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The reveal of the Infamous 2 trailer at E3 was incredibly underwhelming for me. The Game Informer article that revealed the first concrete details also left me a bit worried about the direction that the series was headed in. The hero, Cole, had been redesigned, the setting didn't impress me the way I expected it too, and the way it was described, it didn't seem to point at any major improvements over the original. Today, I eat my words. This first gameplay trailer is not only impressive, it is downright sexy. Check it out:
The original Infamous was intriguing to me for a number of reasons. It came out around the same time as Prototype, a similar open world action game, and it took a very different approach to presentation and the abilities that players were given. Rather than overload players with countless different abilities, Infamous was focused on a single set of abilities that were tied to electricity. It fueled the character and at the same time restricted movement and progression. It forced players to seek energy sources for power and use the environment to gain the upper hand in battle. With Infamous 2, Sucker Punch seems to have really stepped up their game in a number of ways.
Rather than recycle the basic combat mechanic in the original which involved shooting electric projectiles from your fingertips "sith-style", Cole has gained a new electrical staff that can be used to create combos and take out enemies in style. Whether this weapon will serve as his main method of attack is unclear but it does open the door for possibilities in regards to weapons and combat styles.
Environmental traversal was an important aspect of Infamous and this gameplay demonstration illustrates how it has been improved and incorporated into missions in a more satisfying and cinematic way for the sequel. The movements, especially those involving the wire grinding, seem to carry more weight and momentum than the first. Cole is now able to grind side-to-side along horizontal wires and even use vertical conduits to quickly move between the ground and the rooftops. I can imagine that this would make from some very intense and fun chase and platforming sequences.
While I was originally unhappy with the setting of Infamous 2, the cinematic flair and the "Louisiana-esque" aesthetic give it a unique personality that I think will really help separate this game from it's predecessor. When coupled with the destructible environments (i'm not sure how much of this world is destructible but that was amazing), this could really prove to be an amazing world to bring to it's knees.
While i'm not sure how far into the game this video was taken from, it is clear that Cole has really come a long way with his abilities since the events of the first Infamous. The powers he uses seem amplified and Sucker Punch did a good job of making him seem like a more confident, focused hero simply through his movement animations. Some of his more basic abilities in the original game such as his glide and push abilities seem way more useful and powerful, making him seem like a force to be reckoned with. It goes without saying that his final attack on the helicopter was just about the coolest demonstration of power I have seen in a game. If that attack is really as immense and intimidating as it seemed in that trailer, I can't wait to see what else Cole might have up his sleeve.
While there are still a lot of questions to be answered in regards to Cole's new ice abilities, the handling of choice, and the story, I think Sucker Punch is on track for another hit. It seems like that have taken pages from Naughty Dog's playbook in regards to presentation and combined that with some excellent design choices to make this sequel really stand out. Only time will tell but for now, I will eat my words and say that my excitement for this title is now through the roof.
Comments
13 years, 9 months ago
I can't help but scratch my head at the radical character design change...
I'm sure somewhere in the story it'll likely explain that his powers have slowed or possibly reversed his aging, but for the life of me I can't wrap my head around why besides maybe to appeal to a... Wider demographic? I mean, even if they couldn't get the voice actor to reprise his role, I'm sure there's a ton of people with gravelly voices you could cast as McGrath.
As for the trailer, it looks promising, if glared with obvious scripted points. The chase in particular had me a bit worried, as Cole really isn't all that fast unless he's on power lines (Though I noticed his static glide has a LOT more forward momentum). Something tells me those sections will be heavily scripted, have a very specific path, force the chasee to slow down if Cole gets too far, or you'll be forced to retry them a lot.
I'm also a little disappointed that there was no showcasing of the ice powers, but I suppose that's being saved for a surprise later.
All in all, not a bad trailer. Prolly didn't get me as excited as I should be, though I am looking forward to the sequel.
[/blabber]
13 years, 9 months ago
I read somewhere that this was the way Cole was originally designed, but Sucker Punch had troubles with Voice talent and some glitch with his hair or something.
13 years, 9 months ago
Love the physical styling of the game. Plus the new styling looks great.
-Alex
13 years, 9 months ago
i cant wait till this game comes out. i loved the first one and the ending blew me away so this is one game i am looking forward to.
13 years, 9 months ago
Looks great can't wait to get my hands on it.
13 years, 9 months ago
Ya i have to agree nick the presentation has made the transition of apocalyptic setting to a more dilapidated city with more of a flourish is Cole friend back from the original hopefully we can get some closure as too what happened after the ending in the first
13 years, 9 months ago
He looks younger...and that doesn't make much sense, whats with the hair and tats? Oh well, changes look cool though, little bit Micheal BAY with all the explosions, and i hate Micheal bay, needless to say I'm exicited, the first one earned a ranking in my top 20 or 30 games of all time. But to me, it is just one step closer to becoming a Star Wars clone...and that'll help sales, but the might get lazy with the3rd, if there's going to be one, ones development.
13 years, 9 months ago
That did look pretty damn amazing. The only problem I had was with the enemies he was fighting at the beginning. I'm so sick of every game having you fight similar looking semi-human grotesque monsters. Those things could have been right out of Dead Space or Red Faction: Armageddon or any number of other games and I wouldn't have noticed a difference.
