Should you try out Infamous Second Son in 2025?

Infamous Second Son was one of the earliest first-party Sony Interactive Entertainment games to showcase what the PlayStation 4 was capable of nearly a decade ago. Sucker Punch Productions ended the franchise on a high note after shelving it completely to move on to its next ambitious IP: Ghost of Tsushima.

Infamous Second Son is pure eye candy from a visual and graphics standpoint. However, the developer didn't just succeed in that department but fused it with great gameplay and combat mechanics, paired with a compelling narrative. The voice cast brought their A-game and delivered a stellar performance. All these factors make the game worth checking out in 2025.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of this article reflect the writer's personal and subjective opinions about the game.

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Infamous Second Son was underrated on the PlayStation 4

Become a superpowered youngster with a knack for visual arts in this sci-fi world (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Infamous Second Son is set in an alternate version of Seattle where beings known as Conduits with great power exist and run rampant. Players take on the role of Delsin Rowe, a young graffiti artist with a penchant for trouble voiced by one other than Troy Baker.

The game utilizes a karma system, especially with different personalities on the stick; some try to be heroic and use their abilities for good, while others likely cause mayhem.

The karma or morality system heavily mirrors the fame system from the original Red Dead Redemption. It changes based on how a player acts toward the general public. Heroic deeds are greeted with cheers, praise, and respect, while Delsin will receive the opposite if players attack unarmed civilians in the streets.

Sucker Punch Productions wanted to get the open-world activities right in Infamous Second Son and added different things for players to try. While exploring a fictionalized version of Seattle, players can participate in side missions, fighting local law enforcement known as the Department of Unified Protection, who abuse their authority, and go on a fetch quest to collect crystals to improve their powers.

The developer wanted to emphasize that player choices can have great consequences. This is a somewhat realistic take on what a young man with pent-up rage would do with his newly discovered powers. Players can use their powers for good and become a good Conduit or drag society down to become a powerful villain.

Delsin is enhanced and much more capable than the average human, unlike his older brother, Reggie, the local sheriff, who doesn't share his younger sibling's views of the world and often reminds him to keep his abilities a secret to avoid unwanted attention.

The plot and setting are different from previous Infamous games since Delsin is a new character, which Sucker Punch Productions could have used to propel this franchise even further. Delsin is on a mission to restore his tribe's health and well-being after a deadly attack on his people for information.

The game's combat is extremely satisfying with fluid animations for melee attacks with a metal chain and ranged attacks from Delsin's hands. Players must collect crystals scattered around Seattle to upgrade their abilities and take on more powerful enemies.

Delsin's ability as a Conduit is to take the powers of fellow powered beings, which players can use to attack civilians or DUP enforcers.

Players can climb tall skyscrapers by channeling through vents or glide through the air with their powers. The parkour element is much more ambitious and robust than other franchises like Assassin's Creed; however, it perfectly blends with the gameplay.

Throughout the story of Infamous Second Son, Delsin will make a few tough choices that could affect the story's outcome. After the events of Infamous 2, the world has been living in fear of what these Conduits can do, and some people made it their life's mission to paint these superpowered beings in a negative light.

Players can choose to be better and not let these allegations get the best of them or prove villains like Augustine right and that Delsin is a freak of nature.

Delsin Rowe can change the world and how the public views the Conduits in Infamous Second Son (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

It is easy to succumb to the dark side and let hate take control. However, the game does not judge players for how they play or their decisions.

Infamous Second Son is tailored for players with different points of view in life and what they would do given the chance of a lifetime and impressive superpowers.

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Conclusion

Infamous Second Son is an underrated game that fell below the gaming community's radar (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Infamous Second Son is one of the fastest first-party PlayStation games to be released on the PlayStation 4. Despite the praise from fans and critics, Sucker Punch Productions is satisfied with how the series ended and has moved on to better things, but this does not mean players should skip this exciting experience.

While this game didn't receive the remaster treatment, used copies are affordable and run best on the PlayStation 5. If you are a fan of superpowered beings in an open-world setting, Infamous Second Son is perfect for you.