inFamous 2 (PS3) - A Retrospective Review
I do retrospective reviews for any game that came out before the 8th generation consoles. Technically, Infamous 2 fits that rule, but the moment I booted it up, it honestly didn’t feel like an “old” game at all. Neither its mechanics nor its gameplay show their age. From the very start, everything feels more improved compared to the first game. The color palette is more vibrant, the world feels alive, and the cutscenes look way more polished. Personally, I loved this shift, but I can see why some people might prefer the darker, grittier tone of the first game. One thing I’m especially glad they kept is the comic book style slides in some cutscenes. It gives a unique personality to its narative.
When it comes to gameplay, inFamous 2 makes some huge improvements over the first game. Parkour feels smoother and faster, aiming is more consistent, and the new powers add a lot of depth to combat. One of my favorite additions was the Amper, a melee weapon that finally makes close combat fun this time. In the first game, I basically avoided melee altogether because it felt clunky, but here it actually works well for me. Switching between powers with the quick menu also works perfectly and keeps the action moving.
Cole’s superpowers still feel somewhat like using a firearm, but the execution is miles better than in the first game. Honestly, the variety of new abilities Cole unlocks throughout the game managed to impress me. Parkour is also feels a lot smoother and more fun right from the start. That’s probably because the sequel builds on the powers Cole already had in the first game. The world is also designed in a way that makes movement flow better and the improved animations tie it all together, making Cole's mobility enjoyable.
That being said, the side missions are still repetitive and get boring fast, just like in the first game. Early on, most of them feel like copy paste jobs from the first game: find a pack from the picture, race against time, destroy supplies, rescue medical supplies, secure the vehicle… you know the drill. It does get better later tho, especially with the optional good and evil side missions, which have better design. Having Kuo and Nix join you on certain missions was also a nice touch too. I just wish this level of variety was consistent throughout the whole game. Enemy variety is better this time tho, and the boss fights, especially the big ones, are honestly pretty great. My biggest dissapointment is still many of the main missions feels like side missions that aims to extend the playtime. Yet, it's still miles ahead of its first game in that case.
As for the story? Without spoiling anything, I really enjoyed it. inFamous 2 does a great job of making your choices feel important, not just in dialogue but in gameplay too. Your powers evolve depending on whether you go the hero or villain path, and the civilians react to you differently. Which really adds to the immersion. I personally can’t bring myself to play as the bad guy, so I stuck with the hero path. I also hit to the "Hero Karma" much faster than in the first game, probably because second game is a bit shorter to beat. The ending was satisfying in a messed up way but I really appreciated how the narrative tied everything together.
Overall, I believe that inFamous 2 is exactly how a sequel should be. If the mission designs were less repetitive, it could’ve easily become one of my all time favorites. Even so, I still think it’s one of the best superhero games out there and the fact that you can choose to be a hero or a villain makes it even better. Obviously it still has its flaws but I had a great time with it and if you still have a PS3 lying around, definitely both inFamous 1 and 2 are worth revisiting.
"8.5/10"
