BioShock Infinite

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 9926 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8,187 out of 9926
  2. Mixed: 1,100 out of 9926
  3. Negative: 639 out of 9926
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  1. silvergamer
    Mar 28, 2013
    4
    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", theFour 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
  2. valero
    Mar 30, 2013
    4
    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
  3. Magnethead
    Jun 13, 2014
    4
    I'm another one not getting the hype. Sure, the graphics look good (even though that impression is created more through the use of trickery than actually beautiful textures but that's fine with me) and the setting is very interesting, but you never get to explore any of it. You move through a linear series of shooting scenes against poor AI using a clumsy feeling protagonist. The game isI'm another one not getting the hype. Sure, the graphics look good (even though that impression is created more through the use of trickery than actually beautiful textures but that's fine with me) and the setting is very interesting, but you never get to explore any of it. You move through a linear series of shooting scenes against poor AI using a clumsy feeling protagonist. The game is most interesting when you aren't shooting at things and that's a problem for a shooter. The story promises real depth but then abandons all that for shooting and drama, it never reaches real depth.

    If you're a fan of shooters, the action here will likely bore you and feel too easy, if you're a fan of sandbox environments and fascinating settings, you'll be frustrated by how you're not allowed to actually explore anything yourself and if you're a fan of adventure game story-telling, all the useless shooting will probably ruin the experience for you.    … Expand
  4. IsolatedPawn
    Mar 26, 2013
    4
    I fell for the hype and bought it because of all the rave reviews but didn't like it at all. A mediocre shooter at best with dated graphics and uninteresting setting and story.
  5. UnclearImage
    Mar 29, 2013
    4
    This isn't Bioshock- It's pretty, it's nice, the art style is fantastic. But this is not Bioshock, this is incredibly dumbed down linear cut and dry with the name Bioshock slapped on it.

    No lockpicking, no hacking, no puzzles, no upgrading. Furthermore it's JUST a game, enemies will shoot you when they can't see you. Run randomly to outflank you when they have no idea where you are they    This isn't Bioshock- It's pretty, it's nice, the art style is fantastic. But this is not Bioshock, this is incredibly dumbed down linear cut and dry with the name Bioshock slapped on it.

    No lockpicking, no hacking, no puzzles, no upgrading. Furthermore it's JUST a game, enemies will shoot you when they can't see you. Run randomly to outflank you when they have no idea where you are they will run THROUGH your bullets to take 'cover' they randomly simulate what a person would do in a firefight.

    It's terrible, any hope you have of being immersed is constantly stolen from you. As you are constantly reminded not only is this a game- it's JUST a game. As a movie this would be fantastic, as an adventure game even better. But as a FPS with the Bioshock name on it? Absolute nonsense.    … Expand
  6. bloodrizer
    Mar 29, 2013
    4
    This game is not very good if you actually like enjoying game process instead of watching poorly animated NPC, engaging frustrating half-assed combat and exploring boring railed levels without any glimpse of interactivity. It's a fun watching people saying how good this game is without saying what actually was good (Hint: NOTHING). This game is very mediocre shooter with sorta good, butThis game is not very good if you actually like enjoying game process instead of watching poorly animated NPC, engaging frustrating half-assed combat and exploring boring railed levels without any glimpse of interactivity. It's a fun watching people saying how good this game is without saying what actually was good (Hint: NOTHING). This game is very mediocre shooter with sorta good, but inconsistent graphics (good fx, somewhat limited models, ugly foliage, terrible animation).… Expand
  7. mathewdbarlow
    May 17, 2013
    4
    What's all the hype about with this game?! I'm a seasoned FPS gamer, and have played all previous Bioshock games. I found this incarnation to be the weakest from the series by far, so much so I've actually stopped playing before even completing it...and doubt I'll ever go back to do so.

    The graphics are ok, certainly not revolutionary or ground breaking. All the shimmering and light    What's all the hype about with this game?! I'm a seasoned FPS gamer, and have played all previous Bioshock games. I found this incarnation to be the weakest from the series by far, so much so I've actually stopped playing before even completing it...and doubt I'll ever go back to do so.

    The graphics are ok, certainly not revolutionary or ground breaking. All the shimmering and light bloom is just smoke and mirrors to obscure you from the fact that the environments are pretty uninteresting and repetitive, with bad models and textures. Models are shamelessly repeated throughout the levels (you shoot the same guy dead about 1000 times by the game end).