13 years, 9 months ago
Okay, why isn't Cole bald? And why does he remind me more of Nathan Drake than Cole MacGrath?
13 years, 9 months ago
I'm extremely pleased with just how much quicker and fluid the environmental traversal looks compared to Infamous 1. Definitely more interested in the game now.
13 years, 9 months ago
I don't understand Cole's new pants. They look like wrestler pants. It kind of makes me wish that they just made Cole a Luchadore. EL ELECTRICO!
Holy shit I would play the fuck out of that!
13 years, 9 months ago
I can't wait for inFamous 2, it's one of my most anticipated games of 2011, but I don't like Cole's new design. I know his voice actor changed, but that doesn't mean you have to change the design of the character the voice actor is voicing, it's like changing the design of Megaman every time he has a different voice actor.
13 years, 9 months ago
I really don't like the comparison of the new Cole design to Nathan Drake, but it's to be expected. As for him staying bald, didn't Cole have hair in the beginning of inFamous(if I remember correctly)? The only reason he was bald/shaved was because of the explosion. Makes sense for him to grow hair after some time doesn't it?
13 years, 9 months ago
The "gameplay" trailer looked very cinematic and scripted to me with nice looking animations. I hope the gameplay will feel as good as it looks.
13 years, 9 months ago
wow this makes me want to try the first one
13 years, 9 months ago
I like the location they decided to take the 2nd game into the city looks great and it looks like exploding things will actually do damage to the buildings.
Im not sure if this is going to happen all the time but i like how the explosions added a short cinematic effect to them
13 years, 9 months ago
Ha, looking through the comments, it seems I'm not the only person that thought the new Cole looked like Nathan Drake. I like Drake, though, moreso than Cole's original design, so I'm okay with it.
Personally, what I want to see more of is these abilities that let Cole move around faster. The footage shows Cole being able to get around quickly using methods aside from grinding across rails, and my hope is that these new abilities will help relieve the tedium of climbing buildings slooooowly just to get to the rails that you can grind. One of my main problems with the original inFamous was that, for an open-world game that promised lots of climbing and mobility, it felt a bit cumbersome getting around at times. So, I'm really hoping that these new options for fast transport are all over the place, as opposed to just being in a few select locations.
13 years, 9 months ago
Seeing as Cole can heal himself from bullet wounds by suckin' down a lamp post, I guess one could explain away his youthful appearance and less gravely voice by the regenerative properties of his powers.
This video has me hyped, but I still think it was lame giving Cole power over another element. They could have given him more control over electricity than merely being a battery that shoots it out. I mean, what if Cole realized his powers actually work because he alters the resistance/conductivity of the things around him? That would be insane.
13 years, 9 months ago
I do not like the new voice. At all. So much for a badass.
13 years, 9 months ago
Well I have never played the first Infamous, but after seeing the trailer I might pick it up. If the first one is as good as everyone says it is, then Infamous 2 will be a definite buy for me.
13 years, 9 months ago
I can't wait for this game. This could be a great game or a really, really bad one. It all depends on how they explain his ice powers in my opinion.
13 years, 9 months ago
The video looks spectacular! I love how they're trying to diversify the character with new weapons and abilities. ice powers rule!
13 years, 9 months ago
I like the fact that they're portraying the character as a bad ass without trying to make him sound like a bourbon and gravel gargling Tom Waits wannabe. There's nothing wrong with that type of voice in and of itself, it just seems like it has been overused in the action game and action movie genres as of late.
13 years, 9 months ago
Something that wasn't pointed out yet, There seems to be Dynamic Lighting in a game about shooting lightning, think about that for a second. Anyways that makes it for a beautiful game so far, but waiting for more gameplay.
13 years, 9 months ago
It's games like this that make me really want to get a PS3. Seems great.
13 years, 9 months ago
Will Cole be able to to blend the ice powers with electricity powers, like instead of just those electrical grenades from the first game, you blend those with ice and make electric snowball grenades!!!, that would be awesome!.
13 years, 9 months ago
its just drake with a battery up his backside. Played the original game, was ok but nothing really wanted me to play through the game a second time. I feel that there is a improvement in the game from what ive seen but not enough too get hyped up about.
13 years, 9 months ago
I really want a PS3 just for this game :(
13 years, 9 months ago
I remember hearing that a lot of people hated the character of Cole, so it was to be expected that they would do some changes to him. In the original, It felt like SuckerPunch was trying to go for a Max Payne feel, which did not have a very satisfying result. So overall, I am very happy about the changes of the character, and it would be really awesome if his powers did somehow made him look younger. But the only thing I am worried about is the voice actor, which kind of sounds more like a rookie than veteran.
The tornado power did not make a lot of sense to me, and neither do the ice powers I have been hearing about. Can someone help me elaborate on that?
13 years, 9 months ago
Wow this game looks fast fun and exiting great graphics and a sequel to a great game
13 years, 2 months ago
Danny, i do believe that he does now have TK abilities... some how? Anyway, the tornado thing could be just using TK on air? i'd make sense. The ice powers i have no idea... perhaps his real ability is to manipulate elements, not just electricity, but he only found out now mabey? dunno, dont care that much really i think its an idea with great potential, that is of course if they dont f**k it up majorly...