inFamous: Second Son

 PlayStation 4
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Mar 21, 2014
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4171 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,118 out of 4171
  2. Mixed: 745 out of 4171
  3. Negative: 308 out of 4171
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  1. ConorHat
    Apr 12, 2014
    0
    What do you get when you cross an open world game with a linear story driven adventure game that has the intellectual depth of your average tabloid? Saints Row the Fourth: Hipster Edition.
  2. WarriorZ
    Mar 22, 2014
    0
    expected more from this game. The graphics are excellent, the lighting, particles, textures but that's not enough to be a good game. This game the first 2 hours are interesting then gets boring and very repetitive, I think infamous 2 was much better than this.
  3. silasbodnick
    Mar 21, 2014
    4
    What I can say for sure is the graphical leap from the last generation on display in this game is spectacular and I also absolutely loved the music. however there are some significant problems with the AI in this game and things tend to get rather repetitive towards the latter half. also the story is nothing to write home about. I suppose when a game joins the elite games of any generationWhat I can say for sure is the graphical leap from the last generation on display in this game is spectacular and I also absolutely loved the music. however there are some significant problems with the AI in this game and things tend to get rather repetitive towards the latter half. also the story is nothing to write home about. I suppose when a game joins the elite games of any generation every one of these elements have to be polished. I am very much looking forward to what this development team can do with the sequel to this game.… Expand
  4. murdersto56
    Dec 11, 2014
    4
    Worst game in the series, it feels like it is set in an entirely different universe to the first 2, in every aspect. There is a massive step back in gameplay, you are given multiple boring super powers instead of 1 fleshed out/ good power. The game world is very boring and I often walk through streets with no NPCS or vehicles. But what really killed the game for me is the fact it isWorst game in the series, it feels like it is set in an entirely different universe to the first 2, in every aspect. There is a massive step back in gameplay, you are given multiple boring super powers instead of 1 fleshed out/ good power. The game world is very boring and I often walk through streets with no NPCS or vehicles. But what really killed the game for me is the fact it is boring, repetative and has none of the qualities of previous games in the series. The game just feels really dead in comparison to the last 2, no returning characters, no interesting quests, a boring/short main story, the list goes on. I will give the game credit for its impressive graphics and sound/music. Even though the graphics are realistic , they are very grey and have no colour, in the end they make the game look very dark and depressing.… Expand
  5. Shishka
    Aug 12, 2014
    4
    This game is just... nothing. It has nothing to do with the first two chapters, having a story that doesn't follow the main storyline.
    From my point of view it has only good graphics, but the amount of powers is highly reduced -yes, you have different kinds of powers, but they all do the same things in a slightly different way, come on, some bring some variety!
    The game is very short and    This game is just... nothing. It has nothing to do with the first two chapters, having a story that doesn't follow the main storyline.
    From my point of view it has only good graphics, but the amount of powers is highly reduced -yes, you have different kinds of powers, but they all do the same things in a slightly different way, come on, some bring some variety!
    The game is very short and the story is not catching, it's just... Nothing special.    … Expand
  6. madojora
    Apr 17, 2014
    4
    Yes it looks fantastic, BUT...obnoxious American characters with laughably bad attempts at Naughty Dog-esque humour, a pointless bit of pink fluff and the must have cliched nerd-who-has-trouble-fitting-in.
    Gameplay is near identical to the first two games with far too many boring collectables. Shards are useless in the sense that you can end up with dozens of surplus shards that you can't    Yes it looks fantastic, BUT...obnoxious American characters with laughably bad attempts at Naughty Dog-esque humour, a pointless bit of pink fluff and the must have cliched nerd-who-has-trouble-fitting-in.
    Gameplay is near identical to the first two games with far too many boring collectables. Shards are useless in the sense that you can end up with dozens of surplus shards that you can't spend on power-ups until the story lets you. Boss battles are embarrasingly bad.
    You'll only buy this because you need to justify your PS4.    … Expand
  7. AndyPatterson96
    Nov 14, 2014
    4
    A terrible storyline punctuated with annoying characters and infuriatingly bland and repetitive gameplay make Infamous Second Son one of the worst and most dull sandbox games I've played in a long time. This is not a good launch title by any means and a massive step down in the series.
  8. 1337_h4x0r
    Apr 14, 2014
    3
    The introduction to the game was impressive, with the cut scenes and the beautiful Seattle scenery. The water looked really nice. But I feel like it was designed in a way to sell.

