BioShock Infinite Review: A Head in the Clouds

[shrekfan246]

I've heard. I actually started it, but I was put off by how the little booths would just bring me back to life over and over again when I died. Maybe I should just blaze through it on easy for the story.

You can turn off the Vita Chambers.

OT: I've had this preordered for well over a year, glad to see it's been getting such good press. Loved both Bioshock games when I finally got around to playing them, despite the few bugbears I had about each of them, so hopefully this will be able to grab me the same way.

 

[Pinkamena]

Of course the game had to be released while I'm on my easter vacation. Fucking brilliant!

 

[WarpZone]

You can turn off the Vita Chambers.

Yes, that technically solves the problem of the Vita Chambers making the game too easy, but it does so in the cheapest, lamest, least interesting way.

I refer you to the late, great Antisocialfatman for his take on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBJUJXOxztE

 

[shrekfan246]

You can turn off the Vita Chambers.

Yes, that technically solves the problem of the Vita Chambers making the game too easy, but it does so in the cheapest, lamest, least interesting way.

I refer you to the late, great Antisocialfatman for his take on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBJUJXOxztE

... okay?

I didn't actually die often enough for the Vita Chambers to really "make the game too easy" anyway, and if I did I was glad they were there because my alternative would've been going back to the start of an entire area because I usually forgot to manually save, and autosaves only happened after area transitions. They were basically just checkpoints like every other game uses these days, just given an in-game representation instead of a simple text or icon pop-up that says "Checkpoint Saved".

Not really sure what the problem is, especially since the original guy I quoted said he was just put off by them simply being there. And I don't really want to spend fifty minutes watching a five-part Youtube video that's completely slagging something off for 'being a rip-off' of a much earlier game made by the same company. I see that argument often enough on these forums.

 

[WarpZone]

... okay?

I didn't actually die often enough for the Vita Chambers to really "make the game too easy" anyway, and if I did I was glad they were there because my alternative would've been going back to the start of an entire area because I usually forgot to manually save, and autosaves only happened after area transitions. They were basically just checkpoints like every other game uses these days, just given an in-game representation instead of a simple text or icon pop-up that says "Checkpoint Saved".

Not really sure what the problem is, especially since the original guy I quoted said he was just put off by them simply being there. And I don't really want to spend fifty minutes watching a five-part Youtube video that's completely slagging something off for 'being a rip-off' of a much earlier game made by the same company. I see that argument often enough on these forums.

Sorry. He's not ripping Bioshock apart, he's explaining how and why it fell short of his expectations. To do that he needs to unpack what came before it and how Bioshock measures up. And how fresh do you expect a video about the original Bioshock to be, anyway?

My only point was, "you can turn them off" doesn't work as a solution for most players, because it pushes the game too far in the opposite direction. If the previous posts about Bioshock Infinite's respawn system are accurate, it seems like Irrational agrees.

If you thought the original Bioshock's gameplay was fine, I look forward to finding out if you think Bioshock Infinite's gameplay is also fine, or if you feel like the changes ruined it.

 

[shrekfan246]

And how fresh do you expect a video about the original Bioshock to be, anyway?

Fair enough.

My only point was, "you can turn them off" doesn't work as a solution for most players, because it pushes the game too far in the opposite direction. If the previous posts about Bioshock Infinite's respawn system are accurate, it seems like Irrational agrees.

Again, fair enough, and I agree. Personally I didn't turn them off and likely wouldn't have either, because as I mentioned I frequently forget to manually save in games that actually have those save systems, so dying without the Chamber checkpoints would have been an exercise in frustration for me because I would potentially lose upwards of an hour of progress or more. I just brought it up because, again, the guy said he was put off by their inclusion.

If you thought the original Bioshock's gameplay was fine, I look forward to finding out if you think Bioshock Infinite's gameplay is also fine, or if you feel like the changes ruined it.

"Fine" is probably the best-case description I'd give of it, to be honest...

Bioshock 2 had much better gameplay, in my opinion, because the weapon and enemy balance felt infinitely tighter. In the first it was... adequate, but aiming was loose and floaty and halfway through the game none of the guns could even hold a candle to the power of the wrench anymore, because the enemies all became massive bullet-sponges.

The exploration and level design was fine and dandy, though. So I'm rather interested in seeing how I think Infinite's gameplay stacks up, as well.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

It's worth the sixty bucks just to play the beginning of the game. I've never seen a game make something so beautiful before.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

So, does Elizabeth do everything on her own? Is there some strategy or pattern to the stuff she pulls from the Tears, is it random, or can you give her orders?

Just a small question; this one definitely looks worth a buy.

There's a lot of different tears like gun pick ups, health, and cover, plus ways to get to various vantage points. You just tell her what to open, and you can have one at a time. She'll also throw you ammo and health. She literally always stays out of the way.

 

[DementedSheep]

So not just bioshock in the sky then? Good that's one of the main reason I wasn't so excited for this game.

