• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Infamous: Second Son Review Thread

Gameplay innovations? Sounds like buzzwords like Web 2.0. Something you can throw at it without actually having to say what you mean.

In a new generation of consoles perhaps people expected this game to bring a little more to the table than a prettier version of inFamous? I don't know why this is so hard to understand.
 
Hmm, based on op figured meta/rankings score would be mid 80s, appears to just be 81 atm. Hopefully doesn't dip below 80. Yeah, it doesn't really matter, but an 80 just looks better than say 79 even though they're basically the exact same.
 
Edge and Eurogamer reviews seem fair. They explain why the gameplay mechanics fail, in their opinion. And they go on to say the presentation and story are solid.

I'd give the game a 7 too if it's open world with little to do on top of limited power dynamics/options.
 
Infamous is a B-tier series. I would even argue it's C-tier, because it simply just is not a series that has been crafted particularly well. It's extremely repetitive, and not always in a way that continues to feel fun over time. I would honestly suggest if you've never played Infamous before, this game is a MUST purchase, as the gameplay is going to feel very fresh and you'll have a lot of fun. If you're like me and played through the first one and quit the second one because it was just more of the same, avoid. That's how I'd phrase it if I were reviewing this game.

Earth Defense Force is a D-tier series, but one of the most fun things I've ever played.

Object lesson: Not everything has to be A-tier to be fun.

Object lesson: Dragon doesn't care what you have to say.

In a new generation of consoles perhaps people expected this game to bring a little more to the table than a prettier version of inFamous? I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

It's hard to understand because it's an Infamous game. If it was something completely different, it wouldn't be an Infamous game.

The problem is reviewers are not consistent at all when it comes to this stuff. You're going to level this criticism on Infamous, you better level it on Pokemon and other properties that have largely remained the same for upwards of 20 years.
 
This post is E-tier. I mean, I respectfully disagree. Infamous 2 was fun from the start to the end for me.

Well, then you know what you're getting with Second Son. That's great. Hope you have a ball.

Doesn't mean that every game and game series you love is "A tier", though. That's my whole point.
 
Is the first generational transition for some of you? The next-gen gameplay/last-gen gameplay thing was done in 2006, too.

Id argue that it was mostly bullshit then too.

Outside of a few key franchises, most franchises still followed the same gameplay tropes as previous entries in a series.

Anytime a franchise tried to reinvent the wheel, it was hated.

"Next gen gameplay" is always the reserve of new IP.
 
Hmm, based on op figured meta/rankings score would be mid 80s, appears to just be 81 atm. Hopefully doesn't dip below 80. Yeah, it doesn't really matter, but an 80 just looks better than say 79 even though they're basically the exact same.

Big difference in lifetime sales between an 80+ game and a 79- game. <--not sarcasm.
 
Ive came to the conclusion that Reviewers will be very hard on games this Gen, If they don't provide new Revolutionary mechanics and such. Infamous getting high 8's is not a bad thing at all. If I get 85-90 on an exam, I would go crazy with excitement. The real question at the end of the day is, is the game fun? Is its content/experience worth $60 of fun? Thats why I like Kotaku's scoring system the best.
 
Gameplay hasn't made a generational jump with new hardware since the Saturn/PS1/N64 era. Ever since then it's been a slow upward trend, iterating on what came before.

GB's review is good enough for me to order it.
 
Smash Bros has a 90+ pretty much guaranteed.
Wow, now I feel like an ass, and I plan on getting that game. Yea, Smash Bros 4, for sure. But yea, outside of that, nothing really seems like it will tickle the press' fancy, exclusive wise.

Which is fine though. I often find my tastes at odds with games media. Some things I absolutely adore, they find "boring" or "difficult", and some things we agree on.
 
Oh, you've played it?
Maybe he has, but concerning the visuals, he has eyeballs and it's not like you haven't been able to watch people playing over ps4 live stream for days now. In todays day and age physically playing a game is completely irrelevant when it comes commenting on visuals and story.
 
Next-gen gameplay, What does that even mean?

VR?

I am assuming it means it is plays exactly like the last 2 games. They did nothing to really expand the game play. If you love the first 2 games you will love it. If you did not like the first 2 games you won't like this one.
 
Now I'm confused to what Next Gen gameplay is..

AC4 has last gen gameplay
NBA2k14 has last gen gameplay
Dead Rising has last gen gameplay
Madden has last gen gameplay
Battlefield 4 has last gen gameplay
Need for speed Rivals has last gen gameplay
COD has last gen gameplay

So why exactly is a sequel getting docked scores for having the same gameplay as the original game. What difference does there need to be besides having different powers, which was never in previous games, a different story line different from the the last 2, a different set list of moves, other ways to navigate the city etc?

AC4 83
NBA2K4 85
Dead Rising 3 78
Madden 74
BF4 86
NFS Rivals 80
COD:Ghosts 78

Infamous is at 80 right now.
 
From the polygon review:

From the very first choice 20 minutes into the game, these are obvious, binary decisions of the least interesting variety. A few missions are locked off based on whether you've chosen a good or evil path, but in terms of story, it mainly dictates Delsin's overall tone. I had trouble feeling much connection to my choices when they were so cleanly split between being a decent human and an absolute monster.

This tired argument again. I don't get why people complain that there isn't more nuance in this franchise's "morality system".

This isn't an RPG, or a fucking character study. It's a superhero game where you can choose to be good, or bad. How is there room for a grey area in this type of game? What power set would you get for fence-sitting? It just annoys me when reviewers judge a game for not living up to their expectations of how the game should have been designed. If it's a legitimate game design beef that causes problems for the player, sure. But the hero/villain power set thing works completely as intended in these games.
 
Wait..


We're looking at predominantly 8, and 9s and a few 7s and 1 or 2 6? Good reviews then.


