I'm going to write down a bunch of inFamous: First Light Battle Arena tips here so anyone who needs them can net a high score in either Alpha, Beta, or Gamma arenas. I'll start playing as Fetch, given that her moveset is cool and new and hey, why not. I'll try to switch it up with Delsin in a little bit, so check out my own high scores as I update this page.
1) Learn to use boost to cut huge gaps.
If you can figure out how to crank your analog stick in the right direction (which can be frustrating given the camera often aims downward when Fetch moves through the air) you can cut huge gaps between structures in each battle arena. This will decrease the time it takes you to clear enemies, rescue hostages, and more importantly recharge energy as hordes of enemies will drain your missiles and finishers fast.
Your boost move eventually upgrades to include a foward-momentum push that can propel Fetch at lot further than you think. Make sure to boost up any walls so you don't fall down.
2) Upgrade Laser Focus to Enslave.
Laser Focus slows down time and allows you to hit enemies on their weak points to eliminate them faster. This usually looks like a binding red neon wrap that knocks them down, though upgrading your laser abilities to enslave enemies will turn them to your side and get them to fight for you. Getting this upgrade proves crucial as the more difficult battle arenas make survival really difficult by throwing enemies with no vulnerabilities at you. That makes weaker targets absolutely crucial for anyone with the Enslave upgrade.
3) Rescue or Survival, try to keep the crowds clear.
It's really difficult to manage crowded battle arenas when so many different enemies could come at you or concentrate fire on you and bring you down. Try not to worry about this and focus on using your rockets and melee finishers to break up big groups. You'll notice that the melee finisher has an explosive blast upgrade that increases its overall area of effect. Be careful not to use this around hostages as it can sometimes push them off a ledge or kill them outright.
4) Use Homing Missile sparingly.
Try not to use your missiles in one large volley. Early on, you'll only have three and they run out fast. As you upgrade missiles, the capacity doesn't increase. You'll find that most of your upgrades go to increasing the number of missiles Fetch fires. Eventually you'll get to carry a few more, but by then you'll learn that it's best to strike a group and move on before trying to clear up any stragglers. In Survival and Rescue modes, Fetch will more often than not eliminate four or five out of seven bad guys in a group and all with a single missile volley.
The missiles themselves take a while to recharge so it takes a precise trigger to get an entire group in one sweep. Fire, forget, move on, and then circle back to enslave any enemies remaining. Try to use rockets to thin out the battlefield above anything else.
5) Stasis your way out of trouble.
It's really frustrating to get into a group of enemies and watch your health drop like a rock, so try a Stasis blast with the L1 trigger in order to levitate a group temporarily. Even if you don't hit them all while they're floating in the air, you can still buy yourself some time to deal with other trouble or just run away in order to reset and attack a group more effectively. Stasis is that little push that opens up a tight combat encounter.
6) Remember how to defeat specific projection enemies.
Delsin has the ability to summon demonic and angelic aids to his side in combat and while Fetch could certainly use her own abilities outside of the neon variety, Augustine uses those projections against her in the battle arenas. It's possible to eliminate some of these very easily with the right moves. For the stalking, flame-skull guys you encounter in the Beta room it's easiest to uses stasis and then blast twice. The flying projections only take one shot to eliminate, so do so before they cloud the skies and bring your health down fast.
The concrete-powered D.U.P. agents are much tougher than these angels and demons, so recognize threats and prioritize. Don't hesitate to reset your position and take down a few of the weaker enemies while you're at it.
7) Keep your eye on the map
With Augustine tossing hostages into the middle of waves of enemies, it can get frustrating when you realize you're missing one or as the death count nears five and you get closer to failing the mission. More often than not, I found that focusing on hostages allowed me to keep a lot of enemies distracted until I used singularity to clear them out. Still, knowing where to run to save a hostage or whether your retreat will get you face-to-face with an enemy depends entirely on the map.
8) Watch for explosive opportunities
Occasionally, explosive boxes will actually spawn with enemies and allow you to clear a group with one shot. Try not to think too much about using these as they'll keep reappearing whether you use them or not making it a good idea to blow them up as you go, rather than waltzing around them when a big crowd of enemies gets near you.
9) Singularity sweep.
I mentioned this previously, though I think it bears repeating because it might take a while to build up to Fetch's super-powered Singularity move. This is just like the karma bombs that Delsin uses in inFamous: Second Son so timing and placement will prove key in maximizing use. Try to check your map and orient your reticule to place the singularity in the best possible location. It is possible that some enemies will remain outside of the attack's range and it's also possible that Fetch could get hurt while you get set up for the attack.
Regardless, just point the reticule in the direction you want to fire and let it go. The animation that plays before Fetch unleashes the attack will orient the character in the right direction, even if you just flew into position.
10) Try to improve your skills!
Battle Arenas in inFamous: First Light are made specifically for high-score attacks and arcade action. In my opinion, it's the best possible addition to the inFamous formula given that the real stars of the show are the powers that players use to fight enemies and save cities. Don't get distraught and don't let your guard down. It might take a while, but you can practice and land on the top of the leaderboard with a little determination.
