[The E]

So, I got this game as part of the current AMD promotion. Finished it today. Without going into Spoilers, I am gonna go ahead and say that, while BSI may not be the best game I have ever played, it certainly is one of the best stories in games today. It's a rather astoundingly meta narrative that unfolds here, and while I would have hoped and even expected the political undertones of the first few hours to carry through to the end (like the extended critique of Objectivism in the first Bioshock), I am rather pleased with the way the story actually played out.

Standout features of the game are certainly Elizabeth, who could have been the center of an escort mission from hell, but never goes that far (that the game goes to extraordinary lengths to tell you that yes, Liz can take care of herself is an interesting commentary on the state of companion AI in other games). Her interactions with Booker and the World are well written, and her combat role as scavenger and turret-summoning machine make her a welcome addition to the gameplay.

Speaking of the world, Columbia is one of the great gaming venues, a place that is so masterfully crafted and brimming with details that it's this generations' City 17. A great deal of worldbuilding is communicated through it, especially in the game's first few hours.

There are few things I can find to criticize here, one thing that stood out though was an unfortunate consequence of the semi-scripted behaviour of Elizabeth. See, when you're just exploring the area, she will occasionally throw you a coin she's found, or point out Lockpicks etc lying around. So far, so good. However, bad things can happen if one of those triggers hit right after certain emotionally charged moments, all of a sudden Elizabeth drops down deep into the uncanny valley, and I feel that this is something that could have been caught during development.


Still, BSI is certainly one of the best games I have played so far, and I highly recommend getting it. Just do yourself a favour and avoid spoilers, because seriously. This game should be allowed to play out its beats without a nosy player reading ahead and being not surprised at the whole thing. Trust me on this.

EDIT: Oh, feel free to discuss the story etc here. Just remember that spoiler tags are your friend.

[QuantumDelta]

I loved the crap out of System Shock 2, the bioshock series was for the most part a complete let down for me until infinite, BS1 was stomachable, but no where near the game it was meant to succeed, BS2 was horrendous.

Infinite has truly surprised me, I really wasn't going to buy it due to my disgust after 2, but I'm SO glad I did.

I'm not sure how much I could go into detail on my feelings over the game without spoiling the ever loving **** out of it, but just the fact that I am actually praising something almost universally - the entire game, beautiful.
One or two spots that would probably have been better tuned (I played it on hard, depending on how you use the infusions certain parts of it can be almost impossible.. or, a certain part, I should say, depending on what you've done with your cash and upgrades since you started and what guns you're carrying at the time, it's an anomaly though)..

I didn't have too much trouble with the scripted behaviour of Elizabeth like E did but I do tend to have blinders for stuff like that when the overall story is good..
Freaking awesome game.
Fully echoing E's last paragraph ;x

[Lorric]

Do you need to have played previous games to play this one properly? I've paid no attention to these before, but this one looks genuinely intriguing to me, and the critics have been having orgasms over it.

[deathfun]

Do you need to have played previous games to play this one properly? I've paid no attention to these before, but this one looks genuinely intriguing to me, and the critics have been having orgasms over it.

No. It's not really required, but I'd say you ought to. They're solid games and worth playing, but have nothing to do with the story of BSI

The unfortunate part for myself The E, is I apparently ruined part of the story for myself without even realizing it years ago.

Spoiler:

With Booker being the father and all

It was also ruined further by someone blurting ALL the details about the ending during a stream

[Lorric]

Thanks, I'll keep it in mind.

[Suongadon]

... and while I would have hoped and even expected the political undertones of the first few hours to carry through to the end (like the extended critique of Objectivism in the first Bioshock), I am rather pleased with the way the story actually played out.

So, you mean it isn't going to be 10 more hours of 'Rapture in the sky with Dominionists'? Because, while I appreciate the sentiment - and was giddy and suchlike while the game allowed me to indulge a lifelong fantasy - and all, I felt like they've been beating a dead horse made of **** for the 3 or 4 hours I've played so far.


and on the super-secret ruin all possible enjoyment of the game spoiler:

Spoiler:

I was playing the beach scene and my sister was watching and went 'Is she supposed to be like your daughter or something?' Not really understanding how knowing that ruins anything tbh.

[Rhymes]

So, you mean it isn't going to be 10 more hours of 'Rapture in the sky with Dominionists'? Because, while I appreciate the sentiment - and was giddy and suchlike while the game allowed me to indulge a lifelong fantasy - and all, I felt like they've been beating a dead horse made of **** for the 3 or 4 hours I've played so far.