    The gameplay is very repetitive and shallow with an arcade game feel. Also it seems cartoony and I find the main character annoying and childish. The dialog is cliche and unintelligent. In terms of the feel,    The introduction to the game was impressive, with the cut scenes and the beautiful Seattle scenery. The water looked really nice. But I feel like it was designed in a way to sell.

    The gameplay is very repetitive and shallow with an arcade game feel. Also it seems cartoony and I find the main character annoying and childish. The dialog is cliche and unintelligent. In terms of the feel, the character runs too fast, and when jumping, it feels like the gravity level is too low. You can pretty much climb anything get anywhere with little to no effort, there is no real challenge. Shootouts always get interrupted because your smoke guage drains quickly and you have to go out of your way to find a smoke stack to recharge your ammo. There are issues with the AI. Occasionally I would see enemy soldiers caught in a loop running around in small circles really quickly. I really just played this game for an hour, didn't feel anything, and decided to pass it on.

    The sound effects are cheap. They've very light sounding, not realistic and didn't capture my imagination. I'm convinced that the game was underdeveloped and rushed so it could be placed on the market before any good games come out, and therefore increase its chances of selling.    … Expand
  9. godisawsome7
    May 24, 2014
    2
    It's starts out as a fun, interesting experience. But becomes highly repetitive and the game centers around copy and paste abilities and tiresome button mashing. Could have been better, if not for it's uncorrelated story and a lifeless city.
  10. Mosh603
    Sep 18, 2014
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. PROS: Graphics and scenery are beautiful. That is basically it.

    CONS: First off, the man character is corny and lame. He comes off as too giddy and fearless. The character development sucks. The storyline was so incredibly shallow, it was surprising. It was easy to see from a mile away that the Policeman brother will die. The powers were all cookie cutter. Each power had a rapid fire mode, an ammo-based power attack, and a super blast charge-up power. Also, the storyline was predictable and repetitive.

    Overall, very glad I borrowed this game from a friend and did not buy it.    … Expand
  11. ps4sucks-pc-ftw
    Jun 14, 2015
    4
    This game starts off well, visually impressing you and the way it is made gives you hope that Sony has put up a good exclusive for once, but then the the limitations and repetitiveness push over you, meatslapping your face with anger until it burns and gives you skin damage. Sony failed again to deliver greatness. All the obese gamers won't last long to finally experience something decent enough.
  12. Mega2k8
    Jul 19, 2015
    2
    This game is worse than buying a wii u.. Story plot is some of the worse writing I have seen and the game is just boring and grey... Graphics are alright but does not save it
  13. Ashbelthor
    Jan 20, 2016
    3
    inFamous Second Son is a tech demo for the PS4. I can hardly think of this game as a labour of love from the developers. It just feels like some out of touch executive was the main force behind it all.

    Graphics-wise, it's very bland. There's facial mo-cap like in L.A. Noir, and some skills are flashy and all. But the city is very bland and you see the same enemies and citizens all over.    inFamous Second Son is a tech demo for the PS4. I can hardly think of this game as a labour of love from the developers. It just feels like some out of touch executive was the main force behind it all.

    Graphics-wise, it's very bland. There's facial mo-cap like in L.A. Noir, and some skills are flashy and all. But the city is very bland and you see the same enemies and citizens all over.

    There's no re-playability. The story is filled with plot holes, and is just very uninteresting and uninspired.
    Protagonist is a whiny little stereotypical teenager that you can't connect with on any sort of level.
    Side missions are a chore. Choices in this game are a complete joke - 'evil' choices make no sense.
    The worst part is you can't skip the story since it's tied to how the game loads (no blank loading screen just playing the game). To be honest, having to sit through it again - I'd rather just have a loading screen.

    Combat can be a bit interesting, but definitely not a game seller - especially when it's so un-challenging.

    The 'Red Faction: Guerrilla' progression in the game is dated and feels forced on you.

    The gimmicky graffiti sections just seem to add to your distaste with Delsin. I bet no one thought it was a good idea except for that executive producer that read in some 90s magazine that kids like graffiti. On that note - I'm surprised this game doesn't have skateboards.

