CES 2009: inFamous videos show off a lotta lightning
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jan 9th 2009 at 10:45AM }
What's really got us, though, is this: Sony first revealed Sucker Punch's inFamous in July 2007 at E3, just one month before Sierra (now Activision) took the wraps off of Radical's Prototype, an exceedingly similar concept. It's like when two movie studios, operating totally independently, plan big-budget movies about asteroids colliding with Earth. Just replace "asteroids" with "super-powered dudes" and replace "Earth" with "Empire City" and "New York City" respectively. Just like it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
myabsolution @ Jan 9th 2009 10:51AM
Crackdown meets the Force Unleashed?
looks cool.
Miguel @ Jan 9th 2009 10:54AM
That's what I was thinking!
D_Average @ Jan 9th 2009 11:02AM
I was going to say the same thing. Not just the effects, but the kid looks very similar, which isn't a good thing. He's looks like the type of teenager you just want to smack in the face, not sure why.
Ihavepants @ Jan 9th 2009 11:07AM
Crackdown meets the Force Unleashed meets Assassins Creed, with all the climbing ability.
Doreo @ Jan 9th 2009 11:13AM
Why that game is automatic... Hydrostatic... Systematic... Why it's GREASE LIGHTING!!!!!!
*And I know it's supposed to be hydromatic*
baby sea tuna @ Jan 9th 2009 11:23AM
Then you're one up on me in Grease trivia.
copa @ Jan 9th 2009 10:51AM
Nice, I played the video, and the bottom third of the screen was an ad stating: "Kids attack teacher in GA: Can violence in media be to blame?"
I was hoping that it would be followed by a Flash game where I get to shoot at a Georgia teacher.
NaeemTHM @ Jan 9th 2009 10:55AM
What's more, both games look good!
Though (possibly for the first time ever) the PS3 gets a great deal since both Prototype AND inFamous are coming to the system.
Then again....I guess 360 can look forward to Crackdown 2, should that ever be released.
Hurray for super-dudes reeking havoc through Big Cities!
baby sea tuna @ Jan 9th 2009 11:02AM
I was pretty amped (ugh, sorry) for inFamous before but nothing in the videos made me go "HOLY FUCK AWESOME!" like that Prototype trailer did.
SuperGayParade @ Jan 9th 2009 11:14AM
Lol. Put together the parts of Prototype trailer that are actual gameplay, then watch side by side, then smack yourself for being shallow and comparing cinematics to gameplay.
baby sea tuna @ Jan 9th 2009 11:22AM
Like the gameplay where the dude throws the same lightning bolt like 15 time in a row? Or the part where he does it WHILE HANGING OFF OF SOMETHING!!!!!1!
I trust SuckerPunch, I really do, but nothing in that game but I can't imagine anything in inFamous being more awesome than being able to punch straight through somebody's chest.
Trev @ Jan 9th 2009 11:29AM
The player only does it once, but it looks like you can hold the lighting strike. Whoever has the controller just isn't doing it for some reason. Maybe an upgrade?
The video looked like lots of stick-wiggling and button mashing, so I'd like to think that the game will ultimately be more smooth than that.
J @ Jan 9th 2009 12:02PM
Hah, I just noticed the "m" for mario on your avatar. That's funny.
Maverick Saturn @ Jan 9th 2009 1:30PM
Prototype reminds me too much of a Marvel Game, running up walls and stuff. InFamous looks repetitive, but Prototype looks like it could become the same way fast as well :S
Ihavepants @ Jan 9th 2009 11:02AM
Holy crap. I'm interested now.
swmarc @ Jan 9th 2009 11:14AM
No one else thought that looked boring? Lighting Strike, Lighting Strike, Lighting Strike, Lighting Strike, Lighting Strike, Lighting Strike....
Ihavepants @ Jan 9th 2009 11:17AM
It did get that way a bit, and the sound for the lightning bolt is very annoying.
