The most notable consequence of your decisions – from what we’ve seen, at least – is in the special abilities offered to the player. Upon reaching the rank of a Hero, for example, Cole’s standard ‘Lightning Bolt’ attack transforms into a ‘Righteous Strike’, which restores health upon striking an enemy. On the contrary, reaching the rank of Infamous unlocks ‘Sadistic Strike’, which triggers a devastating explosion upon making a head shot. The balancing act between making both sides equally as entertaining and rewarding is certainly delicate, but it seems as if Sucker Punch has pitched it perfectly, with obvious advantages and disadvantages for either style of play. There are cosmetic differences too, with Cole’s electrical abilities shifting from blue to red as you grow increasingly malevolent, as well as minor changes made to Cole’s physical appearance.

It isn’t just Karmic Moments that affect Cole’s Karmic State, though. Throughout Empire City you’ll find infected residents lying helplessly on the city streets pleading with Cole for help. From here, the player can choose to either heal them or leech their energy for Cole’s greater good, with his social status adjusted as a result of the player’s actions. Similarly, choosing to tie up a wounded enemy or killing them outright has an effect on Cole’s moral compass as well.

Besides his Lightning Bolt attack, which is similar in practice to an infinite ammo pistol you may find in any other shooter, Cole also has access to a few other special moves. Each are representative of weapons typical to a ‘normal’ shooter, such as rocket launchers and grenades, only with an electrical twist. Another move, known as Shockwave, borrows heavily from The Force Unleashed, allowing Cole to push cars and other objects into the paths of his enemies.

But in spite of his newfound electrical abilities, Cole isn’t a walking power generator. Using these special moves depletes the amount of power Cole has available and consequently, he’ll often have to find an object tied into the city’s power grid to recharge his energy, such as telephone booths or electrified train rails. They’re fairly easy to find, with a click of the L3 button displaying any available power outlets in the vicinity. More importantly its implementation is credible, acting as a feasible superhero alternative to an ammo counter, unlike the countless comic book games prior reliant on the use of an inappropriate stamina bar.

Perhaps what Sucker Punch should be commended for most, however, is the level of personality they’ve infused into their lead character. Even in this short demonstration, Cole conveys a sense of charisma key to the success of any comic book caper. inFamous is a dark, post-Batman Begins superhero affair, and the gravelly-voiced Cole seems an altogether appropriate and convincing fit. From calling an apparent ex-love interest “a piece of shit” to his indifference at being labelled a terrorist, Cole’s similarity with Watchmen’s Rorschach rather than a squeaky clean Clark Kent is both invigorating and exciting. Coupled with some astonishing comic book cutscenes and gameplay that looks set to rival even the best open world adventures out there, we’re chalking up inFamous as another PS3 must-have when it launches in a few weeks time.

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