I often wondered if I'd ever play a game that I felt deserved an unashamed 10 out of 10. I finally found it with this title. Utterly incredible. Graphics, immersion, atmosphere, gameplay everything absolutely spectacular. Best game I've played in years.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILERS!

Just finished the game, took me around 30+ hours.

I'm glad I decided to play 1999 mode on my first play through, it made the game really challenging and I died just enough times.

This was a really special game, what a mind blowing and rare experience! Grabbing my favorite kind of game, (fps rpg) and wrap it around a really good story. I loved how rich and alive the world feels, you really feel you're in this city with its own twisted culture and beliefs, and I loved how you were there before everything went to so you actually got to see the beauty and majesty of Columbia. I mean, the city breads believability, electronics all have a brand, and so does food, clothing, alcohol, tabaco, etc. I love how themed everything is, everything makes sense and its not only there to fill up the environment. From FINKs crates to Prophets propaganda props.
Another thing Irrational Games nailed once again, was what I like to call environment storytelling, the way dead bodies were placed and the destroyed stuff around them, if you take a second to absolve the room you're in, you can really picture what happened in there with you're mind. I like to all this the "half eaten donut moment" from the movie Aliens, you don't always need to tell a story, just present pieces of it, like puzzle pieces, and people will put it together in their minds, and IG artists and designers always excelled at this, it is so inspiring for me.
It really felt that the artists made the art of the game to support both the gameplay AND the story, and not only to make a pretty game, and for those who work on the games industry, you know how challenging that is!

Gameplay wise, I gotta say the combat is loads of fun! Weapons feel really good, and I found myself using a wide range of weapons through the game, but ultimately I used the Sniper/RPG combination the most. Enemies and AI are smart and challenging enough, Melee and shotguns guys strike at you while rifle and other dudes take cover and whatnot. Overall I found the combat really rewarding and fun, this is a shooter after all so I'm glad they made it compelling to just shoot at bad guys.

I gotta say though, the Vigors in the game are really poor. I found the Plasmids in Bioshock a lot better somehow and I found myself using pretty much all of them, whereas in Bioshock Infinite I pretty much only used a couple, and rarely.
Bioshock gave you a lot of temptation to use the plasmids, well placed oil puddles, water puddles, Telekinisis to get unreachable stuff and other things. Maybe the levels in that game were smaller and easier to design/play with plasmids, but still...
Another thing, the game never really forces you to use the Vigors, I remember in Bioshock they made you use the Electro Bolt to open certain doors, Fire to ignite certain areas and open frozen doors, etc, etc. On Infinite Vigors are exclusively used for combat, maybe they did that to simplify the game, make it more mainstream, along with the idea of removing hacking and lock picking.

Also, I kept waiting for that big moment when you had to fight the all mighty and feared Songbird, but that moment never happened, in fact, its curious how this game doesn't have many bosses, I can only think of one, Lady Comstocks ghost. You have those mini-boss guys with the crows and the handymans, but still, bit of a wasted opportunity there for a badass boss scene when Songbird kidnaps Liz and take her to Comstock.
And speaking of Comstock, anyone else think his death was extremely anti-climatic? You slap his head and drown in a water puddle? Again, wasted boss potential there, I was expecting the final fight with the Prophet to be one of a kind.

Still in the subject of bosses, wtf was that last boss scene? If I can call it that? They just trown enemies and Motorized Patriots at you, and that's it!! No epic climax boss scene... In Bioshocks last boss scene, they make you fight Atlas, this big ass mutated and the game makes you use all the Plasmids you've got to be able to beat all the stages of the boss, which is awesome cos it makes you use everything you learned during the game, where's in Infinite you just get normal enemies being trown at you... Again, wasted opportunity for a epic climax!

Bioshock was one of the best and the most memorable games of the last decade for me, Infinite builds on top of that legacy and makes it better in many many many ways, unfortunately it was also a bit streamlined in many ways.

With that being said, this was one awesome game that will live in my memory for many years, if not ever! I might have sounded overly negative or critic, but it was only because I care about it so much and was able to see the tiny flaws of it. I can't praise this game enought though! I'll be playing it a second time soon for sure, and I can't wait for the dlcs, curious to see what they'll come up with.

Oh... And the end cutscene, with the plot twist and all, damn!… Expand

I hate to do this to one of my favorite franchises around, but i must. This is not an awful game by far, it just doesn't meet with Bioshock 1 standards. Graphically not better than the first. Story not even close to the first. Gameplay... hmmm not better than the first but not terrible. Overall just a fun game and ok story line, nothing great. I'm a bit disappointed

I can't help but wonder: If we took the Bioshock name off the title, would it still be receiving such praise? Frankly, most of the elements that were unique to BioShock have been utterly stripped from this title. There's still plasmids (Vigors) and a steampunk setting but that is where the similarities cease. The hacking elements are gone, lockpicking is taken away from the player and given to an AI, the research camera is removed, and paying attention to health has been replaced with the all-too-generic "regenerating health" mechanic. BioShock's "Big Daddies" are replaced with "Handymen" who are seen far too infrequently, and "Motorized Patriots" which are overused. The vast majority of the enemy AI are merely footsolders who are easy to defeat (and completely stupid) even on the hardest setting. The shooting mechanics have never been particularly strong in the BioShock franchise but BioShock Infinite strips it down further, allowing players to carry only two weapons at any given time like any other stock FPS title. In addition, the vigor powers themselves are lackluster and chances are you'll go through the entire game running with Possession (the hacking "replacement") and Bucking Bronco or Murder of Crows (the two Vigors which have the most effect on enemy mobs loss of control and stun+damage, respectively). We get Vigor powers like "Shock Jockey" (the name should tell you what it does) and the game points out how we can use it to power up devices but then we only get one particular device to use it on and little reason to use it again. So this leaves us with the story which seems to be getting the most praise. However, the story itself is a series of walking cliches and tropes about multiverse theory and time-space manipulation and, frankly, has been addressed better elsewhere in countless science fiction novels, movies, TV shows, and even comic books. When the game explains the concepts of "constants and variables" in the multiverse it feels more like they're attempting to justify why the game took such a hard 90 degree turn away from previous gameplay demos in order to proffer this metaphysical theme. Where, for example, is the Elizabeth AI we were shown where she fought along side of us? Gone and replaced with a cowering AI that gets in the way and offers little help but tossing us items from time to time. Where, for example, were the critical moments in the game shown during gameplay demos of E3's past? Gone and replaced with overly cerebral tropes about quantum mechanics and multiple realities. Where, for example, are all the examples of how the sky-rail plays a critical role in the game? Just gone, entirely. Don't get me wrong, the story is heads and shoulders better than MOST games these days and the attention to detail is second to none. For those reasons alone the game should be experienced at least once. It's just the story isn't nearly as new OR earth shattering as many claim it to be and, if I didn't care about spoilers, I could point out how Infinite almost perfectly parallels the story of Walter and Peter Bishop from the TV show Fringe. While the story is better than most it really doesn't make the shortcomings of the gameplay easier to bear. Finally, for a game which was designed exclusively for single player, the game is very short, clocking in at a total of 14 hours on the hard difficulty setting with most of the collectibles obtained. Given the fact that many elements were chopped out of the gameplay videos, I can't help but wonder how much is sitting on the cutting room floor, or if key parts were stripped in order to push out fast DLC. There's no reason this game shouldn't have been AT LEAST 20 hours in length, especially given how linear it is designed. All in all, it's a decent game but painfully average in terms of gameplay and only barely above average in terms of story. Levine spent so much time on the metaphysical that it feels like he and the development team forgot that it was all of the elements, combined, that made BioShock so distinct and enjoyable. It's worth playing at least once to soak in all the wonder but, sadly, you won't really be going back to play it again since nothing (except difficulty) changes between play throughs.… Expand

Enjoyed the experience a good bit due to the crazy setting and story but just like the original Bioshock, the combat that you are doing throughout the entire game is lacking.

I was blown away by how this game pulled me in. I don't usually care about the story in video games, but this one really had me. The music in the game is awesome. I wonder how much they had to pay for all of those music rights. This is the best game I've played since Skyrim.

Fantastic game, fantastic story, fantastic graphics, fantastic gameplay, fantastic characters, fantastic locations, fantastic twist, fantastic enemyes and truly sad ending.

