Infamous: Second Son is an important game for both the developers Sucker Punch and publisher Sony. For Sony it needs Infamous to keep the excellent sales momentum of the PlayStation 4 going whilst showing what their new console is capable of. For Sucker Punch, they need to show Sony and the gaming population that they are a studio of worth up there with the big boys like Naughty Dog and Sony Santa Monica. Thankfully for both parties involved and PlayStation 4 owners, Infamous: Second Son is an excellent game with stellar production values, the best open-world graphics ever seen, an extremely likable main character and a city that begs to be explored. This game deserves your attention.

Like the previous two games, Second Son revolves around a normal every day person being accidentally imbued with super powers. You play as Delsin Rowe, a likable graffiti artist in his early twenties with a care free attitude and disdain for the law. The city of Seattle is over run by a government agency called the Department of Unified protection (DUP) whose prime goal is to kill or capture any person that has super powers (Conduits). Once Delsin receives his powers, he vows to defeat the DUP that have been causing terror to Seattle. Instantly from the start, I loved Delsin. His personality and mindset were perfectly created by Sucker Punch to give a realistic portrayal of modern young adults. While this may have little to no difference on the game itself, gamers of a certain age will certainly see themselves in Delsin.

The other main character of note is his brother Reggie. Reggie compliments Delsin extremely well. While Delsin is the cool and rebellious brother, Reggie is the calm and collected cop whose dedication to his profession is unwavering. When Delsin gets his super powers, Reggie is instantly there to support him. I liked the relationship between the two brothers but I felt Sucker Punch should have delved deeper into their relationship instead of just using it as a plot points to provide the anti-hero with a sidekick. Like the brothers relationship, the storyline felt rushed and during the 8 or so hours it took me to beat the main game I felt like I wanted to see more of these two characters and their fight against the DUP. Although the story is short, there are some scenes that are breathtaking with very serious undertones and real world comparisons. Couple these scenes with the best facial animation and graphics ever seen on a PlayStation console and Sucker Punch have created a recipe for success.

As I said above, Second Son is incredible to look at with a city that feels alive. Every corner of the city of Seattle is brimming with detail. From dark alleyways full of graffiti to 100 floor buildings, the city looks stunning. Sucker Punch should be proud of this incredible achievement, they have made the first game that could not be possible on previous consoles graphically. There were times where I would climb to the tallest building and just click the share button to record the view.  The lighting engine in Second Son is the standout feature without a doubt. Blazing through the city using Delsin’s neon power is a sight to behold. For the first time ever, the lighting in a game made me squint during some points in the game. Second Son also boasts beautiful particle effects and real time destruction of DUP outposts. During my time with Second Son I only encountered a handful of bugs which is a norm for games as big as this but nothing game breaking.

The gameplay in Second Son is where this game shines. Sucker Punch have a knack for making games that are the definition of fun and this game is no exception. Each super power is expertly created so that the player can manipulate the environment to traverse the world effortlessly whilst still being able to damage enemies. For example, Delsin’s first power is smoke and he is able to use vents in buildings to traverse the environment while using the smoke as a booster to glide until Delsin finds the next vent. It is this use of fluid movements that make being a super hero in Second Son feel so good. Delsin’s second power neon allows the player to scale up the side of buildings  and then hover in the air. Using this power also slows down time for a short period allowing the player to focus on enemy weak points for an instant kill.  Thankfully each of the four powers Delsin eventually possess feel completely different, forcing the player to adopt vastly different tactics depending on the power equipped.

Another important feature that changes the way a player interacts with the game is the karma system. A staple feature present in all Infamous games, the karma system has players make good or bad decisions in certain situations depending on the type of character you want Delsin to become. For my initial play through I wanted Delsin to be a good superhero so all my decisions involved saving civilians and using my powers for the good of the people of Seattle. Picking a side has a drastic effect on Delsin’s powers because each power has a good and bad set of upgrades. Delsin’s powers are upgraded by collecting blast shards that are scattered throughout the city. The problem with the karma system like previous games is that the system is too black or white. There is literally no in-between when it comes to choosing a side which I found to be very disappointing. You either want to kill or save X, take Y under your wing or kill them. This linearity when it comes to the karma system is particularly jarring when compared to the freedom the player has when traversing the city. Hopefully in the next Infamous game Sucker Punch will totally revamp the karma system because it is the only part of Second Son that feels like it is from the last generation of consoles.

Thankfully there is no linearity when it comes to side missions. Seattle is divided into sections and it is Delsin’s job to rid each section of the city of the DUP. This involves the player finding hidden cameras, DUP spies, DUP outposts, putting graffiti on certain buildings and rescuing civilians from jail cells. Of course the player is the rewarded for clearing each section of the DUP by receiving karma and unlockable jackets for Delsin. When it comes to things to do Second Son will not leave you bored.

Infamous: Second Son is the poster boy for the Playstation 4 and Sony as a publisher. It is a beauty to behold with a city that truly feels alive. Sucker Punch have created a game that Marvel only wishes they could make and a main character that is relevant and relatable to a certain demographic of gamers. The superpowers Delsin has are a joy to use and traversing the city with these powers is effortless but most importantly, they are fun to use. The main story is short and the karma system needs a drastic over haul but, replaying the game as good and evil Delsin whilst completing all the side quests will provide the player with over 20 hours of gaming bliss. Being a superhero has never felt so good.