    Gameplay is slow I felt, and ridiculously easy, even on harder settings. Weapons and modding was dull and uninventive, nothing new here. Bad guys came at you in the same form over and over again, with terrible AI leading them to certain death in the same way over and over again. I wasn't captivated by the story, which seemed a bit bizarre and disjointed. The characters weren't intriguing and I felt no attachment to them, even hours in.

    A vastly overrated game, hyped up by an expensive media campaign, but ultimately shallow and generic.    … Expand
  8. Un0va
    Mar 26, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I mean, if nothing else the game certainly looks nice, the visual aesthetic is great. That being said, the rest of the game is pretty bad compared to Bioshock 1 and is absolutely wiped out by SS2. There are three different variations on a machine gun and three different variants on a grenade launcher alone. I actually feel like I'm playing Halo in the sky with this one move from one wide-open area with obvious cover and spawning generic enemies to kill, then move to the next and repeat. Oh, and don't forget Elizabeth, who you either have to comfort every ten minutes or who throws you health and ammo like nobody's business because god forbid there's a little bit of challenge. Not to mention the needlessly complicated time travel 2deep4u plot with, guess what, a twist halfway through the game! Oh man, it's almost like we didn't see this coming because Ken Levine hasn't put this in two famous games already! Why Halo 4 has a 6.9 user score but this has a 9.0 is beyond me when they both suffer from the same problems. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the completely subtle message of Booker immediately becoming a racist dick upon being baptized. Nice job with the subtlety, Ken.… Expand
  9. flexy123
    May 15, 2013
    4
    A VERY mediocre and average game probably the most over-hyped game of recent times.

    If I see a review on an established gaming site and see a game given a rating of 9.0/10, I'd would expect a game which would capture me from start to end, with plenty of new ideas, amazing graphics and story, a game you simply cannot put down until you played it to the end. Bioshock Infinite is a    A VERY mediocre and average game probably the most over-hyped game of recent times.

    If I see a review on an established gaming site and see a game given a rating of 9.0/10, I'd would expect a game which would capture me from start to end, with plenty of new ideas, amazing graphics and story, a game you simply cannot put down until you played it to the end.

    Bioshock Infinite is a very average "run off the mill" shooter where you do what gamers do and did already for decades in first person shooters and there is nothing remotely innovative or new. The combat very quickly becomes extremely boring. The story is "bizarre" while at the same time, just a rehash of other, similar stories in countless FPS. Graphics are overall a joke, someone called it rightfully a "last gen" game. The only thing speaking for it are some "interesting" ways how the engine makes use of lights, but still from a technical perspective the graphics are abysmal, low poly-count characters/objects etc.

    What bugged me most about this game was not only that it was a sub-average shooter with no new ideas, but that the player is forced to play in the same environment (that city) for the entire time. I became quickly tired of the appearance of the city which AT FIRST (right in the beginning!) was full of life, but later on becomes boring with repeated elements, the same mobs, the same weapons etc..etc..

    I only had one "Oh Great!" moment, this was all the way in the beginning of the game where you enter that fair with all the characters and are eager just to stroll around and see the city and interact with the characters. But unlike a great sand-box style game where you would be able to continue to explore, the game then just becomes a mediocre shooter which rally doesn't bring anything notable to the table.

    There is only ONE plus point I want to give the game: As someone else already mentioned, the game has a phenomenal, fantastic sound atmosphere. This worked so great that you can play with headphones and you can literally pin point the location of where a sound comes from, better than what I've seen (I mean: heard) in any other game today. For example: I remember early on in the game I was in a part of town and started to hear muffled, far-away music. I was able to find the source of the music "by ear" just by listening to the sound as only help. This is done exceptionally well.