Only moderately decent as a shooter but worth playing once through for a reasonably engaging story and imaginative environments. However, playing at turtle speed and strolling around looking at every painting on the wall will only buy you 12-15 hours of game play making the experiencing limited. I felt like I got Act I and then someone decided to cram Acts II III into the last 2 hours rather than fully developing a complete AAA game. For that reason, I would recommend waiting until the final edition is released with all DLC and put on sale for $20-$30 which is where the price point is worthy of being for the ride.… Expand

A bit more simplified when compared to Bioshock... yet equally (if not more) fun than its predecessor. What makes this game so special is the incredible setting and mesmerizing story, one which will be remembered as one of gaming's best... an ending that satisfies and shocks more than you could have ever wanted... and an AI companion that is all but artificial. While we're a part of a console-dominant era, System shock's gameplay mechanics are lost and gone, crying and pleading will not bring them back (maybe kickstarter might, who knows)...and i could have been PC-elitist-centric and whine throughout my Bioshock Infinite experience, but i can't...and wont...
I had a lot of fun, i was touched by the story...i loved the graphics, the design and atmosphere... the music...the sounds and the voice-acting. Hope you have as much fun as i had and let the Bioshock saga continue, it deserves nothing less.… Expand

A game that clearly shows the developers wanted to make a masterpiece. The story follows many of the strengths of the original Bioshock, but goes even deeper than before. All too often games that deal in quantum physics and science fiction get lost plot holes and contrivances, but Bioshock Infinite welcomes speculation and the more you think about what's happening the more you respect all the details the writers added to the story. While there aren't too many permanent characters throughout the game, Elizabeth is easily one of the best written female characters in gaming. I couldn't possibly list half the things I loved about this game without spoiling it, but this is a game I could recommend to anyone.
Coming back to the actual mechanics of the game, the graphics are phenomenal. They run well on mid-range cards and rely on beautiful art design and animation to make Columbia one of the most beautiful venues in video games yet. The music is appropriate, but the rest of the sound design (in Bioshock fashion) is excellent, and many of the audio logs are simply chilling. Voice acting is for the most part top-notch.
If I have a complaint about Bioshock infinite, it's in the combat. Enemy AI is fairly basic and enemy variety is a bit wanting. The vigors are nice, but not as varied or powerful as before. That being said, the setting is much more open and diverse than the previous games. Still, truth be told, I preferred the original game's combat a little bit. Nonetheless, while this isn't a "flawless" game, it is a masterpiece, and it will be looked back on as an important step in gaming. It shows that there are still developers out there who look to their game as a piece of art and are willing to push boundaries.… Expand

An extremely captivating gaming experience. The gameplay is good, the story is wonderfully told and the world is worth the purchase alone. In a market saturated by "HOORA AMERICA"shooters (Battlefield, Call of Duty, Homefront, Medal of Honor), it's refreshing to see a game tear American Exceptionalism apart. While the gameplay is pretty solid, the real stars are the story and the world. The developers took a lot of big risks in this game, with a lot of decisions that could have easily backfired and ruined the whole experience. The fact that everything works so well together is remarkable in its own right. I think calling it "The greatest game of all time" like some other reviewers are is kind of a stretch, but certainly I don't think anything else coming out this year will even approach the quality of Bioshock Infinite. If you liked the first Bioshock, you probably already have this game, but if you don't you owe it to yourself to get this. If you felt that the gameplay was dull in the original Bioshock or that that lack of subtlety in dealing with broader philosophical and political concepts was problematic, you're going to find the same issues here. However, I absolutely loved the experience.… Expand

Pros: Setting is masterfully crafted and well-detailed. Good main characters. Lots of style and flair. Decent story with a moral backbone that few other games have.

Cons: Gameplay leaves lots to be desired. Like its predecessor, Bioshock, it still leaves a lot to be desired in comparison to the game these titles are supposed to be the spiritual successor for: System Shock 2. Bioshock Infinite is a shooter with extremely light RPG influences, and even as a shooter, it's only an OK one. Playing B:I, I myself looking forward to the dialogue between the main characters--which thankfully there is plenty off--but nearly falling asleep during gameplay segments, looking forward to them being over so I can get to the next scene. Also, the UI looks nice, but it's terrible from a usability perspective, especially on the PC. The gear system, for example, is pitifully designed.

All in all, it's a well-polished game. I love that it's focused on single player only with no frills. I love the game's themes and design. But the gameplay is so shallow, the AI is weak, and I'm left with little desire to play the game again.… Expand

Game deserves all the praise it's getting. Some very touchy subject matter involving racism but I can appreciate how they went about it and its appropriate for the time period and how people actually thought and behaved. Will be an eye opener for many I believe. I'm about 7 hours into it myself and have enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend playing on hard difficulty as it makes it a much more enjoyable experience and actually gives it a challenge.… Expand

The best FPS I've ever played. And the biggest reason I can give you is Elizabeth. Elizabeth the best NPC in any video game I've ever played. THe gameplay is excellent (though fiddly at times) the graphics are top notch (not the aboluste best, but only a tad under) the sense of "being there" is fantastic as the details is just breath taking. The game mechanics are worked out and smooth. But it is Elizabeth I've fallen in love with a sodding video game character. Please let me buy all your DLC expansions and follow ups. Sign me up right now but if you change her personality Irrational Games... I'm coming after you with a stick covered in dog excrement.… Expand

Just finished. Amazing game. Kept me hooked beginning to end, did not want to do anything else. So many details that were cool and unique and found nowhere else. The story is incredible and this is the first game I've bought in a while that I actually felt deserved my money. One thing I will say is the fighting tended to get repetitive with the shoot this guy, search that garbage can for ammo, shoot that guy, search some corpses for a sandwich, etc. I've never seen so much money just strewn about and thrown away anywhere. If there had to be a flaw, it would be the search-system. Not sure how one would fix that, but it is what it is. Doesn't detract from the game though. LOVES me that hand cannon.… Expand

I don't know if I've ever given any game a 10. But if any game deserves it, it's this one. The graphical detail, the voice-overs, the sounds, the innovative storyline and the game play are unsurpassed in any game I've played in the last several years. Really an incredible gaming experience. This is the type of game that makes you want to go out and spend big money on a PC upgrade. I won't get into details plenty of others have. Just suffice it to say that if you're a PC gamer, you NEED to play this game. Awesome job, 2k!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well i can't deny that the story from beginning to end was quite intriguing and nearly brilliant. i use the term brilliant as it caused quite some confusion halfway trough when the first inter-dimensional travel happened. It felt...Forced. First you are in the relatively normal world and suddenly your in the dimension where the Rebellion was already full underway. if the transition was less sudden it would have helped, but alas. There were also the loose ends here and there.
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Game-play wise. it was poor. The details were great but the game-play felt simplified. the world lacked the depth and freedom of the former Bioshock games. The enemies where rather bland (they were fodder. 1 shot to the head with a pistol and done most of the time!) and the few "special" enemies were spread out thin. you encounter the Handy-men a few times trough out the game (they were miniature bosses) and the Boys of silence you encounter in only one level and have no single importance. The Vigor system (tough nicely thought up) wasn't needed most the time and i still have yet to hear where they came from unlike their plasmid counterpart that was properly explained.
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Its a good game, but in the end im afraid the over focus on the story has left the game-play slightly lacking. I did like the Luteces tough. added a little bit of silliness here and there which was surely needed.… Expand

Absolute triumph of smart and deep storytelling, which is beatifully, masterfully made and pure fun to play... seems like candidate for game of the decade!

Good game but there is no replay value after finishing it The game world and the story are a bit ridiculous for my taste and the graphics are very "cartoonish". I gave it a 7 for being a good game but this is not a classic as it is majorly overhyped by some people

Game is fantastic. However, it isn't perfect; at least on PC. There are a few notable things that nearly all PC games have that this game simply lacks with no explanation other than it being a port. The graphics are fantastic, the art content and game design are superb. But why on earth can you not have multiple saves, let alone being able to save where you want. Bioshock 1 and 2 had this why does Infinite not. I just started another game to let my friend play and had to lose all my previous progress. It is uncalled for. There are other things such as the Vigor wheel obviously being geared towards controller use and weapon limiting but the save problems are the worst. I know this is a minor gripe but this should have been addressed.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I got this game free with a new AMD card I bought in January but I will try to review it as if I had paid full price for it.... First off, some people have said that the graphics look dated well then it must be their PCs that are dated because with everything on Ultra it looks pretty amazing to me! As for the game itself, if you liked Bioshock 1+2 then you might have to consider that this is pretty much disjointed in comparison and is pretty much a different "license" as the story and gameplay doesn't fit in with its predecessors............One stand out feature for me is the audio. The soundtrack and the ambient sounds are second to none and I found myself giggling at some of the "remade" tracks, especially the Cyndi Lauper song at the beach (sorry for the spoiler). Being a child of the 70s/80s helps with some of the references during the course of the game.......Overall, I don't think the game is earth shattering, but the storyline and thought processes that have gone into this game will likely render it as a major Game of the Year contender commercially, and amongst gamers. I can't give it 10/10 as there are a few niggles with the AI here and there, but it's a definate and solid 9/10 in my books… Expand

Absolute Rubbish. Sorry but this is not some groundbreaking tour de force. It is a VERY boring, very very dull run and gun. It's only "deep and meaningful" if you are a naive teenager and the graphics flatter to deceive. I am stupid enough to have paid over £20 for this on pc and it is a total waste of money. You cannot interect with people you just run about shooting things and suffering patronizing "clever" storytelling. YAWNTASTIC. I give it a 3 because it was interesting for the first hour and it hasn't crashed. All this pathetic hyperbole by reviewers is actually mystifying:- "visionary", "groundbreaking"....no not at all, in fact very mediocre, unless i've woken up in about 2003. MUST TRY HARDER… Expand

Bioshock Infinite is a masterpiece. Quite literally, one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced. People will speak of this game for decades to come, not just for what it did, but for what it helped lead to long after its creation.

