Tom Talks #34: Revisiting inFamous 15 Years On (A Unique, Fun Experience in a Great Time to Be a Hero)

 

On May 26th, 2009, Sucker Punch released the first game in a new series. The studio, which was formed in 1997, released its first game (Rocket: Robot on Wheels) in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. While the game isn't well remembered, it clearly caught the attention of Sony, who after being approached by the studio, gave them the go-ahead to exclusively make a new series for a new generation.

That was of course the Sly Cooper series, which the Washington studio made three games for between 2002 and 2005. In an era of furry cartoon mascots on the PS2, Sly stood out for his stealth approach and its beloved cast of characters. The games were hugely successful and critically acclaimed, allowing Sucker Punch to stand out amongst other developers.

However, they wanted to make something different and pitched Sony several new ideas, including, ironically, a game called Uncharted. The idea that won the Japanese publisher over was named True Hero, which eventually became the series that I and others know and love.

Initially inspired by the gameplay of Animal Crossing, the game pivoted towards an open-world game. Furthermore, it was inspired by Creative Director Nate Fox's love of superheroes like Batman and DMZ. Unlike the superhero stories at the time like Iron Man or Thor, this was to go in a darker and more grittier direction like Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, just with more superpowers.

Cole on his rooftop at the start of the game

That inspiration is very clear in the idea of conduits (*cough Mutants cough*) having genetics that allow them to be superpowered beings. However, the idea of the Ray Sphere activating these powers, and the damage it caused spoke more to a post 9/11 world.

The commentary throughout the game reflects this in the uncertainty the general public and 'The Voice of Survival' have around yourself and other conduits. The main character (Cole McGrath) is a bike messenger, delivering packages for people in Empire City. Unlike a lot of superheroes, Cole is a pretty ordinary bloke, which is exactly what the developers wanted him to be. In a world of billionaires like Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, the everyman characters like Peter Parker stand out. They are someone the average person can put themselves in their shoes, and it portrays their struggle as realistically as you can.

Those around our hero are also very ordinary people. Zeke is a man who tries to flog malfunctioning batteries to people and wants to stand out from the crowd. Trish, Cole's partner, is a medic with a heart of gold, who has a lot of love for those closest to her, and a desire to help others. These are people you meet in everyday life, whether at work, school, or on nights out. You have met a Cole, a Zeke, a Trish, and that's why these characters feel human and real.

Many argue the protagonist is too gravely sounding in his voice, However, he feels human and as the series goes on develops further. (Go check out the inFamous comic books, they are great!) And in an era of people like Alex Mercer from the Prototype series, Cole feels fresh.

Evil karma Cole in combat

The story begins with our titular hero opening a package containing the Ray Sphere, which causes a massive explosion in the Historic District. It kills many people and causes a plague, leading to absolute chaos throughout the city. At the centre of the blast is Cole, who wakes up to a red sky and destruction. It really is a scene out of a disaster movie, and highlights the hardship to come. Cole is eventually revealed to be the man who opens the package, leading to the city turning on him, as well as his girlfriend. The rest of the game takes you on a journey, and your decisions impact how civilians react to you.

The karma system allows you to make choices, do you be the good guy and save the city or do you say hell to the city and make it your domain? The decisions in retrospect are very black and white and in some cases seem very unlike Cole to make, something that would be improved upon in the sequel. However, what the karma system does achieve is showing the gameplay diversity and the city.

If you choose to be a goody two shoes, your powers become more precise and you will do more damage to the enemy than the civilians. However, choose to be an evil b*****d, and your powers become more volatile and explosive, putting those around you in danger. People will react to this, whether civilians ask you for help to revive others or throw rocks at you. Even Zeke will comment on how you're making the city safer or worse and looking more pale. But, most importantly, Trish's relationship with you will be affected.

This makes the game feel alive and a living, breathing world. NPCs will drop to their knees crying, rummaging through bins for food, or even saying how they don't want to live anymore. The impact of this disaster is shown not just by the crummy streets or the blown-up buildings, but by those left to live in this new reality.

One thing I love about games is the lore that expands the background of the world. While the comics, which again, you should read, do this nicely, the TV broadcasts are also important to this. The government has locked up the city, to save their own skins. However, the US TV broadcasts would have you believe that the government is doing its damn best to rectify the situation, whilst dismissing rumours of an 'electric man'. This is quite clearly a commentary on the falsities of American media, which we can see today in the coverage of events worldwide such as the atrocities committed in Palestine. 