    Honestly, if you get this game for free with your console - then who cares right?
    But this isn't worth your money. Don't be fooled by other reviews. I have no idea who are these 2000 people that thought this warranted a high score...    … Expand
  14. jmart0031
    Jan 30, 2016
    1
    A measly 17 main story missions takes less then 10 hours to 100% game. Only decent things in this over rated games is the graphics and how you can travel about Seattle. Only 3 or 4 more moral decisions to make that change your under developed leveling up system. First product I ever returned because of how unsatisfied I was. Side missions are soo very repetitive, simple, and boring. EvenA measly 17 main story missions takes less then 10 hours to 100% game. Only decent things in this over rated games is the graphics and how you can travel about Seattle. Only 3 or 4 more moral decisions to make that change your under developed leveling up system. First product I ever returned because of how unsatisfied I was. Side missions are soo very repetitive, simple, and boring. Even though is it rated around 80 and most say it is the best ps4 under rated game that is why i purchased it but it is awful and 80 is way way way too generous. Flat out a completed disappointment… Expand
  15. George_PAOK
    Oct 19, 2018
    2
    I played it for 30 minutes and then I deleted it.So boring. I heard that now with the release on PS4 is better and I wonder how bad game it was without the improvements?
    Anyway for the records the game came to my library because i am a psn plus member and it was a free game. Lucky me, i did not pay it.
  16. Rubius25
    Apr 2, 2014
    2
    A shallow and unambitious tech demo, of the sort that launch window games are known for. The action is pretty good but it’s instantly repetitive to the point of inanity. The story wasn't very good either. Honestly, a single player (only) game that only has a 5 - 8 hour campaign is not getting a high score out of me.
  17. Melopahn
    Apr 3, 2014
    4
    As the game opens, we see our hero rebelling like any normal angst filled teenager, making "elaborate" graffiti work on pictures of his loving family. Just don't mind the fact that he is well over twenty and his antics are the definition of childish.

    The opening of the game says everything you would need to know. It is an under developed child trapped in an adult body. Visually you will    As the game opens, we see our hero rebelling like any normal angst filled teenager, making "elaborate" graffiti work on pictures of his loving family. Just don't mind the fact that he is well over twenty and his antics are the definition of childish.

    The opening of the game says everything you would need to know. It is an under developed child trapped in an adult body. Visually you will be deceived but as you become acquainted you quickly grasp just how underdeveloped and mentally lacking the game truly is.

    The game brings nothing new to the infamous table, the protagonist gets 4 powers each of which contains the same spells: A ranged attack (like a gun), a sprint, a ranged power attack (grenade), and a melee attack combo, and a finishing move that removes all difficulty or thought. The only thing that each individual power does is change the particle effect surrounding that move. I guess they also add an extra grind to the game farming all 5 of your moves 4 times is a much cheaper way to make a game then giving you 20 unique powers... so I gotta give the developers their points for that. Cole brought a lot to the table in the previous games with more abilities in his 1 conduit power. Delsin brings a small fraction to the table with 4 powers, he makes up for this though with his angst and hipster beenie. 1.0

    Graphically the game is definitely the beginning of a next gen, its very polished and runs smoothly but nothing mind blowing, it pulls out the bare minimum it should be with the power it has behind it. Other games have already pushed the graphics and frame rate to much higher calibers then this game dares to. It is a let down as they had so much potential but left it high and dry. 1.0

    The sound work in the game is definitely the best part, it does not disappoint in the slightest, each power gets a unique sound set, the different sounds are integrated beautifully and play simultaneously in a way that makes the world feel more realistic then any previous game could hope to do. The voice work is acceptable with some of the cheesy or cliche writing getting in the way, but over all this is the most inspiring part of the game. Its just too bad they couldn't pick some better songs and give it a story. The sound is good but it has no backbone to stand with. 8.0

    The game starts fairly strong giving you new powers and pushing you along, but forgets major portions of what a game must have. A purpose, the game is so lacking in this point. early in the game the antagonist has the hero trapped and tortures his people. Augustine is a no holds bar villain from the very beginning a cruel woman that tortures innocent villagers to learn of your secret conduit abilities. Yet she does NOTHING with this information. She simply leaves you in your bed, because why not. The game doesn't have just 1 glaring inconsistency, it seems each mission was written by completely different people with nothing but a cliff note to go off of for previous missions and story. By the end of the game there was no way of knowing what the intended story was supposed to be, large chunks of the story seem to be missing completely. Delsin is tasked with doing something to help bring down the DUP but is quickly met with a new mission talking about new characters and developing a new plot line which is left to dry on a clothesline and never returned too. A good 60% of the game has nothing to do with the main story, just a side character wanting help with their problems then you jump back to main story which has progressed without your involvement or knowledge. I would call it a story but was left with jay dropping shock by the blatant disregard to keep anything consistent. 0