    As a side-note: This game in particular now will be my final proof never ever again to trust game reviews, including reviews by users here on MC. I see people rating this game a 10 saying "it is truly innovative" (which it is, BY FAR, not) and how the graphics are "fantastic". (They are "ok" for a modern system but far from "fantastic", let alone impressive). I also think its hilarious how so many are making the comparison to HL2, a game which is now 9 (nine!) years old. Ironically, HL2, although almost a decade old, had elements which are much better than this average, extremely overrated little game! Even the graphics of HL2, after about a decade can still stand up against this game, unless you are overly impressed by the better lighting effects of this game. Needless to say, HL2 (and many other games in that genre) did a lot of things better. THIS game is a game which I already forgot since there was nothing (literally) staying in my memory which one would expect from a "9 rated" game.    … Expand
  10. Trippynet
    Apr 9, 2013
    4
    OK, this isn't a 1* game, but I did want to pull the average score down a bit. Bioshock Infinite is a good game generally, but it falls tantalisingly short of being a classic due to one, single, gapingly large flaw. And that, is the lack of a proper saving system. Bioshock Infinite ticks so many of the PC-Port boxes. You can tweak the FOV (to some degree), re-mapping the controls worksOK, this isn't a 1* game, but I did want to pull the average score down a bit. Bioshock Infinite is a good game generally, but it falls tantalisingly short of being a classic due to one, single, gapingly large flaw. And that, is the lack of a proper saving system. Bioshock Infinite ticks so many of the PC-Port boxes. You can tweak the FOV (to some degree), re-mapping the controls works well, graphics are decent quality and you can even skip the annoying intro videos (from the second time onwards anyway).

    But instead of the simple and functional saving system of the first two games, they decided to implement a horribly flawed Checkpoint system instead. Sometimes checkpoints are close together, other times there's unacceptably large gaps between them. Take last night for instance, I'd been playing for a while, having fun, then the missus went to bed and I decided to quit the game and sleep as well. Only this was when Bioshock Infinite told me that if I did, I'd lose the last TWENTY MINUTES of gameplay. It then took me another TEN MINUTES of annoyingly trudging on until at long last I FINALLY triggered the next Checkpoint save so that I could exit. Even then, the checkpoint saving icon is woefully small and hidden, so you've often no idea when it last saved until you try and quit and read the time-stamp on the save file.

    Sorry 2K, you got a lot of things right with Bioshock Infinite, but the awful checkpoint system really and badly spoils the game. End result, I WILL NOT pay for a game where the developer can't be bothered to implement a proper saving system. FULL STOP.    … Expand
  11. Hybrid6x6
    Mar 26, 2013
    4
    I really don't understand why are people so overwhelmed by this game. Lets see first thing is graphics, well this is such a clever ruse, all that bloom, fog and light shafts are well placed to cover poor models and textures in general(and I am not a person who praise graphics but this simply couldn't be overlooked). Next thing is horrible collision zones, at first it was not a big deal butI really don't understand why are people so overwhelmed by this game. Lets see first thing is graphics, well this is such a clever ruse, all that bloom, fog and light shafts are well placed to cover poor models and textures in general(and I am not a person who praise graphics but this simply couldn't be overlooked). Next thing is horrible collision zones, at first it was not a big deal but it became more and more annoying. Also difficulty is pretty low i cannot even imagine how easier the game could get on lower difficulties. Story and characters are mix up of several clichés with several ups and downs and for once finally useful sidekick on the contrary enemy AI is quite poor and you will see big number of enemies stucked in some obstacle. There is also that unpleasant fact that this game embrace only checkpoint saves. So not being a fanboy nor hater i have to say Bioshock Infinite is pretty average game with tremendous hype, I'm glad i got my copy free because otherwise i would be really really angry at myself for wasting money. P.S. for all the people that say Bioshock is best rated FPS in history just check Half Life 2 and see for yourself… Expand
  12. zendiego
    Apr 6, 2013
    4
    This could easily have been an interactive story versus a full blown FPS game which ends up diminishing the story with its Sierra (Roberta Williams) adventure-esque limitations and stylings such as invisible walls and very lackluster combat. The sense of chaos and inevitable sense of time acceleration into the final showdown that were in previous shock games are gone and so are theThis could easily have been an interactive story versus a full blown FPS game which ends up diminishing the story with its Sierra (Roberta Williams) adventure-esque limitations and stylings such as invisible walls and very lackluster combat. The sense of chaos and inevitable sense of time acceleration into the final showdown that were in previous shock games are gone and so are the wickedly cool augmentations and hacking.

