User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 9926 Ratings

User score distribution:
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Mar 5, 2021
    8
    I really like the game. It was a fun game. The graphics and script are really good. There are a few minor annoyances in the game. After I got the revolver and the rocket I finished the whole game with those 2 guns. It is a game that you go without any tactics. I like it because the story is curious and fun to play.
  2. Feb 28, 2021
    4
    The gameplay is really not improved from the first two games. The gunplay is generic and the level design is mediocre. The skyhooks are about the only cool thing, but they felt underutilized.

    Elizabeth is cool, but Last of Us did it way better in the same year. Ellie was both a more compelling character and more integrated in the gameplay. The story is just garbage. I don’t understand why
    The gameplay is really not improved from the first two games. The gunplay is generic and the level design is mediocre. The skyhooks are about the only cool thing, but they felt underutilized.

    Elizabeth is cool, but Last of Us did it way better in the same year. Ellie was both a more compelling character and more integrated in the gameplay. The story is just garbage. I don’t understand why it got so much praise. I really don’t feel like wasting any more words on it. Judge for yourself.
    Expand
  3. Feb 28, 2021
    5
    Eh.

    The entire game just feels so different from what we were promised. The gameplay is average at best, and the story is just... In the words of Matthewmatosis, "If you want a full-length escort mission, play Ico. If you want a interactive narrative can explore the many worlds theory to its fullest, play Virtue's Last Reward. If you want a game where you can shoot people in the
    Eh.

    The entire game just feels so different from what we were promised. The gameplay is average at best, and the story is just...

    In the words of Matthewmatosis, "If you want a full-length escort mission, play Ico. If you want a interactive narrative can explore the many worlds theory to its fullest, play Virtue's Last Reward. If you want a game where you can shoot people in the head, play Bioshock Infinite."
    Expand
  4. Feb 24, 2021
    8
    I've played this in 2013 when it just recently came out... It's an addictive title for sure, beautiful graphics and setting, and it has a very unique atmosphere. Dystopian Steampunk, perhaps? Although it starts off quite cheerfully.

    The story is the only thing I didn't like - it's overly tangled up in itself. Also - the gameplay itself is super linear, gives an illusion of choice but
    I've played this in 2013 when it just recently came out... It's an addictive title for sure, beautiful graphics and setting, and it has a very unique atmosphere. Dystopian Steampunk, perhaps? Although it starts off quite cheerfully.

    The story is the only thing I didn't like - it's overly tangled up in itself. Also - the gameplay itself is super linear, gives an illusion of choice but then forces you to do the pre-determined thing anyway. The ending is... quite disappointing, tbh. Although it, in a twisted way, explains the "you don't really have a choice" which is a bit of a theme here...

    The game certainly evokes strong feelings, and makes you want to do the right thing in the game.

    Combat can be quite challenging on hard difficulties.
    It's one of relatively few games where the AI doesn't suck, and actually feels clever from time to time.
    Expand
  5. Feb 17, 2021
    7
    Graphics = 2 of 3
    Story = 2 of 3
    Gameplay = 2 of 3
    Music and Sound = 3 of 3
    Wow factor = 2 of 3
    Total = 11 of 15 or 7 of 10
  6. Feb 16, 2021
    10
    this game kind of divided fans of the original some people say its overrated but after playing this and dlc's everything in this game with world the art style the ending it is of the best conclusion for an amazing video game franchise its absolutely mind blowing even though I liked the second game bioshock infinite did what the first does that shows without ken levine and his team thethis game kind of divided fans of the original some people say its overrated but after playing this and dlc's everything in this game with world the art style the ending it is of the best conclusion for an amazing video game franchise its absolutely mind blowing even though I liked the second game bioshock infinite did what the first does that shows without ken levine and his team the franchise wouldn't do as well as the original or infinite Expand
  7. Feb 14, 2021
    5
    I loved the first Bioshock, liked the second one, could not stand Infinite. Gameplay was never Bioshock’s selling point, but this one really boils it down to moving from one area to the next and killing lackluster enemies with low AI. Gameplay is repetitive, weapons are uninteresting. Vigors feel out of place and you don’t really need to bother with them given the game’s ridiculously easyI loved the first Bioshock, liked the second one, could not stand Infinite. Gameplay was never Bioshock’s selling point, but this one really boils it down to moving from one area to the next and killing lackluster enemies with low AI. Gameplay is repetitive, weapons are uninteresting. Vigors feel out of place and you don’t really need to bother with them given the game’s ridiculously easy difficulty. There is almost zero punishment for death. And the looting… Instead of enjoying the beautiful graphics, the game expects you to walk to every corner in every area in order to loot cash from garbage bins and drawers. I did not have patience to finish the game, so maybe it was the story that made many critics regard this as GOTY for 2013. I cannot comment on the story, but in terms of gameplay, BioShock Inifinite is a tedious game.