    Finally the part everyone cares about. Game play and replay - I finished the game with a playtime of 5:47 minutes. I fully unlocked 4 of the (I wanna say 13 zones but can't be bothered to turn it on... just too disappointed) I left all the other zones at the final step before they are clear (the showdowns). I had a friend come over and just play the story at streamlined speeds. It was incredible how fast he finished a whopping 4 hours and 12 minutes. The game play is lacking entirely there are 4 types of missions 1 that require you kill DUP agents, and the 3 that require nothing but quick filler. As far as replayability goes these missions are it a whopping 4 mission types that you have to do 13 times each. Thats the entire game. THey force some of them on you to prolong the story as you cannot unlock certain story missions until you have killed some DUP forces. So if you want to play wheres waldo in a 20 foot circle with 7 people or spray paint 13 walls with tags, then what are you waiting for this game literally has everything you've ever wanted. There is a set of missions where you listen to audio logs but they are independent and completely pointless.

    In all I'd say wait it out the game is not worth $60 and is not a good start for the PS4's life.    … Expand
  18. PanthersFanStev
    Apr 5, 2014
    3
    Updated graphics, meh story, no multiplayer. Character is bland and unoriginal. Repetitive game with great graphics. Better options out there for your gaming $.
  19. Basada
    Apr 20, 2014
    3
    Goof graphics to show off PS4. Good Voice acting. Cool powers mostly. Unfortunately that's about it. Everything you do in the game is the exact same stuff, destroy D.U.P. base, fight same drug bad guys, hunt for shards then boss fights, repeat for next several hours to complete. Feel I wasted my money on this, so boring.
  20. Volgrinn93
    May 8, 2014
    4
    Was super hyped for this game unfortunately I was disappointed. Hated 1 and 2. Guess I never was meant for the series. Graphics are pretty good, but the story was well.....
  21. Taka33
    Apr 14, 2014
    1
    Infamous: Second Son is not a very good game. The story is unoriginal, and the characters are boring and dry. Also, I beat the game in under 6 hours, and that's not a good thing. The graphics are great, and the map is semi-large, but the gameplay is boring and gets old very quick. I don' t recommend second son unless you're desperate for something to play.
  22. Lozsta
    Apr 1, 2014
    3
    Bland. Repetitive. Clunky. Detestable Hipster main character. Not a patch on the previous Infamous games.

    This feels a lot like a proof of concept rather than an infamous game. I cannot describe how much fun Infamous 2 was, and this is nothing compared. Could easily have been a PS3 game, the graphics are polished but what are polished graphics with no underlying gaming fun.    Bland. Repetitive. Clunky. Detestable Hipster main character. Not a patch on the previous Infamous games.

    This feels a lot like a proof of concept rather than an infamous game. I cannot describe how much fun Infamous 2 was, and this is nothing compared. Could easily have been a PS3 game, the graphics are polished but what are polished graphics with no underlying gaming fun.

