Infamous 2 was released in 2011 exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and continues where the first game (released in 2009) left off. Like its predecessor Infamous 2 promises plenty of action, adventure and open world environments for players to explore as they utilise a whole range of superpower like abilities to achieve their goal.
Infamous 2 takes place not long after the original where the world changed after the birth of Cole’s electrical abilities that allowed a human to reach new levels of power. The Ray Sphere has advanced with the progression of time as well as it no longer blows up entire cities with every use which means Cole isn’t the only one with special powers in the game world anymore. Cole is definitely the most powerful of this new breed of super humans (known as Conduits) though which makes him a prime target for capture or elimination. Things quickly change after an encounter with the Beast though leaves Cole completely drained of his powers.
In order to stay safe Cole MacGrath battles throughout New Marais in an attempt to regain and learn the new heights of his powers to utilise them against your nemesis known as Beast. With opportunities to use your powers on behalf of selfless or selfish endeavours players also have a morality element to consider as they join allies new and old.
Gameplay is very similar to that of the original Infamous game with players taking on a superhero type role with their impressive array of electrical talents which combines with melee based attacks with a weapon known as the Amp for a diverse combat experience. Different electrical attacks are slowly unlocked through play and require Cole to have charged himself up from a nearby power source to fill his energy metre on the HUD. Broadly these attacks fall into the category of bolts, blasts, grenades and rockets that have different combat uses, costs and pathways for upgrade with many linked to your karma decisions in the story.
Your electricity based powers are not only offensive either with options for defensive and movement tools to help you explore the city of New Marais and help the citizens within. This high level of movement is further assisted with the parkour game elements whereby Cole can ride along power cables, climb up buildings and other acrobatic acts to make the large city feel small when necessary to traverse it. These destruction and parkour capabilities have been seriously turned up in this sequel compared to the original so it’s always easy to get around the world and destroy things as you wish.
Game progression within Infamous 2 is highly mission orientated with players accepting story missions as they desire while completing side missions and exploring the city in between. There are also plenty of boss battles spread across the game world to push your powers to the limit that require specific strategies or power levels to overcome.
Ultimately though it’s the underlying morality system that decides your fate with it remaining a core component of Infamous 2 with players again having to choose how they will use their powers and if they want to play the super hero or the villain. This is combined with two different endings to make your decisions feel impactful throughout the entire game and will have you questioning your choices at every turn and potentially take the alternative path in a second playthrough.
Summary:
- Take control of Cole again in this open world adventure in a new city under threat.
- Two different game endings available that will challenge players to decide if they are good or evil.
- Improved parkour options and destruction allow you to navigate the city in new ways.
- New powers and old favourites make for shocking results across bolt, blast, grenade and rocket abilities.
- Exclusive PlayStation 3 title.
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Review Platform: PS3