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Infamous (series)

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For the first video game of the series, see Infamous (video game).
Infamous
The logo of Infamous, all titles in the series use a similar logo.
Genre(s)Action, sandbox, Role-playing video game
Developer(s)Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
DC Comics (Comic)
Platform(s)PlayStation 3
First releaseInfamous
May 26, 2009
Latest releaseInfamous 2
June 7, 2011

Infamous is a series of Action, sandbox, role-playing video games developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The series follows the adventures of superhero Cole MacGrath as he uses his own powers to decide his own destiny of either good or evil. The series includes Infamous, its sequel Infamous 2 as well as the DC Comics comic book series of the same name. It is the first series created by Sucker Punch Productions after the Sly Cooper series of games for the PlayStation 2.

Setting

The series takes place in an alternate version of the United States with various in-game locales resembling modern day locations such as the setting of the first game, Empire City, resembling New York City and the setting of the second game, New Marais, resembling New Orleans. Containing numerous real-life agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Security Agency.[1]

Gameplay

Gameplay in the Infamous series is primarily a sandbox video game, combining platforming, shooting, role-playing and puzzle elements. Players control series protagonist, Cole MacGrath, as he freely roams around the city using his electricity-based powers; Players are able to control the course of the game by using Cole's powers for good or evil when faced with choices during the games or his actions towards civilians. The choice allows players to have a different mixture of powers as both good and evil have their own set of powers. His powers come from a gauge which depletes when powers are used and refills when Cole absorbs electricity from nearby objects. The game also uses a karma level which changes based on Cole's actions throughout the game and determines whether he eventually becomes a good or evil character.[2]

Games

Infamous (2009)

Main article: Infamous

Infamous is the first game in the series, released in 2009 to rave reviews by the gaming press.[3] The game explains the origins of Cole MacGrath, a bike courier, who gained his electrical-based powers after surviving a large explosion in Empire City caused by the package he was carrying containing the Ray Sphere. The Ray Sphere is an object of great power as it is able to consume the energy of the people around the user and transfer that energy to the user, making him immensely powerful at the cost of thousands of lives. After the explosion, the city was quarantined by the government causing organized crime groups within the city to seize control of Empire City from the local authorities. The game follows Cole's journey to obtain the Ray Sphere in order to escape from the quarantine as part of a deal he made with an FBI agent during his failed escape attempt at the start of the game. Cole eventually obtains the Ray Sphere and the player is given the choice to either destroy it or use it. Regardless of the choice, Cole will eventually come face to face with Kessler, the leader of The First Sons, the organized crime group in the city who had seized control of the city after the quarantine. Kessler duels Cole in a battle to the death and it is eventually revealed after Kessler is mortally wounded that he is in reality a version of Cole from the future of an alternate timeline. Kessler reveals his motive for the events throughout the game telling Cole that he was preparing Cole for an eventual battle against an entity known as "The Beast" who had destroyed Kessler's world. He had set the events of the game into motion by ordering the construction of the Ray Sphere as well as passing it to Cole for him to cause the explosion. The game ends when Kessler dies and Cole proclaims, "When the time comes, I will be ready."[4]

Infamous 2 (2011)

Main article: Infamous 2

Infamous 2 is the second game in the series, released in June 2011 as a followup to the first game's story. The game follows the adventure of Cole once again as he escapes to the city of New Marais after the events of the first game to prepare himself for the eventual battle with "The Beast". New Marais was the location for the construction of the Ray Sphere and where Cole believes he will find more answers to the events of the first game. However, the city has been taken over by the militia, who are controlled by a influential industrialist, while the city is being rampaged by beings known as the corrupted who became mutated after contact with the Ray Sphere. The Militia's goal is to keep anything mutated or with super powers out of the city which unfortunately includes Cole. Thus he must traverse the city fighting against both the Militia and the Corrupted to learn more about Kessler, the Ray Sphere and "The Beast".[1][5]

Other Media

Comic Book

Main article: Infamous (comics)

The Infamous comic is a six part comic released in March 2011 and was published by DC Comics in association with Sucker Punch to coincide with the release of the second game in 2011. The comics take place in between the events of the first and the second game showing how Cole escapes from Empire City to New Marais. The comic series will be written by William Harms and drawn by Eric Nguyen, and also includes covers drawn by Doug Mahnke.[6]

Film

On July 25, 2009 it was announced that Sony had chosen screenwriter Sheldon Turner to adapt the Sucker Punch game into a feature film in a seven figure deal. Avi Arad and his brother Ari (who are also making an Uncharted: Drake's Fortune film) will produce, and Sony executives Matt Tolmach and Jonathan Kadin are handling for the studio.[7] Turner told The Hollywood Reporter he was excited that the game had a "big idea and a character arc," which he believed was "the future of gaming."[7] He believed the game was essentially "a love ballad to the underachiever," Cole MacGrath.[7]

Reception

Aggregate review scores
As of May 2, 2011.
Game GameRankings Metacritic
Infamous 86.31%[8] 85[9]
Infamous 2 83.33%[10] 83[11]

inFamous Wiki

The inFamous Wiki[12] is one of the few sources for the inFamous Universe, and currentlty has over 300 content pages and over 300 active contributors[13]. inFamous Wiki was founded in 2008 before the initial release of the game Infamous, hosted by Wikia. In June 2011, the wiki got it's on IRC[14].


The series has received critical acclaim from most of the major video game review sites/magazines. Review scores range from 70% to 100% approval ratings.

References

  1. ^ a b Joe Juba (June 4, 2010). "July Cover Revealed: Infamous 2". Game Informer. Retrieved May 30, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ "inFamous: Something Stirring". Game Informer. GameStop: 40–49. July 2008.
  3. ^ "inFAMOUS Acclaim". Metacritic. p. 1. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  4. ^ Sucker Punch Productions (2010-05-26). Infamous (PlayStation 3). Sony Computer Entertainment.
  5. ^ Faylor, Chris (2010-06-04). "inFamous 2 Confirmed". Shacknews. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  6. ^ Mike Fahey (December 20, 2010). "inFamous Gets The Comic Book Series It So Richly Deserves". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c Fernandez, Jay A. (2009-07-29). "Scribe takes ride with 'inFAMOUS'". The Hollywood Reporter. pp. 1, 10. Retrieved 2009-10-01. [dead link]
  8. ^ "Infamous Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved May 2, 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "Infamous Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 2, 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ "Infamous 2 Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved 2011-06-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ "Infamous 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2011-06-22. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ http://infamous.wikia.com/
  13. ^ http://infamous.wikia.com/wiki/Special:Statistics
  14. ^ http://infamous.wikia.com/wiki/InFAMOUS_Wiki:IRC
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