5 Best Sucker Punch Games of All Time, Ranked

As we all know, Sucker Punch Productions rose to fame after unraveling the ball of wool that was the Sly Cooper series. Following on from that, the studio maintained a clean slate with only a few published works to bolster its tidy portfolio. Fast-forward a good two decades, and the developer now shares the stage with some of the biggest studios in the world. We can thank Ghost of Tsushima for that, of course.

Although its library is somewhat limited, Sucker Punch does hold the reins to some pretty remarkable series. But which games rank the highest out of the few worlds SP has published over the years? Well, let's glide back over the timeline and stack them accordingly. Here are, in our opinion, the five best Sucker Punch games, ranked.

5. Infamous

After parting ways with the fan favourite Sly Cooper handle, Sucker Punch looked to set up shop with a brand new franchise. Lo and behold, Infamous was erected, and so followed a healthy tenure of action-adventure jewels made exclusively for PlayStation. Was it a good move for the devs? Well, considering it sparked an entire franchise into ignition, I'd say it was a move well played on their part.

Taking on the role of Cole MacGrath, you find yourself thrown into a city on the brink of collapse, with its population running amok on the hunt for the few remaining resources needed to survive. After inheriting supernatural powers, you're given the ultimatum of either being the hero the world needs, or being the villain that aids its downfall. Every choice matters in Empire City; one wrong move can snap society in two. It's up to you to decide whether it keeps itself together, or ultimately crumbles into smoke and ash.

4. Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Of course, being Sucker Punch Productions' claim to fame, it only made sense for the studio to cash in on the debut by following up with another entry to the timeline. And it was a good thing they did, of course, what with Sly 2: Band of Thieves being an absolute knockout. With loaded gameplay, a wider variety of characters to play as, and an even more compelling narrative to boot, the sequel proved to be the best to date, as well as some of Sucker Punch's finest work.

Returning to the boots of the notorious thief and his partners in crime, Bentley and Murray, Sly 2: Band of Thieves has you on the prowl for the scattered pieces of archenemy, Clockwerk. Using a series of tools and techniques, both you and the thieving trio must band together to confront the infamous Klaww Gang and put a stop to the threat once and for all.

3. Infamous Second Son

After the turn of the new generation of consoles (that being the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at the time of release), Sucker Punch needed to cement a place in its first batch of frontline games. Infamous needed a facelift, as well as a new character to tell a tale that severed the bond with MacGrath and the Empire City world. The result of this, of course, was Infamous: Second Son, the series' second shot at stardom.

Playing as diehard rebel Delsin Rowe, you're tasked with going toe-to-toe with the corrupted organisation known as the Department of Unified Protection (D.U.P.), a faction that seeks to scrub out the few remaining Conduits. After inheriting the power to trace and replicate abilities from said Conduits, you're given the opportunity to take the war to the enemy's door. How you get there, of course, depends on the actions you perform, and how you balance your moral compass. So, what's it going to be — Delsin the Saviour, or Delsin the Defiler? Every choice paves the way to your destiny.

2. Infamous 2

As far as Infamous games go, its second chapter still stands at the apex of the franchise. Even after multiple spin-offs and a boatload of DLC, its 2011 follow-up sequel to the acclaimed debut still ranks the highest in terms of gameplay, mechanics, as well as its open-world playground.

Ditching the Empire City setting and replacing it with New Marais was a solid comeback for the series. After bleeding the former world dry of all its life and activities, it was in need of a fresh canvas. New Marais, which was of course based on New Orleans, was a step in the right direction. Again, having Cole front the journey, it wrapped his tale up incredibly well. And, should the series have ended there then, honestly, that wouldn't have been a bad thing. However, a certain developer apparently got a little greedy a few years later. Hello, Second Son.

1. Ghost of Tsushima

Of course, it's Ghost of Tsushima, one of the best performing PlayStation exclusives to ever grace the industry. It was at this point that Sucker Punch had truly outdone themselves, putting all Sly Cooper and Infamous games beneath them to live in the Samurai's incredibly large shadow for all eternity.

Ghost of Tsushima is a one-and-done sort of deal, and quite frankly, Sucker Punch could quite easily retire today and still live lavishly from its fruits for the next forty years or so. Its vibrant world and cutting edge combat all amount to a phenomenal experience that leaves its players wanting to dive back and do it all again. The heart-wrenching story, the mounds of quests and activities, and everything laced between — it all stacks up to being a near-perfect game. It's one of PlayStation's finest, and most definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, Sucker Punch's greatest work to date.

So, how would you have ranked the Sucker Punch games? Let us know over on our socials here or down the comments below.

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