Released: March 26th 2013
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Certificate: 18
Formats: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC
Played on: PS3
From its introduction in 2007, the Bioshock series has proven
itself to be more than just a versatile first person shooter; the fascinating
stories and lovingly crafted worlds in each game elevate them to a level of prominence
reached by the most artistic and imaginative works in the industry. The trilogy
comes to an end with Bioshock Infinite, another fantastic and thought-provoking
title from Irrational Games.
Infinite takes place in 1912, where former Pinkerton agent
Booker Dewitt (Voiced by Troy Baker) is tasked to “bring us the girl and wipe
away the debt”. This cryptic note engages the player immediately, wrapping
them up in game’s mysteries; what is this debt? What does he owe? We want to
find out more about Booker and this intrigue explodes upon reaching the game’s
primary setting. He’s transported to the floating city of Colombia where he
begins his search for a woman named Elizabeth (Courtnee Draper), who has been
imprisoned for many years. The city itself was constructed by the enigmatic
Father Comstock who has crowned himself The Prophet after seceding from the
United States. A sinister plan involving Elizabeth exists on the horizon and
Comstock tussles with the rebels of the Vox Populi who aim to fight back against
persecution. The game then launches headlong into an incredibly deep story in
which Booker and Elizabeth must escape the city while unravelling the mysteries
of their pasts. Religious fanaticism, divide through inequality and the lines
of morality and just some of the critical themes that Infinite delves into and
some of the more sensitive subject matter examines the darker side of religion
and the impact it has on humanity. Even the two main factions; Comstock’s
Minutemen and the Vox Populi are not always clearly defined as fully good or
evil, adding an ambiguity to the narrative. The extensive themes are matched only
by the characters, who are all highly engaging; Elizabeth is an elusive, yet
curious and fascinating character who possesses a crucial power to open up
tears in time and space and it is this trait that gives the story much more
unpredictability. Booker on the over hand is an immensely violent and
unsympathetic man, his background laced with sins and immoral deeds and yet you’re
still invested in what will happen to him. Bioshock Infinite’s story is immaculately
produced and presented; it engrosses the player in a way that few games can.
Bioshock Infinite maintains a fairly familiar structure of
combat and interaction; and while it feels much more linear and direct when
compared with the previous games in the series, there are still avenues for
exploration and other things to do in the world. You may go down one corridor
or into a certain building and come across a safe or room which Elizabeth can
unlock for a batch of supplies and loot, or you might find one of several
voxophones (audio diaries) or encoded messages which give further detail about
Colombia and its people. Upgrades to weaponry, vigours and Booker’s own stats
(Which include health, shields and vigour capacity) are dished out over the
course of the campaign through vending machines and the levels themselves. In
addition, there are also clothing items which can be equipped to grant Booker
four additional effects which range from increased critical damage to setting
enemies ablaze when launching into an enemy with a skyline strike. You’ll want
to explore each environment fully because once you choose to leave an area, you
can’t return later like you could before; this kind of design both limits
backtracking and maintains the game’s brisk pacing, which also features some
set-piece moments that provide a brilliant spectacle and tension. At around ten
hours, the game’s campaign isn’t the longest on the market, but because the
story is so detailed and enriched with deep themes, you’ll want to play it
through again. There’s also the perma-death “1999 Mode”, a brutally difficult
challenge that requires much more planning and consideration.
With continued improvements and refinements to combat,
Infinite’s gameplay marks itself as the fastest and most frenetic in the series.
It all controls very well, with both imaginative firearms and devastating
vigour powers such as hordes of vicious crows at Booker’s disposal at all
times. The combat felt a little basic to me at first with its two weapon limit,
something which Bioshock 1 and 2 didn’t restrict you on; but as the game
rumbles onward, both the environments and the options you have at your disposal
open up. You might choose to have Elizabeth create a piece of cover and pick
off enemies from a distance with a sniper rifle, or combine the charge vigour
with skyline rides and a shotgun to get up close for massive damage. You are
afforded further flexibility with the upgrades obtained from vending machines
which can improve things from weapon damage to adding new effects on each
vigour power; by combining traditional gunplay, different vigour combinations
and Elizabeth’s capable resources, combat in Bioshock Infinite becomes
something very tactical and choice-driven. Enemies are smart, varied and
ruthless in the way they pursue Booker with some rocking their own vigours and
increased armour.
The only real issues I have with the gameplay are the skyline
controls and encounters which end up feeling more like bullet sponges than
trials of skill and strategic choices. When riding a skyline, the reticule to
disembark onto solid ground or to send an enemy flying with a skyline strike
can be a bit fiddly to manage, especially in the middle of combat. On other occasions,
the combat can devolve into basic, almost restrictive instances where you fire
off a few shots and vigours, take cover and popping out again while waiting for
Elizabeth to toss you another item; this can make fights drag on late in the
game when enemies have much larger health pools. The combat does have a few
problems, but ultimately they don’t interfere too much with its overall feel
and fun factor.
Bioshock Infinite’s world is absolutely beautiful to look at
in that it forms a polar opposite to its predecessors in both tone and style. While
Rapture’s dreary and depressing backdrops gave a gloomy and foreboding
atmosphere, Columbia is a bright and beautiful backdrop where colossal
monuments to American exceptionalism blend with steampunk architecture and
dramatic religious undertones. A sense of vertigo envelopes the player as they
traverse between the massive blimps and airships, and the cell shaded art style
results in a far more colourful game than the previous two. Yet this seemingly
inviting city rings hollow when you dig under the surface and realise just how
flawed and contradictory it is; propaganda is everywhere, an intense nationalism
firmly grips the inhabitants and white dominance is a commonly accepted norm.
As the darkest secrets of Colombia came to light, I started to question the
game’s themes and narrative even more, creating an even more compelling reason
to press onwards. The violence in the game is often gruesome with enemies
exploding and popping in all kinds of nasty ways to provide a brilliant impact
to the tools at Booker’s disposal. The sound behind every weapon and location is
incredible; there’s a heavy use of stringed instruments which forms suppressed
vigils and heart-pounding combat pieces. Brutal sound effects and sound cues
give combat a harrowing edge that ups the intensity and gets the adrenaline
pumping. Despite the insane amount of enemies, moving objects and environmental
effects on screen, the game’s frame rate never fluctuates, ensuring a smooth
experience throughout. Infinite’s presentation is as solid as they come; there
are few technical hiccups to distract the player from the immersive nature of
the game world.
Bioshock Infinite is a gargantuan and phenomenal close to a
truly profound series of games; the story the game has to tell and the world it
places you in are some of the finest and most imaginative ever seen in the
medium, but this comes at no cost to the gameplay and design. Truly it is one
of the best shooters you’ll play on the seventh generation of consoles.
Rating: 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.