BioShock Infinite

1. bosconian87

   Mar 30, 2013

   10

   I loved the original Bioshock when it came out in 2007. That the pace of the plot evaporated after the twist mattered not one jot, the gameI loved the original Bioshock when it came out in 2007. That the pace of the plot evaporated after the twist mattered not one jot, the game delivered deep in something sadly missing from many games today atmosphere. Bioshock 2 I also enjoyed in 2010, with the way that it opened up more, and gave a spin on events in Rapture of its own accord, but it never stunned like the original. After seeing the first trailers for Bioshock Infinite 2 years ago, I was hoping for something that would deliver in all key areas of a great game i was not disappointed!! Presentation is generally excellent for the 360, the loads being minimal and fairly fast. The graphics are beautiful in the way that they are executed and the imagination behind them, and if there is the occasional pop-in of objects or textures, and an odd moment of frame rate stutter, it never affects the gameplay. Sound design is on another level though, completely the voice actors do a sterling job, the sound effects are eerie in their delivery, and coupled with the amazing soundtrack which at times evokes memories of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, amongst other things. The soundtrack is a loud, cluttered and often blustering bundle of objects that does what its supposed to it fills in the spaces that the graphics depend on to deliver the whole 'feel' so to speak. And so to the gameplay, which is where I have to state that this latest entry in the Bioshock series truly is the best so far. There are a handful of neat gimmicks put into the game at key points (the skyhooks, the tears in time), which when coupled with some familiar aspects (the vigors you may have seen before, and the weaponry), makes for some compulsive First-Person shooter gameplay however, the final ingredient, the one that makes this game truly great, and probably one of this years' best (and probably the decades I'm going to state right now!!) is the plot thundering through on some riffs from Alan Moore (think sparks of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Watchmen), and some very clear influences from Terry Gilliam (Brazil, 12 Monkeys), and many more I could mention, the whole thing moves from scene to scene, and never ever detaches the player from the game I've said this before, but if this were a book (the whole thing certainly feels like a graphic novel) you'd be up until 4 in the morning reading it!! The last time I played a game that truly made me want to get to the end, to see the whole thing, and know what was going on so much, was either Shadow of the Colossus or Half Life 2, so I think you can understand how highly I rate this game. i could write more, but alas, I'm on my second playthrough of the cursed game you see, and I want to get back to it, so I'll finish with this it is the best single-player campaign game I have played in years, it threatens to overflow with the wealth of ideas bursting forth, and even if you don't think you'll enjoy it, you have to give it at least a try. One utterly superb game.… Expand

   • 40 of 56 users found this helpful
2. Bottom_Line

   Jul 6, 2013

   10

   From beginning to end, BioShock Infinite is one of the best experiences I've had with a game. It is easily a top 5 best game of thisFrom beginning to end, BioShock Infinite is one of the best experiences I've had with a game. It is easily a top 5 best game of this generation, and probably the last of it's kind. It is amazing how the BioShock creators took a video game series that was already among the greatest of all time, and made it even better which is what I was hoping for when I saw the trailer and gameplay preview. Almost anything that you want out of a FPS is here for the taking. The first thing you will notice when you start playing BioShock Infinite is the environment change. Instead of being in a dark, underwater city, it's actually quite the opposite. You are now sent to a very vibrant, beautiful floating city called Columbia as Booker DeWitt to find and bring back a mysterious girl that has been imprisoned in this city for years, in order to pay off your debt back home. Through this journey the environment begins to get darker and more familiar as all hell breaks loose once you are discovered. Once you find the girl, Elizabeth, you roam Columbia trying to find a way home. Throughout the game there are a number of plot twists that you have to get through with her. The graphics are great as always with BioShock games, but the color in this game has to be the best of the series. The gameplay, along with the presentation, is what really makes this game an all time great. What the BioShock creators did with the gameplay is take certain elements that they already had in the previous games, and if they didn't make them better, they at least made them different which is a good change for the series. An example of this is the health system and the "secondary hand powers" ("vigors" in BioShock Infinite). Instead of just finding health packs and "secondary hand power" viles or buying them from a vending machine and being able to keep up to a certain amount, you still get them from the same sources, but you can only fill up one meter which you can upgrade in order to hold more. The fact that you can't hold up to a certain amount of health packs or vigor viles is countered by Elizabeth giving you health, vigor, or ammunition with generation periods in between when she is looking for it when you need it. The hacking system is also incorporated into the vigors with the "Possession" vigor which allows you to possess enemy machines for only a short period of time or create salt machines (salt is what powers your vigors). Possession is 1 of 8 different types of vigors you will receive throughout the game which you can use any 1 at any time as long as you have the salt for it. The creators also added a couple of things to the gameplay. Aside from the new guns and enemies that you will encounter, Elizabeth eventually develops the ability to open "tears", creations from different worlds, of ammunition, friendly machines, and cover. The gameplay also hasn't lost it's decision making touch when it puts you in some situations where you only have 3-5 seconds to react with a game changing decision. So what the creators have done is replaced almost all old elements of gameplay in previous BioShock's with different and better elements, and added some other elements that make this game a great follow up and addition to the series. The one complaint i have with the game is the fact that some enemies just can't enter some rooms in some situations for no apparent reason. It should take about 10-12 hours to complete the story of BioShock Infinite. Overall BioShock Infinite is a game with great presentation, a good story line that won't disappoint, and new great gameplay. This is a game that you can't miss if you are a fan of the BioShock series or don't want to miss a potential game of the year/generation.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. I_Eat_Candy

