Infamous Second Son – An Eccentric Blast

From the developers of the Sly Cooper series comes the third installment in the Infamous franchise. Infamous Second Son is an action-adventure game by Sucker Punch Productions and was released in 2014 as one of the very first PlayStation exclusives to launch on the PS4. Despite it’s shortcomings, it was a blast to play.

Personal Overview

I never played the previous Infamous games on PS3 as they didn’t really appeal to me at the time. After playing Infamous Second Son though, I wish I had. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had with it.

This game has been in my backlog for literally ever now. I’m not sure why I passed on it when it came out so long ago but I’m so glad I gave it a shot recently. I’m a little embarrassed it took me this long to get to this game but I think it deserves a review now because it definitely feels like an underrated gem at this point.

The Good

Likeable Characters

The main protagonist, Delsin Rowe, is a delinquent young adult with a tendency to be sarcastic and crude. Personally, I liked his character arc. His brother, Reggie, is a cop and is pretty likeable as well. Every other side character serve their purpose well enough and keep the story entertaining while it lasts (more on that later).

Setting/Music/Art Style

The setting of Seattle is very detailed and looks incredible for an early PS4 game. I was actually astonished at how good it looked. The music is fitting for the setting and combat music really amps up and makes it even more satisfying. The art style is really appealing and it’s a huge draw factor for me.

Boss Battles

The boss battles are varied and a ton of fun. While some of them are pretty darn challenging, they are very memorable. I didn’t mind when I died over and over again because I was mesmerized by how good each battle was. Everything from the battle location to the intense music in certain segments really made them stand out. I appreciated how every boss battle was different and none of them were a copy and paste of one another.

Gameplay/Super Powers

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The gameplay is the one thing that keeps me wanting to come back for more. It’s pretty addictive and a joy to play. This is the best aspect about the game and worth playing for alone. Every super power has a different play style; some work better than others, but they’re all still pleasurable. Upgrades to the powers made a big difference in how much damage you could cause. Overall, it was just a blast (literally).

The Bad

Lack Of Cutscenes/Depth

This is really my only gripe with the game. The story is interesting but lacks any depth. It doesn’t evolve much or do anything unique. It seems to have a pretty shallow and rather generic story and premise. Not to mention the main story was pretty short.

While I enjoyed most of the characters, the lack of cutscenes made it near impossible to get attached to them. Due to this, the events of the final act don’t have much of an impact on you. It’s a shame because I know that those finals moments could’ve really made for a tear-jerking ending.

Conclusion

Infamous Second Son may suffer from a lack of depth in the story department a little but it’s an absolute treat to play. For being an early PS4 game, I’d say this game is criminally underrated. I’d highly recommend playing it for the addicting combat and boss battles alone. Thank me later.

Verdict: 8 – Great

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