Infamous Review (Spoiler-free)

So I've had Infamous since release and it's nice to actually be playing an open world superhero(or villain depending on your play style)game that doesn't suck. Now as with all superhero gaming reviews I must follow the lead of my reviewing peers and reference Spider-man 2. Few games have lived up to the example set by it and that includes the failure of it's sequels/follow-ups.

In the game you take on the role of Cole, a delivery boy that finds himself at the center of a massive explosion that destroys the city, kills thousands and grants him electricity based super powers. You start with the ability to leach electricity to heal yourself and shoot small bolts. As you play through the story and restore power to the areas of the ruined city you unlock new powers. There is also a leveling system in place that grants you xp for beating down the bad guys, completing missions, side quests and etc. The earned xp can then be used to power up the abilities you have, some of which are only available to you on the condition that Cole is good or evil.

Now on to the question of morality. Your actions in the game determine the moral stance of Cole as well as some of his powers and even the color of his electricity. Some of the missions have karma points where you are hit with the choice of performing a good action or taking the low road. The character of Cole will actually go as far as to explain a rational for taking either moral option. Alongside that the xp you gain from your many actions can actually come with good, evil or neutral karma. For example, restraining a defeated opponent to the ground via static electricity results in good karma xp while finishing a downed enemy off or leeching the bio electricity from their body to refill your own energy reserves generates evil karma and xp. Keep in mind that the city is also full of many NPC citizens that will respond to whether you are good or evil and can also fall victim to your villainous rampages or be saved by your general good nature. Be as heroic or villainous as you desire. Spider-man 2 has nothing on that.

Overall I was very impressed with the game and it has become the third game to be purchased for my PS3 and the fourth game to be played on it in the 2 years that I have owned the system. Even the trophies for the game are well done. The game encourages replayability via trophies that are only obtainable for being good or evil. I'm just about to finish my first run through which I played as a goody two-shoes and I'm looking forward to the second play through as a heartless bad ass.

Kami

Oh Snap!

So in preparation for playing the new Bionic Commando later today I decided to get some time in this morning with Bionic Commando Rearmed. I feel pretty proud of myself for discovering that if you fire the shot gun while hanging limp from the bionic arm you can actually start up a swing movement again. It's the little things that make me smile.

Kami

Musings - Call of Duty: Modern Combat 2

SO I never really got into the COD series for many reasons. These include the fact that until COD2 the game was primarily PC based and I wasn't found of any PC shooter that didn't have Unreal or Battlefield in the name. Plus I am so over World War 1 or 2 based games that it isn't funny. I mean come on how many times can a developer rehash a war that ran it's course before either of us was born. Now I will tolerate WW games if the occult or supernatural is involved (Wolfenstein and COD:World at War zombie mode I'm giving you your shout outs.) but else wise I say no more axis vs allies. So you can imagine the joy and delight I felt when I first had COD4:MC in my grip for the first time. Unlike my preference in anime I like realism in my games. Realistic weapons and physics are my secret love. Plus being former military I respect any genre that portrays military combat in a realistic way because last time I checked hopping up and down constantly as I unload my portable missile at my foes was not a viable tactic taught in basic training. My only problem with Modern Combat is that when I play it I go into a daze where day bleeds into night and the much feared Q the Kamikaze holds domain. In that setting I am well feared and admired in the lobbies of Xbox Live and with good reason. So far only three other games have achieved this effect with me. Battlefield: Bad Company, Street Fighter 4 and COD: WAW (WAW only cause it is the same game engine and gameplay that Infinity Ward had developed for MC. Kudos and shame to you Treyarch for ripping off a good thing) I actually don't play any of the games in question as much as I would like just cause I know I will have a hard time pulling myself away from them. So with MC2 on the horizon and it's oh so realistic graphics just tantalizing me I'm both anticipating it's release and dreading it. So what prompted this post you ask? I'm sitting here at work and the teaser commercial for MC2 popped up and the graphics are so realistic that they remind me of all the declassified military vids I used to watch when I was active duty. Good times.

Kami

Oh yeah I forgot about......

My copy of EA Sports Active got delivered today so I hope to give that a spin before bedtime plus I'm debating going to pick-up a copy of Sacred 2.

Bionic Commando

Today's impulse buy is the new Bionic Commando by Capcom. Has one of my favorite companies managed to provide the sequel I've been begging for since childhood or do I spend the remainder of this year hunting down Capcom execs to give them their proper comeuppance. Find out after I get off from work.

Kami