Take THAT Half Life 2! Seriously, that game doesn't deserve it's score or praise, but this game does, finally, nice to see some justice in the world. Bioshock has always been a series for absurd creativity, and this entry is no different.

This game is a worthy successor to the fantastic original Bioshock. Not only does it have one of the best stories ever told in one of gaming's most incredible settings, it has some of the most original and fun gameplay as well. This is the greatest game to come out in the last few years and the greatest first person shooter since the original Bioshock. A must-play game.

I almost never play games twice. However, upon finishing Bioshock Infinite, I rebooted and started again straight away. The characters, setting and plot are fantastic. The combat is interesting and tight, though I agree with others who suggest there might have been a bit too much of it. The sound track is outstanding I want to buy it.

I know I'm gushing, but I think this is my favourite game ever. It's plot and characters are as good as, or better, than any film or book I've seen or read. To an extent, I feel like this is a new level of story-telling in gaming.… Expand

I loved the first Bioshock (still think it's the best FPS of all-time) and really liked the second one too. This game is just too buggy and too 'consolized' to be enjoyed on the PC. The mouse feels super sluggish on menu screens and many of the in game menus are designed to be navigated by controllers with the PC as an afterthought. More irritating is the fact that several mouse bugs cropped up throughout my playthrough and prevented me from doing basic things like MOVING THE MOUSE?! There are also sections where you can get trapped on the skyrail with no way off. Compounding this irritation is the fact that there is no quicksave, so every time one of these bugs pops up, you have to redo 15 minutes of gameplay to get back to the point you were at. The game itself seems pretty good but until they fix this stuff it's unplayable to me. I guess other people just soldiered through it or bought it for the xbox… Expand

Four hours into the game and I am still not convinced. Loved the trailers and hoped for a great experience, but it still feels awkward, somehow untouchable. For me, it's like walking and fighting through a picture which has a cartoon-ques look with brutal content and no soul, no vibe, no grounding, just a lot of details. I will not complain about the rosebushes made of "concrete", the birds who are able to fly under water and through statues or the washy pixels when you get closer to walls or any other objects. The graphics are not sensational, but OK. The disturbing part is, that they are supporting the strange atmosphere of this game by blocking you to immerse into it. I hope for the better in the hours to come, but I have little hope that I will warm up. What a shame.… Expand

We now have a metacritic title that is tied for first place of all time; I hoped for this prior to the release assuming in this day and age more people would flock to purchase the masterpeice, I nearly cried when Ken Levine of Irrational stated he went to frat houses and asked who knew or had played bioshock and nobody raised their hand.
After 6 hours with the game; I can give the game a confident 10/10. I do not know where to start but on Ultra with max FoV and the alternate DX11 Ambient Occlusion the game is stunning graphically with art design that shows each artist literally put his or her soul into every area of each set piece. The Plasmid's feel great and are much more unique; I dig throwing people up in the air with the bucking bronco then using murder of crows while using my carbine to pick them off with ironsights. Another thing that feels A+ especially compared to the original, Gunplay; Ironsights are perfect are is the crosshair option.
I suggest binding right mouse to Iron Sight if you are familiar with FPS gaming, and if you have a thumb button that is where I have my "Use Plasmid" bound.

Health and Vigor restored by food/health packs and cigs/potion/salts can no longer be stored up in the inventory and at first I was looking for how to chug a potion while getting beat up a bit on Hard mode; once I adapted to not being able to use this option in combat I was able to dominate the "New" Bioshock feel.

As for the two greatest highlights aside from Graphics as we can all see it is astonishing (especially buttermilk smooth on SLI 680's) and that the story is incredible (I've fallen in love with Elizabeth already) is the revolutionary AI behind Elizabeth. She becomes a living breathing character that you are able to actually MORE than enjoy the company of. She becomes a friend, a love interest and her innocence makes her that more fragile while her ability to rip tears in time (Spoiler: the first time you see her do it its in the future to a paris premier of RETURN OF THE JEDI). Her AI is absolutely incredible with no problems.

The Skyhook system is flawless and fun; it is like a controllable rollercoaster and it is jaw dropping to Leap off a rail and decapitate a guard down below; it makes you feel powerful but not overly powerful as you'll still get your ass handed to you during portions on HARD mode making you react like FPS gamers should rather than have your perfect plasmid/gun combination always work your way; you'll miss sometimes and Liz will help out as much as she can.

I just wanted to state that I spent 2 hours before any combat came in the game searching around and in awe at the city and the art put into every area. To my surprise I've found my favorite "Minor" moment in a game ever.
A barber shop Quartet is singing "Music from the Future. Now" due remember this is 1912; and the Quartet is singing a gorgeous rendition of 'The Beach Boys' astonishing song "God Only Knows" off of their revolutionary 'Pet Sounds' album. Being a music geek and a gaming geek perhaps that is a small sign of exactly what Bioshock Infinite is. To music what petsound was at release; Bioshock Infinite is to gaming present day.
-- If you'd like to check out the quartet singing this GORGEOUS RENDITION please click here.
http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/03/12/bioshock-infinite-god-only-knows-barbershop-quartet… Expand

lets forget about the score........i dont even played this game yet...its about feeling and moods...alcohal drugs and hate....a word called love..............and long lost ...whatever........10 means its all good forever and i agree :).....................i must provide a score ....like i said 10 then :P

It's a pretty enough game, both in visuals and sound, but that doesn't cover up what's fundamentally the same Bioshock gameplay we've had for years (and found lacking.)

Let's be real: Infinite is the best in the Bioshock series, easily, but the Bioshock series leaves a lot to be desired. They've done a lot to dress it up and go crazy on spectacle, but it's not doing anything Half-Life 2 didn't do years ago, and it's not even *trying* to do anything Bioshock didn't already do.

Don't believe the hype, folks.… Expand

I become very cynical and doubtful once a game is so over-hyped and so much cash is thrown at it.
Sometimes it is justified Far Cry 3 was brilliant, Tomb Raider unexpectedly awesome but the biggest hype has gone to this game, Bioshock Infinite. And what a disappointment so far!
I haven't finished the game yet, so this is not really a review but just a statement of my own feelings so far.
I liked Bioshock 1 2, although I didn't love them and didn't they were the 2nd coming or anything like many people.
This, however, gameplay-wise especially, is a step down from those games. The graphics are nice, sure, but strangely sterile and non-interactive. The story so far is confusing and uninteresting and I don't know what this "big" twist-ending epiphany is yet, but I bet I'm gonna be unimpressed.
I guess it has to do with the infinite realites Elizabeth tears holes into and the nature of reality and quantun physics and all that. Ho-hum.
The action and gameplay are a bit wonky, it plays clumsily and not even close as smoothly and inuitively as say Far Cry 3. Most features from BS1+2 have been stripped out and the game very feels very basic.
The railway lines are fun and thrilling, yeah, but you rarely use them. The enemy types are limited and boring compared to the first two games and the save system is atrocious. When you play again after putting the game off and 'Continue' it doesn't even load the correct save-file and you have to load it yourself to the correct position you were when you left off previously. Blah!
So far (about 3-4 hours into the game) I have seen nothing that indicates GOTY status at all. The intro was pretty cool, though although not as cool as BS 1.
Forget this game and go buy The Walking Dead adventure game (not the shooter one). I enjoyed it a million times more and it's much cheaper. Or buy Tomb Raider. Sheer, uncomplicated fun and thrills.
Bioshock Infinite! Disappear up your own tearhole. Please!… Expand

The original was an incredible game and truly groundbreaking in the first person shooter market. The original created Rapture, Atlas, Jack, and Andrew Ryan and it spent hours upon hours of truly picking into their every crevice. This game never feels like it develops as deep as the original, but I think it may be because of the massive scope of theology, ideology, and Scientific theory that is is trying to delve into. If all you are looking for is a CoD or Battlefield clone, this is not that game. The shooting isn't its best feature, the skyline doesn't quite work that great on consoles, and it wasn't until late in the game that I felt like using Vigors. Although Bucking Bronco and Undertow are incredible fun to play with. I cannot remember another game I have ever played that asked such deep questions, or left me sitting in the chair just taking a deep breath and trying to understan the scale of everything I just saw. Sure, there are times that it became a little convoluted, and if you want you can claim you saw it coming. You didn't see all of it coming, but believe whatever you want. I have just never played a game that had such real world social commentary, and asked made you think so deeply. The spectacle that is the end can be seen based on how polarized it has left many of the reviews. I think the problem is that people are trying to say, they have already seen this kind of stuff in books, or expected it to have RPG elements or some random other aspects that were never meant to be in the game. Anyways, my point is while books and film have had the same elements, this is the first game I have ever seen to push the genre further and it was refreshing. I look forward to anything else Ken Levine can come up with as this was a truly amazing experience and I could not put it down from the second I picked it up. It did not do very much to make itself better than Bioshock 1, however Bioshock 1 was perfect, so I don't know how it could have.

