Late to the Party Reviews: Bioshock Infinite
April 17, 2013 at 5:28 am
(This post was last modified: April 17, 2013 at 5:39 am by Creed of Heresy.)
So this is part of a series I do called "Late to the Party Reviews," I've actually done about a half dozen or so before but I haven't put any up. I probably will later. This is where I review a game that has been in the limelight for a time, and after some time has passed, I review it...usually because I am a procrastinator but also because I am cash-strapped and therefore I get a hold of games a while after the first-comers have bought and beaten them. In this sense, I review games after the hype has died down, giving me a bit of a more mellow viewpoint in my reviews, since it's not about racing to get through the game to say to everyone that I beat it. I get to take my time and analyze it. 
So, with that, my review on Bioshock Infinite.
Hype vs. Reality:
Hype: 10
Reality: 10
Ok so I know I just said I review games without the hype but man there was no unhyping me for this game. Now, was I rushing to play it? Well, my room-mate bought it on PC, so I get to play it for free, basically. That said...I have a bit of a problem with FPS gaming on PC. I know, I know, I hear it all the time; mice are superior and thumbsticks are inferior and blahblahblah but controllers are second nature to me. Keyboard and mouse controls are just foreign to me and while I like the added precision I also find myself finding there's actually a bit TOO much finesse in the mouse. I get a thrill from performing crazy kills with controllers because they are harder to work with, so my original idea was to get Infinite on the 360. MAN AM I GLAD I DIDN'T, though. The graphics on the PC version are GORGEOUS. SO about the game. I am a huge fan of the first Bioshock. Gameplay was really solid, story was phenomenal, I generally have no real complaints about it. Second game...it was good. It just lacked the amazing story of the first.
So, I came into this game with the knowledge that this was NOT a sequel to Bioshock, either of them, but was rather a sort of sidequel. First 30 minutes of the game had me marveling at the environment and setting, and had me already developing a very heavy hatred for Columbia and its citizens, in a good way. Emotional connection is a very strong aspect to this story and it builds more and more on that throughout the game. Your character, Booker DeWitt, has a personality that makes him rather relatable even despite his past, which is exposed later after the player gets some time to become acquainted with him, which resulted in me realizing I wasn't playing a typical good-guy. I was playing a very troubled individual, indeed, and I found him being a terrific blend of simple [in approach] and complex [in personality], something that only built up as the game went on. Elizabeth is probably the finest example of a companion AI I can think of in any game ever, and not just because she's pretty, sweet, and a bit naive but also because she, too, develops as a character AND she's incredibly useful, not getting in the way but instead helping you clear it. She never fires a shot, but her usefulness in combat cannot be understated. The fights are, against individual standard enemies, a bit one-sided in your favor but with the numerous special kinds of enemies that can and will be thrown your way, you can find yourself being overwhelmed and over-run VERY swiftly. Elizabeth is often the reason you will survive these encounters, giving you salts [this game's Eve], ammunition as you're running dry, and even health when you're in danger of being cut to pieces...which can and will happen quite often. The few times later in the game where you are without her aid are some of the hardest moments in the game and you quickly find yourself wishing that Elizabeth was with you again.
Also she finds and gives you money quite often. Another helpful little bonus. There is no running around saving her, either, so while this game is one very long, extended escort mission, it's an escort mission done so very well that it doesn't feel like a normal escort mission. She is far more of a help than a hindrance, and more games need to take to this road when designing escort missions because holy fuck am I sick of dumbass companion AIs who do nothing more than get in your field of fire and/or spend a lot of time running into groups of enemies for the sole purpose of getting murdered.
The environments are very fleshed out, the enemy designs are really cool, and the concepts behind the game are damn-near enthralling. The game explores the concepts of quantum physics being utilized for practical and esoteric purposes, the idea behind the multiverse theory, and the effect our choices have in the grand scheme of things. Like the previous Bioshocks, it is also a cautionary tale against extremism, this time in the form of American Exceptionalism, and more broadly, ultranationalism in general, cult mentalities, and what lengths people will go to for their convictions, their creeds, and their legacies. The story is a VERY human one. It's not overly dark, it's not cynical, it's not light or fluffy, it's just...human. It's very much simply, well, human. There is a hint of a tale of redemption, but it is devoid of a religious sense of it...even though the idea of redemption through faith is broached several times, it is shown that one needs no such thing as faith in anything to realize when they are in error, and when they have done wrong...and how faith itself can actually poison those attempts at redemption. The main character is an atheist with a delightful scorn towards religion and religious practices that nevertheless will not keep him from being relatable even to those of faith, because he is, simply, a very human individual.