    Oh well, I didn't make the game....beggars can't be choosers....    … Expand
  13. Calleb
    Apr 6, 2013
    4
    Too much racism, fascism and chauvinism. second-rate plot second-rate plot copping the idea of the series Sliders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliders).
  14. herlius
    Oct 28, 2013
    4
    The most overrated FPS ever. The first Bioshock was a real masterpiece, but this boring, linear, killing-machine gameplay is one of the worst experiences I've ever had.
  15. max1c
    Apr 13, 2013
    4
    So lets start with the good. Beautiful art does pay off and terrible graphics are not that obvious. Story is somewhat interesting but falls off quickly and in the end turns out to be lazy. Game play is extremely boring and generic 2000 shooter game play. In grand scheme of things this game is absolutely terrible. This game is the biggest joke ever.
  16. Obsidianson
    Apr 13, 2013
    4
    Another dudebro corrupted game, oh how the mighty has fallen. Systemshock, amazing, systemshock 2 awesome, this, this was crap. Corridor, corridor, arena, thats the play system. The only redeeming quality was the story, and even then I figured out the basic idea half way through their hamfisted dude bro fest. not worth the 60$ I spent on it. Want a perfect reasoning for this score checkAnother dudebro corrupted game, oh how the mighty has fallen. Systemshock, amazing, systemshock 2 awesome, this, this was crap. Corridor, corridor, arena, thats the play system. The only redeeming quality was the story, and even then I figured out the basic idea half way through their hamfisted dude bro fest. not worth the 60$ I spent on it. Want a perfect reasoning for this score check this out
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ2cSKBFBDQ    … Expand
  17. GaytronReRe
    Apr 13, 2013
    4
    The good: it provides about 20 hours of single player monotony, graphics aren't the worst
    The bad: Everything else.
    Being realistic, I'd have to say this game is NOT worth $60. Half that maybe. Luckily I got this game for free so I can write this review without any influence from having purchased the game. I can not understand how or why this game gets reviewed so highly. The    The good: it provides about 20 hours of single player monotony, graphics aren't the worst
    The bad: Everything else.

    Being realistic, I'd have to say this game is NOT worth $60. Half that maybe. Luckily I got this game for free so I can write this review without any influence from having purchased the game. I can not understand how or why this game gets reviewed so highly. The graphics are in the range of DECENT to GOOD. They are not worthy of being called "amazing" or "incredible". Crysis 3 had incredible graphics. This game looks like its running off the Unreal 3 engine, oh wait that's right it is... I find it irritating that they try to mix realistic lighting effects with over-saturated, cartoon like color pallets and character designs. Nothing fits together in this games design choices. It's almost as if there were multiple art directors each in charge of their own bits of the game and they did not coordinate on anything!

    The sound is pathetic. They obviously spent a lot of time recording their own mish mashed songs that are combinations of their own "creative" writing as well as bits of real world classics, than they did on any of the ambient sounds or weapon sounds. There is a decent amount of dialogue from the primary characters as well as random NPCs but for a game that you supposedly get "lost" in, I did not find the experience very convincing. Oblivian had more natural dialogue than this game. With that said, another big gripe of mine is that there are these collectible audio recordings that you find throughout the game that you can listen when you pick them up. Doing so results in all other sounds being almost muted during the playback. The developers saw fit to place these near areas where hearing the in game sounds would be useful as well, so while you're listening to a recording, an enemy has noticed you and started firing. This is further complicated by the dialogue between you and the Elizabeth character since her dialogue has the same drowning effect as the recording playbacks. Brilliant!

    The story is silly and unoriginal. The game has a real opportunity to go somewhere with it and it flat lines the whoooooole game. Most of the game will be spent searching crates, barrels, and bodies for items and money so that you can buy upgrades for the one or two weapons you'll decide to stick with since you couldn't possibly upgrade all of the weapons that are all VERY similar. Also lock picks will be needed to unlock rooms full of one item and maybe a safe, which you will need more lock picks for so that you can always discover that it only has around $200 in it. Literally every safe has this in it. Never an item or anything. Always around $200. Apparently all people in an alternate past/universe with a safe will only ever store around $200 in them... How exciting!

    This game just feels like Bioshock in the sky, which it is, but that is not a good thing... Game and level design should have progressed in the past 5 years or so. This might as well be a rail shooter. Very Linear. Even the "choices" that the game presents you do not have any impact on the progression of the storyline. This game tries hard to develop characters, but it generally fails. The plot "twist" is a joke and basically defeats the purpose of the game.