I just have to add this, why exactly does this game have to give you free roam? Why should it be open world, why should it have open ended decisions that massively change the story? Why are you expecting this game to be exactly like other games? Also, if you are down voting this game based on graphics, please leave. If someone reviews games based on looking pretty, I doubt they understood this game anyways. Ken Levine wanted to make films, that is why he moved to California. So, this game was never really designed to be the best shooter on the market. It basically is there to tell a very deep and intense story and the best format for telling said story is through a first person medium.… Expand

A bad shooter with a bad narrative. A high budget babysitter for the undiscerning consumer.

-Limitation to two weapons leaves combat incapable of being as varied as in previous bioshock games or any decent shooter. -Regenerating shield turns any challenging combat into a glorified game of peek-a-boo
-Major reduction in passive character building (dozens of tonics vs the selection of character upgrades)
-Removal of hacking
-Removal of research
-Simplification of powers system (no separate currency to purchase, no upgrading)
-Melee mechanics designed to emulate those with cerebral palsy

And, on a more subjective level
-total reversal of atmosphere
-robotic, mostly non-interactive NPCs
-a moderate improvement over the originals, but still awful animations, just more noticeable with more NPCS
-Boring moral "choices" with no impact
-Mostly, though, it's poisoning the shock series even further with time-hopping infinite universe wankery. A bad Bioshock game, for sure, but a bad game on its face, mechanically and especially narratively.… Expand

This is more than just a great game, it is a great work of art. The game is executed in a way that only can be done through video games. If this were a movie it wouldn't work. This is the game that may bring respect to videogames as an art form.

From the brilliantly atmospheric Bioshock which was admittedly almost as linear as this game, the series has gotten weaker each time. I pushed on to maybe three thirds in and frankly I cant be bother to finish it. Its ok. Its just there are so many better games I could be playing instead in my limited gaming time. I am stunned at the high marks for this game. If the industry wasn't churning out such trash these days this would be the middle mark for quality. Even now its massively mediocre.… Expand

Simply AMAZING. I can't get enough of this game. It's perfection. Or near perfection at least. It's so beautiful, clever and fun. Stunning job from the guys over at Irrational. Good job!

Last of the greats in this generation of gaming. I can only hope for there to be another Bioshock. I can go on about it's superb story, visuals, and gameplay; but I'm sure you've seen enough praise.

All I can say about this game is WOW! The game starts amazing the player in its initial moments and does not let. The visuals are great and while the plasmids from the early Bioshock games return the added elevation and skyrail mechanics really add to the combat. The game is very linear, which plays wonderfully into the games story with it's many twists and turns that I only began to start to figure out just as the reveal was coming. Also, I know that there are many things I have missed on my first playthrough that are embedded into the games ascetics revealing more story. Worthy of all the 10/10 scores? Game mechanics wise maybe not but story wise? Absolutely.… Expand

After playing this game I have one word to describe how I feel about it. Wow; it was one of the most fascinating and well thought out games that I've ever had the pleasure of getting my fingers on. It runs well on a wide variety of machines and my goodness the ending? It will set your brain on fire. I'd like to congratulate Irrational Games on this monumental triumph and I have to say I look forward to more Bioshock in the future and maybe if we're lucky we can see more of Booker Dewitt and Elizabeth.… Expand

Felt like I was playing an Disney Pixar movie at times. Plot is mind bending but seems legit. It was a huge improvement over first two Bioshocks. The world is fun and colorful as opposed to claustrophobic and dark.

This is by far one of the best single player experiences in recent memory. The gameplay is fun, the story is fantastic and well executed, and you actually care about the characters. That's rare in games these days, but Bioshock Infinite pulls it off wonderfully. I am a fan of the Bioshock series in general, and now after playing though Infinite, and again in 1999 mode, I can honestly say this is my favorite of the trilogy. I am an older gamer, of the Atari generation, and still a hardcore gamer to this day. I have played so many games over the years that I am no longer easily impressed or engrossed by a game anymore. So I have to give kudos to the devs on Bioshock Infinite, they did it. An easy 10 out of 10.… Expand

One of a kind game, enjoyed it. The soundtrack and sound-effects are pretty amazing too! The only major drawback is the graphics. Sloppy texture and details, but the overall game still held together beautifully. I can just close my eyes and imagine how much more beautiful this game could have been made, especially for those who got an extremely high-end rig. I guess 2K spent just enough money to satisfy a majority of players and didn't want to spend a penny more to make it a legend. But overall, still a pretty game.… Expand

While I have issues with the pacing and logic of the game, it is still a beautiful and immersive experience. It is fun as well as thought-provoking. It has moments of intense combat and of great emotional impact. It is visually stunning, even more so on a decent gaming rig. It is by no means flawless, but what does work like the Elizabeth AI, the shooting/vigor mechanics, the Skyline, the atmosphere, the minute details such as Dimwit and Duke, et al. is implemented with such precision that I was simply enthralled.… Expand

This game is nothing short but amazing. It's story will impact you for years to come, as it goes so deep into the human spirit that it is destined to leave a mark.

It is impossible to play through this game and think that video games cannot be art. From beginning to end, Bioshock Infinite is a wonder to behold. The attention to detail placed on every single aspect of the game is stunning, with everything, from lighting, to timing, to music, and all the visuals in game directed solely toward realizing Ken Levine's creative vision. Bioshock Infinite is the Mona Lisa of video games.… Expand

This is a story-driven game with good gameplay mechanics. It makes the active choice to repeatedly deny you any story-related choices in the game, making it more like a film with breaks of first-person shooting. Which leaves me conflicted because ultimately a story-driven game without choice needs to have AAA level story to be compelling and lead to a satisfying conclusion. That's where the major flaw lies in this otherwise well-polished and enjoyable action game. The story fails to deliver the satisfactory climax, or even a satisfactory epilogue. Instead, it goes out with a whimper, like a failed film-student project. Still, the beginning is a well grounded start to what could have been game of the year, with characters that start off believable and interesting. Too bad it steers off course and never reaches full promise. Merely a "good" game when all is said and done.… Expand

the game would have been better if it just didn't have a plot, but the "PLOT" which was written by a few english majors who got high and read wikipedia leaves a pretty bitter aftertaste in your mouth to what was already a mediocre run and gun game with okay visuals

Amazing story, fun mechanics, terrific art design but after all is said and done, it's a straighforward, primrose-path shooter, and a not very original one at that. For those of us "old-timers" who were wowed by the pacing, edge-of-your-seat action, problem solving and mechanics of System Shock 2 and Deus Ex, this game is certainly wanting. When I pay $50 for a video game, I expect an interactive, dynamic experience what I got was an amusment park tour with some button mashing. Next time I'll watch a good movie or read a book if I want a similar experience to Bioshock Infinite. Props, however, for the creators of the story and their uncompromising vision.… Expand

Would you kindly play this game? This by far is one of my favorite games of the past 5 years of gaming. When I walked out of that capsule and those lit candles with the soothing music behind it I knew this game was going somewhere. This is art this is what this generations needed for a ending of this generation consoles. I can now say this is added to the list of great games made by a genius company. Great job irrational games. Every bit was worth playing this game.… Expand

Even if you stripped away the story, characters, art direction, voice acting, and music this would still be a good game. But with all those elements, this game is amazing. The art direction and detail in certain areas of the game is jaw dropping. There is much imagination at work in this game, both with gameplay and story. To say more about how good the story and characters are would venture into spoiler territory. This is a worthy sequel to the original Bioshock. Not only worthy, but better.… Expand

Gorgeous scenery, amazing music, satisfying combat, and superb voice acting. Infinite is a well put together game, that feels as though it was meant to be something else. I've followed Infinite for a very long time, since rumors broke about it. It's hard to play the game and not hear Ken Levine's early words, about the morality system, interactions with Songbird, and ideas of how the story was meant to evolve. You can even see how the game was originally going to be during the first chapter, and then it slowly fades away. That 'longing' aside, the story is still a bit lacking. It feels cheap and convoluted, at best. Especially towards the end. Overall a fun experience, that feels a bit shallow and pieced together.… Expand

Best game ever in an artistic sense. Story/ levels/ events/ textures/ animation/ presentation, everything is perfect. On the other hand, it have the worst gameplay that a first person shooter could have. Shooting totally feels wrong.

