BioShock Infinite is simply an incredible experience from beginning to end.
For starters, the main character is Booker Dewitt, who is set out to the fictitious city of Colombia in order to locate, recover, and return a young woman to wipe away a debt, the details of which are enigmatic. Of course, the whole ordeal is far from what Booker has previously bargained for as he's shot up into the sky and introduced to the city of Colombia, which is held up by what appear to be massive balloons. The intro to BioShock Infinite, roughly the first 20 minutes or so, is simply breathtaking. Being propelled above the clouds and catching an opening glimpse of Colombia is an unforgettable sight. A glance of a giant statue of a man is seen among what seems to be a lively, and peaceful, city. Similar messages as the ones seen in the first BioShock game appear in some sort of church where Booker is initially dropped off, drawing similarities between the two right off the bat, and not to mention the fact that it's a lighthouse that leads him to the city in the first place.
Presentation-wise, BioShock Infinite nails it. The graphics, including, but not limited to, the textures, lighting, and overall detail appear much sharper than they did with the original BioShock game, which is to be expected in a six year span. Nevertheless, it's still amazing to witness a game as beautiful as this one on the aging current generation consoles. Colombia is vibrant with its bright colors and lively early 20th century vibe, a stark contrast to Rapture, which was noticeably ominous off the bat. To not take in this vivacious world as soon as stepping foot into it would genuinely be a shame. There's a plethora of info to take in from chatty citizens and scattered voxophones- the equivalent to audio diaries in this game. Furthermore, a carnival and parade can be taken part in and witnessed respectively shortly after entering Colombia. Few clues, such as a distressed Handyman (a large robotic creature with some human parts and characteristics) being shown off at the carnival hint to the initially hidden dark side of Colombia, much of which there is to explore later in the game.
The violent, grim portion of Colombia is made evident shortly after Booker is seen as a threat to Colombia, due to a mysterious mark on his arm that spell out the initials, A.D. As well, the public shaming of an interracial couple is a catalyst for the more touchy themes to appear in the game, with religion being a major one, as experienced in even earlier events. Not too long after the first fighting sections, Booker manages to find the girl, Elizabeth, whom of which was held captive by Comstock, the founder of Colombia, and guarded by a large robotic bird, Songbird. This giant creature draws a clear parallel to the Big Daddies of Rapture in previous BioShock games, whom of which act as guardians and protectors. To make more relatively obvious comparisons to BioShock Infinite's predecessors, Comstock is what Andrew Ryan was to Rapture. He's essentially seen as a God-like figure to the people of Colombia, and has a plentiful crowd of supporters. That said, there is a resistance group, the Vox Populi (Latin for voice of the people) attempting to overthrow Comstock and his followers- the Founders. While this conflict has nothing to do with why Booker came to Colombia, he and Elizabeth soon become involved in the middle of it, and thus it becomes significant component of the story.
As far as gameplay goes, BioShock Infinite's is satisfactory and a nice step up from the previous Bioshock games. There's a fair variety of weaponry, ranging from basic firearms like the sniper rifle, to more uniquely-named ones like the Hailfire, which rains down fireballs on enemies- though only two weapons may be carried at once this time around, making for strategic, albeit slightly limited gameplay. Elizabeth acts as an AI partner throughout the majority of the game; although, fortunately, at no point is it necessary to have to watch over her for any reason. Better yet, she actually supplies Booker with much needed supplies at times during firefights. She can prove to literally be a life saver as she will sometimes even toss Booker a health pack when near death in the middle of a dire situation. Her supplying is never overdone to make the game feel too easy; it takes time for her to able to provide a certain supply, with health packs taking a longer time for her to find again. Additionally, she provides help outside of combat, picking locks to doors and safes for access to hidden areas or goodies. Furthermore, Elizabeth possesses a fascinating ability to open tears, which are fabrics of space-time, to keep it simple. Throughout the game, she can open tears to reveal beneficial items in the midst of combat such as turrets, health packs, cover, and so forth. Overall, Elizabeth's partnership is the best implementation of an AI partner witnessed in practically any game out there. To top all of that, she does well in staying out of the way almost all of the time, virtually never being a distraction as a result.
Plasmids from Bioshock and BioShock 2 return in different fashion. BioShock Infinite features vigors, which act similarly to plasmids. A few familiar powers such as your basic fireball and electric shock return, though there's some new, and interesting, abilities. One such example is called murder of crows, which unleashes a mass number of deadly crows that attack and stun enemies. Another vigor, named bucking bronco, sends foes airborne for a short period of time, leaving them open for attack, or even sending them flying over the edges of Colombia. Vigors may be combined to result in even more devastating effects; for instance, possessing an enemy and then setting them ablaze results in a flaming explosion once the possession wears off. Using vigors adds quite a bit of excitement to what would otherwise be a relatively straightforward shooter in terms of the gameplay. Silver dollars, the currency of Colombia, are used to upgrade these aforementioned vigors, as well as weapons. Upgrades must be thought about carefully as there isn't nearly enough money to purchase every single upgrade throughout the game, which isn't necessarily a negative, since each and every upgrade needs to be thoughtful and is usually significant in terms of advantages.