    I could go on and on about all of the things that make this a mediocre game but I'll leave it to you to find out the rest.    … Expand
  18. hades84
    Mar 3, 2016
    4
    I give this game 6/10. It was okay, but not the masterpiece indeed. Game is overhyped in my opinion. I could give it 7/10 if graphics weren't childish though...
  19. rustyfingers
    Apr 18, 2013
    4
    This game is very dull and linear, I loved the first Bioshock never finished the sequel and that one stayed on my hard drive for less than 24 hours.

    Its not a very challenging game, and it gets very shallow and repetitive fast. If you re an older gamer and used to love the first Half Life by example, you may want to pass on this one .

    Pretty graphics dont make a good game.
  20. johntodd
    May 10, 2013
    4
    I Have mixed opinions. The game is good, but I don`t think people get the overwhelming subliminal context. First of all it was released on Indians Martyr day before Patriots day. Main character is unlikeble normal american who is familiar with guns. In this game Christians are pictured as demon lovers and founding fathers of USA are demonised. Why such context when America has gun controlI Have mixed opinions. The game is good, but I don`t think people get the overwhelming subliminal context. First of all it was released on Indians Martyr day before Patriots day. Main character is unlikeble normal american who is familiar with guns. In this game Christians are pictured as demon lovers and founding fathers of USA are demonised. Why such context when America has gun control in mind and why such a big marketing? I`m not bashing the game but I´m warning you to be aware.… Expand
  21. Kingsmill89
    May 9, 2013
    4
    Formulaic 'waves' of enemies in set areas ruin this otherwise beautiful game. Gone is the sense of freedom, exploration and choices that made the first two Bioshocks so much fun. This is, instead, a repetitive shooter with little to draw you in, and even less to keep you there.
  22. Ohtel
    May 24, 2013
    4
    I rated this game a 4 basically because It is like any of the new releases.... Mega graphics and a confusing intro.... For players new to the BioShock series.....

    I for one hate preachers... and the 2nd scene I am in Heaven? sorry but after that it went down hill, Standard FPS RPG style game with some nice Graphics, boring gameplay and a story which everyone "says" is amazing.... don't    I rated this game a 4 basically because It is like any of the new releases.... Mega graphics and a confusing intro.... For players new to the BioShock series.....

    I for one hate preachers... and the 2nd scene I am in Heaven? sorry but after that it went down hill, Standard FPS RPG style game with some nice Graphics, boring gameplay and a story which everyone "says" is amazing.... don't see what is so amazing....games like this is why people Pirate companies games.

    will never buy a BioShock game ever again...    … Expand
  23. darunium
    May 25, 2013
    4
    First, the bad: lack of manual save. It's fine to not allow save during combat, or only allow saving in certain areas, but to disallow saving manually entirely, at the whim of checkpoints hoping that your computer doesn't freeze between them, that's just either lazy or poor design. In a game of this production value, that is completely unacceptable. To top it off, you can't play more thanFirst, the bad: lack of manual save. It's fine to not allow save during combat, or only allow saving in certain areas, but to disallow saving manually entirely, at the whim of checkpoints hoping that your computer doesn't freeze between them, that's just either lazy or poor design. In a game of this production value, that is completely unacceptable. To top it off, you can't play more than one game through you can't have multiple parallel saves. What if multiple people want to play the game? Buy multiple copies you say? For one machine? Give me a break.

