inFamous: First Light Reviews
First Light's weird, limbo nature makes it a hard one to pin down. Considered as a DLC add-on, it's pretty generous and fans of Second Son will certainly appreciate the extra backstory and another chance to romp around Seattle. As a standalone game, it earns points for trimming the fat from the open-world template, but is also as generic as they come. First Light is an adequate diversion for fans but unlikely to dazzle anybody else.
Infamous: First Light gives us more of the great action of Second Son, but doesn't have the same super-powered variety.
Relatively generous in size and scope, but being Second Son in miniature only helps to highlight what a hollow spectacle the game is.
Fetch's origin story hits on several of the same notes as Delsin's tale – making it somewhat predictable – but the action is always great, and the final 20 minutes of this journey are exceptional
Infamous: First Light is at its best if you've never played Second Son
Infamous: First Light benefits from Second Son's excellent fundamentals. Its missions and storytelling, however, lack spark.
Infamous: First Light is a standalone title, but it's more of a companion to Infamous: Second Son than a full-fledged game in its own right. It focuses the best power set from the previous game and cuts out all the extras. The Neon-powered Fetch is a charismatic character, but her story is a standard tale of loss and revenge. If you really want more Second Son, it's worth a go; if not, you can skip it.
Full stop, inFamous: First Light is more Second Son, which is a good thing. Although I wasn't nearly as invested in Fetch as I was with Delsin's story, this is a great way for fans to return to the super-powered world of Seattle, and an even better way for newcomers to get a taste of the series.
Her imprisonment and Sucker Punch's use of a familiar location at the crux of this story breathe new life into neon-powered gameplay loops that had already proven themselves one of the best open-world mechanics yet.
Whether you're new to inFamous or not, First Light is definitely worth looking into. The only reason you won't enjoy this is if you didn't get on with Second Son at all, and although there are some improvements, there's not enough difference here to convince those who dislike inFamous. The plot may fall flat at points and there might be a sense of repetition, but a return trip to Seattle isn't something you should turn down. And if you have never visited before, then what are you waiting for?
For fans of the story, inFamous: First Light is somewhat dimmed by rewriting events and motivations, but it's carried along by Fetch's fast, agile gameplay and a strong closing chapter. It's not a must-play, but it's a good excuse to run another lap around Seattle.
Infamous: First Light is at its best when it's iterating on and riffing on Second Son. In many ways, the abbreviated length of First Light makes it a better bite-sized package. It's more linear and less surprising than fans might expect from the series, but exploring this world as Fetch is just as fun as it ever was.
If Infamous: Second Son didn't do anything for you, First Light won't either. While maneuvering through the city is greater than anything Sucker Punch has done before, and Fetch's family story helps expand her character, it's weighed down by its own lack of change.
It feels odd to say it, but I actually prefer First Light to Second Son. The shorter run-time and more direct story could have reduced the feeling of freedom, but instead it benefits almost every area of the game. As a standalone product, its low price and superb gameplay means that it's definitely recommended.
First Light is Second Son with most of the fat trimmed, making it ideal for newcomers.
Infamous: First Light is all gameplay no heart. The action that made Second Son feel so tight is back, but it lacks the earlier game's excellent story and design.
Fetch's story is a great tale of family bonds, hard times, and gives a much deeper look at a character that didn't get nearly enough exposition in Second Son. The focus on neon powers alone doesn't limit Fetch at all and a hefty set of challenges make First Light plenty to hold inFAMOUS fans over until we get the inevitable next game in the series. There isn't enough different here to convince anyone who didn't like Second Son, but for gamers who enjoyed Delsin's story, First Light feels like a more focused title, and adds greatly to what was already an awesome open world superhero series.
Infamous: First Light takes an interesting, flawed character and does nothing with her. Even at $15, it's a vapid, empty, wasted opportunity. At least the combat is still fun, though.
If you're hesitating about whether or not to pick up inFAMOUS: Second Son, this is a great sample and precursor. Those who have already played it will enjoy learning about one of Second Son's most interesting characters.
inFamous: First Light once again shows Sony makes some stellar content post-release. Being able to enjoy this adventure even without owning the original game is a huge plus. For those that might have parted ways with their original copy, this $15 continuation is more than worth the price of admission. It also helps that I actually enjoyed this piece of content more than the original game.