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The Good
+Solid story and narrative that really draws the player in
+Very thematically ambitious
+Gorgeous world really draws you into the experience
+Solid gameplay mechanics
+A lot of variety in ability and gear to help change up the experience
+Elizabeth is a very well crafted character
+The music and audio is very good; the voice acting is fantastic
The Bad
-Slight dips in framerate from time to time
-Death can feel a little disorienting
-Some choice decisions fail to have an impact
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Note: The Following Review is Long
In 2007 the original Bioshock came out and added a layer to gaming that few games have been able to do. The game was not nearly as big of a success as other titles of the year such as Halo or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but it quickly seized hold of an enormous cult following that became very emotionally attached to the game. The game was so beloved and so much of a success that when Bioshock 2 came out a year later it couldn't have hoped to be as beloved. After all, the original Bioshock was groundbreaking from a narrative standpoint. A game that reached so high any game which followed it couldn't hope to come within an arms length of its legacy. Nevertheless, Bioshock Infinite is here and it reaches. In some regards, perhaps even higher than the one that started it all.
You play as Booker Dewitt. He's got some debts to settle and believes he can do so. He must first venture to the floating city of Columbia. There he must rescue a young woman named Elizabeth. But it will not be easy. Columbia is a city ruled under the watchful eye of Father Comstock, a prophet who can supposedly see the future. It isn't long before Booker realizes that rescuing Elizabeth and escaping the city of Columbia will be much more difficult than he imagined. Quickly branded as a false prophet, Booker comes under attack.
Like the first game, Bioshock Infinite is a very thematically ambitious game. One that begins to elevate storytelling in gaming. There will surely be a lot of discussion to follow with this one. There's a lot of care taken with the world in which it takes place in, as well as with some of the themes it handles. And Bioshock Infinite opts to hold very little back. Here you'll be tackling themes such as racism, religion, false prophets, gender roles, even moments that will test your own morals. It's got a lot to say. The story and the world also come to life in the same way that Rapture does. While Columbia is not as dazzling as the trip into the underwater world, it does have a pulse just the same. You'll find Voxphones scattered throughout. These, like the original Bioshocks audio diaries, add a lot more to the tale at hand. They add to the story, the world and the atmosphere. To ignore them is to miss out on a considerable portion of the game. For those very curious about the world they're playing in, they will most certainly want to pick these up.
From the outset it doesn't seem as though there is much which separates Bioshock Infinite from it's predecessor. Indeed, it takes a moment to get there. Many aspects will be familiar to you from the outset. Instead of Plasmids, for example, you have Vigors. These allow you to do things such as possess machines and make them attack your enemies, or hurl explosive fireballs at your foes. If there are crows an area you can even turn them against your foes. There's a lot variety with the vigors, as well as many different ways to use them. There is a limit, of course, you need salts to be able to use them. Like the original there are also vending machines around where you can use currency to buy upgrades for your vigors or guns. You can also restore health.
Unlike the original, however, you don't stock up on health packs that will be used immediately when your life reaches zero. Rather you have one life gauge that doesn't recharge at all. You must find food or other means of sustenance to restore your health. There is, however, a shield you'll get early on that does recharge. If you can find cover in the midst of a gun fight or keep from taking damage your shield will recharge and you'll be ready again. This seems like it'll make the game particularly difficult at first, but Bioshock Infinite is not too challenging in and of itself. Sometimes the enemies can come in large waves. But should you bite the dust you are never punished too harshly. You'll respawn really close to where you died and you'll be given some health and some ammo. Your enemies will also have some of their health restored as well, so whatever killed you is usually still lurking. The only downside is that there will be times when you respawn and you'll need to take time to adjust to your surroundings. Though you never respawn far from where you've died, there are times when you'll feel disoriented and turned around when you do.
There is also gear you can put on to help you out along the way. These will enhance your abilities. And if you mix and match things will change. One piece of gear, for instance, allows you to run faster when your shield burst. Another lets you set people on fire when you attack them. This adds a layer of strategy and gives you a different means of approaching the bad guys. Get enough variety of gear and you'll be able to create different "builds" for your character. You might think of these builds as various job classes from an RPG. This all provides many different ways to tackle many of the big firefights in Bioshock Infinite.
