inFAMOUS: Second Son Judged by Prominent Developers: "The Bar Has Been Firmly Raised"

inFAMOUS: Second Son is out in the wild now and both critics and fans have given their opinion on the worth of Sucker Punch Productions’ latest labor of love, but what about fellow game developers from the rest of the gaming industry?

They’re probably in the best position to judge the game’s features and quality, and many of them are definitely enthusiastic about it.

[majiebeast]

Lol that shoutout to Marc Ecco's getting up. Btw what do you mean by PS4 architect, did he help create the system?

[Derekvinyard13]

That game was awesome!

[rhcpfan]

Yes it was.

[abzdine]

facial animations and character design is from another world!!! faces feel so real!
I like the game i think it was worth the wait.

[Pintheshadows]

Betty's face man. You can see every little expression she makes. It made me immediately connected to the characters.

[Ares84HU]

Yes, the faces are amazing but the eyes are dead.

[Magnes]

Looks so good right from the start it's mind blowing. This is the game that made me jump to next/current gen. Killzone SF looked decent TF looks like last gen but this, this is it.

[showtimefolks]

excellent game this is true next gen experience. What's scary is game that will come on in 3-4 years will be much much better

even a game like witcher 3 which is now due in 2015 will raise the bar very high again. 3 games IMO that can beat Infamous 2nd son for best looking game of next gen

Uncharted because its ND
Witcher 3 because its CD-Red Project
MGS5 because its Kojima

but take nothing away from Infamous 2nd son, its an amazing game that needs to be played by as many as possible. also was wondering is sucker punch do another Infamous will they return to main line and call it infamous 3?

[extermin8or]

nah I think they'll continue with delsin also think there's at least 2 dlc's to come with story and more powers I mean did you see all the power generators on roof tops yet... no electrical powers and also all the fire hydron things sticking out of buildings and on roof tops too-plus that recent conduit quiz one of the top results was pressurised water power....

[Cryptcuzz]

Yeah, remember inFamous and then the visual jump to inFamous 2? It was a pretty big -noticeable visual bump to me.

Now with how amazing inFamous SS already looks 4 months after PS4 is released, imagine their next inFamous game 1-3 years from now!

[MasterCornholio]

Game looks fantastic. Can't believe they managed to get it running smoothly and at 1080P.

[Orange Juice]

Stability is king to me, and the fact that the ps4 runs everything this game throws at it at full hd and noticeably above 30 fps is absolutely awesome. Its just so clean looking and gives me high hopes for ps4 games that are given more time to polish. Everybody should try second son and show it to their family and friends.

[LOGICWINS]

I showed it to my mom and she was inpressed by the Stencil Art mini-games. Stuff like that is what gets non-gamers interested in next-gen gaming.

[Bathyj]

I love the stencil art. Only problem now is I have this burning desire to start tagging buildings. But since I cant smoke into an air vent and get away quickly, I probably shouldnt. :(

[GTgamer]

@killzone619
So apparently that determines the whole game which every reviewer said is smooth so keep trolling, but I'm dying to know what console you bought please let us know.

[Xsilver]

@killzone619
I don't know if you noticed but without that Framerate counter i bet you couldn't tell the framerate dropped am i right or wrong :/ oh and lets act like the game doesn't run above 30 fps most of the time.

[HeavenlySnipes]

lol game dropped 2 fps and this guy thinks it significant

call me when the game goes down to the teens like Ryse

[Orange Juice]

Here you go bud

"Across a general run of play, inFamous: Second Son spends most of its time north of 30fps."

"solid v-sync working in combination with a completely unlocked frame-rate. The difference here is that while the previous titles in the series would frequently drop beneath the 30fps threshold, it takes a mass of action and GPU-intensive post-processing effects to truly impact inFamous: Second Son's performance. Bearing in mind the high levels of detail, and the overall complexity of the rendering pipeline, that's a stunning achievement"

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

[jebabcock]

@KillZone619

When you have something besides what looks to be a photoshopped animation come back and troll.. I like how amazingly even though the framerate changes so frequently it always shows the value past the decimal to be stuck at 0. the number seems to only jump by whole values.