I really cannot rave enough about the game. I just cannot. There's another thread on this game, where it's been mentioned that the game shows some seams in its gameplay but honestly I haven't found any of the bugs being mentioned and it's been complained that the game shows its similarities to the first Bioshock, and honestly, yes. Yes, it does have parallels to the game. It doesn't even try to hide the fact, really, but it's parallel in a very literal sense, with symbolism being a key note to a lot of things for the beginning of the game. The story, like Bioshock, has its own sudden shocking revelation and trust me when I say it's no less impressive than the first Bioshock's big revelation, even though it DOES happen very close to the end as opposed to the midway point. The characters' voice actors are stellar, there's a lot of moments that lend emotional, dramatic, and suspenseful weight to the entire story, the pacing is solid as titanium armor plating, and overall it's a roller-coaster ride of epic proportions...sometimes, quite literally so [sky-lines; WHEE!!]
There is one minor flaw; the save system. Dunno 'bout console versions, but on the PC, you only have one save slot and the system is auto-save-only. This is, I suspect, to prevent the 'cheating' aspect from the first Bioshock games, wherein you could just save before a really tough boss fight and if you lost you could try again or avoid it entirely. Still, I don't find that much of a hindrance, and in fact I like that for the challenge; you can't be a little bitch and spam the fuck out of the save function, you actually have to man the fuck up and show some damn skill, and FUCK YES I LOVE THAT. I'm just going to say, personally; if you're complaining about the save feature, you're probably butthurt you can't abuse it anymore. Man up.
I don't give 10/10 reviews much. Hell, some of my most favorite games in the past have only received 9s or 9.5s, usually because they always seem to have a giant, pulsating zit that mars the rest of the perfection but this time...this game has earned its 10. I take my hood off to you, Irrational Games. Well-played, excellent work, and please don't stop now; I'm havin' a good time.
The Breakdown:
Visuals:
Environments: 10 [it's a floating fucking ultranationalistic soon-to-be-dystopian American city in the clouds with tons of attention to detail, nuff said]
Graphics: 10 [seriously I love the cell-shading style in this game; not a damn soul can say "this game is just another brown-grey shooter," because holy fuck it really isn't.]
Character designs: 10 [Songbird, Elizabeth, the dress styles on the NPCs, the myriad different kinds of enemies, the fucking Patriots...fuck the hell yes]
Atmosphere: 10 [Like I said about the environments, same thing here, but the atmosphere of everything changes over time to suit the situation beautifully; everything goes from sunny to stormy over the course of the game as shit goes down, I love it]
Animation: 10 [No clipping, realistic movements, smooth animations in general, and thousands of tiny little touches here and there; I can't ask for any more]
Audio:
Sound effects: 10
Voice acting: 10
Music: 10
Ambience: 10
Gameplay:
Story: 10!!
Originality: 9 [One of only two 9s here; I only lower it because it does borrow some elements from the first game pretty clearly, but I didn't take it down too low because they explain why that is the case pretty clearly and effectively later in the game]
Controls: 9 [I would've given this a 10 but there WERE a few moments I got caught on a corner or a jutting piece of the terrain]
Programming: 10 [I've looked for bugs. I didn't experience a single one. I don't know how the hell this is possible.]
Satisfaction: 10 [The ending to this game...just...wow.]
Immersion: 10!! [I was on the edge of my seat quite a bit. I haven't done that playing a game in a while, and I can't remember the last time I was, really.]
Overall: This game is perfection, or at least the nearest I can hope to experience. I give it a 10, without a moment's doubt. This IS a must-play game. There is NO fucking excuse for you to pass this game up AT ALL. If you have to pass up five other AAA-blockbuster titles just for this one, DO IT. It will crush those other five titles HARD. It's even got some terrific replayability on it, since you can, like before, play to different strengths. Melee, guns, plasmi- er, Vigors, a mix of all or a couple. I always run through with more emphasis on sheer firepower, but I found that mix-and-matching playstyles was highly rewarding. Maybe I'll go an exclusive Vigor playthrough, next. They are ridiculously fun to play with.
