Infamous (stylized as inFAMOUS ) is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Released exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in 2009, it arrived in North America on May 26, Europe on May 29, Australia on June 4, and Japan on November 5. The game was later re-released on August 28, 2012, as part of the Infamous Collection.
The story follows Cole MacGrath, a bike courier who gains superhuman powers after surviving a massive explosion that destroys several city blocks. Amidst the resulting chaos, Cole must navigate a quarantined city, using his new abilities to survive while uncovering the origins of his transformation.
Infamous received critical acclaim for its mission structure and power mechanics. As the debut entry in the Infamous series, it was followed by a sequel, Infamous 2, in 2011.
Gameplay
Infamous is an open-world action-adventure game incorporating elements of platforming, shooting, and role-playing. Players control Cole MacGrath as he navigates a sprawling city and completes missions to advance the narrative. As a superhuman, Cole possesses enhanced resistance and dexterity alongside various offensive, defensive, and mobility-based powers.
Karma
A core component of the experience is the karma system, which tracks Cole’s moral choices and influences his power development. Good karma focuses on precision and restraint, while evil karma emphasizes destructive, wide-area damage. This karmic alignment also subtly alters the game's 2D comic-book-style cinematics.
Powers
Cole's Thunder Drop in action
Cole wields electricity-based powers for combat and navigation. Offensive abilities include firing a Lightning Bolt or throwing Shock Grenades, while mobility is enhanced by using Static Thrusters to hover or Induction Grind to ride electrical wires. Defensive options, such as the Polarity Wall, are also available. These abilities are unlocked progressively as the player restores power to the city's districts.
Cole firing Lightning Bolts
Using powers consumes energy, tracked via battery cores. Excessive use drains Cole’s reserves; once depleted, his damage resistance weakens, and he cannot use certain abilities. To recover, Cole must use Electric Drain on sources like lamp posts or fuse boxes, which also heal his injuries.
Cole's physiology imposes specific restrictions: he cannot use firearms or drive vehicles, as his internal charge causes them to explode. However, he can ride on the exterior of a train. He is also highly vulnerable in unpowered areas and will die if submerged in deep water. Conversely, water can be used offensively by electrocuting enemies standing in it.
Most powers can be upgraded up to three times using experience points (XP), earned through combat, missions, and stunts. Upgrades are often tied to Cole's karmic alignment: good karma powers focus on precision and restraint, while evil karma powers prioritize destructive, wide-area damage.
Miscellaneous
Dead drop (top) and blast shard (bottom)
Players can collect dead drops—hidden audio messages tucked away within satellite dishes by one of Cole's associates. These messages provide fragments of the story and detail the activities of rival factions. Blast shards are other collectible items that grant XP and increase Cole's maximum battery cores once enough are gathered. There are a total of 32 dead drops and 350 blast shards located throughout Empire City.
The gameplay also features 21 specific stunts that reward the player with extra XP for performing unique combat maneuvers. The narrative is primarily delivered through 2D comic-book-style cinematics narrated by Cole, which vary slightly based on the player's current karmic status. Additionally, television broadcasts air throughout the game, providing updates on the government's response to the crisis and the actions of a local broadcaster who motivates the civilian population. Loading screens feature notable quotes from various historical figures, ranging from Abraham Lincoln to the Talmud. The game also includes a total of 50 trophies for the PlayStation 3's trophy system.
Synopsis
Setting
Cole MacGrath on top of statue, overlooking part of the city
Set in Empire City following a major catastrophe, the game immerses players in a post-apocalyptic environment. Isolated by a city-wide quarantine and suffering from severe supply shortages, the civilian population is preyed upon by criminal factions that have seized control of the city's districts. Due to the rampant violence, most law enforcement has fled, leaving the city in a state of lawless misery.