Even stranger the graph appears to indicate it is at 35 frames or greater pretty much the entire time...

[DragonKnight]

Lol at a 2fps loss being somehow significant. Keep on trying killzone619, someone has to take the fight to Sony since Microsoft isn't.

[dantesparda]

And MS fanboys be like "A 900p Ryse and 720p DR3 drop to the teens frequently? no big deal, but Infamous dropped what!? 2 whole frames!! UNACCEPTABLE!!!"

And like Xsilver said, without that framerate counter you wouldnt be able to tell.

The hate is strong in this one. Must be one of the most butthurt ones

[TheTowelBoy]

I'm just excited to see R* get their hands on it. Them and naughty dog. Look at what they did on last gen! I mean gah!

[sAVAge_bEaST]

It plays like BuTTeR. so smooth, and delicious.. 1080p style.

Particle's. Flow. smooth. Delicious.ness.An0Lo.gStylee.e Y0.

Yea,. it's pretty fresh.

[joab777]

I dont mind photos realism in this game. Its like what it would be like to have this happen to you in a real city. Theres plenty of super hero comic style games. I understand that that is what infamous 1 & 2 aimed for but this $#!/ is gorgeous. Unbelievable...and glad I bought a ps4.

I definitely get my fill of comic super heroes in DCUO, which is also fantastic on the ps4.

[christian hour]

It's still incredibly stylized and fits the aesthetic of the previous two games in the series, A bit mroe photo realistic yes but to deny its comic book look is silly.

I remember getting DCUO on ps3, the week the beta was on it took forever to download, and the intro segment was glitchy as hell, so I really think it soured my overall impression of the game, but I never ended up picking the game up after the beta ended. I'd say as its now a F2P game and has become a lot more stable and content-filled, it's probably more enjoyable, I'm glad to hear you got your fill from it :)

*edit* I've been saying silly a lot lately... I've no idea why. please halp! D:

[Strange_Evil]

I liked Infamous 1 a lot, but it had its problems. Infamous 2 came in and alleviated most of the issues 1 had. It was a huge leap from Infamous 1 in terms of graphics and the sheer fun quotient was raised.

Infamous SS will be the first game I will buy when I get my PS4. Seeing the game in action, I truly believe it is the smoothest 1080P game I have seen and add to the fact that it is open world, makes the prospect of games like Uncharted and future projects just too tempting. Can't believe that this is the first generation of the PS4 games. When the PS3 first released, I was underwhelmed with the graphics of the first gen games, however this gen I am fully blown by the initial offerings and can't wait for more.

It's gonna be a long wait for me :(

[MrChicagoWind]

It's great. I will say tho, it's not the smoothest 1080p game. It has it's moments when 8 DUP are shooting at you, 3 concrete conduits are launching around the screen, and you are shooting neon missiles blowing up cars and DUP checkpoints. At those moments, it might dip a tad bit, not much... It's awesome!

[ArchangelMike]

There are actually quite a number of open world games hitting this year, and next.

Watchdogs, Elder Scrolls online, Assassins Creed V, Destiny, The Division, MGS: Phantom Pain - to name but a few.

It will be interesting to see how they stack up against each other. And ofcourse there will be the inevitable Infamous 2.

Kojima has definately raised the bar as well. After playing Ground Zeroes, it is clear that The Phantom Pain has potential to be a phenomenal game. I think The Division is really raising the bar as well, especially seeing what the Snowdrop engine can do.

I'm really not sure if Watchdogs will deliver, as alot of people are deflated after the 'downgrade' scandal hit.

Between Destiny and Elder Scrolls Online, I think Destiny will be the go-to MMO (saying that, it will depend on their subscription model as well).

[NovusTerminus]

Destiny has been stated many times to not have a fee.

