'inFamous' video game review

(Credit: SONY)

Developer: Sucker Punch Productions (“Sly Cooper”)
Publisher: Sony
Available On: PlayStation 3

After an unexplained disaster all but destroys Empire City, Cole finds himself not only alive, but imbued, oddly, with the same superpowers as "Spider-Man" villain Electro. He can throw electricity, use it to cause shock waves and even toss balls of the stuff like they’re grenades. Which is handy, since Empire City has become a chaotic anarchy, cut off from the rest of the world by a government quarantine.

While the third-person action game “inFamous” isn’t the most original adventure around, what it cribs from others it does with panache. Story-wise, it owes big nods to the movie “Escape from New York,” as well as such comics as Brian Wood’s “DMZ” and the “Batman: No Man’s Land” saga.

As for the gameplay: Set, as it is, in an open world, and with you having superpowers, it not only recalls every recent “Spider-Man” and “Hulk” game, but “Crackdown” and the upcoming “Prototype” as well. There’s also some “Star Wars” present, as his electrical abilities are very Jedi, and even bits of “Assassin’s Creed,” since Cole can also climb any surface like he’s Altier. Though even if he slipped, it wouldn’t matter, since he can survive falls like, well, almost every video game character who isn’t just a man.

But while we’ve played this game before, “inFamous” still manages to be interesting. The controls are tight, Cole’s electric attacks are effective and satisfying, and Empire City has a great post-apocalyptic vibe. There’s also some nice moral choices that aren’t just window dressing but can genuinely affect the game. And while we wish Cole’s pal Zeke were less annoying, he does serve his purpose as both guide and comic relief.

Bottom Line: This action game has (if you’ll pardon the pun) some truly electrifying moments.

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