inFAMOUS: Second Son: Here’s How Delsin Rowe Looked Like When He Didn’t Have a Beanie Yet

By now you all know the peculiar look of inFAMOUS: Second Son's protagonist Delsin Rowe. Turns out he didn’t always look like that, as showcased by a piece of concept artwork shown at GDC.

[SourShoes]

I didn't like him originally, but he turned out to be a badass.

[jc48573]

I like your avatar even more.

[G20WLY]

Cerny skin DLC confirmed!!! ;^P

[NewMonday]

looks like a character from 90's Image comics.

[Destrania]

I need a large version of your avatar picture. Very... Very... Badly!

[Gamingcapacity]

Delsin is a very likable character. I didn't expect that with the pre launch trailers making him look like a dooch.

A million times more interesting than dull Cole of 1&2.

[Kavorklestein]

Yes, Cole was very dull, as are all these games. disagree away, I enjoyed prototype more than any of these games.

[iamnsuperman]

@Kavorklestein

I am more of a Cole fan. Delsin is fine but he doesn't really have much going on. Also, even when good, Cole was more anti hero than sterotypical comic book hero which made the good ending of inFamous 2 even more powerful. Cole also had more interesting friends (I know people go, justifiable, irritated by Zeke in the first one he was saved by the second)

[Kavorklestein]

@iamnsuperman
I don't even like superhero anything except movies anymore. I don't like comics, I like graphic novels, Infamous tried, and in my opinion, failed to do anything with any of their games to pull me in and care about any of it.
At all.

[UnHoly_One]

I liked Cole better. I also liked Cole's powers better.

[DragonKnight]

I like Cole better personally. Delsin seems like a stereotypical frat/against "da man" type of guy, though his relationship with Reggie is top notch story writing in my opinion.

Cole really seemed like the anti-hero who had the weight of the world, and his power, thrust upon him. Hell, in SS they consider what he did to be a gift to the world and he's still considered a hero even though he never wanted to be.

Plus, his personality is better in my opinion. Not taking anything away from Delsin, he's cool in his own right and I love his jackets and humour, but Cole really seems like deeper character in my opinion.

[PFFT]

Although i like Delsin I too prefer Cole. Cause if you compare powers Coles electrical powers were way more devastating in every way or form.

[UnHoly_One]

One thing that really bugged me about Delsin was that he was basically just the leader of the Saints from the last couple Saints Row games.

Same voice actor of course, but he was quite literally playing the same character, at least when you were out and about during gameplay, not so much the cutscenes.

[DragonKnight]

@PFFT: Agreed times a million. While playing SS, every time I needed a Neon recharge I'd go to a sign I thought was Neon only for it to be a normal electrical sign and I'd be like "Cole could frickin' absorb this."

And so many times fighting dozens of D.U.P. enemies I'd be like "Just one Lightning Grenade and this fight would be over."

And that's one thing I don't like about SS. The game seriously toned back on the destructive ability Delsin has in comparison to Cole to the point where the game isn't actually harder, you're just much more limited in what you can do and constantly having to run away to prevent death. Cole literally was a powerhouse and the funny thing is, he probably could absorb the Neon signs too.

[miyamoto]

Cool beans!

You made my day!

[hollabox]

They should have kept the original Delsin! Current Delsin just comes off as an goofy young punk trying his best to be cool. A lot like the emo Dante from the last Devil May Cry,except Infamous is awhole better overall.

[Silly Mammo]

I like the character more than I thought as well. Is it just me or does he sometimes sound like Archer(H Jon Benjamin) when he's cracking wise?

[jetlian]

So he was to indian for the game?!

[Baka-akaB]

Maybe the reason , but i feel it was also too stereotypical . I've met more young natives with an urban style than with the movie "let it flow with a bandana" style .

[DragonKnight]

I think they should have kept the original design. He looks way more badass than he does now, and now he looks more like a stereotypical skater guy.

It would have been interesting to see at the very least, maybe they'll have a DLC skin for it. I'd probably pick that up.

Though I REALLY hope for DLC with Cole IN it and not just talking about what he left behind.

**SPOILER**

LOVED Zeke's cameo.

[Lord_Sloth]

I think the biggest reason they changed his design is he looked way too serious in the concept art given that he was supposed to be kind of a thug and a smartass joker in the game at the beginning.

I like both designs actually. Maybe they should've actually had multiple skins in the game aside from just different jackets.

[DragonKnight]

@Lord_Sloth: I'm reminded of the "don't judge a book by its cover" saying. They could have easily retained his humor and cockiness with that look. I tend to believe it's the fact he'd look too native for the game, but I really like that look and hope they'll make it a skin.

[Skate-AK]

No. Long hair is so hard to animate and render. The current Delsin was the smart choice.

[Yuri_Rook]

What about Nariko from Heavenly Sword?

[minimur12]

Well he is Akomish they clearly wanted him more American and less original akomish

[NovusTerminus]

He is Indian by birth, not in attitude. So his final design fit.

That said I like his concept art design allot.

[Ck1x]

I think he still a Native American...

[darren_poolies]

Dat english.

[_FantasmA_]

That

[Thatmattkid]

I quite like it actually, definitely a bit more cooky and less generic. However he looks a little bit like Neji from Naruto!

[smokeyjoekenobi]

Hmmm.. I think dualshockers needs to learn about sentence structure, punctuation and form a better understanding of the English language in general. For future reference Here's is a contraction of here are, not here is and the sentence is just awful.

On topic though, I think Delsin has been westernised from the (pictured)earlier concept. As jetlian said he was probably too Indian for the game (sadly).

[chrono1205]

Not all natives look like that. I like the way he isn't stereotypical of what people think native people look like.