However towards the end of the second video things branched out a tad and became awesome.
max @ Jan 9th 2009 12:16PM
nope. i agree with you. this looks really repetitive and boring, even more so than crackdown but i liked that game for a month, so who knows.
Chance Morgan @ Jan 9th 2009 12:30PM
First video left me a little bored. Second video started off the same way, but when he jumped off the building with the lightning charge and killed the bad guy I started to pick up a little excitement. Can't wait to see more.
Maverick Saturn @ Jan 9th 2009 1:34PM
I guess prototype and InFamous pick up depending on what mission you are doing and where you are going, the reason he only ever does lightning bolt moves is because the devs don't want to show anything else for some reason or another :(
Doreo @ Jan 9th 2009 2:35PM
Looks like you won't be playing a Thor video game anytime soon...
SyChO @ Jan 9th 2009 5:45PM
I'm with you on that one bud...
This looks sooooooooooooooooooo repetitive!
Doug @ Jan 11th 2009 6:53PM
I agree as well, repetitive- quickly. I'm going out on a limb here and giving it a 7.2. Good visuals, but damn that was boring.
Blah @ Jan 9th 2009 11:16AM
From watching this video i'm pretty interested in the game. But i noticed some of the gameplay seems to be from earlier builds released a few months ago.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Jan 9th 2009 11:22AM
so what kind of enemies are we to be fighting in inFamous? cause they all look exactly the same. not that it matters necessarily, cause the game looks very fun. just wish it was coming out on 360 as well.
Deeznuts420 @ Jan 9th 2009 11:23AM
if i had lightning coming out of my hands, i will not attack my enemies by giving them an "air five"
Brett from Atlanta @ Jan 9th 2009 1:48PM
FYI, the air five is the new fist pound from Battlefield: Bad Company.
Shmil @ Jan 9th 2009 4:04PM
Fist pound in bad company? Do you mean Army of Two?
ironmike26 @ Jan 9th 2009 11:45AM
hmmmm lightning wasnt very fun in the force unleashed and this doesnt look different enough.
Sidebuster @ Jan 9th 2009 11:49AM
reminds me of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_ekugPKqFw
(not a rickroll)
J @ Jan 9th 2009 12:06PM
That was worse. =\
I can imagine playing pretend like that if i were still around 7 years old, though.
I get it, 'LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT!'
PSN: Erdie @ Jan 9th 2009 11:55AM
Climb around and blow stuff up? Sure, why not!
Triscuit @ Jan 9th 2009 11:56AM
That time when he had five or six guys in a cluster, all shooting at him, would have been the time do something amazing. Like, oh, I dunno.... MAKING THEM INTO A GIANT LIGHTNING CHAIN CIRCUIT SO THAT THEIR HEADS EXPLODE! Then I'd be a little more impressed. Also, some hints or evidence of a soundtrack would have been nice.
Erluti @ Jan 9th 2009 12:09PM
Man, he shocked the crap out of some dudes.
343 Guilty Fart @ Jan 9th 2009 12:38PM
That screenshot looks like it's from Half Life 2.
Deck @ Jan 9th 2009 1:29PM
Lightning? I like lightning. Reminds me of Emperor Palpatine!
This is really interesting.. I take it this is a PS3 exclusive?
Maverick Saturn @ Jan 9th 2009 1:43PM
I hate superhero games where the character is overpowered, which is why I never purchase a hulk game (spiderman games just bore me, lol, personally I prefer being the villain, evil is more fun! >:D ).
