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Empire City was a large city located somewhere in the New York area of the United States of America. The city consisted of three islands, or districts; the Neon, the Warren and the Historic District. It is the main setting of Infamous.[1][2][3]

It was after Empire City the Empire Event was named, which concerns the final major catastrophe taking place in Empire City: the arrival of the Beast.[4][5]

History

Prior to the Blast

Empire City was originally a highly populated city and consisted of three islands; the Neon, the Warren and the Historic district. The Neon was the commercial section of the city, with many companies and markets. The Warren was Empire City's slum and industrial part, and the largest island of the three. The Historic District was the cultural part of the city, with many parks and landmarks. The large city gained its power from several substations, all of which were temporarily disabled during the Blast.[4]

The Blast

Back then Empire City was in quarantine, it had gone to hell.
― Cole MacGrath on the chaos of Empire City.

Empire City would later be the victim of a devastating explosion. Following the nicknamed "Blast", Empire City was cursed with a plague. The potential danger of the plague caused the city to be put under quarantine and the initial increase in crime and disease made Empire City very dangerous, going so far the government discussed if it would be best to exterminate the entire city. Contact with the rest of the world was cut off, and as the rest of the world would be reported to about the restoration of Empire City, although the city's condition was much worse.[4]

The Blast activated several Conduits in the city, all with their own intentions. The stronger ones took control of large parts of the city, whereas the weaker were forced under control of the stronger ones. The police force had to defend the city, but only managed this thanks to the help from the newly activated Conduit Cole MacGrath.[4]

Promises kept

What will they do the first time they expect me to be there for them when I'm not?
― Cole has become a hero.

Soo Bomber - Kopia

Empire City assaulted.

Eventually MacGrath defeated all of the gangs in Empire City, and restored peace. However, the DARPA Agent Moya Jones, who had been working with Cole before her lies were revealed, kept her promise and made the call to bomb Empire City. With several resources storming the city, eliminating the weak and sick, Empire City was once again in chaos. It wouldn't take long until Moya created a form of "super-soldiers", whom she sent to aid in the battle of the city. However, Cole MacGrath (with some help from the cops) managed to stop Moya and once again restore order in the city. After this, the citizens of Empire City began worshiping Cole as something more than a hero, and with his help managed to rebuild Empire City to its former state.[6][4]

Destruction

I was strong, I was ready, I had fought it with everything I had ... and it wasn't enough.
― Cole's grief over his mistake.[5]

Empire Destroyed

The destruction of the newly restored Empire City.

With the arrival of the prophetized "the Beast", Empire City was entirely destroyed despite Cole's effort to stop it. Following the chaos, the word of the Demon quickly spread as the fate of Empire City came to be known. The director of the NSA, Houston, began investigating the matter, though the conclusion of this remains unknown.[5]

The demise of Empire City resulted in the collapse of the global economy, as the world struggled to respond to the sudden loss of the Empire Exchange, and the trillions of dollars in damages caused by the Beast's rampage along the Eastern Seaboard and also leads Cole to sink into a depression state.[5]

Alternate Timelines

Evil Karma

The following is based on non-canon content and is not considered to be part of the Infamous continuity.
Main article: Evil karma

Empire City is a wasteland ... I've taken this place down, notch by notch, and it's never getting up again.
― Evil Cole exclaims his superiority

In the timeline of Evil Cole, the city would learn to fear Cole as a tyrant. The city slowly began to fall apart, and with the aid they received from Cole, the Reapers quickly managed to overcome the police. It wouldn't take long until Cole ruled the city with a hand of steel, where the weak fended for themselves, and the strong ruled them all.[4]

End of non-canon content

Kessler's timeline

In an alternate timeline, Cole never faced the Beast, but fled instead, trying to protect his family. With this, Empire City was destroyed with the rest of the world.[4]

Districts

The Neon

Main article: The Neon
Neon0203

The Neon district.

The Neon was the marketing part of Empire City. It was where companies marketed the products and was the home of many parks. While Post-modern architecture consisted in all of Empire City, including the Neon, the architecture of the latter also consisted of many High-Tech and Art Deco buildings. The Neon also had fewer electric wires spread across the district, than compared to the other islands.[4]

The Neon was the district suffering least damage from the Blast, although the post-effects were critical, as the criminal gang known as the Reapers would soon be in control of the district.[4]

The Warren

Main article: The Warren
SP Hospital AB 004R3

The Hospital in the Warren.

The Warren was the largest island and the industrial part of Empire City, and was also dubbed as the local slum. Despite the Warren's economic situation, it was the home of the largest prison in Empire City as well as the only hospital. The Warren was also a home to a large park, which was turned into a base of the Dust Men, after the Blast.[4]

Historic District

Main article: Historic District
Historic island

The Historic District.

