The Best New Powers for inFamous: Second Son

We learned a whole lot about Sucker Punch's inFamous: Second Son earlier this week, but one thing that really caught our attention was that in addition to newcomer Delsin Rowe's ability to manipulate smoke, he'd also be able to absorb the powers of other conduits (Sucker Punch's term for super powered folks). 

This means that while Cole was relegated to simply zapping baddies while Lucy zipped around turning enemies into popsicles, and Nix set folks aflame, Delsin would have his pick of either individual's power, or, keep smacking folks with his smoke chain like Ghost Rider.

We've seen a few conduits in the first two games, but with this exciting new prospect, we can expect to see a lot more. But what type of powered conduits have yet to be revealed, what kinds would offer Delsin, and by proxy, players, the best experience?

Already on the table are options seen in the first two games:
- The Reapers' Sasha displayed a talent for mind control, and the ability to cause hallucinations
- Alden Tate's telekenesis allowed him to form scrap metal into mechanical monsters
- Nix and her pyromaniacal tendencis to spew flames, and had limited control over some of inFamous 2's monsters
- Lucy could create structures from ice, freeze enemies, and could fly
- John as The Beast had immense powers, some bordering on God-like, such as changing his body size, revivification, and nigh-invulnerability
- Bertrand displayed shapeshifting, turn into one whopping ugly insect
- and to offer up a taste of classic Cole, control of electricity

But these are all old-hat. Something new would be better, so let's eliminate these as options. What's something new and exciting Sucker Punch could offer? Here's some food for thought...

1. Water was always a serious weakness of Cole, and fair enough, as water and electricity mix about as well as oil and...um...water. Despite the fact that this made perfect sense, it also made navigation a nightmare, particularly in the swamps of New Marais. If conduits could control things like ice, fire, electricity, why not water? Like how Cole could recharge from utility poles or parked coles, players could use water towers or fire hydrants in the same way.

2. Super speed - We've been offered a taste of this before with the "bullet time" mode Cole could enter, but a taste was all it was. Imagine zipping around, running across water, being able to land a hundred hits on an enemy before they could even blink. 

3. Impersonation - This could be a whole new means for Delsin to infiltrate different DUP strongholds, and a nice spin on the old stealth game

4. Elasticity - Having a little trouble reaching that blast shard? Stretch out that arm just another few dozen feet or so, and it's all yours. Grab hold of a nearby pole with a 30 ft. arm, and swing through the streets like Spider-man, before planting your foot across the face of a DUP trooper.

5. Geokinesis - The ability to control the earth. Form or disappear mountains and alter the environment to your heart's content. Introducing this power to players also throws in the idea of a destructible environment where players could change the landscape of Seattle how they saw fit. 

6. Mophology manipulation - That wall a bit too high to scale? Turn your fist into a wrecking ball and blast a hole through it, or just knock the whole thing over. DUP upgraded their body armor. Use your arm like an axe and rip right through it. 

7. Intangibility - Why worry about a locked door or solid wall when you can just phase right through it? This could also play into defense, where players would have nothing to fear from bullets, as they could easily pass right through them.

8. Superhuman strength - Melee combat was always secondary when you could just as easily fry someone with a bolt of lightning. This power would change up the combat game, as the only way to take out an enemy would be to get up close and personal. 

9. Flight - Again, we've had limited experience with this with Cole's static thrusters, but we've never really flown. Granted, this ability would eliminate the need for scaling buildings, something of a staple of inFamous gameplay. But if offered to the player in short spurts, it could make things quite interesting. 

There's really a whole range of different options for Sucker Punch to choose from, and only about 60 something years worth of comics for developers to take inspiration from if they're low on ideas. What they'll actually choose remains to be seen.