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We're all pretty much over the whole vampire/zombie thing at this point but, considering the appropriate timing and the interesting spin Festival puts on the inFamous formula, is there room for just one more trek into the realm of pointy teeth, English accents and stakes being driven through hearts?
Find out after the break.
First, I'd like to reiterate the fact that inFamous: Festival of Blood is not DLC. A downloadable title weighing in at a hefty three gigs, Festival is a standalone game that grants players access to a large portion of New Marais (with a gothic-rave makeover, of course), a new story, enemies and powers, all without needing to own a copy of inFamous 2 (okay, you need a copy of either the first or second game). You can even build and play user-generated content using Festival's locales, props and characters, meaning this is a pretty hefty package for the $10 price tag. But none of that matters if the game isn't much fun to play. So let's break it down, shall we?
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McGrath's number one hombre, the lovable Zeke, is trying to pick up a girl at a bar. In order to impress her, he starts weaving an intricate tale about how he once helped Cole battle an ancient vampiric evil, Bloody Mary, during Pyre Night festivities (think Dias de los Muertos, but with loud music, a vampire theme and loads more glow sticks).
The story begins with Cole being turned into a vampire. He now has eight hours to take down Bloody Mary or spend the rest of his life as her mindless, electricity-shooting slave. Keep in mind that those "eight hours" aren't exactly a real limitation, as the first main mission knocks that time down by half.
The fact of the matter is that, once you get going, Festival of Blood can be completed in a handful of hours or well over eight. It all depends on how much fun you're having in the city, how many side missions and search quests you want to complete, and how much time you'll waste flying into the air as a flock of bats only to crash back down to Earth with a massive, ground-shaking thunder drop.
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Yep. Cole's got some pretty cool new vampire powers. The bat swarm actually improves the game's locomotion, allowing Cole to move from the ground to the rooftops in no time at all. You'll also be granted a few extra abilities, but I don't want to spoil any of the surprises. Just know that controlling vampire-Cole is as fun as ever and, in order to fuel these new abilities, you'll need to chomp down on the necks of a few dozen citizens of New Marais.
Morality is no longer in play, meaning the city is pretty much your new playground. I focused on taking Cole down the good path in the previous inFamous games, and I can't tell you how liberating it was to abandon all regard and just have fun with my god-like abilities.
Unlike in previous inFamous games, those abilities upgrade on their own as you complete various tasks (hunt down jars of blood, locate disguised vampires, uncover Bloody Mary's "teachings"), which means you no longer need to manage which abilities Cole has access to. Instead, you'll become more powerful for doing more and more of the activities available. It simplifies things, which only adds to the focus on simply having fun.
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There's quite a lot to do here, and the city's Halloween makeover makes it the perfect setting leading up to All Hallow's Eve. If you're already a fan of the inFamous games, all the new content makes Festival of Blood a no-brainer. For those who haven't played the games but are curious to see what all the fuss is about, this is an inexpensive way to bite off a nice-sized chunk of what the disc-based games have to offer.
The Official Verdict: 3.5 out of 5
This review is based on a PlayStation Network download of the title provided by the publisher.
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