Infamous Series Review (PlayStation)

Infamous asks a simple question: If you had a power that no other human in the world could ever dream of having, how would you use it? Say, if a city was on the brink of collapse due to a ravenous catalytic event, would you use your powers to feed the hungry and the weak, or would you steal the rations for yourself and let others suffer for the sake of your self-inflated ego? Likewise, would you be the brunt of the rebellion—a front line of defense for the common man—or would you sacrifice those weaker than you to protect your own allies? The point is, however you choose to flex your abilities, every action has a consequence. It’s figuring out who you want to become that makes Infamous the wild ride that it is.

If you’re unfamiliar with Infamous, then one could only describe it as an open-world action-adventure series with deep ties to choice-driven gameplay and an honor system that bends and weans to your every decision, be it for the benefit of a world in tatters or for your own agenda. A city crumbles, yet it’s you who has the power to make drastic changes and shape the future, either with an iron fist or with a genuine heart for those less fortunate than you. In other words, you are the main character with the influence and infrastructure to move mountains. It’s deciding how to mold and revolutionize the metropolis, that’s the fun part.

While all entries in the series are set across multiple settings and character arcs, each chapter in the acclaimed saga more or less retains a similar formula—a hook that mostly consists of harnessing elemental powers, exploring rich open worlds, and finding balance between warring factions and tyrannical corporations that prey on those with superhuman abilities, otherwise known as “Conduits.” From the humble beginnings as Cole, a morally ambiguous convict, to the final parting as Delsin, a graffiti-donning parkour enthusiast, each chapter sees you establishing a moral compass and finding a way to thwart private militias, most of which label Conduits as, well, bioterrorists, naturally. Granted, there is a lot more to it than that, but you get the idea; it’s good cop, bad cop, or, depending upon how you adopt your powers and navigate the world, bad cop, bad cop.

Suffice it to say that, despite the morality system being common amongst open-world RPGs, Infamous carries a great deal of weight in its choice-driven style, with each of the in-game prompts having plausible consequences and authentic reactions that revolve around your decisions. For example, if you choose to neglect your neighbors, then the world will react accordingly and treat you in a manner that suits your personality and aura — and vice versa. And to give credit where it’s due, there’s a lot of room for maneuver here, with dozens of missions that allow you to fabricate your own rules and side activities that grant you the chance to alter your own destiny, all whilst working towards an overarching goal that plays into the hands of the aforementioned bioterrorism units.

Of course, the first two installments in the Infamous series are somewhat different from the third, in that Cole—the original Conduit—has more influence in the world and creative power to alter and manipulate the future, whereas in the newer episodes, Delsin, the rebel with a moral compass that’s as equally ambiguous, doesn’t have the same “main character” energy, but rather, a stake in multiple Conduits’ abilities, though not the power to make as big a decision as Cole. What I mean to say is that, while both protagonists flaunt a lot of creative possibilities, there is a fine line between what you can accomplish in the original two-piece saga, and what you can accomplish in the third.

On the bright side, each world that the Infamous series has brought to the table has always been crammed to the brim with open-ended opportunities and areas that allow for creative input. Aside from having sizable campaigns with well-crafted morality systems, each world, be it a major city on the brink of collapse or the sun-kissed plateaus of the vast countryside, also contains a great deal of challenges and collectibles, as well as power upgrades and, to add the icing on the cake, engaging combat sequences that grant you access to a plethora of fighting styles with multiple elemental abilities.

While you could argue that Infamous has never truly delivered exceptional heroes, much less compelling characters with evergreen personalities, the fact that the series has been able to make an effort to balance the scales with a satisfying gameplay feel and rewarding superhero-villain nexus does, in all honesty, speak volumes. The characters might not be well written, but that doesn’t make them any less appealing, more so given that you can tailor their personalities around your own choices. And, I think that is Infamous’ most notable quality: the fact that it provides you with something of a blank canvas to paint over with your own blotches and ink. Frankly, not many IPs can pull it off, but Infamous has been more than capable of writing the book every time without fail.

Verdict

Infamous delivers a timeless slip into a morally ambiguous world where two rights, two wrongs, and countless creative possibilities collide—a platform where players can gracefully wax their egos and tame the fabrics of society in any manner they deem fit, whether it’s for the benefit of those less fortunate than them or for the sake of inflating their own tainted agenda. With generously crafted open-world settings and dozens of avenues to explore and tailor, each chapter brings a plethora of opportunities and activities to delve into, with an honor system that feels authentic and plausible, as well as a lot of fun to experiment with.

If you’ve yet to romp through the series and navigate its moral compass, then take this as an opportunity to experience the world of Infamous for yourself. It’s quality fun with a ton of sandbox elements and world-building segments, and thus, an excellent way to uncover your true persona. The question is, who will you become when push comes to shove?