    Another PS4 flop as far as I am concerned.    … Expand
  23. bwin12
    Aug 14, 2015
    2
    Very repetitive. You are not fully in control of your character with jittery gameplay yet are expected to kill hundreds of DUP agents(guys in breaking bad style chemical suits). After 2 hours of repetitive gameplay I was thoroughly annoyed.
  24. dalegribble
    Oct 28, 2014
    0
    Worst game of the who series.... i dont really know what they were trying to do here to make it seem cool with this hipster trash but i was really mad with this game. not fun at all
  25. FiveCentDimes
    Mar 22, 2014
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not even half of what it was hyped up to be. Other than the graphics (which were impressive), this game is a boring mess that fails to deliver in every way imaginable. For a game that is supposed to be centered around having superpowers, it certainly doesn't make you feel powerful at all. Too often you are surrounded by a horde of enemies that haven't both guns and, for some reason, superpowers (which is stupid, considering that they're supposed to be hunting down anybody with superpowers). I found myself being forced to run away from fights while I wait for my health to regenerate. Seriously? The combat itself feels broken and forces you to play a certain way. Mêlée combat, though available, is almost never an option because you just get shot by more enemies when you attempt it, forcing the game to become a shooter with weak shooter mechanics. If there were at least some kind of targeting system, it might have been more bearable. Additionally, the gameplay is repetitive. Time after time you are forced to go to some D.U.P. controlled area, wipe out the enemies, and blow something up, all while fighting the same boring enemies. The powers which you are given make little sense. Even though it is supposed to be a comic book style game with super powers, that doesn't mean the powers should be something stupid. Video powers? Are you serious with that? There is a power set that lets you drain the power out of TVs and summon creatures from the screen. It makes no sense at all. Finally there is the story. It is poorly written and weak in almost every aspect. I found it to be predictable and full of plot holes. As mentioned previously, the primary antagonist, which is tasked with hunting down conduits/bio-terrorists are themselves people who possess superpowers. This already shows that there is a giant hole in the foundation of the plot. On top of that, the characters are boring, generic, and not memorable in the slightest. The back and forth nature of the relationship between Delsin and Reggie that switches between being Reggie being supportive of Delsin and treating him as a freak because of his abilities makes no sense, and bugged me throughout the entire game. For all that Infamous: Second Son tries to do, it fails in almost every way. Not at all worth buying.… Expand
  26. demonicpayne
    Mar 22, 2014
    2
    Better graphics and thats it.The gameplay is very repetative and the story is uninteresting. I really see no reason for multiple playthroughs. Expected much more from this game. Now its going back to gamestop.
  27. Taka35
    Feb 22, 2016
    0
    Infamous represents all that is wrong with the current AAA videogame model: it's epic, but superfluous; its main game mechanics are shallow and boring; its plot is full of Hollywood clichés and, in the end, it feels more like a marketing tool than a real effort to provide gamers with something meaningful and with value. I completed this blah-fest in only 5 hours, I have no idea why it hasInfamous represents all that is wrong with the current AAA videogame model: it's epic, but superfluous; its main game mechanics are shallow and boring; its plot is full of Hollywood clichés and, in the end, it feels more like a marketing tool than a real effort to provide gamers with something meaningful and with value. I completed this blah-fest in only 5 hours, I have no idea why it has a user rating of 7.8.… Expand
  28. matthewjoseph25
    Mar 22, 2014
    4
    The game is very mediocre in my opinion, it feels unpolished and rushed to the market. I think they could of spent more time on this game and it could of been better. I own both xbox one and ps4 I am not some butt pirate fan boy. But this game isn't enough to justify someone purchasing a ps4. Hopefully the order,gow,uncharted, last of us sequel will.
  29. dazza
    Jun 8, 2014
    2
    This game is just complete and utter rubbish.
    First, the characters are idiotic, including the main character. Whoopidy freaking doo I'm massacring thousands of soldiers holding a city down in martial law, let's make a funny joke about that. AHAHAHA no.
    The main character is just a cliché typical "bad boy". And when the girl came into the story I was like "oh god this isn't going to end    This game is just complete and utter rubbish.
    First, the characters are idiotic, including the main character. Whoopidy freaking doo I'm massacring thousands of soldiers holding a city down in martial law, let's make a funny joke about that. AHAHAHA no.
    The main character is just a cliché typical "bad boy". And when the girl came into the story I was like "oh god this isn't going to end well" The story is very badly made. I felt nothing for any character, and there was a real lack of superpowers in this game. Overall, it's just bad bad bad but I give it 2 points for it's use of the controller sound thing and the alright visuals.    … Expand
  30. Gametrain
    Mar 22, 2014
    1
    Nothing new to see here ....... same old gameplay mechanics, very repetitive rinse and repeat over and over with the side missions, once you have done a few you won't bother with the rest. Graphics are ok nothing like what the hyped up to be though. Save yourself the money and wait for it to hit the bargain bin.
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Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PS4 Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
10
#10 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 90 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 69 out of 90
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 90
  3. Negative: 1 out of 90
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 28, 2014
    80
    It definitely isn’t one of those games you talk about years after its release, but it showcases PS4’s capabilities well and in contrast to Killzone: Shadow Fall also does something else – guarantees fun from the beginning till the end. [CD-Action 05/2014, p.58]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    May 16, 2014
    80
    Fun romp, beautifully rendered and executed. Fantastic superpowers make up for the lack of depth. [Issue#241]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2014
    87
    inFamous: Second Son is not a bad sandbox game at all! Serves as an interlude while waiting the heavy hitters to arrive. [Apr 2014]
See all critic reviews »