The newsreader gives the the military credit for Cole's good actions, whilst ignoring the damage that has been done by trying to contain the problem. On the other hand, you have 'The Voice of Survival' who is very critical of the false coverage, but also of Cole himself. He presents himself as someone trying to help, encouraging others to help the needy, but also very critical of Cole. His broadcasts never change whether you are good or evil, so he is either lying or funnily enough, accurate, depending on your playstyle. He ends up being 'silenced', clearly a message that outside voices will not be tolerated.

This alongside Zeke's conspiratorial nature about the government wanting control of the Ray Sphere, and Moya's threats to Cole about behaving, show this game has an anti-authority message. Moya is an agent, who presents herself as wanting to help Cole and save the city. As her real intentions are shown, it is clear she and the government have a plan for the Ray Sphere and to use it for their own means. John (her 'husband') is shown later on as an agent who wants to help the people, who opens McGrath's eyes to reality.

The story is certainly full of twists and turns, with it's ending a real shocker to anyone who played the game. There is much mystery shrouding the game's villains, in particular the main antagonist, Kessler. As you go further, you learn more about him, Alden, Sasha, and everyone involved. By the game's end you know the full motivations of all the main players, and at the time, made me hungry for more. I got this game when I first was given my PS3 back in 2010, and it certainly showed me the next generation.

Kessler during a cutscene

Gameplay-wise, this game is just a blast. Being a superhero/supervillain has to be fun, and shooting lightning from your hands through a variety of methods never gets old. Whether the standard attacks, lightning grenades, or a full-on storm, each new addition takes it up a notch and makes you hungry for new moves. Climbing feels realistic (Cole was an urban explorer), and unlike the hold-button approach of Assassin's Creed, feels like your button presses actually do something. It's certainly not perfect and can be frustrating, but getting to that Dead Drop or shard is worth it.

Speaking of extras, this game gives you plenty of other stuff outside the main campaign to keep you going. Side missions, including the good and bad, help clear the city of enemies and you see the changes in the world. Shards help boost your powers, as well as completing stunts. For those who love context, the Dead Drops gives you the backstory of the events of the game from John's perspective. Overall, if you want some meat to your game, inFamous delivers. The mission variety could be better, but just like the climbing, the developers took notes. All in all, the game is still as playable, and with an achievable platinum trophy and two pathways, you'll want to come back.

The game was widely praised at the time including Game of the Year and Best Acting at the Golden Game Awards. Over a year after its release, it had sold over 2 million copies as work was well underway on a sequel. inFamous 2 dropped in 2011 and improved on many of the features of the first game while concluding Cole's story in a satisfying manner. Later that year, Sony bought the studio, joining the likes of Naughty Dog and Guerrilla Games. Due to the majority of player's choices in the sequel's ending, the developers had to pivot from their original plan.

As a result, we got inFamous: Second Son in 2014 (which is marking its 10-year anniversary). The game was electrifying with multiple powers and truly showcased the graphical prowess of the PS4. However, the new protagonist Delsin Rowe, and the different cast of characters got mixed reactions, as well as the story. The city of Seattle was a fun open world to take on the D.U.P. in but lacked the uniqueness of Empire City or New Marais. As a result, while the game out to positive reviews and series high sales, fans were left very mixed. Following on from the expansion First Light, the inFamous series has gone quiet, despite rumours of a potential sequel.

Meanwhile, Sucker Punch moved on and made one of the games of the generation in Ghost Of Tsushima. This samurai, open-world masterpiece was adored by everyone and took the open-world elements of the inFamous games to the next level. Its recently announced sequel, Ghost Of Yōtei is set to release in 2025.

inFamous is not the best game I've ever played, but it is certainly one of my favourites. Having played both playthroughs again recently, it remains an absolute thrill ride with a compelling story. We are now in an era where quality superhero games are rare. From 2009-2014, we had inFamous, the Arkham games, Lego Batman, Prototype; even X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a blast. Sure, there were some lazy licensed movie games and some varied Spider-Man titles, but there was enough to wet your appetite.

Nowadays, barring Insomiac's great Spider-Man games, the superhero genre is really lacking. Even the great Rocksteady fumbled the bag on the disappointing Suicide Squad game. The genre is in desperate need of the next inFamous. Not only was it thrilling and never boring, but it was a fresh IP and a unique experience. Maybe we'll get that sequel one day, but until then, get your PS3 out of the cupboard, blow the dust off, and settle down to one of the PS3's best exclusives.

Cole standing atop a damaged building facing the ruins of Fermont Bridge

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