• Posted March 23rd, 2009 at 13:12 EDT by
• 17 Comments

It's no secret that Sucker Punch has been pushing inFamous into the spotlight ever since its unveiling at E3 2007. However, a lot of details surrounding the game's Karma system have remained in the shadows. Today, however, IGN landed the exclusive inside track on everything inFamous and its karma-related questions.

We've included the answers below.

The interesting thing about all of this is the fact that Cole doesn’t have to use his powers for the good of all mankind — he can be as selfish as you want him to be. See, Infamous employs a seven-level Karma System that monitors your actions and lets you know how good or bad Cole is being. See, this will all be broken down in a little crescent-shaped meter next to your power level. If you’re reviving pedestrians who have been hurt by your enemies (a quick deliberator-like shock from your palms can fix just about everyone in this game), your meter fills in with a little blue. If you’re just wailing on every person you see in the street before pinning them to the ground and sucking their life forces out of their faces, your meter is going to fill in red. From the middle/neutral spot, you can do good deeds and climb to Guardian, Champion, and Hero ranks, or you can fry passerbys and sink to Thug, Outlaw, and Infamous Ranks. Awesomely, this position on the good/bad scale is visually represented by Cole as well. When he’s being a good boy, Cole’s electricity attacks will be blue and his clothes will be pristine. When he takes a turn towards evil, Cole will crackle with red energy, lose the pigment in his skin, and get mud on his face and clothes. These visual cues get more and more severe as you move up the ladder of your chosen Karma path.

 

This system sounds an awful lot like the one implemented in Lionhead Studios' Fable franchise, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing considering how much of a following that series of titles has had. Hopefully the end result of your decisions turn out to be a bit more consequential than in Fable.

With GDC just over the hump, expect to see a slate of new inFamous details pour out over the course of the week.