14 DAY TRIAL // Sony seems to have learned the lesson that Electronic Arts is only now discovering - videogames can be released outside of the Christmas shopping season and still become multi million selling hits. With the sales numbers posted by Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which arrived in June 2008, the creator of the PlayStation 3 home gaming consoles has announced that inFamous, which is being developed by Sucker Punch, would be released during the month of June 2009.
Sony has also said that it plans to deliver a demo version of the game before launch, allowing players to get a taste of what it has to offer. Let's just hope that Sony does not limit the availability of the demo, as it has done with Killzone 2, the biggest release of the year for the PlayStation 3.
inFamous sets out to tell the story of a guy called Cole, apparently normal in all aspects. He becomes a mutant, fueled by electricity, who can shoot lighting bolts out of his body and perform other impressive stunts. The developers have obviously learned the Spider Man lesson of “With great power comes great responsibility,” and allow the player to take control of Cole and do whatever they want within the space of the game world.
The gamer can choose to do good and to save the citizens that reside in the Empire City or they can turn to evil and destroy the city using their powers, which grow even more impressive as the game progresses. Of course, there are several shades of moral gray for the character to exhibit.
There appear to be quite a few similarities between inFamous and Prototype, although the former seems to be more focused on the open world aspect. Prototype also tells the tale of a super powered individual but the game has, unfortunately, been repeatedly delayed. Sony is probably hoping that inFamous will not share the same fate.