[christian hour]

Before we start drawing comparisons later in the year, I don't think its fair to compare an open world exclusive to all thos open world multi-plats you just mentioned.

Any open world xbone exclusives we can truly compare it to in the works?

p.s. There was already an inFamous 2 ;)

[starchild]

@christian hour

Why? Multiplats can look just as good as an exclusive. Games like The Witcher 3, The Division, AC Unity and Dragon Age Inquisition are some of the best looking upcoming games and can easily compete with Infamous Second Son.

I'm really loving Second Son and it IS a gorgeous game, but technology will forever continue in its steady march.

[christian hour]

Because a multiplat has to be desgined with different components in mind for each console, an exclusive can be made to fully take advantage of its consoles hardware.

Show me a multiplat for ps3 that looks and performs better than GOW3 or TLOU/Uncharted/Infamous1&2 ?

Show me a multiplat on 360 that looks and performs better than Gears or Halo?

There isn't, and yes all multiplats look better on PC than any game on any console, but thats an unfair comparison to make, it's like pointing out that the sky and the grass are a different colour, so lets not go down that road :)

I'll compare multiplats to multiplats, and exclusives to exculsives, to do otherwise is just giving unfair advantage to exclusives. It'd be like putting a professional sports team against their paraplegic counterpart and saying one is better than the other...

(and by exclusives I mean 1st party system exclusives, not 3rd party, soon to be multiplatform, timed exclusives,)

[yewles1]

*sizzle* 'dat heated debate at the end of the article...

[BitbyDeath]

Just unlocked the Neon powers and have taken over most of the north island. Lovin this game.

[Bathyj]

Wait til you see whats next. I love that everyone is being cool about the powers and not spoiling them.

[Sevir]

I know right.. I beat the game hours ago on the good playthrough... What comes after neon is an absolute rush and an amazing MindBLOWING moment!

I hope and pray to God that Sucker Punch, explores a sequel with Delsin... The boss fights are pretty epic!!! Especially with Augustine!!!

[Kingthrash360]

just got to chinatown...i feel something big coming. turned it off to recharge for the moment.

[WitWolfy]

Not gonna spoil at what comes after the NEON powers but I rarely used the other two powers after going NEON!

[GW212]

EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!! I had to go away for the weekend and only got to play a few hours on Thursday and Friday. I was fairly good about staying away from leaks. OK, leaving work early to go play. I'll see you guys on the other side.

[Aldous_Snow]

"They’re probably in the best position to judge the game’s features and quality"

That would be the consumer, no?

[BitbyDeath]

Usually but being so early in the gen we don't know what other devs have cooking yet for us consumers to do a proper comparison.

[SliceOfTruth888]

Aside from how gorgeous this game looks its pretty generic so far

[kneon]

It's the quality of your trolling that's generic.

[Hicken]

You're giving it too much credit.

[BitbyDeath]

Ahh, the old 1 bubble and run technique.
Next time provide some more details eh

[Illusive_Man]

It's a dolled up last gen game. Gameplay is sadly not next gen.

[BitbyDeath]

What would make it nextgen for you?
The powers are a part of the gameplay and they could obviously not be done on lastgen consoles so wouldn't that make the gameplay nextgen? If not explain why. What more are you expecting to see?

[Bobets]

LOL and what in the hell is next gen gameplay exactly? hmm?

[Utalkin2me]

@Illusive_Man

Says the guy that has never played it.

[stuna1]

Let me guess you've played Ryse!?

[DigitalRaptor]

@ Bitbydeath

Great response. These people think gameplay and graphics are separate parts of game design that will never correspond to each other. Graphics facilitate gameplay in a number of ways.

[AceBlazer13]

What the hell is next gen gameplay?We've been playing dolled up games since forever.

[GTgamer]

What is this next gen Gameplay you speak up of -_-

[mayberry]

This attitude is what grinds my gears about another game I love... Infamous is astounding! So is Killzone SF! The new maps are so amazing, its unreal. I just wonder what fps gamers would say if Killzone was multiplatform.