I know PS3 owners get the best of both worlds, meaning I'd end up getting both either way, but I felt the need to compare them anyway, Prototype looks fun for a few minutes, but I think running up buildings and throwing cars would bore me after a while, I would prefer to gradually gain more power, in that case I give Infamous credit as they have thought about things quite smartly, areas without electricity, getting more power as you go along etc, however, there are fewer civilians in Infamous, prototype has the armies and police to chase you etc making it that bit more entertaining. Both open worlds look fun to mess about in but I'm not into running up walls and flying like superman, so I'd give my credit to InFamous in that sense, then again, Prototypes abilty to change form and rip things apart makes it look awesome, personally if they fused the two together, I think they'd make the perfect superhero/villain game, as they are now, they both concern me but I'll play them and judge again later :D
Brett from Atlanta @ Jan 9th 2009 1:50PM
Wow, a lot of hate on here it seems. Does anyone else not think that this just looks like good, clean, mindless fun!? I for one am pretty excited about sinking my teeth into this.
Hyams @ Jan 9th 2009 3:29PM
Meh, it's an exclusive. They always attract hate. It's a PS3 exclusive too, which is even worse, although not as bad as a Wii exclusive.
Look at all the hate amazing exclusives like LBP and Killzone 2 got/have been getting. Sometimes people just feel like they have to hate all games they cannot play on their favourite console.
yojimb0 @ Jan 9th 2009 2:15PM
Damn prototype is gonna own the hell out of this game
danny @ Jan 9th 2009 2:39PM
Darth Sidious ain't got shit against this guy!
I think the game will be awesome...needs more variety in lightning powers not just shocks bombs and waves.I want:
-chain lightning
-stasis field
-magnetic impulse
-thunder strikes
-lightning speed (a really fast sprint O_o)
-more sound effects in the lightning powers
-i want the guy to pick up any fucking object and enhance it with lightning-then use it as a weapon (obviously)
-smart AI - difficult to kill and fun at the same time
-a good storyline
-etc....
i hope they won't fuck it up...i've got high hopes for this game...it looks very promising. :D
kbomb1upc @ Jan 9th 2009 2:50PM
This game needs more hand-to-hand combat... cause if its starts rainning he's in trouble...
Maverick Saturn @ Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM
Yea, like grabbing someones head and exploding it with electricity :D
sector13 @ Jan 9th 2009 4:18PM
After watching those two clips I'm already bored with it. Running around killing people with the same force lightning over and over seems really repetitive. Prototype at least seems to have more variety.
Sony needs to get off their butts and fix allot things with the PS3 and how people interact with it and the online world. And Infamous is just one more thing to work on.
Maverick Saturn @ Jan 9th 2009 4:22PM
And you don't think that after playing games like Hulk and Spiderman, Prototype isn't much the same? Just with a few indifferences here and there? To be honest both games are great and boring in thier own ways, prototype is no less repetitive or has no more variety I can see in the slightest.
ryan @ Jan 9th 2009 4:27PM
I wonder what's in his backpack? Hopefully a new power...
Jrejre @ Jan 9th 2009 7:06PM
I saw a behind the scenes vid on this a few weeks back. The main character is apparently a "badass bike messenger" and you go around exploring the city because before he got his powers he was "an urban explorer, who went around the city looking for things". I had to laugh my ass off because it just sounded like such a "this is what kids are into these days. Urban exploring and bike messengers are badass!"
Burnt Meatloaf @ Jan 10th 2009 8:54PM
I love Sucker Punch, but my first impression is "Ratchet and Clank with only 3 weapons".
Nonetheless, I'm interested, and I want to see more of the story. Showing actual gameplay gets them 50 points.
Doctor Spud @ Feb 8th 2009 4:35AM
I want to blow the heads off of all the haters on here. Clearly no one here realizes that these couple of clips are really only the action side to the game. While you morons gripe about the game being so repetitive Sucker Punch doesn't want to show the more complex powers yet so things don't get spoiled. As you progress through the game depending on your behaviors you achieve different powers. I personally think the game looks incredible. Sucker Punch is my favorite studio so they can definetely count me in.
Doctor Spud @ Feb 8th 2009 4:39AM
@Jrejre: Actually from what I've heard he's a rather non-badass bike messenger... but you gotta admit that urban exploration is at least kind of cool.