Bioshock Infinite Review

Bioshock Infinite is one of those games that was super hyped. Though, I usually try to abstain from the hype surrounding most big name titles such as this one, it tends to ruin the game for me. All the same, I was still absolutely looking forward to this game. I even went to the midnight launch at the local Gamestop. It was pretty exciting, as it had been a long while since I've waited until midnight to pick up a video game. Midnight finally arrives and I pick up my game, and get in my car to go home and tear into the game. Only to find that my roommate is sleeping on the couch. Damn. So, I go to bed and decide to play it after a nights rest.

Finally I awoke, skipping breakfast to go straight for Bioshock Infinite. I had been waiting for this for a long time...

Bioshock Infinite is a fantastic, immersive, well rounded experience that is completely different from its predecessors, yet remains that certain indescribable feel to it that makes it a Bioshock game.

The new impossible city that players are transported to is Columbia, a city in the sky that has formed a religion based on the founding fathers of America and the citizens relentlessly follow their leader and their prophet Comstock. Players take on the role of the not so silent protagonist of Booker Dewitt, as he is sent to this mysterious, and absolutely gorgeous, place to retrieve a girl named Elizabeth in an effort to wipe away the sins of his dark past. Upon arriving in Columbia, Booker immediately finds himself in a mess as all signs point to him being the so called "False-Prophet" this then leads the population of Columbus to immediately attack Booker, and cause the game to erupt into a fit of violence, quite gorily at that, as the game starts to get going. The first act of violence is having Dewitt smash an officers face into a rapidly spinning skyhook, which he then yanks out of the body and uses it as a melee weapon. However, players grab a gun Bioshock Infinite the violence is from more of a distance. Though, the skyhook is still a useful tool as it allows players to get from one place to another, and allows for amazing firefights by allowing players to leap on to skylines and race around the area, with a sort of birds eye view.

Aside from the gore, Bioshock Infinite works a lot like the previous Bioshock games. Gunplay, atmosphere, and RPG elements are all par for the course here and allow the player to go about the world in their own particular fancy. Instead of Plasmids, players are now endowed with Vigors, but they still work the same. As with previous Bioshock games, these super powers are a major element to the gameplay and at a lot to the mix, as in players can mix the Vigor powers together to create devastating combinations. For example, throw a murder of crows at an enemy, and add in some flare by throwing a ball of Devils Kiss, a fire based Vigor, to light the crows, and the enemy, on fire. Bioshock has a sort of, two and two system. Unfortunately this means that the player can only have two weapons equipped at a time. This also means that players can only have two Vigors equipped at a time,but this does allow for the Vigor combos. Though, this doesn't mean that players can't access all of the Vigors that they've picked up along the way, in fact they still have access to them and can even purchase upgrades for them that drastically improves these powers.

Where as Bioshock had Adam to purchase and upgrade buffs and Plasmids, Infinite has gear and money. To make the game more simplistic and streamlined for a more casual audience, Bioshock Infinite has gear that can be mixed and matched to change up play styles according to the players preferences. Also, instead of having a special kind of currency for upgrading Vigors, like the Adam of the first game, everything can be purchased with money that is found everywhere in the game.

Once players finally meet up with Elizabeth and break her out of her imprisonment, the game really starts to flow. Elizabeth has the distinct ability to open up what are referred to as tears, doorways to different dimensions where things are that aren't in this dimension. Elizabeth describes it as a form of wish fulfillment, as she opens up tears that have cover, guns, or health that can really change how the battle flows. Elizabeth is also extremely good at keeping Booker well stocked on health, ammo, and Salts to keep the player alive and well. Elizabeth also finds conveniently finds money lying around when you're doing some looting yourself. The game is still a good challenge despite having a magical girl that can supply you with anything that you need.

The fire fights and combat elements of Bioshock Infinite are a real blast. With tough enemies, and Elizabeth using here abilities to change the shape of the battlefield, Bioshock Infinite is an experience unlike any other. The enemies in the game provide enough variety to keep things interesting enough as well. There is a host of bad guys that bombard Booker and Elizabeth. Rifleman, chargers, snipers, grenadiers, turrets, enemies that use Vigors, automated patriots, and the terrifying Handyman. With the sort of minimalist approach to Bioshock Infinite's loadout, the game keeps on moving, and forcing the player to quickly think on their feet and not pause the game to select the next weapon in their arsenal to keep the fight going. Because of the limitation in the amount of weapons that the player can hold, and having Elizabeth along to open up tears, there is a lot of room for improvisation.

Bioshock Infinite is amazing, in that, it is something completely different from its predecessors, yet maintains that certain, inexplicable feel that it remains to be of that certain pedigree that we've all come to know and love from these developers. This is an amazing game, and one that belongs in your library for sure. Go out and get it.