking in both complexity and content, and while I consider these views a little exaggerated, these are perhaps inFamous: Second Son's biggest downfalls. This is especially true when it is compared to previous entrants in the franchise - those games kept building up to something that had me deeply enthralled by the end of Cole's journey. Juxtapose this with the overarching plot of Second Son, and you're basically getting an extended fetch quest. This functions as a way of leading the player to achieving more and more powers to use as Delsin Rowe, the new protagonist. Although interactions between characters like Delsin and his brother Reggie are believable and portrayed excellently, there are very few major plot twists for them to play off. This leads to a story that, despite being entertaining in the heat of the moment, does not leave a lasting impression once the game has been completed. And completion is a fairly basic task in Second Son - after playing the game for the first time, finishing the rest of the side quests and seeing the credits roll once more, I had spent only ten hours playing. And that got me the platinum trophy...

Nevertheless, inFamous: Second Son is a sequel worth playing as the gameplay has seen major revisions. The developer has built off the mechanics of inFamous 2 and provided players with a boost system to assist in quick navigation over the varied and interesting Seattle skyline they have created. Depending on the power in use, pressing the circle button will initiate a boost in speed. Using smoke? Expect a quick vaporisation and jolt forward. Neon however, will result in a speedy and satisfyingly endless purple sprint. Different hover abilities are also present, with them generally improving as the next power is unlocked.

Using these navigation techniques is enjoyable, but only because of the sense of speed recieved while exploring Sucker Punch's recreation of their home city. By all means, this is not a replica, but a custom built playground for the player to roam that contains some of the city's most iconic landmarks. With this being considerably more detailed than the environments in PS3's inFamous games, a few hiccups are present. Unfortunately, the parkour system does seem to struggle distinguishing ledges that are parallel but of a different height. Often I found myself attempting to climb onto a rooftop, but continually bouncing back onto the grapple point I had just jumped from - something that was a rare occurrence in inFamous 2. While not quite as refined, the parkour system is still exhilarating and effective when used alongside the new navigation techniques.

Combat is another area in Second Son that has seen large changes. The core aim and shoot mechanics are still present, as is the dedicated melee button, but nearly everything else has been completely reimagined. Energy reserves are now split into two metres, with one for standard attacks and a second for special abilities. This manages to decrease reliance on specials in combat and ensure that more thought is given with regards to their use. After all, they have become much more powerful (and therefore more valuable) since inFamous 2. They also feel stronger, continuing with the theme brought in by the new movement mechanics and adding to player satisfaction. Indeed, Delsin Rowe also enjoys his powers, and much more than Cole McGrath ever did. Sucker Punch has made it clear that this was a very deliberate decision during the game's development and explains the reasoning behind the game's marketing tagline of 'Enjoy your Power'. Each power set leads to a new suite of abilities, thus leading to a new playstyle and visual signature that accompanies every enemy encounter. The consistency of both the theme and feel of the powers in general really lends to a high-quality gameplay and player experience. Choking a DUP agent with a smoke grenade followed by a disarming melee attack involves an altogether different tactical mindset compared to firing high-powered neon bolts at long range. This is an example of how different power sets can lead to alternate variants of defensive strategies

Speaking of DUP agents, there is a wide variety of them trying to prevent Delsin from achieving his goals. As soldiers that have been artificially enhanced with a specific conduit ability, they do not have access to a full arsenal of powers. However, as a group, they can be formidable opponents that provide a challenge that is tough but fair. New variants of enemies are also introduced as the player progresses through the story, which keeps combat varied and interesting while also matching the pace at which Delsin learns new, more effective abilities.

So overall, inFamous: Second Son is a game that manages to take both several steps forward and backwards in multiple aspects. While character interaction has become much more engaging, the plot itself is now very basic and does not support these interactions optimally. As the number of gameplay features has increased and begun to enable multiple playstyles, the level of polish has suffered. So as a gamer returning to the franchise, Second Son is certainly a mixed bag. However, the experience for new players is different entirely. With no previous experience of the series to compare Second Son with, the game is allowed to shine. Next-gen graphics, the discovery of 'Conduits' and a game with accessible, fun and exciting gameplay await the uninitiated. And I am jealous. Indeed, Second Son is arguably a better entry point to the series than the very first game. It is a franchise that now houses an established world with complex issues and controversial ways of dealing with them, as well as a likeable protagonist. So it is perhaps the case that Sucker Punch did not crumble under pressure, but instead focussed their attention on areas that would best please new players while also keeping loyal fans satisfied. And this seems to have been the best decision, as it was the most anticipated game on PS4 for several months. With this, many PS4 owners that had not played the PS3 games were caught in the hype of a new next-gen exclusive, leading to many new players of the franchise. And if I was one of them, I wouldn't be disappointed with the game that was published. As I said earlier, Infamous: Second Son is a sequel worth playing, and upon deeper thought, this is especially true for new players. So while the overall story struggles to reach the high quality of the gameplay, there is still an interesting world to explore in inFamous: Second Son, one of the best PS4 exclusives available.