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- Infamous from Sucker Punch is one of the PlayStation IPs that need to be resurrected.
- The series was ahead of its time, with fun, chaotic, open worlds and great stories.
- The last mainline release came in the form of 2014’s Infamous Second Son.
In a world dominated by generic action games, Sucker Punch Productions released the very first Infamous to much acclaim. When I played it on my PS3 for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the game was and how ahead of its time it felt.
As expected, most other gamers shared my opinion. This series quickly became a fan favorite, cementing its place as a solid superhero IP. The only thing that came close to it during that time was maybe Spider-Man: Web of Shadows.
The series received two more mainline games: Infamous 2 and Second Son. Multiple expansions were also released, but despite the sequels being just as great, PlayStation eventually moved on from the IP. I think this was a huge mistake.
Why it matters: The last mainline game in the franchise was Infamous Second Son, released in 2014. Since then, there has been no remake or even a remaster for the series.
Chaotic Open-World With Incredibly Fun Super Powers
The open world and super powers, in my opinion, were the best parts of Infamous. Even with the first entry, it broke the regular superhero formula in favor of more chaos, leading to much more fun. In this aspect, the gameplay was similar to that of Prototype, another franchise that deserves a second chance.
Compared to modern games, the visuals, character models, and physics feel outdated. However, what’s commendable is that Sucker Punch improved with the second release, and the sequel has aged fairly well.
Exploration through the open world feels very enjoyable to date. The protagonist, Cole Macgrath, could traverse the world with immensely fun parkour abilities, which made exploration a huge win for the game and an aspect I loved.
Then, there were the combat moves. Cole could manipulate electricity and had a bunch of satisfying moves in his arsenal, including bolts, electric grenades, and, my favorite, moving through power lines. The gameplay overall remains fun, even by today’s standards.
The later parts introduced new combat moves, abilities, and general refinements. However, as fun and gorgeous as Infamous Second Son was, I don’t think it matches the first two parts and their expansions.
An Engaging Story, Plot Twists, And Morality System
The Karma system was something that made Infamous quite unique. Unlike your average superhero game, where the heroes eventually triumph as the good guys, you decide your own path.
In other words, it was a morality system where you’d control if Cole would be a selfless superhero or a huge jerk by the end of the narrative. This depends on what you do throughout the title and, in the sequel, the influence of the partner you chose.
Then there’s the story. It keeps you on your toes at all times, especially with Infamous 2. The sequel made much more sense and had a more powerful ending if you went down the darker path, and it set up a third part quite cleverly.
I won’t go into any more details to avoid any potential spoilers. Moving to the latest entry, I think the weakest story in the mix came from Infamous Second Son. It had the Karma system, too, but this mechanic did not live up to its previous implementations.
However, that isn’t to say Infamous Second Son doesn’t have its positives. The gameplay was solid overall, and after the PS5 enhancement, you can play it at a solid 60FPS. In terms of visuals, it can still rival the best-looking titles on the PS5.
In a world where superhero games have been mostly limited to failures like Suicide Squad and Marvel’s Avengers, another Infamous entry is desperately needed. There are rumors that Second Son may be headed to PC soon, but this won’t be enough.
If the rumors turn out to be true and the title does well on PC, maybe Sucker Punch will consider a new entry. Currently, they are rumored to be preparing to announce the Ghost of Tsushima sequel, but who knows, we might eventually get an Infamous revival.
I, for one, would love to see it coming back. While we’re at it, how about bringing back a few other PS3 IPs, too?
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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