Plot
See Infamous/Script
Cole discovering his new powers
While making a delivery in the Historic District, Cole MacGrath was instructed to open his package, which activated a device known as the Ray Sphere. The resulting explosion leveled six city blocks and killed thousands, but granted Cole electrokinetic powers. After being rescued by his friend Zeke Dunbar and his girlfriend Trish Dailey, Cole began to harness his emerging abilities. However, following a public battle against the Reapers, a television broadcast branded Cole a terrorist responsible for the blast, turning the city's population against him.
Cole's encounter with Moya Jones
Cole and Zeke attempted to flee the city via a sealed bridge but were ambushed by government forces. Following the retreat, Cole was contacted by FBI agent Moya Jones, who offered to clear his name if he located the Ray Sphere and her husband, fellow agent John White. With Moya's guidance, Cole restored power to the city's districts, eventually defeating Sasha, the leader of the Reapers. Before he could interrogate her, Sasha was abducted by the First Sons.
Zeke holding the Ray Sphere
In the Warren district, Cole assisted the police in battling a faction known as the Dust Men. Their leader, Alden Tate, was a former First Son who sought to reclaim the Ray Sphere. After a failed attempt to keep Alden imprisoned, Zeke's growing envy of Cole's powers led him to defect. When Cole finally recovered the Ray Sphere, Zeke betrayed him, taking the device to the First Sons' leader, Kessler.
Alden later launched a murderous rampage toward the Historic District, but Cole defeated him in a final battle on a bridge. Following the fight, Cole located John White, who revealed he was actually an NSA agent and that Moya had lied about their relationship to manipulate Cole. John explained that the Ray Sphere functioned by consuming the bio-energy of thousands to empower a single Conduit. During an attempt to secure the device, the sphere malfunctioned, killing John in a massive energy discharge.
Cole standing over a deceased Kessler
Throughout these events, Kessler orchestrated a series of trials for Cole, including a choice that resulted in Trish’s death. Driven by a desire for vengeance, Cole confronted Kessler at Ground Zero. Following a brutal duel, Cole mortally wounded him. As he died, Kessler used a psychic link to share his memories, revealing that he was actually an older version of Cole from a future timeline. In that future, a malevolent entity known as "The Beast" had destroyed the world and killed Cole's family. Kessler had traveled back in time to accelerate Cole’s development, believing that only through extreme trauma and hardship could Cole become strong enough to defeat the Beast and save humanity.
Aftermath
Good Karma: Cole later reflected on his journey and remarked that he thought it would be over once Kessler was out of the picture. However, as he realized his place in the world, he began to accept that there was no going back to the life he once had. He realized his powers would be a burden to bear until his death and resolved to use them to help the city rebuild. Though he was reminded of Moya's promise of revenge and Zeke's moment of betrayal, he was unsure what to make of them. He finally remarked that he had never been more alone as he watched over the city.
Evil Karma: Cole tore down the city and reduced it to a wasteland, taking it down notch by notch as he went about his activities. As he looked on, he remarked that his powers were only good for one thing: letting him take what he wanted, when he wanted. He completely neglected what Kessler had laid out for him, claiming that Kessler was an idiot for trying to make him into a savior. Cole declared that in a lawless town, the strong take what they want and the weak are mere playthings. As Cole surveyed the wasteland he had created, he remarked that there was no one stronger than him and that the city was his for the taking.
Development
True Hero Production
Development of Infamous began after the conclusion of Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, led by a team of sixty Sucker Punch Productions employees.[note 1] Under the working title "True Hero," Sucker Punch sought several sources of inspiration for the project. These included the novel DMZ and the comic series No Man's Land, both of which focused on cities following catastrophic disasters. The team also drew inspiration from the film Batman Begins and the gameplay structure of Grand Theft Auto III.
The game's setting, Empire City, was designed to support Cole's role as a superhuman. Developers built the environment around a "crime ecosystem" where the player would frequently encounter petty crimes, forcing a decision on whether or not to intervene. Climbing was established as a core gameplay pillar; the developers noted that navigating the verticality of the city was inherently enjoyable and aligned with the superhero motif, leading them to make every surface in the city climbable for Cole.