I just finishend is and. Maybe one of the endings in video game history. Both gameplay and story wise. Even if some things doesnt make sense yet. Guess that's what drives a good story if people can speculate about it. Gameplay was amazing, best shooter in years. No cover mechanic or health regen. Just bare gameplay. "Plasmids" aka Vigors where somewhat unecessary but that doesnt change the fact that this is one of the best games i ever played in my life.… Expand

I liked the original Bioshock games but wasn't a huge huge fan of them like some people. I wasn't super hyped for this game (no unrealistic explanations of "OMG GUYS, this is going to be the best game ever!!") but I was definitely excited. Just finished this morning after staying up all night and wow. Wow, was it worth it.

Very unique gameplay. Incredible sound design (there is something that just draws you in about the sound: all of it is very realistic and well done), great setting, great characters, great story. One of the first games that I've felt was actually worth its initial box price in a long, long time.… Expand

BioShock Infinite is a gaming treasure that I implore anyone to check out. Excellent storytelling matched with a unique feeling of belonging. The period of alternate 1920 also adds a unique spin on modern American politics.

So many thoughts, and so many emotions, and often its impossible to discern one from another. I don't know how to describe it, but video games aren't known to make you feel this way. Then again, BioShock was never known from taking the well-traveled road. Be glad it doesn't.

10/10

Just amazing! The world feels so alive, the gameplay is fun and the exploration and story telling is unforgettable! I was drawn right in from the beginning listening to the unimportant AI to the amazing story telling audio logs. I can't really say much more than this game was amazing! Good job Irrational! Hope to see another in the series just as good or even better!

It's generic shoot 'em up with a better than average story that goes haywire in the end. I really don't know how critics can give this game so high score. It's 6+/10 at it's best no more!.

While not perfect, this game is nearly a perfect blending of story, immersion, and game play, the latter of which is it's only flaw, albeit a minor one. Not since Skyrim and the original Bioshock have I been so immersed within a game world, and been surprised at the twists and turns of such a unique game. The world is fleshed out, the characters have emotion (something somewhat lacking in Skyrim, made up by a massive amount of lore), and the game play...well it's not bad. I liked it in fact, but I've had better. Unlike Fallout 3, or Skyrim, I would not play BioShock Infinite again anytime soon. The story was amazing and so were the characters...but that was it. The game play, and therefore the replay value was somewhat bland.

In the original Bioshock, they offered the ability to hold ALL of the weapons, so you could switch to whatever weapon was appropriate for that situation. In Infinite, not only are you restricted to two weapons, but your companion will GIVE you ammo, health, salts when you run low. Not once did I have to rely on my abilities or a unique strategy to handle a boss, I just had to press 'F' to succeed in whatever category I was in danger with rather than adapting to the situation. Sure, it was nice to have a companion that wasn't useless, but it could have been done so much better. For instance, maybe she could offer only pistols (since how the hell do you carry a rocket launcher under that dress)? Or maybe she can carry health and salt remedies when you run low, sort of how you did in the original Bioshock but with a companion?

Long story short, Bioshock executed good game play, great story, and excellent immersion, while Infinite made decent game play, excellent story and great immersion, and I'm glad they made it, since it makes up for Bioshock 2 deviating so far from Bioshock 1.… Expand

Sorry folks but I've got to bring some reality to the situation here as a warning for early adopters.

Yes there seems to be a great game hidden under the surface, but even with the latest Nvidia drivers, Bioshock Infinite is running like a dog. Google "Bioshock Infinite Stuttering" and you'll find many others like myself who currently have a game on their hands that still has a lot of optimization ahead of it before it's an acceptable release. I'm having to give up on it until the developers can get it to run smoothly on my more-than-capable PC.… Expand

In every way a worthy successor to Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite has a case to even be a better overall game as well. It has a great combination of gameplay, imagery, plot, and characters. The game is simply beautiful and proves that you don't always need more polygons to make a good looking game. The imagery and art design is excellent and really makes me want to argue that video games truly are art. Throughout the entire game I wanted to explore every nook and cranny for all the subtle details in the art and environment.

The gameplay mechanics are not wildly innovative from previous Bioshock games, with Vigors now replacing Plasmids, but more polished. You same combination of firearms and powers is still as fun in Infinite as it was in Bioshock. However, Infinite boasts sky hook lines, which are sort of rail lines that you can attach yourself onto to travel around a level faster and jump/attack down onto enemies. Furthermore, your ally, Elizabeth, can open tears, which are portals into other dimensions, and bring in stuff from those worlds: such as health, ammo, or allies to help fight your enemies. I should also note that although you are escorting your AI partner Elizabeth throughout most of the game, she never becomes a burden to watch over. Once the shooting starts, Elizabeth knows how to take care of herself so you can focus on fighting the bad guys, and she will even throw you health packs, ammo, or Salts (magic potions essentially) throughout the battle when she sees you are getting low.

Storytelling and character wise, this is up there with the likes of the Half Life series in setting the tone on how to tell stories in a first person shooter. Booker is excellent as the Player Character, but it is Elizabeth who really steals the show as the story's protagonist. She is one of my favorite video game characters of all time now, Irrational Games succeeded and creating a likeable, personable, strong character in Elizabeth. Gender aside she is simply a great character. From racism, working class struggles, religious extremism, violent revolutions, and metaphysics, Bioshock Infinite covers a whole lot of ground with their themes, and I personally never felt it was too overwhelming. However, the metaphysical aspect is certainly a subject that I could see getting confusing, especially if you have been rushing through the game and not picking up voxophones and other subtlties that realy add to the story telling. It's not until many hours into the game when you discover just why it's called Bioshock "infinite." However, unlike some other recent games I did not feel the twists or the ending soiled the game. In fact by the time I got to the end it felt like the logical conclusion. All in all Bioshock Infinite is a triumph of art and storytelling in gaming. Words like "magnificent," "spectacular," and "amazing" come to mind. Simply put, PLAY THIS GAME.… Expand

One of the best games I have ever played and a fantastic continuation of the shock series, which has yet to really disappoint. It is a return to form after Bioshock 2, and with the lack of multiplayer and a more intricate singleplayer experience that is quite evident.

Bioshock Infinite is a great game, but certainly not a perfect one. The ambiance and the plot are good enough to keep you playing even when combat is getting repetitive and sometimes annoying. Because yes, the lack of variety and originality in the new plasmids (oups, tonics) and the dull guns (a sh*tload of boring shotguns for 4 or 5 interesting weapons) are making the gunfights a bit weak, even if it's way more dynamic than in the first bioshock games. But don't get me wrong, this game is great, you get to discover the incredible universe of Columbia with pleasure and Elizabeth is a great addition to the game, her presence isn't annoying at all. The only real problem with this game is the fact that you pay sixty bucks for about 14-16 hours of gameplay. You should wait for the Steam summer deals, but it's definitely a buy, don't pirate it!… Expand

This is more of a first impression rather than a full review. So far I've played about an hour of the game but that's enough to get a good feel for every thing except the story which seems twin peakish in nature. I played Bio-shock 1 before playing infinite and a couple of things struck me as I payed: This game was optimized for consoles, not PC's, as the save feature has been removed in favor of a check point system and the game has been dumbed down over all. Graphics are not cutting edge but not that bad either. Characters look plastic and robotic and often go through a short animation loop. Through my play through the character voices didn't sync with the mouth movement of the characters speaking. Guns are much easier to use. Noticed the "infinite" machine gun has no recoil which differs from the first game where the tommy-gun had a noticeable kick back (like a real one would). I encountered my first game breaking glitch about 15 to 20 minutes in at the fair before the raffle. I was at the shotgun shooting booth and when I finished the game wouldn't allow me to exit out. All the other booths worked fine. So far the game isn't gripping me like the first one did. The anti-christian, anti-american under tone is a bit heavy handed and clumsy. Would be nice for a bit more nuance in the story. Games not bad but also no great. Definitely not as good as the reviews are making it out to be. To sum up: The first game was leagues better and this by comparison is over simplified and lack luster.

