Bioshock Infinite is one of the biggest games of the year. Its pegged as a front runner for “Game of the Year” by many publications. Read on to find out if it lives up to the hype.
Infinite is the third entry in the Bioshock series. The original game released back in 2007 is now known as one of the best games of this generation. It introduced us to the underwater world known as Rapture and also introduced one of the most iconic gaming figures, the “Big Daddy”. It broke new ground in areas of gameplay and graphics and received universal praise from critics and gamers alike. The second entry, titled Bioshock 2 didn’t do anything new or unique, but instead played it safe, delivering a very similar experience as its predecessor. Now in 2013, we have Bioshock Infinite and a bevy of new characters and a new world. The setting is Columbia, a city in the sky. Our main protagonist is Booker Dewitt, a former agent and soldier, who throughout the story, protects Elizabeth (Also helps her escape the city), a young woman who has been held captive in Columbia for the majority of her life. The story is one of the best you’ll see in gaming. There’s love, drama, action, emotion and plenty of great dialogue and voice acting. It’s one of the most complete packages in gaming, period.
Bioshock Infinite’s scale is pretty large, but not breathtaking. The graphics are also very good, but not incredible. High-powered PC’s will produce the prettiest visuals. The solid controls we have come to know and love are still here this time around. All of the gameplay mechanics are seamless and extremely accessible. There are a ton of new attacks and “vigors” that let you blast fireballs, release deadly birds, or huge bolts of electricity at your foes. It’s addicting fun, too. The game puts a big emphasis on American history, so be prepared to learn a few things too. That educational element is a nice touch. There’s a robotic figure called a patriot that looks like George Washington that wields a Gatling gun. sometimes they’re your foes and sometimes they’re your friends, but wither way, that’s just awesome, right?! The new skyline rail system is something new to Infinite as well. It’s this giant transportation system you can use to make your way through Columbia. You can even perform diving attacks from it, too. Gun play, overall is rock solid. The selection of guns is nice, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and even rocket launchers. You feel pretty powerful while you’re taking on foes, but you’ll still feel vulnerable because your enemies are darn good shots. You’ll also find yourself running out of ammo fairly often, which can be frustrating because you’ll have to backtrack to find more. The AI is pretty smart. You won’t have any luck trying to sneak up on these guys, which is unfortunate because a better stealth dynamic would have added a nice touch.
Overall, Bioshock Infinite is one of the best games of 2013 and of this generation. It lives up to the expectations placed upon its shoulders. Yes, it has its flaws, but as a package, its stellar. It took me about two weeks to beat it, playing casually. The expected play-through time is 13 hours. Don’t miss out, Bioshock fan or not, this is a fresh and excellent gaming experience you don’t want to overlook.