Abigail "Fetch" Walker is a mess. When we first met her in the rainy, Seattle-bound streets of Infamous Second Son, she was a supporting character with a tragic backstory and a serious chip on her shoulder. But then Sucker Punch Productions decided to give her a standalone stage. Infamous First Light isn't just a piece of DLC that got a physical release; it’s a focused, high-speed character study that arguably fixes the pacing issues of the main game. Honestly? Playing as Fetch feels way more fluid than playing as Delsin Rowe.
The game dropped in August 2014, and even years later, it remains one of the most visually striking titles on the PlayStation 4 and 5. It looks incredible. That neon glow reflecting off the puddles of a fictionalized Seattle? It’s basically digital eye candy. But if you’re coming into this expecting a 40-hour epic, you’re looking in the wrong place. This is a lean, mean, 4-to-6-hour sprint through the origin story of a conduit who didn't ask for her powers and certainly didn't know how to handle them.
The Problem With Being a "Prequel"
Most people think prequels are just filler. They think it's a way for studios to recycle assets while they work on the "real" next project. To be fair, some of the assets in Infamous First Light are definitely reused from Second Son. You’re still in Seattle. The Curdun Cay snowy peaks are new, but the city blocks feel familiar.
However, the perspective shift changes everything.
In the main game, Delsin is a sponge. He takes powers from everyone else. He's a jack of all trades, master of none. Fetch is different. She is Neon. That’s it. Because the developers only had to focus on one power set, they polished the hell out of it. The movement in Infamous First Light is twitchy, responsive, and incredibly fast. You aren't just running up walls; you're hitting "Neon Clouds" that act like speed boosters, catapulting you across the skyline in seconds. It makes the traversal in the base game feel kinda sluggish by comparison.
Curdun Cay and the Arena Grind
A huge chunk of the game takes place in Curdun Cay, the high-security prison for Conduits. This is where the narrative happens through flashbacks. Brooke Augustine—the villain you probably remember from the main game—is trying to "train" Fetch. Or more accurately, weaponize her.
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These sections introduce the Arena mode. Now, some players hate this. They want the open world, not a wave-based survival mode. But let’s be real: the combat mechanics in Infamous are built for chaos. The arenas force you to actually master the power set. You can't just spam one move and hide. You have to prioritize targets, like those annoying D.U.P. pawns or the more dangerous drones. If you actually want to get the Platinum trophy, you’re going to spend a lot of time in these glowing boxes.
Why Fetch is a Better Protagonist Than Delsin
Delsin Rowe is... fine. He’s a bit of a "cool guy" archetype that didn't land for everyone. Fetch feels more grounded. Her story revolves around her brother, Brent, and their struggle with drug addiction and life on the streets. It's dark. It's messy. It’s significantly more emotional than Delsin’s quest for justice and "cool" graffiti.
The voice acting by Laura Bailey is what really sells it. She brings a vulnerability to Fetch that makes the moments of explosive violence feel earned. When Fetch screams, you feel it. When she’s losing control of her powers because of her grief, it makes sense within the world. Infamous First Light doesn't try to give you a "Good or Evil" choice system. This is a huge departure for the series. You are Fetch, and you are on a specific path. By removing the binary moral choices, Sucker Punch was able to tell a tighter, more coherent story.
You don't have to worry if saving a civilian will mess up your "Evil" rank. You just play.
The Technical Magic of 2014
It’s wild to think this game came out so early in the PS4's lifecycle. Even today, the particle effects are top-tier. When Fetch turns into a streak of pink light, the screen fills with thousands of individual embers. This was a showcase for Sucker Punch's engine. If you're playing this on a PS5 or a Pro, the frame rate is locked and the HDR makes the neon pop so hard it might actually hurt your eyes if you're playing in a dark room.
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Combat Mechanics: Precision Over Variety
In Second Son, you’re constantly swapping between Smoke, Neon, Video, and Concrete. In Infamous First Light, you dive deep into the Neon tree. You get upgrades that Delsin never had access to.
- Homing Missiles: Fetch can fire a barrage of neon bolts that track targets. It feels like being a human fighter jet.
