The creators of the Sly Cooper franchise are back, and they have made an astonishing imprint with the release of Infamous. Sucker Punch has proven yet again why they are admired. The storyline revolves around the male central character known as Cole. His occupation is a deliveryman. One day, he was responsible for delivering an item. Regrettably, that item exploded in the middle of the fictitious Empire City. As a result, Cole falls into a bottomless coma. When he regains consciousness from his coma, everything is in complete disarray. Police are absent, a plague is spreading, adversaries are ubiquitous, and the government had decided to quarantine Empire City. The only bright spot from the devastating explosion (no pun intended) was that Cole has learned uncanny electrical powers. With his newfound electrical attributes, Cole must decide to either be an antagonist or a protagonist. The plot is told via a stylish comic book style and definitely strikes a chord during some of the more ethical decisions that Cole must make.

In terms of gameplay, Infamous merges both exploration and battles in a delightful experience. As gamers progress, more locations will be available on the map. The map is outfitted with what is today considered mundane in countless open world games: icons. Each icon signifies something different. Story mission, side mission, enemy, electric drain, search area, medical clinic, blast shard, and waypoints are all accentuated in the map. In addition, there is a miniature map in the bottom right corner that would be analogous to a game such as Grand Theft Auto IV.

Because his powers are directly attributable to electricity, the aforementioned Cole will be heavily reliant on replenishing his electricity bar. Cole’s electricity gauge is in the upper left corner of the screen, and it is shown as a zigzag connect the dots pattern. To refill Cole’s electricity meter, you will have to absorb electricity from various obstacles. Some of these objects entail street lights, foes, and telephones.

Albeit the optional side missions are not mandatory, there is plenty of incentive to complete them. These side missions are not only engrossing but can make life a little easier on Cole. As previously mentioned, players have the option to play as a hero or a villain. If you are portraying a genuine superhero, then Cole will be a well-respected figure in Empire City. Avid fans of Cole will extol his heroics, and civilians will tout his piousness. One way to impress people is to heal them by utilizing Cole’s electric powers as a defibrillator. Conversely, Cole will be performing nefarious deeds like butchering innocent bystanders if he chooses the path of immorality. The temptation to be perverse is certainly overwhelming because the title of the game is Infamous.

Although Infamous offers you multiple paths, it is much more rewarding to choose the path of righteousness. This path gives a player the feeling of being like a true hero: Batman or Spider-Man. Moreover, each of your decisions will alter your electric color. A positive reputation will cause Cole to have a bright blue radiance. In contrast, a negative reputation will create a menacing bright red glow around Cole.

The combat is fluid and intuitive. Your electric powers range from a rudimentary one shot electric blast and sticky grenades (ala Halo 3) to an overpowering attack (which you have to see for yourself to believe). Depending on which path you pick, you will have different blue or red maneuvers. Melee punches and kicks are imbued with electricity. Additionally, Cole can lunge from the rooftop of a building and come crashing down on his opposition. Gliding and grinding across wires are also two other tricks he has up his sleeve.

The visuals are stunning across the board. Neon lights, buildings, and fences are brilliant. The explosions in particular are a dazzling array of gorgeous fire effects. Nevertheless, one lingering gripe is the textures popping in and out.

The sound effects are excellent. Music is headlined by Silent Melody (Working for a Nuclear Free City), and the sound effects are grandiose. Voice acting is featured by what sounds like a grizzled wily old veteran that is comparable to Christian Bale’s performance as Batman from The Dark Night.

Overall, Sucker Punch has hit this one out of the park with Infamous. The immersion is relentless from the moment the game commences, and it would be unwise to avoid Infamous.

Art Direction 9.5
The visuals are stunning across the board. Neon lights, buildings, and fences are brilliant. The explosions in particular are a dazzling array of gorgeous fire effects. Nevertheless, one lingering gripe is the textures popping in and out.

Audio 10
The sound effects are excellent. Music is headlined by Silent Melody (Working for a Nuclear Free City), and the sound effects are grandiose. Voice acting is featured by what sounds like a grizzled wily old veteran that is comparable to Christian Bale’s performance as Batman from The Dark Night.

Gameplay 9.5
Infamous merges both exploration and battles in a delightful experience.

Presentation 9
The plot is told via a stylish comic book style and definitely strikes a chord during some of the more ethical decisions that Cole must make.

Replay Value 9
There are collectables and two pathways.

Final verdict 9.4 out of 10