Ever since Infamous: Second Son was revealed at the PS4 event, excitement has been through the roof. This being one of the big first party games to come to the new console, Second Son hopes to lead the way into the next generation of gaming. So is Infamous: Second Son the powerhouse that Playstation needs, or is it just a sidekick?
Seattle in next-gen.
First off, Second Son is an absolutely gorgeous game.
The colors are super vibrant and beautiful, and the amount of destruction within the world is staggering. The world was created with next-gen in mind, making Second Son arguably the best looking title on PS4 so far.
Sucker Punch also nailed the look and vibe of Seattle, adding real landmarks and businesses to add to the immersion. The city is also well populated with weather also adding to the environment, changing the mood of the city. The character models and facial animations are amazing, and are the best Sucker Punch has ever done. The PS4’s power is used very well here making Second Son look and feel next-gen.
The moral dilemma
The story of past Infamous games has always revolved around what people do with the power and opportunities given to them, and Second Son is no different.
Second Son stars Delsin Rowe, a young delinquent who has an artistic talent for spray painting, and a nasty habit for trouble and mischief with the law. One day, he gets superpowers from accidentally touching an injured conduit. Delsin learns he has the power to steal other conduits’ powers and use them for his own benifit. Delsin starts with smoke, and as he becomes familiar with his new powers, he raises the attention of the government-controlled DUP, who acts like an evil version of the TSA, hunting and eliminating conduits.
Delsin is a much more relatable and likeable character than that of Cole from the first two games.
Unlike Cole, Delsin loves having powers and acts the way a normal person would if they got powers. The story overall is great, with tons of action, drama, and a few twists to keep you on your toes.
As the story progresses, you are given opportunities as a player to make difficult moral choices that affect the game’s overall plot and direction. While this was cool and does lead to different endings, the choices in the game don’t leave as much of an immediate effect. All the choices boil down to either choosing the good way or the bad way, which isn’t that exciting. The story is still good, and Troy Baker’s performance as Delsin is rock solid.
Superpowered gameplay
The gameplay in Second Son is definitely the best part of the experience.
You feel like you have power and control, and the game is just downright fun to play from start to finish. The controls are snappy and quick, giving you the sense of being agile and fast. Like I said before, Delsin has the ability to steal other conduits’ powers, but his starting power is smoke. However, Delsin can acquire more powers as the story progresses, which keeps things fresh. As you grow stronger, you can invest in a skill tree that will teach you new ways to use your powers–like smoke grenades, or rapid fire neon blasts.
Karma also plays a big role in the gameplay, as it gives you two ways to play. You can be a respected hero, or a dastardly villain.
If you play Second Son as a villain, your powers are more destructive and explosive. If you play as a hero, your powers are more precise and less likely to hurt civilians.
No matter which path you choose, you feel powerful and capable, which in a superhero game is very important. The different powers add variety and keep the gameplay fun, fresh, and addictive. When you’re not using your powers to fight, you’re using them to navigate the city. It is an absolute blast to use neon to speed across buildings and smoke to shoot up to the sky.
All of this made the 12-15 hours of Second Son fly by. Besides the main story, there are side missions to tackle, sections of the city to capture, and blast shards to collect. I also recommend playing through Second Son a second time. Playing once as a hero and another as a villain is not only fun, but it lets you see everything the game has to offer, including the different endings.
The Verdict
As a huge Infamous fan, Second Son had everything I wanted from a next-gen sequel.
The gameplay is fun, the visuals are breathtaking, and the story has meat. I only wish the karma choices were better and more impactful. But, if you’ve been waiting for the next big game to play on your new PS4, then Infamous: Second Son is sure to satisfy.