    For the good, there's mostly everything else: solid and novel combat mechanics with a good pacing and feel to them, well executed aesthetic and environment, not much to complain about. It's just too bad to have that mired by an experience that stops and starts and repeats every time the game freezes because games *do* freeze. All the time apparently with this one.    … Expand
  24. tunarolls
    Jun 1, 2013
    4
    People should really know the difference between graphics and aesthetics. The game looks nice, but not really graphics wise. Muddy textures were cleverly hidden by post-processing trickery. The story is shallow and makes use of multi-dimensional to make up for it. Intelligent people would only get the game, people would say. They treat quantum mechanics as magic and use it as cop-out forPeople should really know the difference between graphics and aesthetics. The game looks nice, but not really graphics wise. Muddy textures were cleverly hidden by post-processing trickery. The story is shallow and makes use of multi-dimensional to make up for it. Intelligent people would only get the game, people would say. They treat quantum mechanics as magic and use it as cop-out for plot holes in the story. I don't understand the 10s and 9s that people give to this game. The game mechanics is not even that perfect. Why should it even be called a video game if you don't even emphasize the game mechanics. Increasing difficulty increases enemy sponginess? Why can't you carry more than two weapons anyway? The weapon upgrades are meaningless, as the upgrades would only be countered by increased health of generic enemies, I should say. The weapons don't even feel that powerful because they don't stop your enemies on their tracks. All this flaws are then discarded because of the awesome ending? Biggest cop-out in a video game in this generation, more like. Infinite became meaningless with constants and variables. I scored 4 because of the aesthetics of the game, the sounds and the whole flying city thing. Not game of the year or even game of the generation material, as some people that has fallen to its mediocre plot and "mind-blowing" twist and ending. Buy Metro: Last Light instead.… Expand
  25. ImcominToGetcha
    Jun 18, 2013
    4
    i don't understand why this game has a 94 metacritic score.It's a linear FPS with boring gameplay.The story is decent but it's not enough.The only good character is Elizabeth.Booker is bland.It has no replay value whatsoever and thank God it doesn't have MP because it would be even worse

    final score 4/10
  26. Joseph_Malik
    Aug 2, 2013
    4
    As a fan of the previous 2 games, I am very disappointed in this cash grab of a sequel. Not compelling; I can't understand how this game keeps getting rave reviews. Did the publishers pay the magazine reviewers to give such great reviews? It doesn't live up to the 'gameplay' trailers that were released on YouTube. There is no compelling reason for Elizabeth at all, yet she was supposedAs a fan of the previous 2 games, I am very disappointed in this cash grab of a sequel. Not compelling; I can't understand how this game keeps getting rave reviews. Did the publishers pay the magazine reviewers to give such great reviews? It doesn't live up to the 'gameplay' trailers that were released on YouTube. There is no compelling reason for Elizabeth at all, yet she was supposed to be a combatant in the videos. Gameplay is sadly lacking, it's just a shooting gallery as stated by other people on here. The game just does not live up to the hype and I am one very disappointed customer, even at Steam summer sale prices! The game is way too linear, as previously stated by others characters are not engaging. I would say this is their equivalent of "Duke Nuke'em Forever". An overhyped, overpriced, letdown of an unqualified failure of a sequel.… Expand
  27. Collerz
    Sep 24, 2013
    4
    Personally I found this game overrated. It looks pretty enough but the gameplay is just any old average 3rd person shooter. The game consists of waves of enemies and you doing this over and over again. The story was good but I can watch a film if that's what I care about.
  28. MaxwiseGamgee
    Nov 12, 2013
    4
    This game does not live up to the hype. I waited to buy this game once it came down in price and could snag a good deal on steam. However, it turns out it wasn't all that good of a deal. The story line is very predictable and generic. There isn't a character I cared about or even wanted to succeed. The game play is mundane. You only have a capacity for two guns. Granted the game lets youThis game does not live up to the hype. I waited to buy this game once it came down in price and could snag a good deal on steam. However, it turns out it wasn't all that good of a deal. The story line is very predictable and generic. There isn't a character I cared about or even wanted to succeed. The game play is mundane. You only have a capacity for two guns. Granted the game lets you swap out to different guns through out the game but I had no incentive to want to switch what guns I already had. Furthermore, I didn't see a need to keep using different abilities. You could just get by very simply without using them. I believe at one point I had a tip during a loading screen that reminded me to use them. Overall, to get through the game I had to force myself to turn each page.… Expand
  29. exmordis
    Mar 26, 2014
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a fan of story in games, I found myself sitting at the end of the credits of Bioshock: Infinite with many questions swirling around in my head. Some about the game, some about the impact, but one that has stuck with me since: "Why does everyone think this game is a 10/10?"

    Usually, with sequels, developers try to innovate and create unique experiences in a similar universe of a game. They try their hardest to replicate the success of the earlier installments, and to try and make a title worthy of the series' name.

    Was Bioshock: Infinite innovative and unique? No.
    Did Irrational Games try their hardest to create this game? Not at all.

    E3 2011: 15 minutes of gameplay is released. It shows creative features with environment-reactive NPC's and large landscapes with dense setpieces. Elizabeth is also shown to react promptly to the drastic actions you take. You feel immersed in this world. It is beautiful, yet dangerous.
    Did any of this make it into the final product? Nope.
    The NPC's are lifeless and absent for most of the game. The graphics may be wonderful but that feeling of immersion quickly wears off the second you push that rotating blade into a cop's head for grabbing your wrist. And Elizabeth? She'll come later.