Chances are you won't die too many times. Bioshock Infinite's biggest change to gameplay is adding Elizabeth into the equation. Elizabeth will accompany you throughout much of the experience and as such she is a companion. This isn't some game where you'll have to babysit, though. Elizabeth can't die. Although she will supply you with ammunition and health if you need it. This little tweak can make the game a bit easier than it has to be, but it won't make death impossible. She also helps you unlock doors when you come across them, although it is just a tad bit strange that you
What really helps Elizabeth along is how well realized of a character she is. How she develops and her facial expressions give her a lot of life. To say much more than that would be to spoil a lot of the fun of the game. Booker is not a bad character, by any means, but the story quickly lets you know it isn't about him. He's a man with a simple mission, but this is much more her story than his. She is truly a loveable and charming character. Not that Booker is bad, but he's primarily there to make sure you experience the story more so than to add a lot. While he makes commentary and quips (that are mostly to provide hints of where to go) every now and then the game makes no illusions about who is the star of the show here.
That being said, because of such a huge emphasis on its narrative and story, Bioshock Infinite often has a real clear path for you to go. It's a very linear game where you'll rarely (if ever) find yourself lost. That doesn't mean you can't explore. There is plenty off the beaten path where you can go off track for a moment to find gear, vigors and sometimes even going so far as to find a sidequest or two. If you ever find yourself exploring too much, a tap of a button will show the way to go in order to get back onto the right path.
Most areas are not too big, but they are filled to the brim with a lot of details. For the most part, Bioshock Infinite doesn't look that much different than the previous two games. This is fine as they were gorgeous looking. Here there is a lot of detail to the world. One of the chief criticisms lodged at Bioshock 2 was that we'd already explored quite a bit of Rapture. A return there wasn't exciting enough. Columbia definitely is. The tone is very similar, but the atmosphere is not. Instead of going down dark corridors you're exploring a lot of open spaces. Not everyone you meet is someone who has lost their mind either (and some do not even care to try to kill you). Especially in the beginning moments of the game, you may come across citizens having idle conversation. Likewise, where as the original Bioshock was pretty dark in its environment, Infinite is not afraid to let the sunshine in. Many of its set piece moments stand in contrast to the original.
The audio is just as good. The sound effects are great. But what is the most rewarding is listening to the voice acting. All the performances are great. Comstock, in some cases, can be downright haunting (particularly listening to him on Voxphone). It helps to make a pretty engaging experience. If there was anything about the presentation that might be a bit of a nuisance it might be that from time to time the frame rate can get a little choppy.
Bioshock Infinite is not for the weak-hearted however. It's a violent game with some pretty gruesome death moments. Nothing to cringe worthy for those who have played the original Bioshock or other violent games. What makes it more startling is that there is a much deeper context to much of it here. As in, moments in which you'll see innocent people brutally murdered before your eyes or treated very poorly. Much of this is put forth for thematic or story driven purposes. It can be brutal, but it isn't here just for the sake of shock or as a means to see how far they can push the envelope. There are many things thrown into Bioshock Infinite as a means of either reinforcing how horrible the bad guys are, or reinforcing how horrible the society you're in is. In particular, a lot of it seems to be done as a means of showing the player just how cruel this world really is to those they do not deem to actually be worthy. The enforcement here is to show the player how wrong this "utopia" they've found themselves on is.
If there was anything about Bioshock Infinite that immediately sticks out like a sore thumb, it would be some of the "choices" and "decisions." Some moments you're able to make certain choices by pushing one trigger or another. The problem is that the impact of these choices isn't really clear--if they even manage to change anything at all. At the beginning of the game, for instance you can choose to throw a baseball at a couple or throw it at the MC on stage. Regardless of your decision things will play out the same. It isn't particularly obvious if this has any lasting impact. It has a bit of an impact later on, but it doesn't really have a major impact on the story.
Bioshock Infinite isn't a perfect game, but it is a great one. A thematically ambitious game with a well told story, Bioshock Infinite is sure to delight fans who fell in love with the original back in 2007. It is a game that not only delivers well from a gameplay standpoint, but from a narrative one as well. If you enjoyed exploring the world of Rapture in 2007, then you'll love going through the land of Columbia, here.
