A week ago, Sucker Punch shared a couple of new inFAMOUS 2 missions, as well as the full download, so to speak, of the game’s User-Generated Content tools.
A full UGC suite in a game like I2 is a new experience on PS3, so what can you do with it? And how difficult is it to put something together? Sucker Punch Senior Game Designer Karl Deckard sat down with us to demonstrate how to remix something fun.
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As a huge devotee of the first inFAMOUS, I was eager to get my hands on the DualShock 3 to try out the new single player levels. Here are my impressions to go along with the video:
“Forced Conduits”
This mission from the 2nd island of New Marais finds me stepping into the trainers of Evil Cole. He’s got a sickly pallor, and his every attack glows a fierce red. Eeee-vil.
This mission sends Cole on a search for a blast core – and more power – somewhere in the warehouse district. As I make my way towards the target on the mini-map, I try out the revamped parkour system. Those who thought Cole was a bit too sticky in the first game will find that smoothed out. Jump and towards a handhold, and he’ll do the rest. Scaling is quicker, and overall Cole just seems to move a bit faster.
Blasting open some crates, I discover a safe. Sorry Cole, but our Blast Core is in another warehouse! We don’t come up entirely empty-handed – inside is the deed (and location) of 3 potential hiding places for our treasure.
I’m now set upon by ice-imbued bad guys with frosty shields that resist my electrical attacks. I throw a handful of mini-grenades over one enemy’s head. Not only do they take him out from his unprotected flank, but they also destroy the wall from behind him – a nice surprise. In general, the city itself is not impervious to Cole’s attacks. The damage makes you feel like even more of a bad-ass.
On the hunt for the core, I run into more frozen foes: troops who skid across the ground on a path of ice (a la Iceman), and a huge Ice Crusher, who promptly starts kicking my ass.
As I enter the 3rd warehouse, enemies seal me in and fill the place with gas. I climb to above the plume, and ponder an exit. That’s right – the grenades! I blow out a wall, sending the gas streaming out through the hole. The safe I find, however, is empty. One more to go.
This one must be it – not only due to process of elimination, but because it’s crawling with enemies. Screw entering from the door – I blow a hole open in the wall and make a beeline for the safe. All is well, except for that huge ice boss!
Some well-placed grenades take off his left arm. Then his right. I now have the option of launching into a QTE. I don’t mess these up… Ah, but I didn’t plan on the snipers shooting me from the warehouse rooftop above – they pick me off before I can pry that beast apart, and by the time I recover, so has he – with a pair of new arms.
Fortunately, you’re not forced to repeat the process – with enough of an ass kicking, he goes down. The Blast Core is in my possession, along with a bonus: Bertrand’s briefcase. The day is mine!
“Demons”
The demo opens with Cole searching for an “old man,” presumably Bertrand, in the remains of a crashed helicopter. Instead, he finds a 10-story-tall hard-shelled Behemoth that’d be at home at the Cloverfield family reunion.
The beast’s carapace deflects everything I can throw at it, and its only weak spot seems to be in the mouth – when it’s open. Running away from it, I zoom in with a tap up on the D-pad when I can and unleash a sniper shot. Shooting over the shoulder is easier said than done, but the shot packs a mean wallop when it lands.
Violence begets violence, and the creature’s response is significant. It starts spitting acid and kicking cars at me, keeping me on the run. After receiving another massive hit on the kisser from Cole, it rears up on its hind legs, its ribcage swinging open like the gates to Minas Tirith. Revealed within, some brightly lit and tender looking parts, which I’m all too willing to shock with Cole’s powers.
The stakes are raised – the beast calls for reinforcements, in the form of crawling larvae and a horde of man-sized mutants (which should look familiar if you’ve seen previous I2 demos). They only complicate the matter as I split attention between the hulking monstrosity’s weak points and fending off the smaller attackers with melee strikes from the Amp (which feels awesome, btw).
The New Marais’ townsfolk now start pitching in, taking shots at the fell beast with RPGs and whatever else they have at hand. The behemoth turns down another street, and I double back from behind. Seeing no weak point, I run through its legs, only to find that I’ve gotten too close – a tentacle grabs Cole and is pulling him in – only a well timed shot saves our hide.
It’s time to end this. Discovering one of Cole’s new powers, I levitate a cop car using R2, and then aim and hurl it into the beasts final functioning organ.
The day is won. But what *was* that thing? I’ll find out soon, along with the rest of you.
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