Test: inFAMOUS 2
Passionate about a first opus that will have marked those who played it by its very successful end, and a first approach to the action game in the open world in the skin of a superhero much more careful than that of Prototype to In my opinion, I rubbed my hands at the idea of reincarnating Cole McGrath for the rest of the story, in this new title of Sucker Punch . I put a lot of expectations on it, and the first elements I saw seemed to augur a leap forward similar to the one between Uncharted 1 and 2. In the end, it's not so obvious...
inFAMOUS 2 resumes directly after the end of the original. After a quick cinematic reminiscent of the plot of the first inFAMOUS (without revealing the huge twist of its end), Cole McGrath finds himself forced to flee Empire City for New Marais, to find a Doctor Wolfe, supposed to help him to to prepare as best as possible to face the Beast, that he may be the only one able to undo. But all overpowering that it is at the end of inFAMOUS , it will not be enough - it will therefore continue to develop its powers for our greatest pleasure.
New city, novelties?
Technically, the first inFAMOUS was already good. But the second, for once, goes considerably further, and partly thanks to this fantastic new playground that is New Marais. More varied, denser, more detailed, the new adventures theater Cole allows the new graphics engine to express itself fully, and if it happens here and there that in the flood of special effects, pyrotechnics and debris, the animation slows down a bit, the whole turns globally beautifully. It's a beautiful game that we propose Sucker Punch , and this is one of the main novelties of inFAMOUS 2in reality, that the excellence of its realization. Unfortunately, if the city of New Marais is superbly successful both visually and in terms of gameplay for Parkour fans, the other innovations, they are much more discreet. The whole takes up more or less the structure of the first one: a chain of principal missions, secondary missions, often neutral, sometimes good or bad in terms of Karma, each choice invalidating the availability of the other "version" of the mission, and a large city whose 3 large areas will have to be pacified and electrified one after the other. I will come back later on the evolutions of the system of Karma and its some surprises, but let's focus on the basics of the gameplay, do you want?
In tune
Main gameplay element that enhances the experience of frenetic action that offers inFAMOUS 2 : The amplifier. This kind of metal stick with two branches, amplifying the powers of Cole and allowing him especially to fight in the body in a way now very convincing. Moreover, if the system proves to be effective, it also highlights a much more visceral work on the cameras, which makes the melee fights very impressive when it is possible to place "finish moves", which are available after filling a dipstick with each stroke previously delivered, with a simple press of the "Triangle" button. On the other hand, it happens that one hits a little in the void when one perseverates too much, these cameras not helping to see the adversaries at times. For the rest of the basic gameplay, nothing has changed: the climb is done by small jumps, with a "magnetic" Cole that clings a bit everywhere (sometimes a bit too much, by the way), and the basic powers of electricity are always articulated around a system of aiming (with "L1") + shots , the latter varying between lightning, force waves, grenades, and other surprises depending on the button that is used. What made the intrinsic quality of the first, a very clean gameplay, pleasant to handle, and offering incessant opportunities to feel super powerful and chain various movements is always there, and better. Remains the increase in powers Cole, who gain considerably in power and variety as the adventure. and the basic electricity powers are always articulated around a sighting system (with "L1") + shots, the latter varying between lightning, force waves, grenades, and other surprises depending on the button that we use. What made the intrinsic quality of the first, a very clean gameplay, pleasant to handle, and offering incessant opportunities to feel super powerful and chain various movements is always there, and better. Remains the increase in powers Cole, who gain considerably in power and variety as the adventure. and the basic electricity powers are always articulated around a sighting system (with "L1") + shots, the latter varying between lightning, force waves, grenades, and other surprises depending on the button that we use. What made the intrinsic quality of the first, a very clean gameplay, pleasant to handle, and offering incessant opportunities to feel super powerful and chain various movements is always there, and better. Remains the increase in powers Cole, who gain considerably in power and variety as the adventure. other surprises depending on the button we use. What made the intrinsic quality of the first, a very clean gameplay, pleasant to handle, and offering incessant opportunities to feel super powerful and chain various movements is always there, and better. Remains the increase in powers Cole, who gain considerably in power and variety as the adventure. other surprises depending on the button we use. What made the intrinsic quality of the first, a very clean gameplay, pleasant to handle, and offering incessant opportunities to feel super powerful and chain various movements is always there, and better. Remains the increase in powers Cole, who gain considerably in power and variety as the adventure.
