On a whim, I loaded up Sucker Punch's debut PS3 game inFAMOUS.
In some ways, the 2009 game holds up. It looks pretty darn good, and the movement mechanics, from running to climbing, feel fairly solid. The game has plenty of 7th gen niceties, such as using R3 to switch between left- and right-handed views. The available upgrades are solid and encourage the player to advance for more abilities.
What's strange to me is how Sucker Punch approached difficulty in inFAMOUS. Despite using a circular reticle, shots only connect in the event of a direct center hit. Therefore, aiming is deceptively harder than expected. This is compounded by enemies constantly taking potshots at the character offscreen, wearing him down fairly quickly. This exacerbates otherwise-simple tasks, such as scaling a building.
How Cole magnetizes to surfaces and ledges is convenient for general climbing, but positioning for precise segments (usually for a collectable Shard) is noticeably difficult. In fact, it's not uncommon to fall instead of grabbing a desired ledge.
Maybe I'm just burnt out by Achievement hunting, but I found the Trophies in inFAMOUS to be mostly busywork, emphasizing smaller mechanics (such as healing bystanders) that are better left as gimmicks than quantified sidequests.
Though minor, the game's framerate fluctuates. At its best, the game runs at about 30fps, and I swear that in some less-populated alleys, the game hits 60fps. Like MGS3 on the PS2, the game gives an occasional glimpse into its full potential. However, inFAMOUS frequently dips below 30fps.
I feel like the general design of the game invites the more unhinged chaotic gameplay of Just Cause 2, but the developers wanted something more challenging and focused. The result is a game that's fun but feels restrained and frustrating at the same time.
Am I just a naysayer and need to git gud, or is inFAMOUS a flawed-but-entertaining experience?
In some ways, the 2009 game holds up. It looks pretty darn good, and the movement mechanics, from running to climbing, feel fairly solid. The game has plenty of 7th gen niceties, such as using R3 to switch between left- and right-handed views. The available upgrades are solid and encourage the player to advance for more abilities.
What's strange to me is how Sucker Punch approached difficulty in inFAMOUS. Despite using a circular reticle, shots only connect in the event of a direct center hit. Therefore, aiming is deceptively harder than expected. This is compounded by enemies constantly taking potshots at the character offscreen, wearing him down fairly quickly. This exacerbates otherwise-simple tasks, such as scaling a building.
How Cole magnetizes to surfaces and ledges is convenient for general climbing, but positioning for precise segments (usually for a collectable Shard) is noticeably difficult. In fact, it's not uncommon to fall instead of grabbing a desired ledge.
Maybe I'm just burnt out by Achievement hunting, but I found the Trophies in inFAMOUS to be mostly busywork, emphasizing smaller mechanics (such as healing bystanders) that are better left as gimmicks than quantified sidequests.
Though minor, the game's framerate fluctuates. At its best, the game runs at about 30fps, and I swear that in some less-populated alleys, the game hits 60fps. Like MGS3 on the PS2, the game gives an occasional glimpse into its full potential. However, inFAMOUS frequently dips below 30fps.
I feel like the general design of the game invites the more unhinged chaotic gameplay of Just Cause 2, but the developers wanted something more challenging and focused. The result is a game that's fun but feels restrained and frustrating at the same time.
Am I just a naysayer and need to git gud, or is inFAMOUS a flawed-but-entertaining experience?