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Bioshock Infinite is just about everything I've spent the last three years or so dreaming it would be. Many of the more cynical folks out there seem to be annoyed by all of the glowing praise this game is getting. Personally, I can understand how this game could drive even a professional critic to embarrassing hyperbole. Bioshock was always in a 3-way tie with Dead Space and Assassin's Creed as my #1 favorite new franchise that started this console gen. The shoddy and bug-ridden AC3 late last year pretty much knocked it out of the running. I really enjoyed Dead Space 3 last month, in spite of some changes I didn't agree with. This game puts Bioshock way, way out in front. I definitely have a clear winner in mind now.
What I *really* want to comment on is how much of a shame it is that last week's exclusive IGN review poisoned the waters for those who will play the console versions of this game. Their reviewer went out of his way to point out that the Xbox and PS3 versions are not as graphically impressive as the PC version (gee thanks for the news, Capt. Obvious) and he accused them of having "sup-par lo-res textures, even for consoles" or something along those lines. As soon as that review went up, the disappointment spread like wildfire. Gaming forums all across the internet were awash in the blood and tears of console owners who were devastated to hear that Bioshock Infinite was disappointingly not up to snuff.
Well, I'm happy to tell you that, thankfully, it's a big load of b.s. As far as 360 games go, Bioshock Infinite looks absolutely fantastic. It compares with games like Gears of War Judgement and Halo 4 in virtually the same way that Bioshock 1 compared with Gears 1 and Halo 3. Like any 360 game, including Halo 4, if you go looking for blurry textures you will find them. Some textures are not meant to be viewed up close, jackass.
Bottom line, this game is beautiful, even on the 360. If you haven't played the PC version, you should have no cause for disappointment. And y'know, even if the graphics did suck, the awesome game play would make up for it. This is way more of a robust shooter than either Bioshock 1 or 2 ever were. And don't get me started on the sound. I just bought a set of Astro A40 headphones w/ mixamp last week, and using them while playing this game is proof enough that they were worth every penny.
I admit I did see one flaw in this game: They dropped the "save anywhere" system (which I always abused and will not apologize) and converted to a typical checkpoint/auto-save. In a lot of games, this wouldn't bother me at all. But in Bioshock, where you spend so much of your time roaming around huge areas scrounging for resources in every nook and cranny you can find, this is a big mistake. It really sucks when you get killed and have to back and re-scrounge everything you'd spent the last 10 minutes gathering. Also, I felt some mild disappointment when I realized that some of the cooler/weirder new game play features shown in demos back in 2010 and 2011 ended up on the cutting room floor. But all in all, this doesn't even put a dent in the overall quality. Nothing worth removing a star over.
Best Deals for BioShock Infinite - Xbox 360
Really. The best.
I came into playing this game with high expectations, and was not let down at all. This masterpiece of a game will never be sold or traded.
Honest reviews on BioShock Infinite - Xbox 360
A review from a REAL gamer and fan of the Bioshock series... ME!
I waited to finish the whole game on PC before writing a review as I am quite a fan of the first 2 Bioshock games. I played with a 360 Controller and it worked beautifully, so this review applies to the Xbox version as well. You will definately want to install this to the HDD if your Xbox 360 has the space as loading from disc can sometimes cause hangups on loading in the Xbox version.
I know that the rumor mills and PAID game reviews are saying this is the best game of all time and has achieved the mythical 10 out of 10 and that every gamer should own a copy... Well... I have to say that is just not true. The coveted 5 star, 10 points, or 100 point review scores are lying. A 100% score from a gamer is basically saying that a game with that coveted score is a GOD among all other games and that all other games should bow down before it and kiss its feet. Everyone should own a copy even if they only play flash games online. I do not feel that is the case here and is pretty much hype or just new players that have never played the first two Bioshock games.
Before people start exploding with anger as to why I only give it a "meh" 3 out of 5 and not 4 or higher is that, as a part of a SERIES of games, this one is a step BACKWARDS from the previous games. If this was its own game, in its own universe, and not connected any way to the original 2 Bioshock games; I would give it 4 out of 5.
