The Infamous Games Ranking: Worst to Best
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The Infamous Games Ranking: Worst to Best

The Infamous Games Ranking: Worst to Best
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The Infamous Games Ranking: Worst to Best

 

Despite its name, First Light is not the first entry in the Infamous series. The story doesn’t even predate Cole MacGrath’s transformation. However, it does serve as a prequel to Infamous: Second Son, setting up the events for Delsin Rowe’s introduction.

Players control Abigail “Fetch” Walker, Delsin’s companion in Second Son and one of the Beast’s first superpowered byproducts (or conduits) introduced in Infamous and later explored in Infamous 2. Playing First Light after Second Son sets you up for more of the same, but Fetch’s adventure is suitable and entertaining as a standalone.

The spin-off’s biggest pitfall is its size, which pales in comparison to the map size of Second Son. This is especially problematic since Fetch can speed around using her neon-based powers. If you did play Second Son, don’t expect anything new here, though completing First Light provides access to “Unleashed upgrades,” which amplify Fetch’s neon powers.

What would it be like to be a superhero? We’re sure Cole MacGrath, Delsin Rowe, and Abigail Walker would say it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Sure, you can explore your power and cause a little mischief, but a villain isn’t far behind wherever there’s a hero. And sometimes, the villain comes from within.

The Infamous series puts players in the shoes of the “average Joe” in the wake of some cataclysmic event that turns them into a superpowered target. However, it’s up to the player whether they’ll be the goody-two-shoes or wreak some havoc. In this ranking of the Infamous games, which remain a PlayStation exclusive across PS3 and PS4, we’ll explore which of the few titles tackled the hero’s journey or villain’s emergence better.

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Sucker Punch Productions delivered five Infamous experiences, including three major releases and two expansions. Unfortunately, it’s been a while since the last Infamous release, and despite its overall popularity, Sucker Punch hasn’t mentioned returning to the series. Instead, they moved on to Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 and later PS5 and an as-of-yet unannounced stealth title. Rumors of a PS5 Infamous release have circulated, but nothing concrete.

As we work through the series, you’ll find that each game is of a varying quality compared to its predecessor or successor. Despite any pitfalls or changes, however, you will find that they all have their merits. Amidst letting a black heart drive your decisions and tipping the morality scale, the entire series delivers on deep storytelling, engaging characters, and gameplay we could easily return to umpteen years later.

While playing through Infamous 2, you’d never have been able to convince us that what it needed was a little infusion of Dracula. Festival of Blood is a standalone DLC that has no bearing on the story, which is a shame because vampire conduits are something we’d love to have explored more.

Since Cole is slowly succumbing to a vampiric curse, many of the game’s elements are changed to accommodate the thirst for blood. That means the series’ staple of karmic choices is gone, so Cole can feast regularly and suffer no penalty. Sucker Punch didn’t get too crazy and still kept many of Cole’s supercharged powers. He does, however, sport the Barbed Cross, used to slay his vampiric foe.

Though it doesn’t do anything to expand Infamous 2’s story, the search for Bloody Mary, the horde of vampiric monsters, and new abilities are a fun way of giving players more time in Cole MacGrath’s world. It was a delightful little side story that could have been expanded as Second Son DLC.

Then Second Son was revealed, indicating that there was more to milk out of the Conduits.

Second, Son’s morality system is a little shallow and feels like it has no real impact on the overall experience. There’s no noticeable risk/reward, and players can play one way or the other based primarily on their mood. Overall, it is hard to knock a game that lets you maneuver through a beautifully rendered Seattle as a neon blue or smoky mist, and Second Son earns its playthrough.

 

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The Infamous Games Ranking: Worst to Best
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