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inFAMOUS
- PlayStation 3
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
How you play superhuman adventure results in fame or infamy.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that inFAMOUS is a kind of open-ended Grand Theft Auto-style game -- peppered with more than 100 missions and containing fighting scenes against enemies -- but it's a lot tamer than the "infamous" GTA series (it's rated "teen" instead of "Mature"). Yes, the player can choose to be a bad guy by abusing his newfound superhuman powers, but will be rewarded for using it for good. Electricity-based powers are used against human enemies, and some blood can be seen during or following a battle. Some potentially disturbing comic book-like scenes exist, too, such as humans hanging from a noose. There are suggestive visuals (including a sexy female boss) and some foul language can be heard.
What's it about?
What would you do if you suddenly developed superhuman strength in a corrupt world: protect the weak and innocent, use your newfound power for personal gain, or a little of both? You can find out for yourself in INFAMOUS, a PS3 exclusive that puts you in the shoes of Cole MacGrath, an everyday guy who not only survives a mysterious explosion while delivering a package in downtown Empire City, but is transformed by it. In the aftermath of the blast, the quarantined city collapses into chaos as it becomes overrun by powerful criminals.
Is it any good?
Sure, this open-ended adventure has a goal in mind for you -- track down whomever was responsible for the blast and prevent the city from self-destructing -- but you can also decide whether to use or abuse your evolving superpowers as you begin to experience fame and/or infamy. In fact, your electricity-based powers will evolve depending on which path you take. Play as a noble fighter and you'll access one type of upgrades while becoming evil unlocks more sinister and sadistic abilities. This is all tied to a six-level Karma System that monitors your good or evil deeds and leads to specific consequences of your actions in the lengthy single-player story, totaling 100 missions on three large islands.
The game is one of the best PS3 exclusives of 2009 thus far. Consider it a Grand Theft Auto-like open-ended adventure with so much to see and explore, plus it's a "blast" to use special powers and roam about the landscapes, even vertically. The tight game-play -- created by Sucker Punch of Sly Cooper fame -- is wrapped in a gorgeous world and with great-sounding audio, too. inFAMOUS is a great pick for teenage PS3 owners.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether kids should play titles that let you be good or evil -- such as Fable II, Black & White 2, Spore and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. When playing these decisions-have-consequences games, do you always choose to play as the side of good? How does it feel to be bad? Do you think playing games like this (that permit you to be bad) tempt you to be bad in real life or is this just an endeavor that never becomes anything but a game?
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AGE
A story to enjoy.
The game is great, hands down. Graphics are great, gameplay is pretty is to get down, and the story is entertaining. They took the time to mention you can be bad, well, they didn't mention that that comes at a cost, being good has its ups and downs as well. To be evil means the loss of a relationship and the death of your beloved girlfriend, the city decays further, people hate you, people start to die. Being good on the other hand means that you will have a good relationship with your girlfriend, the city will begin to prosper, the people will get back on their feet (even start attacking those who tried to take the city and turn it into a wasteland,) people look up to you as a hero, people begin to get healthier and prosper themselves. The cussing is minimum, nothing a kid doesn't here at school or in rap (I went there) so it isn't really an issue. The overall point to this game is to entertain, not to have role models or positive messages. Please keep that in mind.
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AGE
midle
the game is okay play with caution with your kids
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AGE
InFamous is a great game that has a very good story and educational value. There is violence, but it is not graphic at all. No blood like the review from the site says. Fine for ages 12+. My neighbour who is nine years old and is scared by violent and bloody games enjoys watching me play it. The story helps you take over the role of a super-hero in a post-apocalyptic city who must help save the city from self-destruction and gang violence. It lets players play through his personal struggles with love, betrayal, and the pressure of having superpowers. He has to deal with things such as (SPOILER ALERT) the death of the love of his life, terrorist accusations, and trying to save everyone. It will teach your tweens/teens that with great power comes great responsability and struggles.
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AGE
10+
Really it's a good game for alot of people. the role modles are good even whaen your an anti hero some missions make a good guy no matter what and no sexual stuff. If your kid here's a bad word no doubt they have herd it at school not to mention my friend goes to a christian school and they say bad words there.
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AGE
Great game. Perfect for almost any age.
I got this game recently and loved it. In the game, your character develops electric-based superpowers and is faced with decisions of right and wrong. after making a decision, your character is rewarded with "good karma" or "evil karma". Gaining karma in either good or evil unlocks new powers to be used. This means that if you decide to follow the "evil" pathway, you will gain more evil karma by hurting innocent citizens. However you gain good karma by healing injured citizens.