    Gameplay: Big question here: Why was this game a First Person Shooter? For a game trying to tell a story about conflicting ideals and the possibilities of alternate universes, why did shooting guards and ghosts in linear gauntlet sequences similar to Call of Duty seem to be the best choice? The "continuation" of the Bioshock name rears its ugly head here, as I feel Irrational was forced to make this decision due to keeping the similarity going. It didn't help, much similar to the gameplay changes from System Shock 2 to Bioshock. The difficulty system in the game is laughable, going up in difficulty means making enemies bigger bullet sponges, and that is it. While I understand the hype around other parts of the game, I believe 10/10 games to be nearly flawless. And the gameplay of this game is anything but, with its dull repetitive shooting galleries that take up most of the game, and with the unforgivable removal of key features that made this game unique to play. Development Hell kicked this poor game down.

    Graphics: This is the only part I can see the love for. The art style really makes the game seem like it was in development for six years. It's refined and has its own quirks. Yet your immersion in this beautiful world lasts for all of ten minutes.

    Story: Oh lord. While many might bag me down for saying I just didn't "understand," you're right. I don't understand. I don't understand the praise for this uninspired, bloated story with one of the most jumbled endings of any game I've seen in all of my life. The game starts with an overdone bashing of old American values, and it sure does bash you with it constantly and barrages you with "BLACK IS BAD" propaganda. It's all "THIS GOOD, THIS BAD" for hours and hours, and the game does nothing with it as you blast the white man down. For a game that is praised for pushing the story-telling medium forward, the story lacks any sort of nuance. Then, the time travel plot kicks in. Infinite realities and such. At the end of the game, you (Booker) are drowned as you eventually become Comstock, the villain, and must be killed to prevent Columbia from ever being made. At this point, multiple universes have been traversed, and it is implied that this certain Booker's (you) death will result in all Booker's dying in every universe. However, this contradicts what the infinite realities theory really is: infinite. Killing one man in one universe does nothing for the again, infinite realities that are existing. The producers tried to put as many confusing elements of quantum mechanics into their game, but failed to understand any of them. I have full faith that the story was being made up as it went along near the end. I could go on for hours on how this story is nothing short of horrid, but that's already been done by various others. Instead, I'll end it with Elizabeth and Booker.
    Booker is your hero, and a very dumb one at that. Completely ignoring all signs for him to not do what he does, he does it anyway. A hero that pushes onward no matter what is heroic, a hero that slays hundreds for no reason to pay off a debt is disgusting.
    Elizabeth is your main objective: you save her from her tower guarded by a beast that serves as her guardian. She is spunky, lovable, and funny. She should not be any of these things. Being trapped in that tower means you are not a Disney princess, you are emotionally detached and volatile. Of course, Irrational can't do this, as spunky female characters are all the rage right now.

    Sometimes I worry about the industry, how these games are praised as the next comings of christ.

    The game is praised for being intelligent and thought-provoking, but does not understand how a coherent story or actual characters should function.    … Expand
  30. johnangel
    Dec 9, 2015
    4
    Pros
    Nice atmosphere.
    Good gore.

    Cons
    Nonsensical plot full of holes.
    Ridiculous characters
    Devolution of combat from the previous games.

    A game slightly below average , I don't hate I don't love it , tomorrow I'll forget about it.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
8
#8 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 68
  3. Negative: 0 out of 68
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 5, 2013
    92
    Play BSI slowly, relish the moments and don’t rush to the end. It’s certain that you will have lived one of the richest gaming experiences that, as far as narration, lyricism and story are concerned, will take a lot of time to forget! [May 2013]
  2. CD-Action
    May 7, 2013
    85
    A very solid, but not revolutionary shooter in an amazing setting, with a story that struggles to convey its authors’ ambitions and is only seemingly complex. The vision is less focused than in previous Bioshocks and it does a worse job on binding the plot with gameplay. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.46]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    May 1, 2013
    80
    Problematic plotting and excessive amounts of poorly balanced combat apply friction to what is otherwise one hell of a rollercoaster. [May 2013, p.80]
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