Bioshock Infinite Review

9 Overall Score
Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10

Deep story, Beautiful graphics, Intuitive Combat, Elizabeth utility and story component, Great DLC options

Slowdowns in the middle, No Multiplayer Modes

Game Info

GAME NAME: Bioshock Infinite

DEVELOPER(S): Irrational Games, 2k Australia

PUBLISHER(S): 2K Games

PLATFORM(S): Xbox 360, PS3, PC, MAC

GENRE(S): First-Person Shooter

RELEASE DATE(S): March 26, 2013

Bioshock Infinite aims to please in many ways and it does just that. Set in an alternate reality of 1912 within a city called Columbia that floats atop the sky, this game is set in a retro futuristic sci-fi setting and delivers a truly unique experience. Irrational Games has created a cast of very memorable characters and villains who bring forth emotion as you make your way through the story. There are many twists and turns within the plot that will surprise you and keep you interested. Even so,  Bioshock Infinite occasionally skips a beat in story but after some in game action and cut scene progressions you stumble through and bounce back into it realizing that it was intentionally done to further increase the emotional effect and Irrational Games/2k Australia nails it.

bioshock-infinite-columbia

This Bioshock world is absolutely gorgeous. The graphics are stunning, the sound is beautiful and the world is believable. Irrational Games did such a great job at sculpting this world. Most things within Columbia, including the city itself has a unique backstory, often gruesome. You’ll see propaganda spread throughout the entire city and the prophet’s racist, nationalist beliefs pushed upon the people. Columbia is filled with bustling townsfolk who make these areas feel alive. No two areas in the game look alike which make this world even more believable. Each area is filled with a vibrant color palette and all tied together with a twisted beauty and a dash of controversial edginess as you discover things that may captivate and repulse you.

Once you dive into the world and buy into its story you’ll realize that the characters are very convincing. Our main character, Booker DeWitt,  the war veteran who went the PI route, is a great example. He’s a reluctant hero, kind of an anti hero, who’s being forced to face the difficult decision of whats truly right, while attempting to survive at the same time. You get to see that, yes, he’s been a bad man in the past, but at the same time as the story unfolds you begin to notice he still has honor and integrity. The mission itself seems pretty simple, to “Wipe away the debt” you’ll need to recover a teenage girl named Elizabeth. Although Booker seems to be unlikable at first, his story is shrouded with mystery and the more you learn, the more you understand him and you begin to like him.

bioshock-infinite-elizabeth

Bioshock Infinite’s gameplay is hugely upgraded from past Bioshock games. You have new weapons and Vigors you can upgrade, it all works pretty seamless. The main problem you’ll have is deciding on what your favorite weapon and Vigor of choice is. The best part of having so many options is being able to use specific powers that can ultimately help you solve certain puzzles. One other different facet in this Bioshock game is that Elizabeth rarely leaves your side, she’s with you most every step of the way. She’s a very central part of this story and game. She’ll help you find money, health,  ammo and lock picks. Elizabeth can also handle herself well so you won’t be babysitting her. One thing you will want to keep an eye out for are lock picks. Elizabeth will help you find these, the safes that you can pick are located in various parts of levels and will contain a decent amount of money that will be useful for upgrades. On top of assisting you with finding useful items Elizabeth lends you her ability to open dimensional portals. This will help you defeat enemies and bosses. One said enemy is the Patriot, a mechanical George Washington looking beast that chases you with a Gatling gun. Be on the lookout to destroy these as quick as you can, they will get annoying.

bioshock-infinite-patriot

Patriots pack some heat and you can definitely use the assistance to take them down. Since the story is centered around Booker and Elizabeth, naturally their relationship grows and you get to know both of them better. This is huge when comparing to older Bioshock games, the cast of characters make you feel emotion as you progress through the game and story. Some other baddies include the elusive Songbird, just like a Big Daddy this Songbird is a gigantic robotic bird assigned to protect Elizabeth when she was locked in her tower. This one enemy is a big deal and not an easy one for Booker to just take down on a whim. Other than the Songbird you have Handymen, dead men infused with robots to protect the citizens of Columbia, these guys are big and hit hard. I’d say they are comparable to Big Daddies as well. You can dodge Handymen by jumping up and sliding around on the Skylines. That part of gameplay is extremely fun. Skyline battles play a big part in the story and before you know it you’ll be sliding the rails and taking down foes. An awesome facet of the gameplay is the ability to collect clothing, each item of clothing has a specific buff or perk if you will. Each perk can help you while fighting bad guys, whether its shooting flames around you if you jump on an enemy from the skylines or just making you hit harder, you’ll find the perks rewarding and extremely useful.

The Vigors are essentially pretty close to the other Bioshock games but skinned differently, not really a big criticism. There are some great Vigors like Shock Jockey, or Bucking Bronco my favorite. You can float your enemies in the air and take them down quickly like fish in a barrel. A lot of the Vigors have second abilities and come in handy quite a bit. You also have the ability to upgrade them and once you do, you will feel unstoppable. The type of weapons available in the game are pretty standard, steam punk looking pistols, machine guns, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, shot guns. You also have the ability to upgrade your weapons, storage capacity, strength, etc. Vigors are controlled with your left side of the controller and weapons on the right so it feels natural to use both while taking down enemies. Once you get used to riding the skylines you can use them in conjunction with both your weapons, vigors and clothing add some extra melee damage and you are destroying enemies. I found the Skylines a great way to travel and find hidden places as well as keep me alive when I was getting overwhelmed with Patriots, Handymen and soldiers.

bioshock-infinite-handymen

Since I was able to test out Bioshock Infinite on all three platforms, I noticed that each system handled the controls intuitive enough yet are very restricted on a gamepad controller. You only get to have two weapons, and two vigors which you can tap your Xbox 360 Shoulder button or PS3’s Bumpers to access. The rest of your weapons and vigors are accessible via menu. That can definitely hold up your gameplay so mostly, I found myself picking my favorite set of weapons and vigors and never really changing them unless I needed to solve a puzzle with a specific item.

The Recommendation

Whether you’ve mastered the original Bioshock games or this is your first attempt at the series, I think you’ll be in for a surprise. There was a lot of hype going into this game so thinking whether it would live up to the franchise worried me. After I experienced it I have to say its a brilliant shooter. It has it’s occasional slowdowns but you can easily overlook it with its addicting gameplay. Bioshock Infinite is innovative, the story is compelling and will make you feel and keep you wanting to know more about Columbia and its inhabitants. This is a game I definitely recommend checking out.

 

 

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getamikeON
Author: getamikeON View all posts by
Managing Partner/Editor-in-chief and owner of GameGravy & NintendoFever – Mike spends most of his time working with the top brands in the Game industry & Advertising. Fun Factoid: he is also a musician and song writer. Google+ Author