There is little blood in the game, just red splotches on the edge of your screen when you get shot by the enemy. Similarly, language is somewhat common, but is usually not too strong (i.e. a*s, d*mn, and at worst b*tch)
I would recommend this title for kids age 10 and up mainly because of the language. If you don't mind the language I believe it would be suitable for much younger. There is a difficulty setting that could make it easier for younger ages.
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AGE
Great, yet sometimes violent and suggestive
Infamous is a great game, and it really isn't all that bad. Comic book cutscenes can sometimes be graphic, but the worst images (civilians impaled on flying debris, bloody mass shootings) are fleeting. A boss named sasha is dressed revealingly and makes sexual comments when you attack her. Other than these two issues, this game is fairly appropriate for teens 13+.
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AGE
I don't have a PS3 but I have played the game before and i really love this game. It's my favorite game on the PS3.
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AGE
This is the best sandbox style game I have ever played. Its difficulty settings are optional, so that the newbie can enjoy as much as the hardcore veteran player. The controls are excellently well made; this is a really cool, darker look at the superhero thing. The appropriateness of the game is actually kind of a moral choice; do you become evil, obtain powers of destruction that will probably kill civilians as you fight bad guys, spread discord in the city and suck the life out of people, or do you heal injured civilians, restore unity, and learn powers that heal you and stress accuracy and defense? Its ultimatly your choice whether to be the good guy or the bad guy, and if we are talking appropriatness for children, being the good guy yields gameplay very much like a wonderful superhero movie. You are a character named Cole who has mysteriously obtained the power to wield electricity as a weapon since a huge blast detonated and destroyed your city. You also gain the power to fall from any height without getting hurt, to do crazy parkour moves, and to shoot lightling in a kind of 3rd person shooter gameplay. Its a platformer, sandbox, collecting game, semi roleplay, game that does an excellent job. You may find yourself simply spending hours just running from building to building, admiring the indestructible lighting bolt of a man you are.
However, for those who choose to play as an evil character, the game becomes much darker and obviously loses all moral goodness by default. Its a cool choice for adults, and interesting for kids. But I knew a parent who would only let her kid play it if they played it as a good guy, and for younger kids, I understand that stance.
This game has mature language and a dark feel to it, but violence wise, if your the good guy, its really not that bad; the only thing you'll be killing is cloaked monsters that don't even bleed.
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AGE
Good for teens
A little violence, but no blood. Some cursing. Game can be played as a "bad guy", but remember parents, this isn't ANYTHING like Grand Theft Auto or similar games.
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AGE
Saving the day has never been so much fun
inFAMOUS is an entertaining game of its genre in which the player explores a disaster-struck city destined for its anti-climatic suicide. Villains known as the "Reapers" wreck havoc on the broken city, as it has been quarantined by the government and the cops have abandoned their role in the community and cowered into the shadows. The gamer will play as an ordinary man named Cole whom managed to survive an unexpected and very powerful explosion that threw the city into its condition. (the game does not explain how the explosion happened; it's arguably not even an explosion at all. What seems to be an electric dome forms over the city and streaks of what seem to be lightning strike the ground below) After awakening from an unconscious state, Cole finds that he has obtained superhuman electric powers. The city is collapsing on itself (figuratively), and the only person who can clean the city is none other than Joe Blow who woke up with superpowers.
Players will venture throughout the city and fight off hordes of Reapers and Conduits ruling the streets, help bystanders with tasks and ensure the protection of the citizens of the city. As for inappropriate content, there is a boss character that is said to be rather revealing. Yet, I can assure parents that their tweens and teens won't overly notice it unless they're really trying to. (it's only one scene that takes a little less than 7 minutes to complete. The rest of the game is squeaky clean when it comes to that sort of thing) As for violence, players can kick, punch, zap and blow villains off of rooftops and leech their energy in a semi-disturbing manner. Also, if they would like to choose the path of Infamy, then they have the opportunity of chaining people to the ground and stomping on the innocent, throw cars on top of people, shoot gasoline tanks near people and throw them sky-high with their new found superpowers. As The language is infrequently coarse, but it should be noted that the word 'hell' is used quite a bit during the course of the game. As for blood, it smears the screen when Cole is hurt. (it isn't as bloody as the screen in popular games such as Modern Warfare 2) Overall, this is a very good game. The graphics are excellent, the sound is impeccable, and the gameplay is nothing short of fun. This game has been marked down from $60.00 to $30.00, making it quite affordable. Even two years later this game is entertaining audiences; it will most likely intrigue you as well. Go out and by inFAMOUS today. It's worth your money.
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| Platforms: | PlayStation 3 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Release date: | May 26, 2009 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence |
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