Infamous 2 continues the saga of Cole MacGrath as players guide Sucker Punch Productions' electrified superhero to the New Orleans-inspired city of New Marais in order to enhance his powers in preparation for a battle with a devastating evil known only as The Beast. Further complicating matters is the fact that the citizens of New Marias are being terrorized by mutated swamp creatures known as The Corrupted, and the city has been placed under martial law by the iron-fisted politician Joseph Bertrand, III, whose militia has been ordered to kill all "unpure" dwellers, including MacGrath. Sandbox-style gameplay returns, giving players the freedom to roam the city's slums, swamps, and plantations at will, taking advantage of Cole's parkour-like acrobatic climbing skills, and his ability to "grind" along power lines and hover through the air on a cushion of electricity.  Morality continues to play a part in the storyline and in-game mechanics, as gamers must decide whether Cole should act out of pure altruism, selfishness, or any of the gray areas in between; and the choices players make ultimately determine Cole's appearance and powers. But while the original Infamous often presented users with black-and-white choices, Infamous 2 attempts a more nuanced approach by introducing two new super-powered characters who offer different solutions to each problem. Essentially personifying the proverbial Angel and Devil on Cole's shoulders, Kuo is a patriotic NSA agent who harnesses the power of ice, while Nix is a hot-tempered New Marais native who can wield oil and fire. MacGrath has a variety of new powers, including the Amp, an electrified melee weapon designed by his friend Zeke; the Kinetic Pulse, which lets Cole launch vehicles at enemies; and the Ionic Vortex, a massively destructive tornado of electricity. Players can also acquire fire- and ice-based attacks from Nix and Kuo, or team up with the new characters for combo attacks. And though Infamous 2 lacks a true multiplayer component, it does include a user-generated mission editor that is part Demon's Souls, part LittleBigPlanet. Gamers can use any of the allies, enemies, and non-player characters that they have encountered to create custom side-quests that include target shooting, platforming, and escort, survival, and stealth missions, among many other options. Players then have the option of playing and rating missions that randomly appear in the game world, with highly rated quests earning "Featured" status.