[smokeyjoekenobi]

That's a fair point and one I didn't really consider, but had I not played the game I doubt I'd have realised he was native American at all, for me It's entirely due to context and not his appearance in the game.

[G20WLY]

I agree about the use of English, but I know it's not the writer's first language, so we should cut him some slack. :)

Delsin grew on me. This concept looked pretty cool, though I think you're right that they went for a look they thought would appeal to a wider demographic.

[deep_fried_bum_cake]

smokey

If you're going to correct someone's English, at least know what you're talking about. You're correct about it being a poorly put together sentence though that can be excuse of a non native English speaker. Here's, however, is a contraction of here is and definitely not of here are which is primarily shortened by idiots who don't know how to contract words properly.

As for being on topic, I wouldn't say the decision was made because he looks to Indian but rather because you're not likely to encounter people who look like that in modern society, especially in big cities. It would be a little strange.

[CKsquid]

I signed in for the first time in a while just to tell you "here's" is definatly without doubt, a contraction of here is.
It can also be here are, but this is non standard form.

[Hicken]

You're actually wrong. Here's is "here is." It CAN be used to refer to "here are," if only because "here're" is rather awkward.

The main problem is the use of "like" in the sentence. It should either be "Here's how Delsin Rowe looked- no "like"- when he didn't have a beanie yet," or "Here's WHAT Delsin Rowe looked like when he didn't have a beanie yet."

Also awkward is the end of the sentence. A more fluid end would be "before he had a beanie," and it works with either version of the rest of the sentence.

OT: Although it IS more stereotypical, he still looks like a badass.

[wsoutlaw87]

ya what are you talking about here's means here is obviously. Contractions aren't hard to figure out; aren't means are not. The letters are still there for you.

[karl]

im sorry but the guys lives in the same year as the rest of us..

u think all indians should dress and look like indians?

todays day u have a global culture going on .. and u share a lot in common with ppl all over the world

but indian native american Delsin has to look indian to u.

[GW212]

Are you serious? Hahaha, if you're going to correct someone's grammar, at least be correct about it.

"Here's" is absolutely a contraction of "here is." So please never say something like "here's my friends." That is incorrect.

Further, your use of commas is incorrect as well.

Source of my knowledge: Ivy league education and elementary school grammar classes. The latter is obviously more important here.

[zpoc]

http://en.wiktionary.org/wi...

[Rickgrimes95]

I think it would have looked pretty cool if he had that long hair

[CrossingEden]

Omg that looks god awful compared to the final design. When designing a character, minimalism is your friend. Too many details and they become forgettable and look like a blob, especially if you're going for a modern game. Not to mention that it's easier to render a minimalistic character compared to an overly complex one.
http://www.leftgamerreview....
http://couchjockeyz.com/wp-...
http://i46.tinypic.com/jhzc...
http://i.neoseeker.com/neo_...
^ these will always look infinitely better and more memorable than something like
http://img3.wikia.nocookie....

[DragonKnight]

Or you know, we can not operate under the assumption that our opinion is absolute and accept that people think the concept are looks amazing and would definitely remember it. Just a thought.

[TomahawkX]

Would have been cool if they went with a muscular look, like Warpath from X-Men.

[Sevir]

It seems the hair ultimately cause this design to be cut! Even Augustine had her hair in a bun and Abigail had her hair short! Rendering long flowing hair and have it react naturally with wind and all the other powers you get would have been hugely taxing.

Pretty cool design but also very stereotypical considering a modern city dwelling Indian doesn't really look Indian... I have some native American friends and they don't "look" Native American!

[jhoward585]

Glad Sucker punch did not go with the beenie-less design. He look like chief thunder in killer instinct.

[CKsquid]

I don't get all the hate on delsin. He seems like a badass to me, and I've seen some reviews mention a bad dress sense.
Maybe its just because england is different to america, but I think he looks awesome.

[alti]

both infamous 2 and 3 (potentially the first as well) had longer-haired protagonists.... until it was time to render it lol. This was a performance change for sure. Perhaps suckerPunch will make a long haired super hero/villain in their next title.

[NovusTerminus]

Cole never had long hair. And the short hair he had from I2 was scrapped because of fan backlash. It was already rendered.

[SpinalRemains138]

How can you not love the 138 hat?

(I refuse to call it a beanie).

A beanie is a little yarmulke looking cap from the 50s with the propeller on top that little boys wore.

[My_Name_BTW_Is_Dante]

I prefer neither one. Infamous 1 actually had good character design. After that, the artist or w/e quit and then with every Infamous after the 1st game they started slapping tattoos and crap on the characters and trying to make them look edgy (that attracts casuals I guess).

[Deadpool616]

Wow. Really? How ironic.

[mediate-this]

I look at all those pictures, delsin looks asian to me, not native.

[killzzo]

he looks more of a Prototype character to me

[DragonKnight]

Natives were originally from the Asian continent and migrated to North and South America during the Ice Age. That's why they retain some Asian physical traits though thousands of years in a different environment did cause some distinct changes.

[mediate-this]

Yup... I know that, just saying in those pictures he looks more modern asian, if that makes any sense. The first asiams apparently had african blood too. Guess it goes to show how close we all are.

[SpinalRemains138]

Looks like Sam Whitemoon.

"Look at my hair, Rich-Boy. I'm gonna be famous and get paid and laid....."

[victorMaje]

looks like MK's Nightwolf's cousin (if he had one)

[beebap]

I love delsin fashion now, looks good and pratical for climbing taging. Relaxed chilled out style.

[paulogy]

Yikes

[Deku-Johnny]

SO glad he turned out the way he did, he's such a cool character in terms of style and personality. AC3 put me off Native Americans.

[jaggernaut25]

The potential for awesome hair physics O_O

[Maxor]

They should have gone for a female character.