inFamous 2

inFamous 2 is so derivative that "2" in its title should have been an exponent. This game navigates the sea of superhero clichés as easily as Cole McGrath slides on tram cables.

A short, sharp tinge of static electricity rather than the unrelenting shock of high-voltage conductors. [Issue#111, p.104]

The freedom to move around the city and the ability to use powers that everyone would like to have as a superhero are this game's undeniable pros. It does not overwhelm you with activities though so those who enjoyed training assassins and renovating shops in Renaissance Rome will probably be disappointed. [July 2011, p.72]

Despite beeing one of the gameplay-wise most compelling open-world games out there, inFamous 2 struggles with its ability to let the player immerse into the storyline. With great graphics, physics and truly fin abilities, it is fun to ravage around New Marais, but the component which are suppose to glue everything together, is partially missing.

While Sucker Punch should be applauded for its efforts (and successes) in adding user-generated content to an open world game, there's a real sense that the developer should have sorted out the foundations of its own house before inviting others to come over and redecorate.

In the end, it's hard for me to recommend Infamous 2. If you played the first one, you'll want to play this in order to get the conclusion to the story. However, the lack of real innovation may be a turn off, and makes the second go through a real chore. For those reasons, I'd recommend that players rent this one.

Quotation forthcoming.

The missions are unimaginative (even compared to the original), navigation issues prevent you from ever attaining a movement rhythm, and the various narratives are a mess. But worse still, the combat isn't as tight as it could be and the world itself just seems less polished than its predecessor. Yet, for those moments when the game shines, it shines brightly.

As a campaign inFamous 2 is a sub-par experience, but it makes up for that disappointment plenty with a rich and enjoyable sandbox. It's still recommended that you play through the story for context, but this is a game enjoyed most when you color outside the lines. The flaws in this game would kill any other, but the sense of freedom and strength that come with playing Cole MacGrath outweigh any complaints making this a more than competent experience for anyone looking for a power trip.

If anything a step back from the already generic original, with combat and powers as underdeveloped as its characters.

A good game that, on a few occasions, desperately feels like it's trying to be better than it is, but lacks the juice to succeed.