   Oct 21, 2014

   10

   Finally got around to finishing this game and I loved it. Totally different vibe than the others. The music and sound design are top notch,Finally got around to finishing this game and I loved it. Totally different vibe than the others. The music and sound design are top notch, visuals are awesome for the 360, and you can't beat the story line. 10/10… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
5. MadJack1812

   Apr 9, 2013

   9

   This is one of the most ambitious and compelling games I have ever played. The nature and complexity of the plot won't be to everyone's tasteThis is one of the most ambitious and compelling games I have ever played. The nature and complexity of the plot won't be to everyone's taste as the story begins by tackling subjects including on racism, slavery and religious fundamentalism and ends by trying to melt your brain out of your ears, but it really is a joy to play through.
   
   The floating city of Columbia is beautifully designed and it's busy streets and hidden corners make it both fun to explore and a welcome change to the catastrophic aftermath of Rapture from the original Bioshock. Combat plays similarly to Bioshock 2 with the familiar mix of vigors (formerly plasmids) and firearms of various size. While combat might not be as slick as a hardcore FPS it's still a lot of fun, although you might want to look to the harder difficulties if you want to be really challenged on that front.
   
   The real star of the show though is your (nearly) constant companion, Elizabeth. Usually, an AI controlled NPC is little more than a running commentary with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the AI behind Elizabeth is pretty much on the money. In combat, she helps by providing ammo and health, but I found the parts outside of combat the real revelation. While exploring Colombia, Elizabeth will mill about interacting and commenting on your surroundings. The conversations she shares with your character add real context to the story and make her character all the more engaging.
   
   I don't want to go into any more detail than I already have as the little discoveries you make along the way are a big part of what makes this game so great. Suffice to say that aside from a few glitches and a slight loss of pace in the middle third this is a terrific game and I absolutely recommend you go play it now.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. rykeith

   Mar 31, 2013

   9

   Excellent game, a great adventure from start to finish. There are negatives to be found, mostly in the form of occasional low-res texturesExcellent game, a great adventure from start to finish. There are negatives to be found, mostly in the form of occasional low-res textures when you get up really close to some objects. Pretty much everything else was fantastic. The story is just as good as the previous Bioshock games, with twists in the plot that you will likely not be expecting. Gameplay is excellent, and I spent around 25 hours (I explore everything very thoroughly) in total on Hard mode, but have yet to try my hand at 1999 mode. If you like something a little different than the traditional shooter (i.e. more story-driven), this is the game for you.… Expand

   • 1 of 6 users found this helpful
7. CannonBlaster

   May 23, 2013

   8

   Its a worthy successor to the original. The story can get too much at the end, but overall it's really enjoyable. The gameplay is veryIts a worthy successor to the original. The story can get too much at the end, but overall it's really enjoyable. The gameplay is very satisfying, I mean I never felt so good blowing someone's head off, however unlike Bioshock 1, it doesn't tie end with the story, it's just there. With that said though, everything else is enjoyable. The characters are lovable and the story is fresh. I would highly recommend you play this game.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. satts1

   May 10, 2013

   0

   First off definitely not worth the price of £35. Not a patch on the original games. It is a point and shoot pure and simple. All it is, isFirst off definitely not worth the price of £35. Not a patch on the original games. It is a point and shoot pure and simple. All it is, is deranged police security coming after you in droves and other enemies I have yet to encounter. The game jumps from a few minutes of welcome serenity to complete chaos with bullets and rockets flying from all directions for apparently no reason whatsoever. I have been playing it for several hours but most of that time has been spent shooting at something (and there is no way around this you have to engage the next battle to progress the game, which I cannot wait to end so that I can chuck it back on ebay). I am struggling to find anything that involves even a small amount of thought or skill. What is the sky hook thing all about? It just flings you about all over the place or this the 'skill' element of game that needs to be learned? It may just as well have been a spider man trick or a jet pack it has no relevance to the game.
   The only impressive thing about this game is the graphics and detail, but what is the point of applying all this detail to a building that isn't reachable to explore or to an object you can only admire but not do anything with??
   The creators of this game have missed the point big time. I hate it because you have to play it the way it wants you to and the outcome is always the same shoot, shoot, shoot.... Dull, Dull, Dull.… Expand

   • 1 of 4 users found this helpful

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