inFamous First Light: PS4 Review

inFamous First Light: PS4 Review

Released by Sucker Punch
Platform: PS4

The inFamous series has always been a blast.

And with its PS4 iteration aka Second Son, it became a neon soaked mix of colours and fluid gameplay that really set the bar high for the next gen console.

So, it was inevitable that developer Sucker Punch would return to the franchise with this latest spin-off, the standalone DLC Infamous First Light, which concentrates on Abigail “Fetch” Walker, who featured in Infamous Second Son with Delsin.

“Fetch” is a young punkish Conduit, whose ability to absorb neon, gives her a superspeed and ability to blur around Seattle like some kind of female version of The Flash. Giving you complete control of the female character – and setting her up with the antagonist Augustine (who appears in the first game) – gives the franchise a firm female footing.

But First Light is all about exploring Fetch’s memories from inside the evil DUP prison, with you exploring a pivotal time in her youth that set her on the path that she’s destined for (there’s no good or bad karma here, which is a refreshing touch, but also one that sees the franchise lose a little of its reason for a second playthrough). With her older brother Brent in the possession of a gangland criminal called Shane, Fetch finds her position compromised and forced on missions to try and get ever closer to the rescue of Brent.

InFamous First Light takes about four or five hours of play through to complete – and it’s a shame that it’s over so briefly because it really is tremendous fun. The story element is as you’d expect; race round the city, collect a few things, blast a few things, deal with the gangsters running amok in the city and stay alive. But in among this, you get to collect floating blobs of neon called Lumens which lurk in the skies or on the side of buildings to help you build up your powers. Dust clouds of neon litter the streets too, and when you start racing about, these serve as speed portals to help you reach your targets. It’s a great way to rush from point to point, but is also an indication of how fluid Sucker Punch has made the game, with no glitches on show. In fact, the speed of the game is one of the real bonuses of this DLC, which feels like it’s upped the ante for graphics work. In fact the neon trails, neon graffiti and blasts of neon which eminate from your hands are an utter joy to behold – the visuals really soar on this.

Occasionally, the story stumbles, you lose powers for no real reason other than to progress the story; flashbacks occasionally interrupt the flow of the game and from time to time, elements of repetition creep into play.

But, the introduction of Curdon Cay, a battle arena where Fetch builds on her powers is a real boost to proceedings; essentially, it’s here that you can turn on the game after completing the main story and simply shoot away to your heart’s content, tackle challenges and try and boost yourself onto world leader boards. If you’ve got Second Son, you can also play as Delsin, a touch which is welcome (no sign of Cole though) – this gives the game a bit of welcome after life when the campaign’s done, though it’s only single player at this stage (maybe a multiplayer would really open the world up)

All in all, InFamous First Light is a great addition to the franchise; its speed, fluidity and visceral visuals really give you a lot to enjoy. It’s just a shame it’s not a full game.

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