Product Description:
Indebted to the wrong people, and with his life on the line, hired gun Booker DeWitt has only one opportunity to wipe his slate clean. He must rescue Elizabeth, a mysterious girl imprisoned since childhood and locked up in the flying city of Columbia. Forced to trust one another, Booker and Elizabeth form a powerful bond during their daring escape. Together, they learn to harness an expanding arsenal of weapons and abilities, as they fight on zeppelins in the clouds, along high-speed Sky-Lines, and down in the streets of Columbia, all while surviving the threats of the air-city and uncovering its dark secret. WINNER OF OVER 80 AWARDS
Product Details:
- The City in the Sky - Leave the depths of Rapture to soar among the clouds of Columbia. The flying city is a beautiful and vibrant world that holds a very dark secret.
- Unlikely Mission - Set in 1912 former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt must rescue a mysterious girl from the sky-city of Columbia or never leave it alive.
- Tear Through Time - Open Tears in time and space to shape the battlefield and turn the tide in combat by pulling weapons and other resources out of thin air.
- Vigorous Powers - Throw explosive fireballs and shoot lightning as devastatingly powerful Vigors surge through your body to be unleashed against all that oppose you.
- 1999 Mode - Open your own Tear to 1999 to experience the design and balance that hardcore gamers enjoyed back in the 20th century.
Customer Reviews:
Bioshock Infinite Review: Heads for the clouds, soars over the moon By J. Cummings
NOTE 1: This is a review in progress. I got the game during the midnight release and have been playing through the campaign. More thoughts will be added as I finish the game.
NOTE 2: I AM NOT an employee of 2K or Irrational Games. All the writing you see are my opinions alone; see my other video game reviews (both positive and critical) if you need proof.
The first thing that's going to strike you about Bioshock Infinite is the setting of Columbia. No longer are you stuck underwater and going through tight corridors as in Bioshock 1 and 2. The openess of being on will be unlike anything you've experienced in an FPS before. Many games try to give you the feeling their setting is alive (Skyrim immediately comes to mind), but few immerse you with real life issues (racism, etc.) as B.I. does. You'll literally stop and listen to the various conversations, that is when you're not getting shot or melee attacked!
I don't want to give too much away, as I don't want to spoil the game for you. Needless to say, some of the language is going to shock and awe you, so there's a reason the big "M" is on the front of the cover. Definitely either have the kiddos away in bed or have a headset on.
The next thing is your trusty sky-hook. No longer are battles confined. Now, you can literally leap on the multitude of railings, slide down, see an enemy and drop on them to attack. The freedom this opens up to approach different situations is a liberation. Yes, some of the game is "on rails" and you won't have this opportunity through the entire game. But there are always going to be limitations with software, hardware etc. that restricts visions.
Those familiar with Bioshock and Bioshock 2 know you carry a power in your left hand (called "vigors" in this game, previous veterans of Bioshock recognize these as "Plasmids") and a weapon in the right. B.I. doesn't mess with this formula but DOES change your customization where it is much, much deeper.
You will also find various Gear lying around, of which you can equip a certain amount (4 to start). These effects vary as well, from giving your Skyhook melee a shock charge to increased damage against certain enemy types.
When you add in the random things that Elizabeth brings into the fray later in the story (called "tears"), the combinations are staggering and offers replay just to see how insane a setup you can create. For example, you could have Murder of Crows equipped, initiate it, switch to Devil's Ball, which will catch your crows on fire, which will catch your enemies on fire, and Elizabeth warps in a machine gun turret which finishes the job. It's honestly something hard to put into words. You simply have to experience it for yourself.
Sadly, the weapons are pretty standard-fair for this kind of game (shotguns, machine guns, etc). You could put a 1910 coat of paint on pretty much any COD gun and you have a B.I. gun. Seems like a lost opportunity here. The standard "spend this to upgrade that" is present in the game. You will find locked chests which will make you hunt for keys. However, what you find in these chests (infusions, which let you upgrade your shield, health or salt, respectfully, ala Skyrim) as well as Gear, etc. are WELL worth your time to seek and find the keys.
But what's a great action game without a story? The basic gist is you are Booker DeWitt, here in Columbia to rescue Elizabeth. Who just may be the most full-fleshed out AI character to date. Through her communication, both verbal and non, you feel an engagement with her that you haven't felt in other games. You actually CARE what becomes of her. And that leads you to got he** bent on doing anything and everything to leave with her intact. Again, I'm trying to keep this a spoiler-free review, but there are so many twists and turns in this story that by the time you hit 10 hours through the game you'll be like "what the heck just happened???" In a GOOD way.
Enemy AI is very smart, and just jumping on one of those sky-hooks isn't always enough to escape getting pummelled. They take cover and, especially at a point in the middle of the game, will make you bring all your skills and items to bear or else you will find yourself dying. Repeatedly.
Regardless of what you might have felt for Bioshock 1 or 2, or if you have never played a Bioshock game, the setting, gameplay and sheer scope of Bioshock Infinite are well worth the price of admission. When history looks back on the PS3, this will become one of the defining games of this console generation and simply should not and cannot be missed."The False Shepard Seeks Only to Lead Our Lamb Away..." By S. Rhodes
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
+Comes with a copy of the original Bioshock
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.
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 short term effects, but nothing that really impacts the story in a major way.
The PS3 version of Bioshock Infinite comes with a free copy of the original Bioshock. For those who've yet to play through the game it's a nice treat. For those who have already experienced Bioshock it may not actually be necessary, but it can serve as a nice reminder of the game in and of itself. But you're free to take it or leave it.
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.Non-FPS Gamer Review By Robert Underwood
I'll state right up front that I don't typically play first-person shooters, and that this was the first BioShock game I've played. My favorite games usually fall into the role-playing, action/adventure, arcade, or artsy/independent categories (i.e., Skyrim, Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and Journey, respectively). Things like Call of Duty and Battlefield just don't do a lot for me.
With that said, I loved this game. The designers did a good job of balancing combat, exploration, and story elements to avoid making you tired of any single aspect. I found myself growing surprisingly attached to Elizabeth as the game progressed, which made for an increasingly emotional experience as the story played out. And even though I expected some twists at the end, when they actually came I was floored... and sat through the closing credits in stunned silence.
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