OHMAHGAWD NEW INFAMOUS 2 ARTICLE

Comic book heroes and videogames go hand in hand, so it's surprising that you can count the number of truly standout examples on just one of them. Sucker Punch's first inFamous is most definitely in that exclusive group and it's looking like its sequel is all set to join it; transporting the action to a thinly-veiled clone of New Orleans, inFamous 2 looks like it has retained a version of the free-form action of the original that's been heavily refined, and it's retaining much more besides thanks to a vocal response to Sucker Punch's new vision for its lead Cole.

Of all the problems to have throughout a game's development it was surely one of the better ones to have. When the wraps came off inFamous 2 there was uproar at the new look Cole, and while it's never nice having your work criticised it was no doubt heartening to learn that after only one game Sucker Punch's character had already earned such a passionate fan base.

"We knew we had to change the character, because it's going to be a new area, it's a warmer climate and it doesn't make sense for him to have a jacket," explains game designer Darren Bridges. "We didn't expect that people were going to have that reaction – so it's a mixed feeling. On the one hand we didn't want to make people angry, but on the other hand it was nice to hear that they like the character. For us the strength of the first inFamous was the gameplay and that's what we were focussed on."


Indeed the new Cole – now replaced by a character more in line with that of the first game – was indicative of Sucker Punch's radical approach for inFamous 2. "When you're making a sequel it's easy to just say 'well that worked so let's do it the same way,' but our motto has been leave no stone unturned, we've got an opportunity to improve on everything."

That much is clear when playing inFamous 2. While there are no shocks or major revisions, the additions and refinements certainly work well, with the combat bearing the brunt of the work. "We focused on ranged combat, but one of the things we found out when people were playing the first game was that people were just running up and punching people."

It was an approach that was never very elegant and in getting up close and personal with his enemies Cole was as graceful as a drunken mugger. With an amp – which looks for all intents and purposes like a neon-lit wrench – Cole is no less thuggish when going hand-to-hand, but it's certainly a lot easier on the eye as the action slows and the camera switches to get the most cinematic view of someone having their jawbones pounded to dust.

The ranged combat itself has also had an overhaul, the result being that Cole's superpowers are... more super. They're no longer about just shooting bolts of electricity – they can now chew apart the scenery and send helicopters spinning out of the sky. It's here that the New Orleans-inspired backdrop comes in particularly handy, the wooden verandas that splinter and crumble under the duress of a battle proving the perfect canvas for Cole's new abilities.

It runs the risk of handing over too much power to the player – a problem the first game sidestepped by virtue of it being an origins story, slowly easing players into Cole's newfound talents - but it deals with this in its own way. "inFamous was a story where you started as nothing and come into your superhero state," says Darren, "whereas inFamous 2 is about him realising that he's a superhero and he's got to go farther."


It's a trajectory that's underpinned many a good superhero story, and again Sucker Punch looks to be weaving one that can go toe to toe with the very best. Whereas last time out DMZ was a big influence – as too was Batman: No Man's Land, as Darren tells us – this time out it looks like inFamous is going to strike out on its own, offering a story that's much more involved and told much more coherently than before.

There's another Sony sequel strong on narrative that proved what strides can be taken second time round, and it's one that Sucker Punch is keen to take lessons from. "We love Uncharted 2, it's a great game and we really love the cinematic storytelling – for us it's about taking that level of polish and applying it to our game. I think cinematic presentation is a big thing we've taken from them," says Darren, and it shows in the impressive new cutscenes in the game that no longer rely exclusively on the comic book artwork of the first game.

And if Sucker Punch's stars align there's every reason inFamous 2 will be enjoying the same success that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves did when it launches next year.

Arr that be a fine tale, matey..... WIN