[Sheikh Yerbouti]

First I thought the gameplay and the power set are not unlike the original inFamous, and the smoke powers we've seen before in inFamous 2. I didn't care, but then I got the neon powers and realized that Sucker Puch cared about advancing their gameplay.

How I fight with neon totally changed my strategy. Although the rockets, drop punch, hand blasts, etc. are still are effective the same...the running is a total rush...literally. From what I'm reading from folks who actually are playing it, my next powers will be another step forward.

The set of abilities in the gameplay has broadened nicely and I'm LOVING it. Especially the story. The writing and acting are top-notch, really immersive.

[pyramidshead]

Explain in detail what next gen gameplay is.

Guarantee you will struggle. You think genres of games are suddenly going to be reinvented because of the new consoles? Battlefield and COD are examples of last gen gameplay but no-one mentioned that when they came out ;).

You're not going to be buying many games if you're hoping for next gen gameplay.

[callahan09]

OK, @Illusive_Man, so which games (exactly) this generation have raised the bar on gameplay to a "next gen" level not possible or seen previously?

Admit it, there ain't a single one. The criticisms that some games are getting for not advancing gameplay beyond some arbitrary, imaginary (frankly bull s***) "last gen/next gen" barrier ... it's pathetic and it's hypocritical and it's not founded in logic or reality. Some games are being criticized for it, while every game that HASN'T been criticized for it has actually just been given a free pass for exactly the same things. I don't get it.

[Bathyj]

said no one ever.

ge·ner·ic
adjective \jə-ˈner-ik, -ˈne-rik\

having no particularly distinctive quality or application

So I guess its just the same as all those other open world Superhero games with Smoke and Neon powers (and others) that offer large highly detailed maps with 1080P@30fps best console graphics, permanent and very impressive destruction, and did I mention how fun it is?

And I havent even played evil yet.

[Sevir]

I am so happy that the destruction in the game is permanent. It's amazing!

[Blackleg-sanji]

Spoiler spoiler spoiler if u havent beaten the game yet!!! Anybody else really impressed with the video/digital powers!!? Would have never thought of it

[LOGICWINS]

Super impressed by it. Such an awesome 3rd power. I love how every power comes with a backstory.

All the special moves are awesome, but dat Radiant Sweep DOE!

[Blackleg-sanji]

Dude radiant sweep blew my socks off i was like 0.o epic!!!! I take like 30 minutes of play time just neon dashing around

[Father__Merrin]

Merrin believes no other console will ever reach this plateau....its simply to great

[TristanPR77]

Today I got the neon powers and it is jaw dropping. I can't believe how good it is. The effects, the particles and how you can speed run the city on neon power is just awesome. Sucker Punch really raised the bar here folks.

[PaleMoonDeath]

Keep upgrading the Neon ability, eventually you'll be able to hold circle and run without stopping, that combined with the lighting it provides, is almost as fun to look at than actually play, the game is insanely gorgeous.

and the game play to my surprise, was just as enticing.

[mcarsehat]

they need more gameplay comments, it's all graphics graphics. Someone please comment on what it 'plays like'
thanks

[Bathyj]

Brilliantly. inFamous has always been about the gameplay.

The framerate only ever occasionally stutters. 99% percent of the time its rock solid. The ease of movement around the map is breath taking especially when you get the 3rd power, or endless lightspeed run.

Destruction is awesome, and actually effects gameplay. Why shoot at three guys on a bridge when you can just shoot down the bridge? Im not sure anyones ever done destruction on this level in an open world game and its permanent.

Once you master your abilities, you really are a kickass Superhero. I cant wait to get home from work and start my Evil run, that DUP are going to feel my wrath.

[mcarsehat]

thanks a lot those who helped (and didn't disagree.) sounds more interesting now. (past the 'LOOKS INCREDIBLE' articles.

