The transition from the grimy streets of New Marais to the sun-drenched avenues of Seattle marked a seismic shift in the superhero genre, and the powers at your disposal in Infamous Second Son are the gleaming, terrifying result. This sequel ditches the reactive, grounded corruption of its predecessor for a gaudy explosion of neon-bright abilities, pushing the limits of what a superpowered vigilante can do. Where the first game made you feel like a cursed outcast, the second makes you feel like a walking arsenal, constantly evaluating which devastating ability to unleash next.
The Core Arsenal: Bio-Telekinesis and Beyond
At the heart of Delsin Rowe’s power set is Bio-Telekinesis, a flashy upgrade to the classic telekinesis found in other games. This ability allows you to manipulate the environment and enemies with a simple flick of the analog stick, pulling cars off streets, yanking propane tanks from grunts, or hurling massive concrete barriers with casual ease. The fluidity of this power is unmatched, letting you seamlessly transition from moving a crate to launching a police cruiser with pinpoint accuracy. It serves as the reliable foundation that makes every other wilder power feel like a devastating addition to an already formidable toolkit.
Neon Powers: Flashy and Devastating
Embracing the neon-soaked aesthetic of the Akomish tribe, the Neon powers are the showstoppers of the game. These abilities turn Delsin into a lethal ball of light, capable of blinding entire squads with a flashbang-like burst or slicing through enemies with razor-sharp beams of pure energy. The visual spectacle is undeniable, with trails of vibrant color slicing through the Seattle skyline during night-time combat. Mastering these powers feels like conducting a symphony of destruction, where you can obliterate a group of enemies with a single, elegant wave of your hand.
Smoke and Video: Tactical Mastery and Digital Domination
For players who prefer a more strategic approach, the Smoke and Video powers provide a layer of tactical depth that complements the raw aggression of the Neon abilities. Smoke powers excel at area denial and control, letting you conjen walls of choking vapor to obscure vision, extinguish flames, or even pull enemies into a suffocating cloud for a brutal execution. Video powers, conversely, turn the city’s surveillance infrastructure into your personal army, allowing you to possess security cameras for intel, hijack turrets, and even take direct control of enemy combatants to turn their strength against them.
Concrete and Thin Blood: The Power of Adaptation
Delsin’s journey is defined by his search for concrete manifestations of the supernatural, and the game’s final power set, Thin Blood, is the most abstract and creatively implemented. By absorbing the concrete powers of other conduits, Delsin gains access to abilities like summoning a swirling vortex of razor-sharp shards or unleashing a concussive shockwave that knocks back everything in a wide radius. These powers are less about direct combat and more about environmental interaction and area clearance, forcing you to rethink how you navigate the battlefield and engage with the world around you.