After the first third or so of the game,  the political conflict fades quickly into the background.  The conflict between the Founders and the Vox Populi is definitely still there, but the narrative shifts focus from the larger political themes to a much more personal story.

Think of it this way: the game spends the first few hours building the world you've been dropped into, and then uses what it's built as the backdrop for the real story, which is about Booker and Elizabeth.

[Mr. Vega]

So, you mean it isn't going to be 10 more hours of 'Rapture in the sky with Dominionists'? Because, while I appreciate the sentiment - and was giddy and suchlike while the game allowed me to indulge a lifelong fantasy - and all, I felt like they've been beating a dead horse made of **** for the 3 or 4 hours I've played so far.

After the first third or so of the game,  the political conflict fades quickly into the background.  The conflict between the Founders and the Vox Populi is definitely still there, but the narrative shifts focus from the larger political themes to a much more personal story.

Think of it this way: the game spends the first few hours building the world you've been dropped into, and then uses what it's built as the backdrop for the real story, which is about Booker and Elizabeth.

Translation: they were too chicken to actually take it to American Exceptionalism. Objecitivism was an easier target.

[Oddgrim]

So is it anything good so far?

[Killer Whale]

Yeah it's a good game. I would recommend it.

[QuantumDelta]

"American Exceptionalism" is complete bollocks anyway.
If they had chosen the worlds story rather than the characters story the game probably would have been average at best.

[TrashMan]

I don't care about political goals and "messages".

Got bored of it in Bioshock... and well, B2 picks a REALLY easy target and thus gets no points for me.

Also, am I the only one who finds it very ironic that demonization of people who's stances we do not like is accepted so lighty as a great thing? Especially considering that the people you're demonizing were using the exact same methods?

[The E]

"American Exceptionalism" is complete bollocks anyway.
If they had chosen the worlds story rather than the characters story the game probably would have been average at best.

I consider the whole american exceptionalism thing they were hyping up prior to release to be a giant decoy for the actual plot of the game.

Actually, considering the sheer amount of prerelease info we had, I was pleasantly surprised by how often I was suprised during actual gameplay. They managed to build a lot of expectations and then subvert them in a beautiful way.

[QuantumDelta]

I suppose when you put it that way it makes sense ya know ;o

[MP-Ryan]

You bastards are making me want to drop $60 right now and play this immediately, you know

[Luis Dias]

You bastards are making me want to drop $60 right now and play this immediately, you know

I have heard amazingly good praise towards this game, not only in here, but elsewhere as well. Apparently it's a consensus that this game really stands out from the usual crowd.

[General Battuta]

I'm a fair chunk in and I think it's a really interesting world and story but the game itself is merely okay.

[The E]

On reflection, I am gonna echo the sentiments expressed by Ben Kuchera at PAR: BSI is a great game that would have been even better if it wasn't a shooter. There is no real reason why this story had to be told in an FPS, in fact the over the top brutality of the action is detrimental to the tone.

[MP-Ryan]

Reading the PAR piece made me stumble onto a review on Glenn Beck's website which is surprisingly coherent.

I mean, I find the constant author's questions about the political leanings of the game, the game creators, and his references concerning certain political affiliations to be downright hilarious (quotes:  "he game does arguably skew slightly liberal early on in the story" "if the Founders are meant at a slap at anyone, it’s not Tea Partiers so much as hardline neoconfederates, who only a dedicated viewer of MSNBC could confuse with conservatives" etc), but the author does seem surprisingly thoughtful for someone who his undertones suggest is highly partisan.

Worth reading.  Comments are a vortex of misery, don't go there:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/29/bioshock-infinite-the-video-game-that-lets-you-shoot-robo-george-washington-should-you-be-worried/

[General Battuta]

On reflection, I am gonna echo the sentiments expressed by Ben Kuchera at PAR: BSI is a great game that would have been even better if it wasn't a shooter. There is no real reason why this story had to be told in an FPS, in fact the over the top brutality of the action is detrimental to the tone.

Yep, totally agree. By the end of the game the combat sections felt like chores that I desperately wanted to get through to get more sweet sweet story and dialogue. The mechanics were also stripped back from BioShock and far less interesting, and there was a ton of ludonarrative dissonance - most of the abilities and enemies felt like they had no reason to exist in the setting.