Recently I beat Bioshock: Infinite..
First off I have to say that the original Bioshock ranks as one of my favorite games of all time. I've beat it multiple times on multiple systems and I even liked Bioshock 2 even though it was a very unnecessary sequel in terms of story and got unjustly lambasted IMO. I've been waiting anxiously for this sequel since it was announced 3 years ago, and overall I am very satisfied with the 15+ hours I put into the adventure. I'm not sure I can say I liked it more than Bioshock, as such a straight line comparison is impossible. Some things I liked better, while others I did not like as much.
For one I did like the artistic work and environmental elements of Columbia, the city in the sky that Infinite is set in. If you have a good PC like I do you will have plenty of eye candy to enjoy. Subsequently, if you also have a PC that is rather old/outdated, there will be plenty for you to abhor at. I tried running this on my 3 year old i5 laptop with antiquated drivers (because why would HP bother supporting their devices) and even with the lowest settings the game ran as bad as it looked. So if your PC can handle it I recommend that version as it has more customization than the consoles.
The game also continues with high production values both visual and auditory, with good voice acting strewn everywhere, and luckily on the main characters Booker and Elizabeth. Speaking of Elizabeth, anyone worried that the game is one long escort quest will be happy to know that while yes technically it is, it is done very well and isn't the typical burden style of escort we are accustomed to. Liz never gets in the way of your shots (and will yell at you if you intentionally try to hit her) and will find and throw you health, salts (think plasma from Bioshock) and ammo when things get really heated in combat. She'll also find cash and throw you some in between combat as well. While I do like the interaction between Liz and Booker, it is a little annoying that you are unable to initiate any sort of conversation with Liz. Nearly all the times you interact with her are done through scripted sequences, making things feel a little artificial. Still, her whole dynamic with Booker is a welcome change from the silent protagonist we've had to deal with for Bioshock 1 + 2.
Still, all is not peaches and cream with this game, but luckily my complaints are minor but still valid. For one, this game has the same issues that the other Bioshock games had, which is the difficulty, which is to say there hardly is any. I played on Medium and I only died 3 times, and the first time occurred in the first battle when I was still adjusting to the gameplay style. I can't imagine how much of a cakewalk the easy mode is. Speaking of the combat, it has definitely changed since the other games, and I'm not particularly sure it was for the better. Gone is the previous games' system of multiple weapons/plasmids and having to heal yourself during intense battles to make sure you don't die. Perplexingly, this game has adopted the old "Halo" style of combat, where you are given a shield to protect you and then once that runs out you better get out of the way before you lose your life and wait for your shield to regenerate. Speaking of "adopting" things, you can only carry 2 weapons at a time now, and since this game takes place in the early 20th century, the weapons are older, and when swapping between a carbine and a sniper rifle I couldn't help but think I was playing Call of Duty. Not the "Modern" ones, but the original one that came out in 2003. There are a few other atypical weapons you can pick up but once I got a shotgun/hand cannon along with the sniper rifle I felt little need for anything else. I may try and force myself to have more variety next time. Also speaking of variety, the Vigors (or plasmids) are so-so IMO. I don't know what it is, but it didn't feel as fun or necessary to use them this time around, and I even had times where the game would yell at me for not using them in various battles. Oh, and on that topic, I wish the game would not assume that everytime I load a game up that I forgot what everything does. You know how when you first play a game, they often will guide you through and give you hints on what certain things do? Well Infinite tells you EVERY SINGLE TIME you start up your game. Hey Infinite, I've been playing this game for over 10 hours. I realize that Dollar merchants will sell me stuff and that Elizabeth will occasionally throw me some cash. Finally, the game's ending has been the subject of some controversy. While I thought it was a very good ending, I do feel it leaves a number of rather important questions unanswered, but I suppose they may leave that for the upcoming DLC that is coming out.
Overall the complaints I've listed are very minor and just are more proof that the perfect game has yet to be released, but Bioshock: Infinite is a damn good effort to try and make the best game in terms of both action as well as narrative. If you are a fan of either of these things, there is NO reason why you should not pick this game up. I definitely see this in my GOTY list and hopefully you will find it in yours as well. I give it an A-.