Arsenal of phew
As in the first part, each action, good or bad, gives experience points. These points are then spent to acquire different powers that must be unlocked. Either by reaching a particular level of Karma, in the positive or the negative, or by succeeding repeatedly "cascades" varied as touching an opponent in the air with lightning or sniper in the head, or by recovering the nuclei of energy punctuating the progression in the main campaign. The powers related to Karma can only be revealed by reaching a certain stage in positive or negative, and thus remain secret for those who will go in one direction, until playing the game on the other side of morality. There are a lot of new powers, mainly as variants of the basic powers. Lightning fire can be in long-range version, continuous, salvo ultra fast but less powerful or triple flash. Force waves can alter gravity to make enemies hover, or cling to them and become explosive, for example. In the same way, grenades exist in sticky variety, or can separate into several multiple mini-grenades. You must add to that the super-super powers like the impressive tornado that you could discover from the hang on to them and become explosive, for example. In the same way, grenades exist in sticky variety, or can separate into several multiple mini-grenades. You must add to that the super-super powers like the impressive tornado that you could discover from the hang on to them and become explosive, for example. In the same way, grenades exist in sticky variety, or can separate into several multiple mini-grenades. You must add to that the super-super powers like the impressive tornado that you could discover from thefirst gameplay video of the E3 2010 . These can only be used if we have an ionic charge, recovered on some big enemies, and we can store up to a maximum of three charges (each additional "slot" of course costing experience points to unlock). Finally, depending on large script choices, related to Karma also, the basic powers will be improved in one way or the other ... depending on whether we choose to follow Nix, crazy black and brutal, or Kuo, the cul-pinch who thinks first of all others (a pity that they are as annoying one as the other as they are stereotyped). Which brings me to the Karma system and the morality of inFAMOUS 2.
Blue on red, nothing moves?
Again, as in the first, the Karma scale progresses slowly depending on what actions Cole will take (such as saving or killing civilians, defusing bombs or killing street musicians, etc.), and choosing missions. Negative or positive connotations. Fortunately, the choices are a little more subtle than in the first ... but not much. At some key points of the campaign, Cole will have to choose one or the other method to reach a goal. The mission will then change radically depending on the choice of the partner, just like the recovered Karma. If most of the story, it will remain the same, it is two different ends that await the good and bad Cole. Ends without the awesome script twist of the first, but rather successful. The second choice, final, before the last mission of the game, however, will be only one last opportunity to pass on the other side of morality. As explainedBrian Fleming in our interview on inFAMOUS 2 , in fact, it is much more complicated once a path chosen and worked, to change at the last moment to see the second end. It is possible, but very tedious. For the rest, the system of Karma itself has not changed much: it is however much better integrated in the gameplay, both in terms of powers and the various optional tasks available in this vast New Marsh . Redo the game on the other side is particularly interesting, so - fun also to see that we are advised in the end with a small valve like: " remake it in bad, you will not need to worry about collateral damage this time.
Strong to do
Prevent kidnappings, assault, treat victims of the epidemic, defuse bombs, or kill street musicians, shoot down sharpshooters to steal them, silence anti-Cole protesters, or slaughter cops. secondary tasks morally connoted. They are quite numerous, and rather varied, take only very little time to achieve, but still remain repetitive, like many other things to do in New Maraisnext to the main adventure. Collect fragments to increase his energy gauge, as in the first, or find audio messages completing the story, this time by shooting pigeons carrying recordings. The secondary missions, too, lack a little variety: protect a convoy, destroy another, save cops, make everyone agree to love at first sight when factions clash in town to avoid collateral damage , or different variants of treasure hunt to follow a character without losing sight of it, to fly "tesla charges" to restore the current or even grinderlike a furious on the cables and tram rails, charged with electricity, from point A to point B staying in the air as long as possible to rally the two without losing the overhead ... Overall, this is still a pack of things to do ... too bad that they are not a little more varied and inventive. No doubt the developers leave it to the community to create more original missions..