On a side note I'd like to comment on the odd influx of 10 scores so quickly since the game was released seems suspicious. I'm guessing a fair number of those tens might be from 2K stooges hired to fluff the meta critic score. Buyer beware I suppose but it's still insulting to me as a consumer.… Expand

"The lord judges, I act."
This is a spoiler free review. I won't touch the story-line it's epic and I'll end it at that.
I'm loving Infinite so far. But as a long time BioShock fan I must say the graphics are mildly disappointing. Especially if you lurk around in every corner of the game. The flowers, the fruits, walls etc. just look like they were rushed up during development. That's the only part which is bad about the game.
The guns, they are so well balanced. For every different heavy hitter you WILLL need a different technique. I found out that the hard way, haha! The Vigor combos and Vigor Gun damage combos are epic. The Vigor themselves don't feel OP so you'll constantly have to use different ones at different times.
I played the Industrial revolution, and well I personally feel that the rewards, specially the early 500$ you get from completing IR will give you an edge early on as you can quickly buy health kits, salt and ammo. But that's ok.
Music is just mind blowing. Literally mind blowing.
Elizabeth and here gossips are epic. Don't consider here a fancy-dandy superwomen without brains, she's bloody smart, and helps a lot.
Still think they could have done the game graphically a bit much better.
Anyhow that probably shouldn't keep me from giving BS: Infinite a 10/10.
Also, any idiot voting 0s or 1s is probably trolling around without having actually played the game.… Expand

Bioshock Infinite is a flawed game which elevates games as a story-telling medium as high as Columbia itself. For the first three-quarters of the game I had a mixed feelings about this one. The city of Columbia is beautiful, but eventually is experienced as a long narrow corridor. The themes of racial discrimination, American exceptionalism, fanatical religious teachings, income inequality and violent uprisings are there, but are left as themes, and undeveloped themes at that. The chatter of the citizens is atmospheric, but too rare, and the citizens themselves are wooden figurines without emotion. Even Elizabeth, for all care and labour the designers have put into her is far from the girl we've expected since gameplay video at E3'11. Yet, for all its shortcomings, Infinite shines in the last quarter of the game. The asylum part was my personal favorite, tragic, yet nuanced and beautiful at the same time. And its main point that you can't wash away your sins, but have to live with them and let them make you better is delivered so masterfully, that you are left pondering it long after the credits and the ending scene. Surely, it's a variation on the Planescape theme --What can change the nature of a man? Regret. but that doesn't diminish the game in any way. So while I'm longing for what the game could be, I still find it hard to give it anything below 9. It's not perfect, but you would do yourself a disservice if you miss it.… Expand

Have not seen better game since original Bioshock of new era. This is a masterpiece no matter what anyone personal feeling of setup is. Game works as a game it keep you with the game world as game should, mechanics works pretty well, although, as an shooter it's a bit choppy time to time, but since you just wanna see more of it it doesn't even bother. The engine sense I think graphics looks great they could of done better job at optimizing it as running pretty heavy setups and yet can't get ultra or even very high to work in playable fps tells me something could of been done better. I'll rate this 10 any day over stuff I have seen in past 2 years in gaming. Hell, having hard time to even compare this at old school shooters which were good as this one, but this sure will be one of golden pieces in gaming history remembered for whole year 2013.… Expand

It has been far far too long that the gaming industry has creating a game with such an excellent story and characters. If fact, it has probably been since HL2. The graphics are great and the gameplay is very fun and fast but the real magic lies in the art, story, music and unforgettable characters that creates probably one of if not the best game of the decade. I am usually quite harsh with games since it has been a common practice for developers to shove out the same garbage year after year with little to no creativity or ingenuity but this game is one of those rare gems that surface every once in a blue moon. While not overly long it is still in my opinion a perfect length. I found myself not wanting to go to fast because I wanted to savor the story! Elisabeth is one of the most engaging female characters I have encountered since Alex Vance. There are few games that deserve a 10/10 but this is absolutely one of them.… Expand

Nothing bad to say about it! Lots of fun and great storytelling. Only annoyance is Elizabeth flipping a coin to you every 30 seconds while in the middle of combat, but she is quite helpful anyway. Graphics are really nice, and the game is full of detail. 9.5

This is a somewhat fun game. Nice graphics, good action, good controls. However, I am not impressed by the story. It is quite boring. The other thing I don't like is that the whole game is linear and scripted. So, you don't get much choice on what to do or where to go. It sometimes looks like an open world game, but once you start playing you realize that you are on a patch and the game won't let you go any other way... Fans of the series will probably like it, but I will just complete it and move on!… Expand

I never invested much time in the original BioShock games, so I came to BioShock Infinite with some what mild expectations and was half hopeful it would keep me entertained one afternoon. The game delivered that and much, much more. The story is a bit of a mind-twister, but adds to the allure that few if any games ever accomplishes. The gameplay is a roller coaster ride, and while I say that almost literally, there is so much going on that kept me entertained for hours on end. The graphics, while some might argue are outdone by other games in the FPS genre, are in my opinion, still freaking brilliant. The characters are also quite lively, especially Elizabeth, of whom probably belongs on some list for the best female NPCs ever made. While I hate to do this in a review, I simply cannot resist giving this game a 10/10. It is awesome!… Expand

After having played this for a while I drop my rating to zero. Just violence and killing to the extreme kills story and plot. If I want a straight out shooter I get Call of Duty but with Bioshock Infinite everything plays background to the killing. Only saving Elizabeth felt good but only to have her as a killing partner. Things like having to turn around to catch things from her and getting killed and very weak plasmas and vendors with really nothing much substantial to sell and money scarce it makes the game just a straight out shootathon and killathon.

I love all types of games as well as games like Far Cry 3 and Black Ops 2 but I bought Bioshock because I wanted something different from just a FPS and it's nothing but. Nothing is highly developed in this game except killing. The vendors and plasma are rubbish and I found that there was nothing to immerse me in the game. I know there is killing in all Bioshock games but to me this was the only part that was emphasized above everything else. There were very few high points in the game such as finding Elizabeth and working with her. Flying around was awfully done. Getting a new plasma didn't feel like an event. At first I didn't even know I got a plasma. The game just put all the emphasis on killing. I have to give it a zero as there's nothing that sets it apart from games like Black Ops 2 and Far Cry 3 to make me want to play it. I wasted my money.… Expand

I don't know how else to put it. But this is probably one of the best games I have ever played. I didn't really know what to expect, with how games that come out now are unfinished to the point where it isn't even playable (See: SimCity). But man I was blown away by this. The story is incredible, and the atmosphere is so immersive. I can't explain it better than the other reviewers already have. Every positive review about this game is true.… Expand

To the 12 negative reviewers, you are little children raised by narcissists and contrarians. Grow up and stop ruining your reputation by denying the obvious, Infinite is factually amazing. Perhaps you made bets before the game was released that Infinite was going to be crap and now that it has a 96% on metacritics you're too stubborn to go back on your words. Congratulations, your opinion will never matter ever again on this site.… Expand

probably THE best game i played in my life its not the game of the year its the game of the decade.
This game is a masterpiece something that will last for life.

I made a mistake. I originally gave this a 6/10. What a mistake. I apologise to all concerned.
Engaging central characters, and a flawlessly constructed world make this a thrilling game to play.
What lets it down slightly is the less than exciting special skills, the fact that you can only carry 2 guns at a time, and the 2 dimensional NPC'S. The storyline also teeters on the edge of falling into philosophical babble, but all this is small detail and in no way detracts from the overall scope and vision of this game.
Having played through this title twice now, It gave me the same thrill as playing the original Bioshock, but by the end Bioshock infinite comes out on top.
Really this is an 8.5/10 game… Expand

Was there a problem with this game? Yes. TOO SHORT!

This game is absolutely wonderful. One of the few games that I have played straight through. Graphics are excellent. Gameplay is strategic. City is great fun to explore. Science fiction elements of the game are nicely integrated. You definitely won't go wrong to play this title. I liked it much better than Bioshock 1 & 2.

The Bad: DON'T think too hard about the plot or you WILL be disappointed! They throw out so many interesting plot threads and potentially deep societal commentary that it draws you in. I was hooked! I had to know what happens! Then what could have been woven into a fine tapestry turned into a couple of threads hot glued together at the end. It became a job just to finish the thing once this dawned on me.

The Vigors seem a little unbalanced and you are likely to only focus on a few.

NO HACKING! None.

The Gear you find, which doubles as your customizable character traits,  is completely randomized. If you reload a checkpoint, the item changes. (This could be good or bad really.)

 

The Good:

The Art design is fantastic! Most areas have something new to look at and explore and even the disturbing areas can be visually appealing. It feels like the art took up most of the games budget and it shows. Very memorable visuals around almost every corner, some are subtle, so stop and take it in!