 

[Monsterfurby]

This looks like an objectively good game, but I really REALLY dislike the first-person-jump-fight-and-sneak-adventure genre. I really wanted to like Dishonored, too, but the game just bored me out of my mind.

I guess it's just not for me.

 

[WarpZone]

This looks like an objectively good game, but I really REALLY dislike the first-person-jump-fight-and-sneak-adventure genre. I really wanted to like Dishonored, too, but the game just bored me out of my mind.

I guess it's just not for me.

Real quick, I'm just curious... do you play FPSs on consoles or on PC? I ask because it's harder to look up and down on console, so vertical elements are stripped out of many modern games seeking to be cross-platform.

 

[RedmistSM]

Looked up the enemy variation on my own, and it seems it's exactly the ones in the trailers and then one more, which is pretty much the same as the last Bioshock was. I appreciate that the abilities you get are interesting, but that wasn't enough to get me through the first Bioshock without feeling bored of the combat, and sidetracked all the time because the way forward was always blocked by something. I'll pick it up when the price drops, though. The story seems to be great, and it's very pretty. I wish the review had addressed the enemies and bosses and saved me the effort, but I guess that stuff doesn't matter to anyone else, judging from these comments.

 

[Monsterfurby]

Real quick, I'm just curious... do you play FPSs on consoles or on PC? I ask because it's harder to look up and down on console, so vertical elements are stripped out of many modern games seeking to be cross-platform.

I'm a PC gamer through and through, and I felt the same way about Half Life 2 as I did about Dishonored and this one. They are probably great games - I just feel that, as a narrative medium, the first-person-perspective really falls flat. It's hard to explain, but even with the best-told story, this perspective sucks all the life out of a protagonist for me.

I can handle that in Portal or even the CoD-games, where other characters are the stars. Games like Dishonored though (which it seems is a good comparison to Bioshock Infinite) focus too much on the unseen player character.

Another reason might just be the fact that I am one of those people who play through games that are not simulations (like Crusader Kings 2, for example - simulations like this basically generate their story through gameplay) at minimum difficulty, because they don't want too much "game" to get in the way of their "story". The medium maybe works differently for people like me.

Again, I acknowledge that this is probably a very good game if you are looking for a challenging adventure in a fascinating setting. Just not for me.

 

[Easton Dark]

Gosh, all this talk of females in gaming has made me really aware of marketing. Every time I see Elizabeth in that "turned" pose with Dewitt behind her, all I see is the marketing team stretching to find a way to include tits and ass in one shot.

Glad to hear there's no objectification in game, anyway. Too bad I'm not a fan of Bioshock.

 

[seditary]

After watching a livestream of the game, I can't wait to buy the game and Elizabeth is the digital love of my life, especially after she the in the back with the s.

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

Gah, so torn. Although I realize Infinite is pretty awesome and I don't want a call it just an FPS, but lately I have been trying to branch out more in terms of genre and although there is plenty of shooting in Tomb Raider I've been really wanting to get into that.

It isn't that I won't get both, but I probably will only be able to get one for the time being.

 

[Virgilthepagan]

I'm enjoying the game as I go through it, but the one gripe I wish you'd mentioned was the lack of saves. Running on just an autosave's already become obnoxious to me. Even more so as I've at least one other friend who wants to play. It's just not a decision I understand.
Other than that? Yup, pretty much everything I'd hoped for. Thanks for avoiding spoilers!

 

[godgravity]

I can't wait for the pre-scripted cutscene where the game goes "look how racist the people in Columbia are!" by like torturing some innocent people to death or whatever, and you can't actually shoot the bad guys or do anything about it, you just have to sit there and watch it happen because GAME WON'T LET YOU!

... or worse, won't give you the option to even participate in said racism, if you're ever-so-evil and willing to do such a horrific thing...

... oh, wait... ....... <OK, I won't spoil it, after all>...

Clearly, you are the very textbook definition of prejudice in regards to your opinion of this title.

You have no idea how many things you said were completely wrong... but I'm glad the review author was willing to respond to several of them directly.

 

[Jaeke]

So the bad guys are normal humans just following orders, the real enemy is political corruption and cultural decay, but the protagonist has no actual ability to speak or argue and instead EVERYTHING revolves around the player leading one helpless female NPC around and shooting people in the head?

Way to advance gaming as a medium, guys. Sexist escort missions, here I come!

I can't wait for the pre-scripted cutscene where the game goes "look how racist the people in Columbia are!" by like torturing some innocent people to death or whatever, and you can't actually shoot the bad guys or do anything about it, you just have to sit there and watch it happen because GAME WON'T LET YOU!

I'm guessing they were making it an actual sequel to Bioshock until Dishonored dropped. Then they were like "OMG! A trend! Change the whole franchise! Copy that shit!"

I honestly hope I'm wrong and the game turns out to actually be good, but to date the industry hasn't given me any reason to be optimistic.

Really?
I mean seriously... I can't even get mad at this.

All I can say is how sorry I am that you feel this way. It's actually downright pitiful.