Participatory galore
This is indeed the main addition that Sucker Punch made to his formula: the ability to create and share missions with a publisher provided for this purpose. Sufficiently versatile and complete to apparently allow players to showcase fun finds, but unfortunately we have not been able to take full advantage yet, at the time of writing this review, because it is in the length that we will see if the community will be satisfied with it to lay out many refreshing missions. However, the interface seems simple and complete, with the ability to use a large part of the bestiary of the game, some objects, to do escort missions, research, obstacle course .... The presence of "triggers" (triggers of scripts to configure) and exceptions to the physics engine (for floating objects), for example, will allow the more creative to have a little fun, and to imagine things coming out of the world. ordinary ... we hope so. Provided that inFAMOUS 2 finds its success ... and frankly, even if I seemed to say that "it is the first, better" so far, would be well deserved.
Of the boosted action
Because despite my reproaches, inFAMOUS 2remains an excellent game, with a unique personality and cachet that make it in my opinion essential for all fans of action. Fighting against a giant monster with super-powers, while around you, a crowd of characters shoot, drop rockets, the balconies of the French Quarter of New Marais collapse, it provides authentic sensations fun video game, old-school. Oiled gameplay is complex when it comes to using the full range of Cole's abilities wisely (fortunately, adding a shortcut menu of power assignments to the keys is available by pressing the directional cross), but the amateurs will have pleasure to improve themselves until being able to move quickly on rails, by turning around their targets, shooting aiming in full fall, to divert the rocket fire at the last moment of a telekinetic wave, to snipe the swift enemies in the head, etc. It fizzes everywhere, and even if the few boss battles are of a staggering classicism, they remain as pleasant to play as everything else, and stick full view. As more, the story is followed sympathetically (although it is much worse than the first), it would be a shame not to enjoy this neat world, coupled with a beautifully crafted gameplay. and even if the few boss battles are of a staggering classicism, they are as pleasant to play as anything else, and stick to your eyes. As more, the story is followed sympathetically (although it is much worse than the first), it would be a shame not to enjoy this neat world, coupled with a beautifully crafted gameplay. and even if the few boss battles are of a staggering classicism, they are as pleasant to play as everything else, and glue full of sight. As more, the story is followed sympathetically (although it is much worse than the first), it would be a shame not to enjoy this neat world, coupled with a beautifully crafted gameplay.
I did not talk much about the script, on that one, to leave you the little surprise it offers (hint: yes, you will know who is The Beast). But it's also because if inFAMOUS 2 proves so convincing for pure action fans, it's precisely because it's by its impressive open world gameplay and pyrotechnic delusions that it's worth it. stroke. Admittedly, S ucker Punch could have been more creative and efficient at the side and give more life to his universe, like a Red Dead , but inFAMOUS 2 remains a title like no other, from a talented team that makes pure video games.
inFAMOUS 2, like the first one, is especially good for its action in a beautiful open environment. Beautifully realized, the continuation of the adventure of Cole would have deserved more variety in its secondary tasks, but it offers the amateurs a dense game, quite rich, hearty and superbly jubilant to play not to miss. In addition to the real replayability of the two moral options it offers, it also offers a fairly complete mission editor that could allow players to enrich it considerably, if the desire and quality follow after the release.
| WE LIKE | WE DO NOT LIKE |
|---|---|
| * Major achievement | * Karma still too manichean |
| * Stunning power set | * On-side and repetitive side missions |
| * New Marais, extraordinary success | *Scenario less successful than 1st |
| * Excited and jubilant action | * Some bugs sometimes stopping |
| * Awesome beasts | * Characters too stereotyped |
Test: inFAMOUS 2 Photo Gallary
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THANKS FOR READING, ALSO CHECK OUT MY PREVIOUS TEST ON Test: Guild Wars 2 (PC)
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