It’s been a long year since its first announcement, and it’s great to know that “Infamous: Second Son” is in many ways incredible compared to its last two predecessors even if they were derived from their comic-book roots. Despite some of its shortcomings, fans of the “Infamous” games will be delighted as they stroll through the streets and rooftops of Seattle with flashy superpowers.

“Infamous: Second Son” takes place seven years after the events of “Infamous 2.” Superhumans, called Conduits, can absorb elemental powers and have been demonized by the public and labeled as “Bio-Terrorists.” As tensions between Conduits and normal humans become increasingly hostile, a military organization called the Department of Unified Protection is formed specifically to detain ‘Bio-Terrorists.’

Our new protagonist, Delsin Rowe, a rebellious and immature troublemaker, begins exhibiting smoke powers and gets caught up with the D.U.P, leading to one of his native tribe members getting seriously injured. Delsin, who feels that he is responsible, and his law-abiding brother, Reggie, set course for Seattle to confront the head of the D.U.P and villain of the game, Brook Augustine.

What stands out the most are the jaw-dropping visuals. The power of the PS4 really shows here. There are several moments when I glided from rooftop to rooftop that just put a smile on my face because of the beauty and fluidity of the graphics. Sucker Punch worked hard to bring the city of Seattle realistically to life, although much more can be done with the pedestrians. Whenever I ensued a ferocious battle with the D.U.P, the civilians tended to get in the way of the action instead of logically running away, which can be annoying.

Another thing that stands out in the game is the chemistry between the two brothers, Delsin and Reggie, voiced by Troy Baker and Travis Willingham. The bickering between the duo is amusing to watch and adds depth to not only the characters, but the overall story as well. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the supporting characters, Fetch and Eugene. The build-up to their introductions worked out flawlessly and they are very well-written, but they’re absent most of the game. That’s a shame because I wanted to see more interaction between the two Conduits and Delsin. They pretty much served as key characters, but they could’ve been so much more than that and it was an opportunity that shouldn’t have been missed.

“Infamous: Second Son” still has the Karma system just like the last two Infamous games had but it’s still flawed. The purpose of the Karma system is to either play as a superhero or a supervillain. Your choice of play dictates what power skills you unlock, what missions you play, and how the world around you reacts. But here’s the issue: I just don’t see why Delsin would choose to murder hundreds of innocents. Yes, you as the player can do whatever you want in this open-world game, but the player’s evil actions doesn’t match Delsin’s character. When the time comes to make a decision that influences the story, the choices are too black and white. There’s not a single choice in the game that made me think hard. Choose blue or red – that’s it.

The best thing in the “Infamous” games has always been the open-world gameplay, and this “Infamous” does not disappoint in that category. In fact, it improves upon it. The controls feel natural, less sticky and more fluid when doing parkour moves. The real stars of the game, however, are the flashy but diverse and destructive superpowers. Some examples are the smoke and neon powers. The other two powers are too good to be spoiled in this review. As you level up, you are able to unlock certain powers depending on your Karma status. If you go for the paragon route, you will unlock powers that can incapacitate enemies. If you go for the selfish route, you will obtain powers that can decimate your foes. Either route you choose is very gratifying.  You can switch powers on the fly, so you can strategically defeat a large group of enemies using multiple powers simultaneously.

The main missions are expertly designed and exhilarating, but the side missions are lackluster. The side missions in the last two ‘Infamous’ games were epic and fun, so it’s very disappointing that the side missions in “Second Son” fell short.

Sucker Punch has made a bold choice to move away from its comic-book roots and give us a new protagonist, and it’s a choice that ultimately paid off. It has plenty of content to be exploited, even after you’ve beaten it the first time. While the supporting characters and the side missions aren’t up to par with the game’s superior areas, the series will benefit from its new cinematic approach, and I am already eager to explore the expanding universe of “Infamous.”