[Gooch_suplex_Hold]

Play's like an awesome super hero game. There

[BitbyDeath]

Open world, you unlock main powers through story but can then develop them by collecting shards and upgrading. The map is divided up into portions where if you complete enough side missions you can then take over that area so less bad guys are running the streets. (Think GTA San Andreas if you have not played previous inFamous titles).

The AI appears to be pretty good as they rarely just sit in one spot, there are also enemies with powers who can launch themselves onto rooftops so that you cannot just hide and are actually forced to run.

Pedestrians tend to freak out and run away when you start using your powers around them.

The powers are what really makes this game stand out though both graphically and in gameplay. (Won't detail this as it'd contain too much spoilers)

The only downside for me is the overuse of things like the touchpad, I don't mind it for things like opening gates to free hostages but some other parts just feel forced. The side missions are also a bit repetitive but worth completing in order to upgrade your powers.

[mcarsehat]

use my last bubble but thanks :)

[No_Limit]

I played the game for a few hours yesterday on my PS4 and to tell you the truth, the graphics didn't blow me away like I had hope for. The effects are impressive but the character models and environment are just an improveemnt like maybe twice of what the PS3 or X360 are able to produced at the later stage of the cycle. It is a great game though and I fully enjoyed it.

[candy_mafia]

Are you freekin kiddin me!!

The visuals are the best you can currently get on any 'current console'!!!

I don't know what hardware you're used to playing (may be a PC with x2 Titan cards?), but to say the game is not super impressive is ridiculous!

Hey, it's your opinion I guess, but I really don't know what will satisfy you. Some folks are totally too hard to please.

@Drithe

Don't be so cheap lulz

[No_Limit]

@candy_mafia,

I can honestly say the jump from the PS2/Xbox generation to X360/PS3 had spoiled me. Seeing Gears of War and Uncharted 2 for the first time on those consoles over the graphics capabilities of the previous generation is what stood out. If you compare a game like infamous or Ryse or KZ:SS to some of the best looking games of previous generation like Uncharted, the last of Us or Gears of War, there is an increase but not at the level that is say God of War 2 to God of War 3.

Like I said, it is new hardwares so in times, we should see some better amazing looking games but I am just not seeing that BIG a jump as of yet.

[candy_mafia]

Yup, I kinda get what you mean....so I hit 'Agree'.

But remember they said the same thing about early PS3 titles during the transition from PS2. I recall some Journalist's trashing Resistance FOM & crowing how GOW 2/PS2 looked better than early PS3 titles.

They harp the same crap each generation...yada yada bing bang boom! PS4 is already on fire!! Imagine just 2 years from now :)))

[kenshiro100]

Nevermind. Play the game for yourself.

[Drithe]

I cant wait, 6 months from now, when I can pay 29 bucks for it and play it! Yaaaaaaaaay!!!

[cheameup]

I really am enjoying the game but I was a little dissapointed to see some pop in.trees appearing from nowhere and the game can slow down from time to time
I dont think its a masterpeice but its a real soild, fun game

[SoulSercher620]

No offense but I'm halfway through my second playthrough and I've never seen any pop in trees or had significant slowdowns. You sure you don't have a faulty disc?

[cheameup]

No offense taken.I dont have a physical copy. I downloaded from PSN .I'd say I'm about halfway too. when crossing rooftops you dont see trees and stuff pop in on other roof tops as they get closer ? the slowdowns are only occasional

neither complaint is major and I like the game allot

[feraldrgn]

Not very far into it, game looks incredible (especially considering it's such a big sandbox) & is fun for me so far.

Just got Fetch's power, but I think they gave me it too early, since it makes traversing the map a bit too fast.

My only complaint is the addition of Fast Travel.

I think modes of teleport or travelling faster should be left until the last parts of the game, to give you the sense of "owning" the world.

[Bathyj]

To be honest, I completed the game without ever using fast travel. It was just to much fun getting around by yourself. But not that I'm finished and trying tie up all my lose ends and collect everything fast travel might come in handy.

