Bioshock Infinite

It has been some time since we last saw a Bioshock game, an Irrational Games series centered around cerebral twists and turns, going places few games dare to tread. Leaving the depths of the ocean and entering into the clouds we are introduced to a new dystopic city, just waiting for someone like you to come along and bring it crashing down to Earth. Set fifty years before the events of Rapture comes Columbia, a floating city centered around exceptionalism and xenophobia. What is your task you may ask? “Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt.” This may sound easy but you will quickly learn you have never been so wrong before.

Bioshock Infinite is one of those games where the story goes toe-to-toe with the action. I’ve had a hard time picking which I like more; the story of overly-patriotic Columbia, or the chaos that ensues when your character, war veteran Booker DeWitt, is thrust into the situation. Set in 1912, Infinite takes hot social and political issues of the time and runs with them. You’ll see racism, militias hell-bent on overthrowing the government, and ideals that only the clinically insane would believe. That’s capitalism for you. Finding voxaphones, which are antique recording devices, gives you a broader understanding of the backstory and how different characters interact and view Columbia’s government. The antagonist of Infinite is Zachary Comstock, or “The Prophet” as people have grown accustomed to calling him. Comstock is a great villain because he inspires your hatred for him through his overuse of loudspeakers to belittle your existence.

The first thing you’ll notice when playing Infinite is how beautiful the game looks. The moment you enter Columbia you see a bright skyline, vivid banners and real living people! This is the first Bioshock game where people aren’t out to kill you from the beginning. You get to see Columbia for its beauty before madness ensues. Whereas in most modern shooters the color palette is comprised of brown, black, and grey, Infinite gives you every color under the sun. In addition, the sounds and music of Columbia make it all believable. People walking down the street, children playing, hummingbirds flying around flowers, phonographs playing music; it really makes you stop and appreciate the detail put into this game.

If you’ve played a Bioshock game before, Infinite will feel like home to you. The controls remain the same and even some of the HUD sound effects used were taken directly from the previous games. One big change is that you can’t carry around every single gun in the game at once anymore. Instead, you are limited to carrying two guns. You can stockpile as much ammo as you want, but being limited to two guns at once can be a challenge. Often you will find ammo for the guns you aren’t carrying and are forced into picking up a gun you don’t want (sniper rifle, I’m looking at you). A good idea would be to have a medium range and a short range weapon on you at all times. Most enemies can be picked off from a distance, but some of the “Heavy Hitters” need a little more finesse and close combat strategies.

You have two ways to kill people; weapons or vigors. Infinite gives you a dozen weapons to choose from, as well as eight vigors. Many of the guns, like the Heatgun and Burstgun, seem unnecessary. Vigors act as your magical powers within the game and run off of salts, which you will find scattered throughout the entire game. They can be applied to each enemy or can be placed on the ground as a trap, affecting enemies within the area. Some, such as Possession, are more powerful and take a larger amount of salts, but upgrading your vigors will make them drain fewer salts and increase their damage.

Throughout the game your companion is Elizabeth, a woman who you are tasked with retrieving in order to pay your gambling debts. Elizabeth is unique in that she is one of the few companions that doesn’t run into danger making your life a living hell. No, Elizabeth avoids danger and gives the kleptomaniac the best present of all; salts, ammo, and health. She also possesses the power to open tears in time and space, allowing her to teleport objects like turrets, a wall of cover, ammo, or a box of medpacks. This is one ability you need to use in every fight.

Elizabeth is much more than a combat aid though. She also serves as a way of evoking more emotion in the story. Elizabeth makes you feel guilt, fear, happiness and curiosity all at once. From the moment you meet her you know that she is special. One minute she will be dancing on a dock and then the next she will be crying because she can’t comprehend just how important she is to everyone else besides you. Her fascination with the outside world makes you want to take her places and show her new ideas. You will feel for her tragic past as she comes to terms with who she truly is and the power she possesses.

Bioshock Infinite isn’t your average game that you can finish in an afternoon. To fully experience what it has in store for you, you have to go off the beaten path, not be afraid to muscle your way through enemies, and stop to smell the rainbow roses from time to time. I can’t say enough about how amazing this game truly is. The story will leave you with many unanswered questions, perfect for those who love to fill in the information gap on their own. Now “would you kindly” go out and buy the game already?