7 Powerful Reasons inFamous: Second Son Still Feels Amazing on PS5
Key Takeaways
- inFamous: Second Son still looks fantastic on PS5.
- Combat and traversal remain the best parts of the game.
- Neon powers are still ridiculously fun to use.
- The story is decent but weaker than the gameplay.
- Seattle feels smaller than modern open worlds, but more focused.
- Side missions become repetitive after a while.
- The game is still worth playing in 2026.
inFamous: Second Son on PS5 remains one of the most fun superhero games available today. The improved loading times, flashy powers, and smooth gameplay help the game hold up surprisingly well, even years after release. While the story and side content show their age, the fast-paced combat and stylish movement still make it worth playing.
inFamous: Second Son PS5 Review
Going back to inFamous: Second Son on PS5 felt like reopening an old favorite game you forgot you loved. You know that feeling when you replay something expecting it to feel outdated, but then suddenly you’re three hours deep, throwing neon lasers at enemies while ignoring real-life responsibilities? Yeah, that happened to me.
I originally played this game on PS4 years ago, back when every developer proudly shouted “next-gen graphics” every five minutes. At the time, the smoke effects and flashy explosions looked incredible. Revisiting it on PS5 in 2026 honestly surprised me more than I expected.
The game still feels fast, stylish, and ridiculously entertaining.
And somehow, I’m still terrible at landing rooftop jumps.
The PS5 Experience Feels Smoother Than Ever
Even without a full remaster, the PS5 makes the experience noticeably better.
The first thing I noticed was the loading speed. On PS4, fast traveling usually gave me enough time to grab my phone, check notifications, and question my entire sleep schedule. On PS5, the game loads almost instantly.
Gameplay also feels cleaner overall:
- Faster loading times
- More responsive controls
- Smoother performance
- Better image clarity on modern TVs
- Less texture pop-in
It’s not a complete graphical overhaul, but the improvements are enough to make the game feel fresh again.
Honestly, some modern games still don’t move this smoothly.
Seattle Still Looks Beautiful
This game absolutely nails atmosphere.
Seattle feels wet, gloomy, colorful, and alive all at once. The neon lights reflecting off rainy streets still look fantastic, especially during nighttime missions.
There were multiple moments where I caught myself stopping just to admire the city. Then an enemy sniper immediately ruined the moment by blasting me off a rooftop.
Classic open-world timing.
The visual effects also hold up shockingly well.
| Power Type | Best Feature | Overall Fun |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke | Explosive combat | High |
| Neon | Speed and precision | Incredible |
| Video | Stealth abilities | Good |
| Concrete | Heavy attacks | Solid |
The neon powers are still the highlight. Sprinting through the city as glowing streaks of light feels genuinely awesome even today.
Few superhero games make movement this satisfying.
Combat Is Still Addictive
This is where inFamous: Second Son completely shines.
The combat feels fast and chaotic in the best possible way. One second you’re quietly sneaking across rooftops, and the next you’ve accidentally started a full-scale battle because you missed one attack.
Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.
The powers all feel unique enough to keep things interesting:
- Smoke powers are aggressive and explosive
- Neon powers reward precision
- Video powers focus more on stealth
- Concrete powers hit like a truck
Switching between them keeps combat fresh throughout the game.
What I love most is how fluid everything feels. You’re constantly moving, dashing, climbing, and chaining attacks together. It creates this nonstop momentum that makes even simple enemy encounters fun.
Some modern superhero games focus so heavily on cinematic storytelling that they forget to actually feel fun to play.
Second Son never has that problem.
Delsin Rowe Is Fun… Until He Tries Too Hard
Delsin is one of those characters that grows on you over time.
At first, his nonstop sarcasm and rebellious attitude can feel a little forced. He talks like every guy who definitely owned fingerless gloves in 2014.
But eventually, his personality becomes oddly charming.
A huge reason for that is Troy Baker’s performance. He brings enough energy and emotion to make Delsin feel believable, even during some weaker dialogue moments.
Things I liked about Delsin:
- Funny reactions during gameplay
- Good chemistry with side characters
- Feels energetic and human
Things that got annoying:
- Some cringe-worthy dialogue
- Occasional “trying too hard to be cool” moments
- Morality choices feel shallow
Still, by the end of the story, I found myself genuinely liking him.
Even if he does sound like he learned sarcasm from old internet forums.
The Open World Feels Smaller But Better Focused
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Modern open-world games can sometimes feel exhausting.
You open the map and suddenly there are:
- 400 side quests
- 900 collectibles
- Three crafting systems
- Fishing mechanics for absolutely no reason
inFamous: Second Son keeps things simple.
Seattle isn’t gigantic, but it feels focused. Getting around the city stays fun because traversal is so enjoyable.
That said, the side content definitely becomes repetitive after a while.
You’ll spend a lot of time:
- Destroying surveillance devices
- Clearing enemy checkpoints
- Hunting collectibles
- Spray painting walls
The repetition becomes obvious pretty quickly.
Thankfully, the gameplay itself is entertaining enough to carry those weaker moments.
The Story Starts Strong But Slows Down Later
The opening hours are honestly excellent.
The conflict between conduits and government forces creates an interesting setup, and Augustine initially feels like a genuinely intimidating villain.
But the pacing slows down in the middle.
Some missions feel more like excuses to unlock powers rather than meaningful story progression.
The karma system also sounds deeper than it actually is. You can choose to become either heroic or evil, but most decisions feel pretty straightforward.
I tried playing as the evil version of Delsin for a while, but after draining innocent civilians for powers, I immediately felt bad and switched back.
Apparently my moral weakness extends into video games too.
Is inFamous: Second Son Still Worth Playing in 2026?
Absolutely.
Especially if you:
- Miss classic PlayStation exclusives
- Love superhero games
- Want a shorter open-world experience
- Enjoy fast movement systems
- Prefer gameplay-focused action games
The game may not reach the emotional storytelling heights of newer PlayStation titles, but it delivers something equally important:
Pure fun.
That’s honestly what surprised me most during this replay. I wasn’t constantly thinking about graphics, story depth, or technical features.
I was simply having a great time.
And sometimes that matters more than anything else.
Final Verdict
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inFamous: Second Son still holds up remarkably well on PS5.
The visuals remain impressive, the powers are incredibly fun to use, and the combat still feels smooth and satisfying years later. Sure, the story has some weak spots, and the side missions become repetitive, but the core gameplay loop is strong enough to keep everything entertaining.
Running across Seattle with neon powers still feels amazing in 2026.
Honestly, replaying this game made me miss the inFamous series even more. Sony has so many great franchises sitting on the bench right now, and this is definitely one of them.
Now excuse me while I attempt another rooftop jump and immediately slam face-first into a billboard.
Summary
inFamous: Second Son remains a surprisingly fun experience on PS5 in 2026. The smooth traversal, flashy combat, and stylish powers still hold up incredibly well years later. While the story and side missions feel dated in places, the game never stops being entertaining. If you missed it during the PS4 era or simply want to revisit a classic PlayStation exclusive, this superhero adventure is still absolutely worth your time.
FAQs
Yes, the game works perfectly on PS5 through backward compatibility.
No official 60 FPS update exists, but the game feels smoother and loads faster on PS5 hardware.
The main story usually takes around 10 to 12 hours, while full completion can take about 20 hours.
Yes. The gameplay and powers still make it one of the most entertaining superhero games on PlayStation.
No, Sony has not released a remaster or native PS5 version.