[jessupj]

As great as the review scores this game is getting, I feel it should be a lot higher. It's the first true next gen game honestly. Or at least it's definitely the best so far that has amazing gameplay with amazing graphics.

Anyone else thinking as well that PS4 is once again being marked at against a higher standard than the xbone by certain outlets?

[rawson815]

WTF IS NEXT GEN GAME PLAY?!!?!!!?! Someone please let me know I can honestly say this is the best looking next gen game I have played and yes I own all of the next gens so I don't understand what makes a game next gen besides graphical improvement ????

[pyramidshead]

it's a buzzword that will probably be applied to every game now.

I don't see the sense in complaining about it to be honest. We had 8 years of stuff so I don't get why devs would try to fix what wasn't broken in the first place.

For people expecting 'next gen gameplay', ironically no-one can even explain what they mean or what they want, are going to be waiting around for a while. Meanwhile, people will just enjoy the games. :P

[rawson815]

And by the way great game is a must play if you have a ps4

[MultiConsoleGamer]

It is an amazing title and a reason to own a PS4!

[Visiblemarc]

Yeah, this game is phenomenal. So damn good. Looks and gameplay.

[Tatsuya]

It is too much of a masterpiece that I don't want it to end
:(

[quenomamen]

But I thought Ryse already raised it ??

[pyramidshead]

Compare how Ryse looks as a linear game to a semi-open world game like inFamous and you'll see why this is a big deal.

[OutcastMosquito]

Been playing this game since launch day and to be honest it had very rare FPS drops going down to probably around 10-20 FPS ONLY when I did a special move and there was a ton of enemies on the screen. Other than that, it's really hard to tell it's at a steady 30 FPS, so smooth :D

[saber00005]

Checking here and on other websites, there's been a LOT of mixed reviews on the game. Though there are some glitches here and there, I thought the game is a worth playing. It kinda has an Assassins Creed feel to it (which I am a big fan of the series). That's just me personally. I cleared the whole top island so far, I just need to work on the bottom. Once I do, and beat the game on 100%, I may make a review... :P

No rating at this time, but so far, so good!

[jhoward585]

yeah, Ive noticed the mix reviews for second son.

Anyways, When you do make a review here are some things Ive found so great about second son.

SS start off slow but when you get further in to the game its get better and better, the fun factor moves in the upward direction. This This structure in game play is what made Nintendo NES so popular.

Moving forward....I can put up one hand and count how many games Ive played last gen started out with intense game play and got boring as i got further in the game.

lost planet 3, dante inferno, modern warfare are prime examples.

well,from my personal gaming experience, I think a game review should be based on the 1st few hours of playing a game because is very likely that the DEV wanted the player to experience the game in the upward direction.

SS deserves a better score. I give it an 8.9.

[Thatlalala]

I love it, but its shallow. What you see is what you get. A pretty game that showcases the power of a ps4, but one that lacks depth, replayability, and content. The four powers are cool and each HAVE exactly ONE unique feature, but they are just skins. This is my first Infamous and the gameplay is fun and the creativity with the powers, story and setting are top notch. Its an average game with a very shiny paint of coat not a system seller. I was having a blast... Then I got the platinum trophy over the weekend.... Playing for less than 15 hours total and was sharing time with March madness, barely put any miles on it. I was sad it was over so fast.

[ZeroX9876]

I simply loved the story! I've completed the good karma playthrough, but it's now time to try it on expert with evil karma :)

[Stapleface]

Anyone else notice it's pretty easy to get stuck inside buildings using the 3rd power? When trying to stay up in the air for that achievement I end up getting caught inside of buildings and have to use the power over and over again to get out. I did take a pic, but I'd have to upload it from the ps4 to Facebook..etc.. Can't wait to be able to save straight to USB. Not a big deal really, but the ps4 is being used. lol That and it would be a spoiler pic. Not possibly spoiling anything for anybody.