Combat, especially when leaping on and off the rails into melee, is often quite a lot of fun. You'll almost never run out of ammo or Salts once you join up with Elizabeth.

They did very good research on the era they are portraying. From the dialect to the billboard adds, it really feels like you’re in the early 1900s. (Minus the floating city aspect. lol.)

 

Bottom-line:

A deeply flawed and over hyped game that really did try to tell a good story, but ends up a frustrating and empty mess of a plot with great visuals and decent game play.… Expand

I don't love awarding games a Ten out of Ten. But this game is masterful. It is a first person shooter with an incredible setting, wonderful story, great protagonists and fun gameplay. The shooting might not be the best ever, but the awesome set design combined with the Vigor Power Ups create some of the best combat you'll ever experience. Furthermore, you play a true character! Booker DeWitt talks, a lot actually. Elizabeth is the best AI partner I've ever seen. She may not fight in the combat, but she is responsive, never glitches, and feels natural. Also, she is super helpful! But she is not just great AI, she's one of the best characters in gaming. You care for her, and yes, you care for Booker as well. The story is crazy. Even when you think it will become cliche, it doesn't. And the ending is unprecedented. It's told in the best way ever, No video game ending made me this emotional. I'm not even a Bioshock fanboy! I didn't play the first one until I finished this one (which is another great game). Overall, get this game. Any one giving it bad scores is not justified. It's okay if you feel it's not revolutionary like most of us. But don't say stuff that doesn't make sense just to sound justified. Whatever. I loved it, and a 9.1 user score shows that not even MetaTrolls will taint this great game like they did with ME3( I give that a 8/10, was disappointed, but still respect it). Bioshock Infinite is not perfect. Why can't we hold more than two weapons? Why can't we upgrade how many vigors we can hold? Why do we have to look at a specific place to attach to a skyline? Still, these little nibbles are excusable. This is right there with the classics. Oh, and definitely, the story here is one of the best you will ever experience (books, films, or gaming). 10/10 for sure. … Expand

If you hated everything about the original BioShock, don't bother with this game, it's very similar in many ways. However, once you get that out of the way, it's a much better version of it than the previous two. For example, while combat is still the same setup (replace plasmid with vigor) and enemies still can feel a little bullet-spongy (I recommend turning off health meters in the options menu, as well as most other HUD notifications), most encounters take place in these big open areas that are also densely packed with cool tactical options. The result is some thrilling and crazy combat moments that in most games would be heavily scripted. No more "electrocute-wrench" through the whole game. Graphically, you can sometimes see some flat textures up close reminding you that this is a game that has been worked on for 6 years, but on the whole it is quite gorgeous. Nice to play an FPS that doesn't look like a brown and grey modern military shooter or a future space war that might as well be a military shooter for how it looks.

On that note, this game has the best storytelling since Half-Life 2. No sitting through pre-rendered cutscenes full of people spewing exposition at you. Just exploring the environment explains what's going on in the world and hints at some weird stuff behind the surface. This game also deals with racism and religious fundamentalism in a far less heavy handed manner than you would expect. Nice to play a game that doesn't treat you like a moron who can't follow a simple story.

So in summary: Yes, if you go into this game expecting it to be the industry-changing miracle some people are making it out to be, you will be let down. But if you go in expecting an FPS that is far more immersive, original and entertaining than 95% of what you've played in the last few years, you'll get it. Hell, it's basically a 10-hour escort mission with a character you still care about by the end and never get annoyed with. That alone deserves some kudos.… Expand

When I read all those positive reviews I kinda wonder whether I played the same game. Handling guns feels better than in first two Bioshck games, since they are powerful, accurate and (thank god) you can actually turn off the mouse acceleration in the settings. Combat overall is more streamlined (=simplified) experience, but feels right nontheless. Elizabeth is one of the greatest npc companions to be seen in fps game.
On the other hand, overal graphical detail is a joke and although from artistical perspective can be sometimes beautiful, Columbia simply wasn't my thing. Main problem I have with the game (besides the absolutely ridiculous hype it somehow managed to create) is how the story fits into the game. It doesn't. Almost all of it (the important parts anyways) is stuffed to the last few chapters and how much sense it will make depends solely on how many hints you manage to find on your way there. That is simply not how storytelling is supposed to work, not to meniton the comlete lack of choice have in it. Were the gameplay and story in some sort of balance, resulting game would be about the third of its size at best. The storytelling is just terrible and it makes the story look way more complex than it really is and that's probably what generates all the hype. The story itself is pretty intereting and somewhat complex and would've made for a great movie, but the way it is told here is just sad and it hardly supports any actual gameplay.… Expand

Can you even believe some dumb-ass twerps give this game a 0/10. How in the world can you say that this is a broken, game full of bugs and un-playable??? RIDICULOUS! I believe this game is so far really about an 8.5 to me but with the Creative and Original and Refreshing world these guys created....EASILY a 10/10 over-all. Some games you play/This game you EXPERIENCE! LOVE it!

I've played system shock 2, Bioshock, and Bioshock 2 before ever touching or hearing about this game. I played on normal first. I am still replaying it on 1999 mode, as I didn't know about the unlock code. I found the combat to be somewhat bland and boring compared to the previous Bioshock titles. However the control over the mouse and movement is better, it doesn't feel like there was any mouse acceleration this time around. The story was IMO terrible, they obviously had the rush a release as the ending was contrived BS, a cop-out as they couldn't think of and actual closing to the game. 1999 mode has made the game much more enjoyable for me and I find myself getting stuck in some combat sections, that's a POSITIVE thing for me. Overall I'd give the game a 6.5. Combat isn't super good, story is terrible. Do not pay full price for this, wait til it's cheaper.… Expand

The thing that I love most about Infinite is it brings back classic gameplay while still innovating, sure you may not like the backtracking or the lack of hand holding, but this game was not made for casual players. This game was a masterpiece from start to finish, it clued you in to certain events subtly while providing additional details in the hidden collectibles. It pushed you to go out of your way if you wanted to discover all the pieces of the puzzle. The gameplay had you make choices constantly and hard or 1999 mode flying around the battlefield picking up any weapon you could get your hands on. A game that makes you think yet challenges your every decision, that is what makes this a perfect game.

P.S. I would go into the fantastic voice acting, breathtaking environments, game defining companion, and the absolutely sensational soundtrack, not to mention THAT ending, but I need to finish 1999 mode. Do yourself a favor and play this game at some point because it will change the way you think about games.… Expand

I got this, along with Bioshock (previously owned, never completed), Bioshock 2 and apparently a code for xcom enemy unknow aswell, for 45$, needless to say I have gotten more than full value for the money here. Having been sucked into Infinite's universe (having been mesmerized for up to 7 hours), I can say that I will finally finish 1 and start playing number 2 aswell, as soon as I have played infinite, once or twice, or thrice. This game is so good it beggars belief, just get it. The only thing I can point fingers at is the texture work, it could use a loving hand to be honest. Other than that, the atmosphere, the sound score, the gun play, the vigor play, the connection gameplay wise with Elizabeth, the story, the aesthetics and graphics (other than texture work) are all top of the line.

Until now I thought Tomb Raider would run with the game of the year title, it is a contender, but I have a slight feeling that this will run with it. It is definitely the better game in my book, although it is most definitely worth it to own both! And you should, own both.… Expand

Amazing game first one i have playing in years that i didn't want to end. i took my time playing the game as i wanted to see all the details it had to offer and loved listening to what the people had to say in the world. Graphics/Art Style are perfect and it has the game play to match. Story great as well you end up caring what happens to the characters in the game. If you going to play it start on hard as it not that challenging.… Expand

This game is awesome! I can't say anything about the story without spoiling it, so I won't. But the graphic is very good on PC maxed out (on i7 2600k, HD6970 2GB), while it's not Crysis 3 level, it's still pushing the UE3 to it's limits. Elizabeth's character is well written, and the dialogs you have with her throughout the game drives the story without feeling like an information dump. The combat is a step up from the Bioshock 1/2's combat, having the sky-hook rail is fun. Having the flying city as a backdrop makes the battles feel surreal. Overall, it's a must play!… Expand