- Stasis Blasts: You can suspend enemies in mid-air, creating these weird, glowing bubbles of localized time-stop.
- The Neon Dash: It’s infinite. You never have to stop running.
The game is basically a power fantasy stripped of all the bloat. You start powerful and end up like a god. The lack of variety is actually the game's greatest strength because it forces you to become an expert in one specific style of play. You learn the rhythm. Dash, headshot (which triggers a slow-mo focus), stasis blast the heavy guy, melee the turret. It’s a dance.
Is the Story Too Short?
Yeah, probably. If you just blast through the story missions, you'll be done in an afternoon. Some critics at the time, like the folks over at IGN or GameSpot, pointed out that it feels like a "slice" of a game rather than a full meal. But at its budget price point, that's kind of the deal. It’s an appetizer.
The story focuses heavily on the relationship between Fetch and Brent, and while the ending is a foregone conclusion if you’ve played Second Son, the journey there is brutal. It explains why Fetch was so erratic when Delsin found her in that shipping container. It’s a tragedy. There’s no happy ending here, and the game doesn't pretend there is.
The Legacy of First Light
Sucker Punch hasn't touched the Infamous franchise in a decade. They moved on to Ghost of Tsushima, which is a masterpiece in its own right. But there’s a small, dedicated section of the fanbase that keeps coming back to Infamous First Light.
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Why? Because it represents a specific era of gaming. No microtransactions. No "live service" elements. No battle passes. Just a solid single-player experience with a beginning, middle, and end. It’s a relic of a time when "standalone DLC" was a way for developers to experiment with new ideas without the risk of a full $70 price tag.
Things You Might Have Missed
If you’re going back to play it now, keep an eye out for the "Lumen" collectibles. Unlike the shards in the main game, these require actual platforming skill to catch. They move. You have to chase them through the air using your dash. It turns the city into a giant jungle gym.
Also, the Photo Mode in this game was one of the first truly great ones on consoles. People were sharing neon-soaked screenshots for years after the game launched. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out on half the fun. You can adjust the "neon intensity" in the settings, which makes the trails Fetch leaves behind even more blinding.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
If you’re diving into Infamous First Light today, don't just rush the story. The beauty of this game is in the flow of movement.
- Master the "Cloud" jumps: Learn the locations of the neon clouds on the rooftops. Stringing them together allows you to cross the entire map without ever touching the ground.
- Don't ignore the Arenas: Even if you aren't a "horde mode" person, the Arena challenges are the only way to unlock the most powerful upgrades for Fetch. You want that infinite dash.
- Play Second Son first (or don't): If you play First Light first, the story in the main game has more weight. If you play it second, it feels like a flashback. Both work, but seeing Fetch's origin before her meeting Delsin makes her character arc in the sequel much more poignant.
- Turn up the difficulty: Honestly, the game is a bit easy on normal. Hard mode forces you to actually use the cover systems and the stasis blasts effectively.
The game is a masterclass in focused design. It doesn't try to be everything to everyone. It just tries to be the best neon-powered superhero simulator possible. And in that regard, it absolutely nails it.
Actionable Steps for New Players
If you're ready to jump into the neon-drenched streets of Seattle, here is the most efficient way to tackle the game:
- Prioritize the "Ensnare" upgrade. Being able to trap enemies in stasis with a single shot is a life-saver when the D.U.P. starts sending in the heavy hitters.
- Hunt Lumens early. Don't wait until the end of the game to upgrade your dash speed. The faster you can move, the more fun the city becomes to explore.
- Check your TV settings. Because this game relies so heavily on high-contrast lighting and neon colors, make sure your HDR is calibrated correctly. If the blacks look gray, you’re losing the atmosphere.
- Use the "Graffiti" mini-games. They are simple, but they add a bit of flavor to the world and give you a break from the constant running and gunning. Plus, the neon art Fetch creates is way cooler than Delsin's stencils.
Infamous First Light remains a standout example of how to do a prequel right. It takes a secondary character, gives them a voice, and refines the mechanics of the original until they shine. It's short, it's bright, and it's one of the best experiences you can have in the Infamous universe. If you skipped it because you thought it was "just DLC," you're missing the best part of the story.