"Another truly next generation game"
Wow... I previewed the game based on the demo, and was less than blown away (although I did like it...)
I am not sure where to start... the intro to the game is a little slow (and the tutorial to the basic controls is for someone who has NEVER played a 3rd person game before) but it does provide a great insight into how spectacular the world of infamous really is.
As I stated in my preview, the city is a little lifeless, with generic saddened coloured inhabitants wandering the dank streets. But as you play through the game, those inhabitants, while bland in look, become desperate people in need of a protector (heh, although I tend to kill them all) and actually present some character. As an evil 'terrorist' they become fun fodder for my various abilities - I am sure as a hero they become very important, as you can't just start a firefight with the bad guys and blow up everything in the street.
The most impressive part of this game is the real distinction between good and evil. Sure, your look changes, but so do the inhabitants reactions towards you. I assure you, it isn't fun getting pelted with rocks that cause you to lose function (and your powers!) while you recover. Powers are different depending on the side you choose, posters hanging around the city change, different news casts, different cut scenes, different dialogue. Fable has nothing on this game! There are good and evil missions, which you can do no matter your persona, but doing an evil mission locks out the good one - so make your choice wisely. I am so blown away by the distinction, that I will most defintely play through a second time as a hero, as tough as it may end up being.
The mission structure is a good way to introduce you to the city in your own time. Basically you can explore all you like, and you still find something new come mission time. However, missions are repetitive, but not in a bad way. If you take your time and look around the city for a while, you dont really notice it so much, especially because there are enough story missions interspersed to distract you from boredom.
I was a little peeved that every time I wanted to go into a new area, I had to enter the sewers and do a pretty standard platform game styled level, but as you get a new power with each one, after the first few I was actually looking forward to my next drain outing.
Cons? There are a few places you can get stuck, and a few places that you should be able to stick to that you can't, but overall the game allows for some amazing acrobatics, and as you try different things, you unlock stunts. Ignore the annoyances, and the infamous engine proves itself worthy of being used in future games.
I give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars, but I am happy to round it up :)