Sounds like Amazon needs to hurry the fuck up with my game because I NEED IT.

How were the pre-order numbers? Some dude on twitter I happened to run across said its at like 700k.
 
Naw, it has to do with the fact that the sales and livelihoods depend on metacritic scores, as well as future sequels. That's why people get upset with scores. For example, Obsidian had to lay people off after New Vegas got 84, and we won't be seeing another Obsidian open world rpg funded by Zenimax.
I think you're quite naïve if you think that's the reason for some of the comments here.
 
I think this game is going to get good user reviews (unless ofcourse it gets titanfelled :P). Was hoping for a higher metacritic score but yeah seems back upto 80 now ... with a wide range in scores. I guess the series is just divisive in general.

Also I think tlou and gta5 raised the bar so high last year (even bioshock infinite) expectations are really high going into this gen hence so many 80s scores.

Yup im going to go with destiny as being the first 90+ score of this gen (Or arkham knight if that comes out before. Think the order has a good chance too but that too is later in the year I believe)
 
Okay, but why ding a single game for a complaint that is broad to every game released so far? There just isn't consistency in the review process.

I will just say for the record all I wanted was a prettier InFamous so it isn't like reviews mean anything to me, I literally just do not understand this juvenile industry.

that's just when personal opinion comes into play. some people just don't like the game as much as others. it happens.
 
Huh thought it would be an 84 - 86

That 80 has got to hurt sucker punch

Ah well I'm thoroughly enjoying it but not sure those turned off by previous installments would feel the same
 
7DTly.gif

this made me laugh. I'm a sucker for pet gifs. Also I'm a bit hammered. Fun times.

I see a lot of great scores though, unfortunately I don't want to watch/read through the reviews at the moment to see if some of the bad ones have some merit to them. I don't want anything spoiled, will probably give a few a read when I'm done with the game.

Also, I did see an excerpt from Kotaku and I'm glad they enjoyed it. I go to Kotaku for some good feedback, I tend to agree with their reviews, as well as Joystiq.
 
You guys can check out reviews for infamous 2 to get a reference point for how the gaming press generally views this series.

For me, this was instabuy by the time they showed that first gameplay trailer.

Infamous 2 had the best controls of last gen in terms of delivering the pure feeling of being in control, and I haven't come across a single review that ever emphasized that. Sometimes there really is a case where people don't see what you see. This shit was like Tony Hawks pro skater 2, but if you were a superhero.

This seems to pickup where that left off, so bring it on.
 
Dunno. Titanfall and ZombiU?

The notion that Titanfall represents some sort of evolution in gaming or even the FPS genre is a total farce.

I've played it for many hours now. It is fun but it is not a sea change for the FPS genre.

In it's many pieces Titfanfall is completely derivative, but Respawn managed to execute these derivative elements very well and sometimes better than the content in which they were derived, so it all fits together really nicely. But, it still feels like COD with some wall climbing, jet packs, and some Rock 'em Sock 'em robots. The Gunplay is most certainly COD.

The only sea change that Titanfall potentially represents is charging $60 for a game that is MP only and is overall, a very light package.
 
I guess some reviewers thought it felt like more of the same.

Then all Sequels should be reviewed that way. Every game I listed feels more of the same, however they don't get docked for being more of the same. Unless they wanted him to have fire breathing powers, wings. Space bending, illusion conjuring, making it into your normal X-men story. It makes no sense to realistically dock it for something that every game that has came out this gen has not achieved themselves.
 
Why are people having meltdowns over Infamous, of all things? It's always been a B-tier series.

I think cause some of us don't see it as b-tier. rather unappreciated. IMO, it would be nice for Second Son to bring the franchise the kind of exposure I think it deserves.
 
Already numbered 2 examples of leaps of "next gen" gameplay to another gaffer. Classic example? GTA IV, current example? MGS V.

You can´t speak about those 2 games without naming the major changes they went through gameplay wise hand in hand with the technical leaps they had.

Are you being serious ??
There is nothing next gen about MGSV game play , it more open world and now you have some more options .
Which is evolution for MGS but there is nothing gen about it , you can play the game on PS3 and PS4 the same way .
Now if people say SP should evolve the game play more i have no problem with that.
Saying it has no next gen game play is BS statement that some using so they don't have to explain stuff .
 
Sounds like what I expected: another Infamous game, but with a fresh coat of paint. Another Infamous game isn't exactly a bad thing, but I don't blame reviewers for feeling underwhelmed by games that are only 'next-gen' on a superficial level. Shiny graphics are enough for me now, but I am starting to crave something more.

Sure, we can shit on reviews for not enforcing this criticism consistently (or just because we don't like their opinion), but I don't their they're wrong in this case if what they say about SS is true.
 
In a new generation of consoles perhaps people expected this game to bring a little more to the table than a prettier version of inFamous? I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

In what way, people love to toss that out there but never back it up with what should've been done. The fact is nearly every single triple a game brings little to the table with game changing gameplay.
 
Now I'm confused to what Next Gen gameplay is..

AC4 has last gen gameplay
NBA2k14 has last gen gameplay
Dead Rising has last gen gameplay
Madden has last gen gameplay
Battlefield 4 has last gen gameplay
Need for speed Rivals has last gen gameplay
COD has last gen gameplay

So why exactly is a sequel getting docked scores for having the same gameplay as the original game. What difference does there need to be besides having different powers, which was never in previous games, a different story line different from the the last 2, a different set list of moves, other ways to navigate the city etc?

All those games have a similar metacritic as Second Son, so it seems the charge is consistent.
 
Pretty bummed out by some of these scores. Titanfall, Ground Zeroes, and Infamous were my three games to get this month and none seem to be ground breaking experiences.
 
Top Bottom