Comic book-style cinematic cutscenes were integrated into the game to further emphasize the superhero motif. These cinematics were designed using Corel Painter, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe After Effects. 2D art was first created in Corel Painter and Photoshop, then placed into 3D stages within After Effects to create a pseudo-3D effect. This allowed designers to adjust camera angles and incorporate organic elements such as dust clouds and ink spots.[1]
A karma system was later implemented to integrate a "judicious use of power" into the gameplay. The team wanted players to consider not only the long-term outcome of karmic decisions but also moment-to-moment actions, such as the safety of pedestrians during combat. For the mission "First Glimpse," the team decided to have civilians turn against Cole regardless of the player's choice to introduce players to both sides of the karmic system. Cole's powers were also designed to reflect these moral alignments: good karma powers focused on precision, while evil karma powers were designed to be more destructive.
Soundtrack
The official soundtrack for the game was composed by musicians Amon Tobin, James Dooley, Mel Wesson, and Martin Tillman, under the direction of Jonathan Mayer, the music manager at Sony. Rather than using traditional musical instruments, the team sought to incorporate sounds created from environmental objects alongside instruments used in non-traditional ways. Tobin was responsible for in-game music, while Tillman focused on cinematic scores. Due to the impact of Tillman's contributions, the group eventually incorporated his work into existing pieces through remixing. The official soundtrack was released as a free download in May 2009 via the iTunes Store.[2]
| # | Name | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabble Rouser | Amon Tobin |
| 2 | Stampton Bridge | Amon Tobin |
| 3 | Meet The Reapers | Amon Tobin and Jim Dooley |
| 4 | The First Sons | Jim Dooley |
| 5 | Alden Strikes | Amon Tobin and Jim Dooley |
| 6 | The Escape | Jim Dooley and Mel Wesson |
| 7 | Dinner With Sasha | Jim Dooley |
| 8 | The Courier | Amon Tobin |
| 9 | Secrets Revealed | JD Mayer ft. Martin Tillman |
| 10 | Rampage | Jim Dooley |
| 11 | Tent City | JD Mayer ft. Martin Tillman |
| 12 | Hunt For The Ray Sphere | Amon Tobin |
| # | Name | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | End Of The Road | Jim Dooley |
| 14 | Anything For Trish | Amon Tobin ft. Martin Tillman |
| 15 | Stranded | Amon Tobin |
| 16 | Mysterious Signals | JD Mayer ft. Martin Tillman |
| 17 | The Truth | Jim Dooley and Mel Wesson |
| 18 | Genesis | Amon Tobin and Jim Dooley |
| 19 | Pleasant Empire | Jim Dooley |
| 20 | Silent Melody | Working For A Nuclear Free City |
| 21 | The Rescue | Amon Tobin |
| 22 | The Price | Jim Dooley |
| 23 | No Protection | JD Mayer ft. Martin Tillman |
Marketing
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The Infamous Home space on PlayStation Home
Sony Computer Entertainment America released a trailer titled "The Beauty of Powers" in March 2009, which was later made available on the PlayStation Store. The game's demo, initially a pre-order bonus, was released for public download on May 21, 2009.
An Infamous-themed game space on PlayStation Home was launched in July 2009. Modeled after a portion of Empire City, the area was dubbed "The Abandoned Docks of Empire City." It featured a minigame that allowed users to zap Reapers to earn clothing rewards and included a graffiti wall for user creations. The space was also the first to broadcast exclusive media directly from the game's developers.
Cole MacGrath appeared in several other media titles to promote the series. Several elements of his costume were released as outfits in Little Big Planet, and he appeared as a multiplayer skin in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves alongside Zeke Dunbar. Infamous was later included in the PlayStation 3's Platinum and Greatest Hits budget line-ups. It was also among the titles offered as a free download during the PlayStation Network's "Welcome Back" program following the 2011 outage.
Infamous was included in both PlayStation 3's Platinum and Greatest Hits budget line-up.[3] It was also among the games made available for a free download as part of the PlayStation Network's "Welcome Back" pack.