So basically? Buy this or you fail as a gamer. This is not open to negotiation or differentiation of opinion. This is the objective truth we've all been seeking: OWN THIS GAME AND PLAY IT OR YOU FAIL.
No. Seriously. Get it right now.
So, with that, my review on Bioshock Infinite.
Hype vs. Reality:
Hype: 10
Reality: 10
Ok so I know I just said I review games without the hype but man there was no unhyping me for this game. Now, was I rushing to play it? Well, my room-mate bought it on PC, so I get to play it for free, basically. That said...I have a bit of a problem with FPS gaming on PC. I know, I know, I hear it all the time; mice are superior and thumbsticks are inferior and blahblahblah but controllers are second nature to me. Keyboard and mouse controls are just foreign to me and while I like the added precision I also find myself finding there's actually a bit TOO much finesse in the mouse. I get a thrill from performing crazy kills with controllers because they are harder to work with, so my original idea was to get Infinite on the 360. MAN AM I GLAD I DIDN'T, though. The graphics on the PC version are GORGEOUS. SO about the game. I am a huge fan of the first Bioshock. Gameplay was really solid, story was phenomenal, I generally have no real complaints about it. Second game...it was good. It just lacked the amazing story of the first.
So, I came into this game with the knowledge that this was NOT a sequel to Bioshock, either of them, but was rather a sort of sidequel. First 30 minutes of the game had me marveling at the environment and setting, and had me already developing a very heavy hatred for Columbia and its citizens, in a good way. Emotional connection is a very strong aspect to this story and it builds more and more on that throughout the game. Your character, Booker DeWitt, has a personality that makes him rather relatable even despite his past, which is exposed later after the player gets some time to become acquainted with him, which resulted in me realizing I wasn't playing a typical good-guy. I was playing a very troubled individual, indeed, and I found him being a terrific blend of simple [in approach] and complex [in personality], something that only built up as the game went on. Elizabeth is probably the finest example of a companion AI I can think of in any game ever, and not just because she's pretty, sweet, and a bit naive but also because she, too, develops as a character AND she's incredibly useful, not getting in the way but instead helping you clear it. She never fires a shot, but her usefulness in combat cannot be understated. The fights are, against individual standard enemies, a bit one-sided in your favor but with the numerous special kinds of enemies that can and will be thrown your way, you can find yourself being overwhelmed and over-run VERY swiftly. Elizabeth is often the reason you will survive these encounters, giving you salts [this game's Eve], ammunition as you're running dry, and even health when you're in danger of being cut to pieces...which can and will happen quite often. The few times later in the game where you are without her aid are some of the hardest moments in the game and you quickly find yourself wishing that Elizabeth was with you again.
Also she finds and gives you money quite often. Another helpful little bonus. There is no running around saving her, either, so while this game is one very long, extended escort mission, it's an escort mission done so very well that it doesn't feel like a normal escort mission. She is far more of a help than a hindrance, and more games need to take to this road when designing escort missions because holy fuck am I sick of dumbass companion AIs who do nothing more than get in your field of fire and/or spend a lot of time running into groups of enemies for the sole purpose of getting murdered.
The environments are very fleshed out, the enemy designs are really cool, and the concepts behind the game are damn-near enthralling. The game explores the concepts of quantum physics being utilized for practical and esoteric purposes, the idea behind the multiverse theory, and the effect our choices have in the grand scheme of things. Like the previous Bioshocks, it is also a cautionary tale against extremism, this time in the form of American Exceptionalism, and more broadly, ultranationalism in general, cult mentalities, and what lengths people will go to for their convictions, their creeds, and their legacies. The story is a VERY human one. It's not overly dark, it's not cynical, it's not light or fluffy, it's just...human. It's very much simply, well, human. There is a hint of a tale of redemption, but it is devoid of a religious sense of it...even though the idea of redemption through faith is broached several times, it is shown that one needs no such thing as faith in anything to realize when they are in error, and when they have done wrong...and how faith itself can actually poison those attempts at redemption. The main character is an atheist with a delightful scorn towards religion and religious practices that nevertheless will not keep him from being relatable even to those of faith, because he is, simply, a very human individual.
