Author Topic: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle  (Read 7337 times)

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Offline Lorric

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
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.

That is an interesting opinion. Does anyone else feel that way? If it's all about the story and the gameplay is just a chore, I'd be better off just watching someone let's play it. I buy games to enjoy the gameplay first and foremost.

 
Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
If all you want is the shooty-gameplay, Bioshock 1 does it better. Along with a long, long list of current-generation fps games.
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Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
What adult plays games for shooty gameplay, anyway?

I won't deny game mechanics are what add to replay and are a requirement to make any game fun, but - for the most part -I don't buy singleplayer games that don't have a good to exceptional story.  Starcraft 2 being an exception :P
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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
What adult plays games for shooty gameplay, anyway?

Lots of them? There's some really fun shooters out there. I will absolutely zone out with some Tribes or even Battlefield. Besides, Bioshock 1 and System Shock(s) both had really interesting gameplay on more than the mechanical shooting level, and their gameplay systems tied into their worlds. The moment to moment gameplay felt like part of the story. BSI doesn't do that.

I've had time to collect some thoughts about this game's story and I think it might actually be nonsense. The moment to moment execution is fantastic but I'm pretty sure this is just a Lost-level ****up, a narrative pyramid scheme.

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
What adult plays games for shooty gameplay, anyway?

Dozens, judging from the existence of this forum.
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Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
What adult plays games for shooty gameplay, anyway?

Lots of them? There's some really fun shooters out there. I will absolutely zone out with some Tribes or even Battlefield.

I've had time to collect some thoughts about this game's story and I think it might actually be nonsense. The moment to moment execution is fantastic but I'm pretty sure this is just a Lost-level ****up.

Perhaps I should have said singleplayer games.  I, too, played a lot of Tribes 2, BF1942, TF/TF2 and a number of other tactical shooters in the multiplayer environment which was due to a combination of gameplay and camaraderie.  I can say unequivocally that I would not have played any of them had that gameplay not been in a multiplayer setting with people I knew and interacted with.  I would venture a guess that most adults don't play these sorts of games exclusively with randoms.
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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
It's really hard to even discuss the topic when 'adult' sounds like a dogwhistle, though. I don't mean that personally, it's just kind of a loaded term in this context.

 

Offline StarSlayer

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I play PUGs pretty much all the time.  :blah:

I never much considered that something was wrong with it.
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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Yeah, me too - if I'm going to do something with friends I'd rather play a board game or (if it's gonna be on the computer!) a strategy or co-op game. If I'm gonna play something antagonistic online I'd rather play with and against faceless randoms so I can just go into flow state.

e: and not worry about whether they're having fun/intimidated by my elite skills

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Adult was not meant to be a loaded term, there.  Nevertheless, it surprises me that you both prefer randoms.  There's no doubt I've picked up MP games that friends and acquaintances aren't established in, but I've never played one long-term without finding a core group of regulars to play with.  I would have given up on ME3 MP long ago were that not the case =)

I guess the real question is have either of you ever purchased a [singleplayer] game where you knew going into it that you were buying it for the shooty bits and there wasn't a compelling storyline to keep you going?  E.g. would you buy Battlefield if it wasn't multiplayer?

EDIT:  Sorry guys, someone want to split this tangent?
« Last Edit: April 05, 2013, 02:35:42 pm by MP-Ryan »
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Offline StarSlayer

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Yeah I wouldn't mind continuing but we've left the path a few hills and brooks ago :D

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Offline Mongoose

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I think we're okay without splitting...it's only the bull**** tangents that are annoying. :p

Anyway, I'm glad this apparently turned out to be good.  I still have the original Bioshock sitting around unplayed, but the material I saw from this was always really visually stunning.

 

Offline swashmebuckle

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I won't deny game mechanics are what add to replay and are a requirement to make any game fun, but - for the most part -I don't buy singleplayer games that don't have a good to exceptional story.
This is pretty much the exact opposite of how I feel about singleplayer games.

 
Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
What adult plays games for shooty gameplay, anyway?


If the story is the only good thing* about it, why not save $60 and watch a LP on youtube?

*Though I find myself in sudden and overwhelming agreement with the General. May be due to the onset of Swoon//[Redacted] following mention of The Best Game Series Ever Made.  :D
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Offline jg18

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I won't deny game mechanics are what add to replay and are a requirement to make any game fun, but - for the most part -I don't buy singleplayer games that don't have a good to exceptional story.
This is pretty much the exact opposite of how I feel about singleplayer games.
You mean you prefer games with bad stories? :confused:


My WIP review: I think I'm between 1/2 - 2/3 through the game, or to be more precise
Spoiler:
Just started Finkton (admittedly not much of a spoiler).

This game makes me want to throw up -- literally. :ick: As at least one review hinted, BSI is a bit unkind to people prone to motion sickness.

In short, it's pretty, it's fun, but I'm not blown away. The FPS aspect does feel like a bit of an add-on and as noted by Battuta is not as sophisticated or well-integrated as BS1.

Also, when did games stop shipping with manuals? BS1 had one, although that was quite a while ago.

Not sure yet what to make of the story, although it's holding my interest.

Certainly can't compare to SS2. Irrational set the bar very high with their first game.

Reminds me that this game came at a substantial cost (although the SS2 manual also mentions 80-hour crunch weeks).

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Can't compare to SS2?

Blargh.  It is the standard by which I judge all FPS-RPG hybrids.
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Offline swashmebuckle

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I won't deny game mechanics are what add to replay and are a requirement to make any game fun, but - for the most part -I don't buy singleplayer games that don't have a good to exceptional story.
This is pretty much the exact opposite of how I feel about singleplayer games.
You mean you prefer games with bad stories? :confused:
Sorry, I should have made that less ambiguous. I meant that I don't usually buy games that rely on extrinsic story stuff to keep me engaged. I want the actual interaction with the game to be the point, not just a vehicle to get me to the next plot twist. I don't object to games having narrative elements or anything, it's just not what I showed up to the party for, and it makes sense and is not a problem for me when it is the most underdeveloped part of a game.

 

Offline Lorric

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Same for me. Gameplay > all else.

 

Offline deathfun

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
Same for me. Gameplay > all else.

I like a balance between the two
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Offline BloodEagle

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Re: Bioshock Infinite: The Princess is in this Castle
I like gameplay, narrative, audio, and visuals.  Why can't I have all four?  Why must I choose between them?