Pre-order bonuses
Cole with the Gigawatt Blades equipped
GameStop offered the Gigawatt Blades power as a pre-order bonus for Infamous, which was later released as a free download on the PlayStation Store. Amazon.com provided a Reaper costume for PlayStation Home as their incentive. Users who downloaded and completed the Infamous demo from the PlayStation Store were eligible to receive a Cole costume for PlayStation Home.
Pre-orders from GameCrazy and Best Buy included early access to the demo on May 7, 2009, while redemption codes were emailed to select PlayStation Network users in Oceania on May 14, 2009.
Sequels and prequels
Gameplay of Precinct Assault
IGN.com released a graphic novel titled Infamous: Post Blast, which served as a prequel to the events of the game. The novel depicted the events shortly after the Blast, showing several of John White and Cole MacGrath's activities before the events of Infamous. A 2D minigame entitled Infamous: Precinct Assault was also featured on the game's official website.
Title page of Post Blast
Sucker Punch also collaborated with DC Comics in producing a six-issue comic series of Infamous, which illustrates the events following the original game. Its plot revolves around Cole dealing with the remnants of the First Sons and Moya, and facing off with David Warner, a security guard-turned Conduit who Kessler had left sealed within the organization's facility. Based on the events that follow Infamous (as seen in the Infamous comics), the good karma ending is the story canon, as Cole is depicted with blue lightning in the comics (one of the many traits that appear when Cole does good deeds).
A sequel, Infamous 2, was unveiled after the magazine Game Informer released images of the cover of their July 2010 issue. After a considerable period of development, the game was released in 2011. The game's event begins a month after the events of its predecessor.
Reception
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 86.17% [4] |
| Metacritic | 85 [5] |
| Publication | Score |
| Edge | 7/10[6] |
| Eurogamer | 7/10[7] |
| Game Informer | 9/10[8] |
| GameSpot | 9.0/10[9] |
| Giant Bomb | 5/5[10] |
| IGN | 9.2/10[11] |
| X-Play | 5/5[12] |
The game received mostly positive reviews from critics, with IGN's Greg Miller considering the title to be "one of the best PlayStation 3 games to date."[13] Brad Shoemaker from Giant Bomb believed that Sucker Punch succeeded with the basic gameplay elements, effectively tying various aspects of the title together.[14] Critics also praised the integration of Cole's powers with the game's karma mechanics,[15] as well as the mission structure, which was cited as a primary asset of the game.[16]
Reviewers lauded the Empire City setting, which was considered a significant factor in the game's success. While the climbing and platforming were generally praised, some critics noted that fine-tuning Cole's jumps could be difficult, as his climbing was occasionally deemed too sensitive.[17]
Upon its May 2009 release, the game sold 175,900 copies in the United States during its first week.[18] According to Game Informer, the title had sold nearly two million copies by June 2010.[19] Infamous was awarded Best Story by IGN and Best Acting at the 2009 Golden Game Awards. It also received four additional nominations, including Best PlayStation 3 Game, Best Graphics, Best Independent Game, and Studio of the Year. In late 2010, Infamous was ranked fifth on IGN's list of "The Top 25 PlayStation 3 Games."
Gallery
Trailers
Behind the scenes
- The logo for Sly Cooper, another franchise developed by Sucker Punch, is featured on Cole's sling bag.
- While Cole practices his powers on the rooftop, Zeke can be seen reading Atomic Lead, a comic book published by Sucker Punch.
- During early development, Cole was assigned several codenames, including "Talon," "Gear Wolf," and "Chance." Early promotional materials also revealed that he was originally intended to be named Dylan.
- Early concept art depicts Cole using his powers to lift vehicles over his head. While this ability was cut from the final game, it was later reintroduced as a new power in Infamous 2.
Notes
- ↑ Producer Brian Fleming stated that with a smaller team, the company's iteration-based development approach worked better, despite having the option to request more staff to finish the game sooner.
References