I have to say this is a VERY SHORT GAME, they could have done so much more with this to get it up towards the amount of content that the first two games had, near 15 hours or more, but it looks like the Bioshock series has fallen to the DLC monster and time constraints that so many big game companies are forcing upon games now. I went all through the game and explored every little inch I could in the game, and it came out to under 9 hours of play time.
Since this game IS titled as part of a series/established universe, I will rate it as such and compare it to the previous games. I believe that ANY new game in an established series should ALWAYS try to out-do and improve upon the previous games.
Here we go:
FirstReplay Value: The original Bioshock games were all about CHOICE and DIFFERENT paths and MULTIPLE ENDINGS to add what gamers like me call the holy grail of gaming known as "Replay Value" or "Replayability" and what companies call "Lots of people buying our games"... This is what makes a game worth buying over just renting, beating, and never playing again. Bioshock 1&2 had SUBSTANTIAL side quests that sometimes took an hour or more to complete, and were quite in-depth. There were many choices to be made that would change all manner of outcomes in the game and would give different endings. Bioshock Infinite seems to give you the ILLUSION of choice during the first 1/3rd of the game and then everything is set on rails from there. As for side quests, there really are none other than quickly exploring a side building with under 3 rooms in it and a few cypher loot hunts. You get the same ending in Bioshock Infinite no matter what you do in the game.
SecondSetting/Atmosphere: While the settings of the first two games are underwater and quite gloomy and atmospheric, even claustrophobic and frightening with sporradic placing of some enemies... Infinite is mostly in the open air and bright sun shine with open spaces, and what I call "Arenas" where you KNOW bad guys will be attacking you, so it has a completely different feel from the first two games, and just does not feel very... Bioshocky.
ThirdThe Weapons... In The first two games the weapons were very steam punk like, and you could see the upgrades you bought as they were added to the weapons. Such as spinning gears on the shotgun or the extended capacity add-on sticking out the side of the revolver. I loved the design of the weapons in the first 2 Bioshock games. In Bioshock Infinite you get rather plain weapons, some of them feel like copies of other weapons you already get in the game with maybe some red paint on them or such... They get no visible upgrades either. Instead, the upgrades are in name and text only with no change to the weapons visually.
FourthAmmo Types: There were DIFFERENT types of ammo in the first two Bioshock games: Armor Piercing, Exploding, Electric, and so on, with varying strategies to go along with nearly every enemy... Bioshock Infinite, none of that, just one type for each weapon and, to me, it felt like the basic enemies took a lot more hits to go down and ammo was much more scarce, especially near the end of the game. Pray and spray.
FifthPlayer Engagement: Bioshock 1&2 were very engaging all throughout the game, always making you wonder what might happen next or when some enemy may pop out at you since enemies were not constrained to just appearing in wide open spaces. There was quite a bit of backtracking and revisiting old areas with new things unlocked. Much fun could be had while playing the game in a darkened room. With Bioshock Infinite it felt so.... FPS Typical... Enemies drop out from the sky, shoot em', clear this area, move on, clear next area, move on, with very little backtracking or encouraged exploring or random encounters.
SixthEnemy AI/Character Design: This is where Bioshock Infinite FAILS MASSIVELY! In Bioshock 1&2 the enemies were downright scary in how creative they were, they would stalk you, or flank you to get you from behind, or would run away and hide at times, popping up in entirely different areas. They would look for you if you ran away or hid. Every fight was different. The enemies/splicers in the first two games all seemed to be different, unique, and quite memorable in their own ways. One thing Infinite gets right is the main story characters facial expressions, especially Elizabeth... If they had spent as much time working on the game as they did her expressions, this would have been a much better game. As for the AI in Bioshock Infinite the enemies just come at you in mindless waves as if this was a Serious Sam game, they don't hide, they don't stalk you or look for you... They all know where you are with their magic radar sense. So just lots of shooting at generic police, rebels, robots, and heavies that all stand out in the open waiting for your bullets and powers to splatter their faces. Or the opposite, friggin' stands right on top of you Zerg rush style. All while they shoot mindlessly at you or at the item you may be hiding behind while you are required to run around like a chicken with your head cut off. I really did not expect Bioshock Infinite to have AI that is this downright TERRIBLE after the amazing experience from the first two games.
