inFamous Second Son Launch

It may not have much competition this far into the next-gen console cycle, but there's no question inFAMOUS: Second Son had the title of 'most anticipated PS4 exclusive' in the bag since it was revealed. Promising to drop players into a digital city (a recreation of Seattle, Washington) they had never before experienced on consoles, and giving them the superpowers to become a powerful hero or devastating villain, the appeal was obvious.

Now Sucker Punch's first attempt at a next-gen open world is set to be unleashed upon the masses, and the first reviews have been released. Enough has been shown of the game already to know that the basic open world gameplay and action won't disappoint, but how does the entire game come together in the end? Is Second Son a must-buy for every PS4 owner, or is it only fans who will appreciate Sucker Punch's work?

Interested players can check out our review of Second Son, in which we pointed out that while the game is undeniably fun - and as gorgeous as one might hope - there's no question it has some issues (particularly in terms of morality and story). Going by the early reviews, it seems most agree:

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Game Rant (Rob Keyes):

"Second Son may not offer much newness in terms of gameplay, story or progression, but polishes what we’ve come to enjoy from the series to date, bringing players a beautiful and fun game experience that’s absolutely worth checking out. We’re already looking forward to a sequel."

Score: 4/5

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Gamespot (Tom Mc Shea):

"Don't become mired in the negativity as Delsin so often does. Instead, just laugh at the cheesy dialogue and chortle at how extreme the morality system is. Second Son is a great game that knows exactly what it is, and sucks you in with its unfiltered fun."

Score: 8/10

Polygon (Philip Kollar):

"It had a chance to be a superhero game about more serious issues as well as a showcase for the power of the new generation of consoles. Instead, Second Son is more of the Infamous I already loved last generation, prettier, with more powers and better writing."

Score: 8.5/10

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Joystiq (Danny Cowan):

"Infamous: Second Son emphasizes the series' strengths in its debut appearance on the PlayStation 4, easily trumping previous Infamous games while showcasing the power of Sony's latest console... If you found previous Infamous games more frustrating than fun, Second Son's gleefully destructive superheroics will win you over as a fan."

Score: 4.5/5

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EGM (Marc Camron):

"inFAMOUS: Second Son doesn’t break a lot of new ground, but the new characters, diverse powers, and intriguing story are enough, particularly when combined with the power of the PS4."

Score: 9/10

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Eurogamer (Oli Welsh):

"As pretty and playable as it is, in no sense is inFamous: Second Son a post-Grand Theft Auto 5 open-world game. It's just a tidier, shorter and shinier one. It's easy to enjoy and has a winning personality, but it's reluctant to deviate from a stale streetmap of game city."

Score: 7/10

IGN (Vince Ingenito):

"Open-world superhero action games are about freedom and empowerment, and in these regards, Second Son is really impressive... but its advancements also beg it to be held to a higher standard, one that its overall story and morality systems struggle to reach."

Score: 8.7/10

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Edge:

"As an open-world game, Second Son feels emaciated... what is here becomes repetitive, unlikely to sustain interest beyond a single playthrough. Approach it as an action game that just happens to be set in a nonlinear environment and it makes more sense, but its not-inconsiderable achievements take effort to uncover."

Score: 7/10

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Game Informer (Andrew Reiner):

"A hero who channels neon colors may sound like the second coming of Jubilee, but Sucker Punch turns this strange ability into a surprisingly powerful toolset. Achieving similar success with smoke and the other power types... is an impressive feat that leads to a decidedly different super hero experience than we’ve seen before."

Score: 8.5/10

Giant Bomb (Jeff Gerstmann):

"Infamous: Second Son is brief, but engaging. The combat itself is interesting enough to cover for some of the repetition in the side objectives... If you're looking for a sprawling open-world with a billion little things to do, this isn't going to float your boat, but Second Son's tight, focused approach definitely still holds plenty of appeal."

Score: 4/5

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Official PlayStation Magazine (David Meikleham):

"The groundwork has been laid out in spectacular style with Second Son. Mechanically, the game often sings, in spite of rare framerate hiccups. With such a convincing set of powers in place, the next inFamous could finally be the truly great hero you deserve."

Score: 8/10

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Destructoid (Chris Carter):

"InFamous: Second Son takes everything that the series has done right, puts it in a blender, and delivers what is easily the strongest entry yet."

Score: 9.5/10

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What do you make of the reviews? Were you hoping for a flawless next-gen open world, or do you think the inFAMOUS series has always made fun and over-the-top attitude its top priority? Share your own thoughts in the comments.

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inFAMOUS: Second Son releases March 21, 2014 for the PS4.

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