Infamous (video game)

Infamous (stylized as inFAMOUS) is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The player controls the protagonist Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger caught in the center of an explosion that devastates several city blocks of the fictional Empire City. The explosion sends the city into chaos while Cole finds himself with new electricity-based super powers. Though the game's story follows Cole using his new abilities to restore some semblance of order to Empire City, the player is given several opportunities to use these powers for good or evil purposes in the game's Karma system. These choices ultimately affect character growth, the reaction of the city's populace towards Cole, and finer elements of gameplay and the story.

Sucker Punch developed Infamous as a change of pace from their earlier Sly Cooper series of stealth-based games, but using a similar comic book-inspired origin story to help the player become more connected with Cole. The game's pacing in the introduction of new super powers and ease of movement about the city by unconventional means were critical factors during development. The desolate urban atmosphere was inspired by comics such as DMZ and Batman: No Man's Land. Amon Tobin was among the artists that helped to compile its soundtrack, which aimed to reflect the environment.

The game was well received by the gaming press. It was praised for many of its elements, including the implementation of Cole's powers and climbing ability, and the game's mission structure. Reviewers commented on the repetitive nature of combat and enemies, limitations of the Karma system, and technical aspects in the graphical display. Infamous was compared to and contrasted with Prototype, a video game released the following month which had many elements similar to Infamous. The game was offered by Sony as a free download as part of their 'Welcome Back' program, after the 2011 PlayStation Network outage. The game was followed by a sequel, Infamous 2 in June 2011.

Infamous is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective where the player controls Cole and primarily interacts with the world of Empire City through Cole's newly gained electricity-based powers; these are used for movement, offense and defense in combat, and either for better or worse in dealing with the citizens of Empire City. In order for Cole to use his powers, he must have stored electrical power, represented by a node meter on the player's heads up display (HUD). The player can recharge Cole by draining electricity from powered sources or from living beings; recharging also restores Cole's health, which is indicated by blood splattering onto the screen. The more damage that Cole takes, the more blood that covers the screen. When Cole's health is at a critical level, the screen will turn black and white, and if Cole takes a little bit more damage while the screen is black and white, a heartbeat will be heard and will get slower and slower as Cole takes more damage, until it is beating dangerously slow. At this point, further damage to Cole will kill him. If the player stays out of battle long enough, Cole's health will regenerate over time. The game features seventeen different electrical powers, ranging from simple bolts that do not consume Cole's energy to wide-field lightning storms that drain most of Cole's energy. The player can use such powers, giving the player options in certain situations. For example, the player may fire at a generator near foes to cause it to explode and cripple his opponents, then restrain them or fire at the body to kill the enemy.

Due to being vivified electricity, Cole is unable to use vehicles, take up weapons, or swim. Cole easily climbs buildings and other structures and can fall a great height without taking damage. Many powers are acquired over the course of the game; once acquired the player can use experience points, awarded for specific actions, stunts and missions, to increase the power's effectiveness. The growth of these powers is affected by Cole's current Karma level. Starting in a neutral position, it ranges from Guardian to Champion to Hero on the Good side, and from Thug to Outlaw to Infamous on the Evil side. Certain actions, such as stopping to help injured citizens or draining their health to restore Cole's, will affect the Karma level in either direction. Normal story missions may also alter the Karma level. During the game the player will encounter Karma Moments, when the action pauses and the player is told, through a monologue by Cole, of two actions that can be taken, always a good and bad option. For example, one scenario the player is presented with is to either pull a valve and get a spray of tar in his face (Good), or force a civilian to do it for him (Evil). There are also a number of paired Good/Evil side missions in the game; completing one will lock out the other mission but will reward the player with a large amount of Karma towards their selected Karma goal. Completion of these missions helps gain access to unique super powers based on the Karma level. The player is not locked into choosing either Karma path, and may opt to play towards one extreme and later switch to the other mid-game. Doing so will lock out any purchased power(s) in the original chosen Karma sector. In addition to altering Cole's appearance and certain aspects of the game's story, Karma also influences the behavior of the citizens of Empire City, they will come to help Cole in battle if his Karma is Good, but will turn on Cole and throw rocks at him if he has Bad Karma.

Empire City is built on three islands, and the player must work through main story missions on each island before being able to access the next one, though future missions may require the player to return to an earlier island. Each island is divided into a number of sectors, at the start of the game controlled by three different gangs, the Neon District being controlled by Sasha and her Reapers, the Warren District being controlled by Alden Tate and the Dust Men (also referred to as the Transients), and the Historic District being controlled by Kessler and the First Sons. The player can undertake a side mission in each sector, once certain main story requirements have been met, to free that sector from gang control, reducing or eliminating the presence of the gang in that sector. Other side missions may also unlock medical stations where Cole will re-awaken should he die. Though Cole must travel on foot he eventually gains powers that allow him to grind along power cables and powered, elevated train rails and to hover for a short time. Scattered around the city are hundreds of 'Blast Shards' which Cole can collect to increase the amount of electricity he can store. There are 32 'Dead Drop' satellite transmitters that help to reveal more of the back-story in the game, all being narrated by John White, or being recordings of Kessler and his experiments.

InFamous is set in Empire City, a fictional metropolis based on New York City and separated from the American mainland by a single bridge. The city is spread across three boroughs, each with their own elevated train system and power grid, and connected to the others by a series of bridges and tunnels. The boroughs are the Neon District, the city's entertainment and business center decorated by grand Art Deco monuments; the Warren, a run-down residential neighborhood and international shipping hub; and the Historic District, the seat of the city government dominated by old Neo-Gothic and Beaux-Arts skyscrapers. The game's premise is built around the partial destruction of the Historic District by a mysterious explosion, followed by a viral epidemic that forces the federal government to quarantine the city. A rise in violent crime overwhelms the police, resulting in societal collapse.

The protagonist is Cole MacGrath (Jason Cottle), a bike courier accused of triggering the explosion, which leaves him with the ability to absorb and project electricity. His closest friend, Zeke Jedediah Dunbar (Caleb Moody), allows Cole to hide on his rooftop, despite his envy of the former's powers. Trish Dailey (October Moore), Cole's girlfriend, abandons him out of anger over the death of her sister Amy, while most of Empire City's residents view him as a terrorist. While attempting to escape the city with Zeke, Cole is contacted by FBI agent Moya Jones (Kimberli Colbourne), who offers to clear his name if he helps her find her husband, fellow agent John White (Phil LaMarr). White vanished while investigating a group known as the First Sons, believed to be responsible for orchestrating the explosion.