Another interesting aspect concerning the gameplay is the rail system, which may be used to ride on thanks to the grappling hook acquired early in the game that also acts as a brutal close melee weapon. These railways are found in several levels and are often used during shoot-outs; as well, they are commonly a means of transportation. Oftentimes, the railways are a viable way to temporarily escape from enemies. Not only that, shooting enemies, and even executing them from above or while they are also cruising the railways is possible whilst traversing these systems. In all, it works out quite well, though fights can potentially go awry due to constantly trying to leap on and off while surrounded by enemies. Still, it generally functions smoothly along with the rest of the combat system. Movement, shooting, and using vigors is more often fluid than it isn't. Dying isn't troublesome as minimal progress is lost, lessening frustrating, yet still making the game a fair challenge due to some hard hitting enemies and the need to strategically use tears and so forth. Unlike its predecessors, BioShock Infinite implements a recharging shield (similar to a game such as Borderlands) to make up for the fact that health packs are only usable one time when they are found. Gear, found scattered throughout the game, takes place of tonics, but with only four separate components of the outfit usable at a time. Moreover, infusions located throughout the game upgrade health, salts (used for vigors), or the shield, providing more incentive to explore the engrossing world.
While the gameplay shines in some areas, it's definitely not the strongest aspect of BioShock Infinite. One way in which its predecessors have it beat in terms of gameplay are memorable mini-boss battles, particularly with Big Daddies. BioShock Infinite has Handymen, that, in a way, take place of Big Daddies in terms of these mini-boss battles, but they just aren't as exciting or memorable. What's just as memorable, and possibly even more so as the franchise's past titles is the writing, story, and of course, the characters. One primary example is the interaction between Booker and Elizabeth during the course of the game. The characters seem to become closer just as the player becomes closer to these two characters. Superb voice acting highly contributes to the wonderful character development. Comstock is an intriguing antagonist, and nearly every other side character has some sort of significance, whether it be Comstock's dead spouse, a fellow soldier who fought alongside Booker at Wounded Knee, or the perplexing Lutece siblings, who mysteriously appear at random intervals in unlikely locations.
As the game progresses, everything slowly becomes more grim, with the more accurate side of Colombia making its appearance. Instead of gleeful children and townspeople going about their business as seen at the start of the journey, war torn portions of the city, shanty towns, and generally gloomy scenes are to be witnessed later on. Yet, it's not all just dark and depressing. Some optimistic scenes such as Booker and Elizabeth gently performing a song while comforting a poverty-stricken boy is one such instance of harmony to be witnessed in an experience that is otherwise often violent and unsettling. The plot continually thickens to the point where it isn't simply a rescue mission anymore. Due to the story alone, BioShock Infinite can prove to be one of those games that it tough to put down. Each level tends to have its fair share of significance. And even with some of the levels that aren't as essential to the plot, there's typically plenty to explore, though the game is quite linear otherwise. Some backtracking does add some potentially unnecessary time, however, it also provides a good opportunity to explore nooks and crannies left unexplored the first time around.
Notably, there is almost never a dull moment in BioShock Infinite. While there's of course the compelling plot and enjoyable bursts of action to thank, there's some elements that definitely shouldn't be overlooked. The atmosphere is easily one of these elements. From the vivid, cheerful side of Colombia to the ominous, uncomforting portion, there's always a rich, immersive atmosphere to take in with each and every step taken. Unsurprisingly, it's the audio that does wonders in cultivating this extraordinary atmosphere. Old-timey music is frequently heard, no matter the situation, keeping the time period in check throughout the game's entirety. Every sound and bit of music simply coincides splendidly with the events portrayed in the game, as well as the atmosphere as a whole. Heart pumping tracks play away in midst of firefights, ensuring that lengthier skirmishes don't become too tiresome.
Buried within everything that makes BioShock Infinite a wonderful, near perfect, game are a few minor issues. While BioShock Infinite is a well-polished game, a couple of minor oddities may potentially be experienced. For instance, Elizabeth's AI is overall superlatively programmed, but infrequent issues may occur such as her not properly following Booker, especially when the rail system is involved. It was a one time happening for me, and it didn't negatively impact the game other than the fact that her dialogue kept going on despite her temporary lack of presence. The random bits of loading that occur while traveling are another slight shortcoming. Loading times in general aren't any sort of trouble, however, it's the random pauses at specific locations within levels that prove to be one of this game's scanty annoyances. Lastly, there's the save system, which is odd, though not necessarily problematic. Instead of one simple save file, a file is made at the beginning of each level with the progress that has been accumulated thus far. This system makes replaying specific portions a tad confusing, however, again, it's not an actual downfall to the game. In the grand scheme of things, the positives heavily outnumber the minuscule negatives, making BioShock Infinite an overall incredibly put together game.
There are a myriad of memorable moments throughout BioShock Infinite's approximately 10 hour story. Plenty of lighthearted, heart-wrenching, and shocking moments are to be experienced. The final fight sequence is a bit lackluster and oddly designed unfortunately, but the events that follow are unforgettable. Most of the past, unexplained mysteries are answered, and once said and done, brain chunks may need to be picked up as a result of the finale's mind-blowing nature. To somewhat clarify and to not spoil anything, the ending is unprecedented. It's one that will leave most players thinking; as a consequence, it doesn't fully answer everything, yet these well-executed last moments are absolutely distinguishing and satisfying.
BioShock Infinite is a rarity, a generation defining game. There are but a few games out there, especially in the first-person shooter department, that match the excellence of this one. The delays that set BioShock Infinite back several months are definitely forgivable, especially given the end product. BioShock Infinite is truly a prime example of a superbly, and professionally, put together game. While it's relatively brief at 10 hours long, the quality easily outshines the quantity. As well, the meager flaws present are insignificant compared to the consistently immersive and captivating experience. 1999 Mode, unlocked after completing the game or via input of a certain code, is a great opportunity for a more challenging playthrough. But, it doesn't take much incentive to play through this fantastic game again. Simply put, BioShock Infinite is an incredible experience from beginning to end.