SeventhPowers and Abilities: Those that have played Bioshock 1&2 know the massive amount of plasmids and abilities you could get and upgrade, you could play the game how you wanted, even as a stealthy character with some of the upgrades. In Bioshock Infinite it has been broken down into weapon upgrades, and I believe only 8 vigor abilities, with 4 clothing power up options. Infinite just feels "Dumbed Down" and over simplified from the previous games with NO STEALTH/invisibility this time. It has had most of the strategy taken out and just turned into a "run and shoot".
EighthGraphics/immersion: The game is quite stunning graphically; in the first 1/3rd of the game it is engrossing and enjoyable... But... As the game moves on it feels like they were in a rush to reach the end so it is just not as immersive as the first two Bioshock games. The graphics from the first two Bioshock games were and are still amazing, especially when it comes to water effects. Infinite just did not feel "on par" with the previous games or even when comparing to some of the newer games out there. It does look good but not jaw dropping good. Though, in all honesty, I couldn't care less about graphics as some people are but it seems important to some.
NinthControls: I played the game for a short bit with keyboard and mouse and the controls were decently simple, typical FPS. Same for using the controller which I played the rest of the game with... Obviously the game feels better with a controller than the keyboard and mouse, since it was made for a controller.
TenthThe Writing/Story Telling: Bioshock 1&2 were absolute masterpieces in original Videogame writing and storytelling, fully fleshing out the world and characters and making it hard to guess what was coming next, while giving some rather hard choices at times that would change the game play and ending possibilities while in the end giving a good feeling of closure and satisfaction. Bioshock Infinite is more of a... Well... Without spoiling the story, as convoluted as it seems to become, look up the definition of "String theory" and the game may make more sense in the end. Otherwise the story of Bioshock Infinite may sail over the heads of certain gamers. Since there is only one ending for infinite, it just doesn't feel complete or like it would have made a difference any way you went.
THE BOTTOM LINE TL;DR: Short Game... NO REPLAY VALUE! Horrible AI. Fun, but not very Bioshock feeling compared to previous games... It IS a fun FPS game on its own, but just didn't feel like Bioshock. Biosomething but not Shock in any way.
RENT IT for a console system and play through it before you even THINK about buying it.
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Or so it would seem. How can you top Bioshock? It would seem like an impossible task. But Ken Levine and Irrational thrive when being challenged. Similar to his days at Looking Glass and the critical success of System Shock 2, Ken Levine and Irrational floored people with Bioshock. When Bioshock released in 2007, its creativity made people notice the work of Irrational in a more mainstream capacity, giving Irrational a lot more credibility with publishers, which would ultimately lead to many, many years of developments on Infinite. Was the wait worth it? Two words: Hell yes!
Bioshock Infinite is a Bioshock game, period. I know it looks different and may seem different, but a lot of the things from Bioshock are in Bioshock Infinite. While Infinite has its own look and everything, which makes it feel new and fresh, this is a Shock game through and through, so you have a mix of the familiar with something entirely new. The combat is very similar to the first game, but guns have more of a kick this time around. Plasmids also make a comeback in the form of Vigors, which allow for a lot of variation and experimentation in combat. There's also the inclusion of sky-lines, which make some fights really exciting and frantic. I'd say the combat scenarios are an improvement from the first Bioshock. You'll also be looting the environment and corpses for money, food, salt (for Vigors), etc.
Bioshock's art direction is simply stunning. It takes a very talented art team to pull off something like Infinite, and the team at Irrational was definitely up to the task. The amount of detail in each and every environment is staggering. You'll definitely understand why this game was such an undertaking and took so many years to create when you see it in action. Then you have Elizabeth, which is one of the most realized characters in all of gaming. Elizabeth's animations and interactions are one of Infinite's many highlights.
But Bioshock Infinite is ultimately all about the narrative, which it delivers on from beginning to end. This game's story is hands down one of the best in the business, even going as far as surpassing the original Bioshock. While Bioshock was a masterpiece, its ending left a little something to be desired. But this isn't the case with Bioshock Infinite. This game has an ending that'll blow you away.
Irrational chose the impossible, they chose Infinite. Would you kindly buy this game immediately?
