Sony recently gave us an opportunity to go hands-on with Sucker Punch's open-world adventure named Infamous. You play as an electrified antagonist who's given the option to save a decrepit city or tear it to pieces. Of course, the decision is yours.
Events in Infamous unfold after an explosion rocks the city, tearing apart six blocks in a cataclysmic explosion. Following the devastation, you emerge with electrified powers, which you can unleash any way you see fit. Be careful, though, as the public's perception of you can change at the drop of a hat. Or a blown-up car, at least.
The game actually lets you know what the citizens think of you, either as a good guy or an outlaw. This depends on how you react to things within the environment. If you revive people with a quick boost of energy, that's good. On the other hand, you can simply run through city streets, lobbing explosive balls at cars and jolting innocents. With each bad act you commit, you bring more trouble upon yourself.
There are several abilities in your arsenal. Electrical balls function like grenades, but you only have a limited amount depending on the energy level. You'll want to save these for big groups of enemies or obstacles that don't succumb to typical electrical attacks. There are also quick jolts that allow you to hit enemies and other people nearby or at a distance (like on a rooftop), and you have the power to repel incoming attacks.
Your electrical powers also let you hover for several seconds to avoid taking a nasty fall. You can grind along rails, ala Jet Grind Radio, if you need to get around in a hurry. Best of all, your character is athletic. He climbs buildings, walks along girders and handles other tasks with ease.
We tried out two missions featured in the game. The first has you battling a group of thugs riding around in an armored RV. While you try to figure out a way to penetrate the vehicle, you also have to deal with other gunmen as well as a breeder that spews glowing insects. Your powers can make short work of them, but don't forget to save some energy for the assault on the RV. Electrical grenades don't impact the armor. Fortunately, there's a vulnerable hole behind the gunner's seat.
Then there's the other stage, where you're stuck in the confines of a prison. You're not a prisoner by any means, you're simply there to help the local police. They're transferring prisoners to another area, but rioters outside are trying to break them out. You'll need to fend off their incoming fireball attacks using your repel maneuver. (If the fences take too much damage from the fireballs, the gates tear open and you lose.) The second part has you battling rioters inside the prison. There's good defensive technique to this stage, as you'll need to move quickly to nail incoming attacks while preparing yourself for the next showdown.
Sucker Punch also did a phenomenal job with the game's visuals. The city looks like it's ready to come apart at the seams, with panicked citizens running through the streets and a lot of open terrain to destroy. It still has a few hiccups here and there (animation skips every now and then), but overall it's a sweet looking game, especially on an HDTV.
Thanks to Sony and Sucker Punch for letting us take control of our destiny with Infamous. You'll be able to do the same when the game hits store shelves this summer.
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