"Bioshock returns with its traditional and atmospheric gameplay in a brand new and extravagant world. An in depth story and terrific character development make this not only the most intriguing instalment of the series but quite possibly one of the best told sci-fi narratives of recent memory.”
The gameplay:
Bioshock: Infinite doesn’t diverge far from its predecessors and remains a first person shooting and vigor (spells) casting adventure. Players accumulate various weapons ranging from shotguns to RPG’s while also acquiring the ability to summon ravenous ravens, command lightning from their hands or even absorb enemy attacks and hurl them right back from where they came.
It’s important to note that above all else Bioshock: Infinite’s priority is to tell it’s wonderful story, so don’t expect a really advanced shooting experience here, in fact the gun-play itself is the weakest section of the game. That’s not to say it’s not fun albeit a little too easy at times, but the story is just so gripping that by the end you’ll be able to see the argument that ideally the developer would have merely wanted to walk you through the story and omitted the gameplay altogether, however crazy that idea sounds now.
Gone are the days of Big Daddies, Big Sisters and Little sisters, now a strange female protagonist called Elizabeth follows you throughout your adventure. Elizabeth is not only crucial to the story, but also to gameplay with her special ability to open tears in time and bring helpful goodies over from different dimensions like cover, extra ammo or new weapons. This is a terrific addition to gameplay as Elizabeth feels welcome and helpful at all times throughout your journey.
The presentation:
Bioshock: Infinite is set on the flying city of Columbia in the early 1900’s where traditionalist American values are upheld. This is a game that demonstrates exceptional vision and the resulting city will have you ooh’ing and ahh’ing at the gorgeous architecture and sheer depth of detail.
Bioshock: Infinite’s strongest suit is of course the story, which is not only absolutely incredible but it also finally explains the entire universe that encompasses the predecessor city of Rapture. In fact the story is so well written that it opens up Bioshock’s Universe to unlimited sequels but unfortunately I can’t go into anymore detail without revealing spoilers.
Some of you may be frustrated that the terror and creepiness that was associated with the series and Rapture, is almost completely gone. Bioshock: Infinite has very few scares and almost none in comparison to Bioshock 1 & 2. In fact you might find it immediately strange that Columbia is entirely populated full of sane people going about their daily lives – something that’s not been seen in the series yet.
The verdict:
Bioshock: Infinite has enjoyable gameplay, especially when played on higher difficulty levels. It also holds one of the most interesting stories of this generation, really getting you to think and commanding players to replay the game to experience it again with the knowledge you attain at the end that is bound to explain many dialogues and references throughout your adventure. All this being said, is it better than the original Bioshock? After all this praise, I can’t seem to say those words. As special as this is, Rapture was simply out of this world. To conclude, if you enjoyed the original, there is plenty of fun to be found here.
Gameplay – 7.5 out of 10
Presentation – 10 out of 10
Replay value – 8.5 out of 10
Verdict – 8.5 out of 10
Igor Kharin.