Bioshock Infinite is a fine example of quality game-making. The mechanics are smooth, the story is (mostly) well told, the world is immersive and the sound design is some of the best in the industry. However, I have a number of problems with the game as a whole.
First and foremost, the game is almost fatally repetitive. It is a strange thing because games are, by their very nature, a repetitious art-form, but Infinite has this weird quality about it where you can't help but feel like you're just being pulled along from one firefight to the other. The original Bioshock had a very palpable sense of tension and survival to it. The player got a real sense that the inhabitants of Rapture were universally hostile and bent on killing anything that was foreign to their territory. In Bioshock Infinite, enemies just sort of show up out of nowhere in little waves and start shooting you, over, and over, and over, and over again.
Bioshock Infinite is also ridiculously easy. I played through the game on Normal and only ran into one instance where I died more than once, and this instance was the final boss-fight. Bioshock had a much stronger emphasis on the importance of looting and resource management. I remember constantly having to juggle between weapons in that game because at any given moment half of them would be out of ammo and I would have to make due with what I currently had. Money was also much more scarce. Conversely, I was practically tripping over money and resources in Infinite. I believe I beat the game with over $6,000 in my wallet and therefore I never even came close to running out of ammo or health. I know that there is the infamous 1999 mode, but Normal difficulty should still pose more of a challenge than that.
Another issue I have is with the vigors, in that they seem totally arbitrary within the world of Columbia. Now, a friend pointed out to me that they seem to be more of a new thing to Columbia and that is why only a select few (the crow and fire men) have them, but it's still strange to play a bioshock game where vigors, for all intents and purposes, add NOTHING to the plot whatsoever. Plasmids and Adam were essential to the plot of Bioshock and now here are vigors, which are the exact same thing only this time they don't have a reason for being in the world aside from "well, it's a Bioshock game." Another strange thing about the vigors is that I was constantly forgetting to even use them. This isn't to say that they're totally ineffective, but the plasmids in Bioshock were ESSENTIAL to one's survival, whereas here I found that I was getting along just fine most of the time with just capping enemies off with my carbine, at which point I would realize I was incredibly bored and then I would remember "Oh yeah, I can set people on fire."
Lastly, if you ever take the time to stop and look at anything in Bioshock Infinite closely, you will see that it all looks hideous. Bioshock Infinite is plagued by muddy, low-res textures that the gorgeous lighting effects strain to make up for but never quite do. I have a hard time believing that the game is "too big" for better textures because Far Cry 3 looks generally marvelous and that game has a hell of a lot more to render at any given time than Infinite could ever dream of.
After all of this, the game is still worth playing and it's actually quite brilliant in small doses. I have issues with the story as well, but I don't want to write a spoiler-y review. Just know that if you take a good, honest look at Bioshock Infinite, you probably won't find the revolutionary, generation-defining masterpiece that everyone is heralding it as. We already got that game and it was just called "Bioshock."… Expand

Long and short of this: This is my game of the year already. The game is a ton of fun and extremely beautiful with such rich and detailed areas. The voice-acting is just top-notch and the story itself, well, it takes you in little by little and lets you experiences the story as a outsider and really draws you in. My gun-play with the new power system is old enough to be nostalgic but just fresh enough to be a fun experiences. If you are new to Bioshock and enjoy story and shooters, A MUST PICK UP.

If you are familiar with Bioshock, YOU WILL ENJOY THIS.

The middle is a bit padded but this game is easily one of the best games I have every played. It is up with my favorites and thats a hard bar to reach. GOTY already and its only March folks Do yourself the favor and pick up this absolute gem of a game.… Expand

It feels like you are playing a movie but three times longer and better. Amazing graphics, Amazing story. Not a single game out there made me care more a bout a certain character than bioshock infinate did. Masterpiece

In my 29 years of gaming I have never felt more engaged by a story and a setting. This game has changed my expectations permanently. I have never been so immersed in a gaming experience.

Story Great. Graphics Amazing. Gameplay Below average. Annoying Quirks Many.

So yes this is over-hyped. A 95 on metacritic say what? It deserves an 85 tops. The story is really good and the cut scenes are riveting. The voice acting is also excellent. But the overall action is not good enough, especially in 2013. I played through on the Hard setting piece of cake except for the Boss scenes which were impossible. On the Medium setting the enemies were a joke. Scrounging around for ammo and health is a PITA. Searching every corpse and desk...yawn. There just isn't much in the PC FPS category right now. Save your money. Me, I'm waiting for the HL2 final episode.… Expand

Bioshock Infinite is the best game I have experienced in 20 years of gaming. This game is brilliant, simply said and raises the bar to a new level of quality never before seen in gaming history. Have I mentioned how much I love this game.

Believe the hype. Bioshock Infinite is a masterpiece. The developers at Irrational Games have managed to provide yet another masterpiece to the gaming community, and this one will be talked about for years to come. It's a visually stunning accomplishment with an excellent narrative that challenges you to question the nature of life, death, and ultimately, your own reality

All I gotta say is its breathtaking with a rich imagination.
Not to mention Irrational take risks that few other companies take.
It's nice to see a company recognize history accurately.

I just finished the game and felt the need to write a review immediately. This is easily one of the best FPS I've ever played. Absolutely beautiful setting, aesthetic, and music bring the world of Columbia to life and completely immerse the player into the game. While it appears some people would disagree, I found the story to be fantastic, particularly the ending. Elizabeth was great as both a character and an NPC. I found her to be both realistic and helpful without ever being annoying... which is pretty rare for a companion NPC. The gameplay is pretty similar to the original Bioshock and is perfectly adequate when compared to other top-tier FPS games. I did find that certain vigor/equipment/gun combinations were completely overpowered though, so there could have been a bit more balance. I also wish that the textures were higher resolution and that the game put more emphasis on exploration, but that's just me nitpicking. Overall it was an amazing experience.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I almost wanted to give this game an 8, but then I remembered that I had so much fun playing it that I wanted to play it again right away! The thing about this game is that I loved it for the gameplay and characters, but it falls short in a big way for me personally. This was a fun game, but the story is somewhat flawed. Now I'll say right now, and admit right now, that in a game like this there are automatically going to be things that you have to take as is. In a fantasy/sci fi/surreal game or whatever you can call this insane game, you have to accept that there are things that there are no explanation for. Which is fine because there's no reason to spend hours explaining how the skyhooks actually work, and how you can jump from a skyline 50 meters onto the ground and take not a lick of damage. It's pointless, as Shakespeare said, "Brevity is the soul of wit", the game doesn't need to explain little things like this because it detracts from the story. But the problem is that character reactions are often... I would say confusing. >spoilers< First of all when you find Elizabeth and break her out, after she sees that she's been watched, she starts asking "What am I!?" First of all, Elizabeth is probably the best thing about the game, but the dialogue in the first part of the game is actually kind of silly. Why would she ask "what am I?" You find out almost instantly that she spent all of her time trapped in the tower reading books, that's how she knows how to lockpick, read geographical coordinates, and that crap. Yet even with all that reading she doesn't find it weird that she can open doors to other dimensions? Nothing even hinted to her that this wasn't normal? I was actually kind of surprised personally that she didn't catch on. There's a lot to be asked about her in general. Basically we are told songbird took care of her while she was in the tower, but that leads me to wonder why she can even talk or read in the first place. She acts like a refined citizen, even more strangely speaking like she's from the year 2000 (as if that is a humans default speaking tone), no old style accent or cadence like booker. The problem here is twofold; she is a fully grown, well groomed female with exceptional vocal skills yet she acts like she has no idea about things outside the tower. She seems to have a comprehensive knowledge of columbia sometimes, and other times not at all. Examples like not knowing what cotton candy are, or why there are two different bathrooms for racial types seem like pretty weird things. Especially the bathroom thing, racial separation is a pretty big thing in columbia. Beyond the strange behavior of the characters which often raises more questions than anything, the fact is Elizabeth is the most impressive AI character to ever follow you around in a first person shooter. Her facial expressions reflect the mood of the level, when you stand around she'll often go lean on something or look at an object on the ground. She will be shocked when you mutilate someone with the skyhook, on top of all of this she's about as strong as she looks aka not very. It's nice to see a female character in a video game that isn't the typical "feminist opinionated butch chick". Elizabeth is probably the most impressive part of this game besides some of the visuals that have been put together. Lastly the story. The story is a little more jumbled than the first bioshock, it still seems to make sense at first, but the later half of the game starts to get a little bit well, stupid. The closer the game seems to get to the core of all the WHY questions that have been put in your head the less it seems it's going to reveal them. The writing is the typical bioshock style. By which I mean psuedo intellectual philosophical crap. It's all the same as the first bioshock, a lot of stuff that sounds cool, but in the end could mean a million different things to different people, and ultimately fails to deliver a message that results in a conclusion. By the end of the game you wonder why you should even do anything because the longer the game goes on the more Elizabeth seems to know but can't explain to you. Eventually I felt like I was just following her around hoping for the best. In the end that's really how the game ends. With you following Elizabeth around, hoping for an answer to why and how any of what happened happened. But it doesn't quite get there. Even with all of that crap in the story though, the ending is definitely not bad and the story is definitely not boring. Albeit silly and often cryptically pointless. In conclusion great game, ambiguous but interesting story, and fantastic character personality.… Expand