The Historic District was the smallest island of the city, the cultural part and the home of many parks. Here the most Post-modern buildings could be found, along with a great deal of Art Deco inspired architecture. The cult group First Sons quickly established themselves as rulers of the district, but their presence didn't go public until after the Blast, which was caused by the group itself.[4]

The Historic District was the island most affected by the Blast, and many parts were in ruins. With this, the Historic District was made a Burial Ground where victims of the blast could be laid to rest.[4]

Other locations

This section requires expansion.

19th Street Drawbridge

19th St Drawbridge IF1

The bridge's appearance after it's been lowered.

The 19th Street Drawbridge connected the Historic District with the Warren. Like a few other bridges in Empire City, this bridge was badly destroyed as result of the Empire City Blast, but it was still in working and walkable conditions. However, it was too damaged for cars to travel safely across.

When Cole MacGrath re-entered the Historic District,[7] the bridge was raised up. Before he and John White could make their move on Kessler, Cole was ordered by John to lower the bridge, that way he could have a route between the Historic District and the Warren.[8]

Jefferson Tunnel

The Jefferson Tunnel was an underground highway complex linking the Neon District with the Warren.

Post-Blast, it was taken over by the Reapers and their Conduit leader, Sasha. It is used as their secret headquarters until it is discovered by DARPA operative Moya Jones. She sends her temporary partner at the time, Cole MacGrath, as the pair had been trying to stop the Reapers since Cole gained his powers. Inside, Cole fights through a veritable army of Reapers while besieged by Sasha's mind hallucinations.

As he comes closer to Sasha, he discovers how Sasha had been making the Reapers: Kidnapping the Neon District's civilians and loosing her mind control Black Tar hallucinogen into their systems. There is no Karmic Moment here, only freeing each of the prisoners before they turn into Reapers grants you five experience points.

Sasha's Lair Concept Art

Sasha's Lair Concept Art.

When Cole arrives at the end of the Tunnel, Sasha has made a pit of her tar hallucinogen with a large pump which Cole must defeat her in. After he has defeated her, the First Sons detonate an explosive charge, runs in and kidnaps Sasha, while the tunnel is flooding over. This gives Cole no other choice than to flee into the Warren.

It is possible to re-enter the Jefferson Tunnel after the collapse, if only through a glitch in the game. Simply repeatedly spam the jump button against the corner of the tunnel entrance wall, and Cole will appear on the other side. However, nobody remains and the most fun to be had is to mindlessly blow up the dozens of cars littered throughout.

Railway system

Though the different districts do not connect with each other, each district has its own railway loop going around most of the district.

Empire Train

A subway train riding normally on the tracks.

In order to make the trains operational again, you must restore power to the borough and complete the corresponding mission, which involves civilians being held hostage in the train. In order for Cole to complete the mission he has to ride the train to the station, clearing the tracks and reactivating fuse box's along the way.

To activate the Neon District's train you must complete the mission The Rescue. To activate the trains in the Warren and Historic District Cole must complete the El Train side mission twice: once in the Warren and once in the Historic District.

Trivia

  • The signs at the entrance to each station say the same thing.
  • The trains never stop at any of the stations.
  • After the mission The Rescue, no civilians are seen on the station platforms.
  • During the missions to re-activate the trains, Cole cannot activate the fuse boxes in advance of the trains. Instead, he must charge them as the train approaches them.

Gallery

The Neon

The Warren

Historic District

Other

Maps

Trivia

  • USTV Broadcasts throughout inFamous 2 indicates that Empire City was located in the vicinity of New York City and Boston, noted for being a prominent economic center as well as being home to a population of millions.[5]
  • In trailers for inFamous, Cole said the Empire City Blast destroyed the radius of 6 square blocks. In inFamous 2, however, he says 5 square blocks.[5]
    • It should be noted that John White said it was something around 5 or 6 square blocks, but that he wasn't sure.[5]
  • Empire City appears to be modeled after New York City, thus explaining Cole's New York dialect as well as giving a hint on the location of the city.[9]
  • Empire City returned with a different appearance in inFamous 2, than it had in the first game. Through a glitch it can be revisited.[4][5]
  • Empire City's national flag was red and white in Infamous Anarchy.[10]
  • Despite being an American city, the city's skyline in the cutscenes contain various notable buildings from Melbourne, Australia (Primarily:101 Collins Street)[11]
  • Empire City is the only map with three islands, as New Marais and Seattle have two islands

References

  1. inFamous
  2. Infamous 2
  3. http://kotaku.com/5822042/infamous-2-is-the-post+katrina-video-game-that-america-deserves
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named inFamous
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named inFamous 2
  6. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named inFamous DC Comics
  7. Alden's Rampage. Infamous.
  8. The Price. Infamous.
  9. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20067
  10. inFamous Anarchy
  11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_Collins_Street
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