I really cannot rave enough about the game. I just cannot. There's another thread on this game, where it's been mentioned that the game shows some seams in its gameplay but honestly I haven't found any of the bugs being mentioned and it's been complained that the game shows its similarities to the first Bioshock, and honestly, yes. Yes, it does have parallels to the game. It doesn't even try to hide the fact, really, but it's parallel in a very literal sense, with symbolism being a key note to a lot of things for the beginning of the game. The story, like Bioshock, has its own sudden shocking revelation and trust me when I say it's no less impressive than the first Bioshock's big revelation, even though it DOES happen very close to the end as opposed to the midway point. The characters' voice actors are stellar, there's a lot of moments that lend emotional, dramatic, and suspenseful weight to the entire story, the pacing is solid as titanium armor plating, and overall it's a roller-coaster ride of epic proportions...sometimes, quite literally so [sky-lines; WHEE!!]
There is one minor flaw; the save system. Dunno 'bout console versions, but on the PC, you only have one save slot and the system is auto-save-only. This is, I suspect, to prevent the 'cheating' aspect from the first Bioshock games, wherein you could just save before a really tough boss fight and if you lost you could try again or avoid it entirely. Still, I don't find that much of a hindrance, and in fact I like that for the challenge; you can't be a little bitch and spam the fuck out of the save function, you actually have to man the fuck up and show some damn skill, and FUCK YES I LOVE THAT. I'm just going to say, personally; if you're complaining about the save feature, you're probably butthurt you can't abuse it anymore. Man up.
I don't give 10/10 reviews much. Hell, some of my most favorite games in the past have only received 9s or 9.5s, usually because they always seem to have a giant, pulsating zit that mars the rest of the perfection but this time...this game has earned its 10. I take my hood off to you, Irrational Games. Well-played, excellent work, and please don't stop now; I'm havin' a good time.
The Breakdown:
Visuals:
Environments: 10 [it's a floating fucking ultranationalistic soon-to-be-dystopian American city in the clouds with tons of attention to detail, nuff said]
Graphics: 10 [seriously I love the cell-shading style in this game; not a damn soul can say "this game is just another brown-grey shooter," because holy fuck it really isn't.]
Character designs: 10 [Songbird, Elizabeth, the dress styles on the NPCs, the myriad different kinds of enemies, the fucking Patriots...fuck the hell yes]
Atmosphere: 10 [Like I said about the environments, same thing here, but the atmosphere of everything changes over time to suit the situation beautifully; everything goes from sunny to stormy over the course of the game as shit goes down, I love it]
Animation: 10 [No clipping, realistic movements, smooth animations in general, and thousands of tiny little touches here and there; I can't ask for any more]
Audio:
Sound effects: 10
Voice acting: 10
Music: 10
Ambience: 10
Gameplay:
Story: 10!!
Originality: 9 [One of only two 9s here; I only lower it because it does borrow some elements from the first game pretty clearly, but I didn't take it down too low because they explain why that is the case pretty clearly and effectively later in the game]
Controls: 9 [I would've given this a 10 but there WERE a few moments I got caught on a corner or a jutting piece of the terrain]
Programming: 10 [I've looked for bugs. I didn't experience a single one. I don't know how the hell this is possible.]
Satisfaction: 10 [The ending to this game...just...wow.]
Immersion: 10!! [I was on the edge of my seat quite a bit. I haven't done that playing a game in a while, and I can't remember the last time I was, really.]
Overall: This game is perfection, or at least the nearest I can hope to experience. I give it a 10, without a moment's doubt. This IS a must-play game. There is NO fucking excuse for you to pass this game up AT ALL. If you have to pass up five other AAA-blockbuster titles just for this one, DO IT. It will crush those other five titles HARD. It's even got some terrific replayability on it, since you can, like before, play to different strengths. Melee, guns, plasmi- er, Vigors, a mix of all or a couple. I always run through with more emphasis on sheer firepower, but I found that mix-and-matching playstyles was highly rewarding. Maybe I'll go an exclusive Vigor playthrough, next. They are ridiculously fun to play with.
So basically? Buy this or you fail as a gamer. This is not open to negotiation or differentiation of opinion. This is the objective truth we've all been seeking: OWN THIS GAME AND PLAY IT OR YOU FAIL.
No. Seriously. Get it right now.