    4.5/10
    Expand
  8. Feb 14, 2021
    6
    It felt like I was just better-off playing Borderlands due to the inclination here to make it more like that game and it doesn't even seem like a sequel to Bioshock at all having played the previous titles
  9. Apr 14, 2013
    10
    It couldn't be any better.
    The plot still sounds very hard to be understood, but we are in front of one of the greatest titles ever.
    We are not talking about a game: this is a form of art.
    Looking forward to the DLCs
  10. Jan 30, 2021
    7
    Mudou muita coisa em relação aos anteriores.
    Este ficou mais proximo de um COD do que de Bioshock.
    Os graficos são ate que bons.
  11. Jan 25, 2021
    10
    Bioshock infinite foi muito além em comparação com os outros jogos da série, todo o cuidado durante o jogo é maior, a narrativa, os personagens, e o plot são melhores. E aquele final é pra ficar sem palavras.
  12. Jan 21, 2021
    10
    This is my first review, i hope i get it right!
    I've played both Bioshock and Bioshock 2 when they were originally released and i loved them both (Bioshock 2 seemed a bit of a repetition, but still ok). Bioshock Infinite maintains the same core mechanics , so you still have both traditional guns and special powers and plasmids, but this time you play on a floating city! Rapture was
    This is my first review, i hope i get it right!
    I've played both Bioshock and Bioshock 2 when they were originally released and i loved them both (Bioshock 2 seemed a bit of a repetition, but still ok). Bioshock Infinite maintains the same core mechanics , so you still have both traditional guns and special powers and plasmids, but this time you play on a floating city! Rapture was extremely fascinating, but the city of Columbia is something that leaves you speechless. If you are like me, a single-player gamer (mostly), who likes to explore every corner of a map searching for the best view... well, this is for you!
    The plot is intriguing as well, but i won't tell you anything about it here. The game is based on the unreal engine, so very good graphics (not talking about photo realism here, i'm not a big fan of it) and highly optimized for heterogeneous computer hardware. I've played it on medium settings with a fairly old desktop based on an Intel Q6600 (stock frequency), 6GB DDR2 and an AMD HD5830 1GB at a resolution of 1400x1050 and it worked beautifully, stable at 40-50fps.
    It is not a pure shooter, there are some rpgs elements like the possibility to upgrade your character and your weapons, but it still plays mostly like an FPS. The Sky-rail shootings didn't impress me much, they looked much more interesting on youtube. Some of the bosses were particularly clever and it was fun to battle them, but not frustrating.
    And again, i loved the plot, really, it deserves your time.
    Expand
  13. Jan 14, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bu oyunla birlikte nihayet BioShock serisini tamamladım. Oyunun hikayesi ve ana karakterleri çok iyi, ona lafım yok. Ancak hikaye anlatımı çok kötü. Oyuncu oyunu ilk bitirdiğinde neler olduğunu anlamıyor bile. Bu kadar güzel senaryo ve ana karakterleri kötü bir hikaye anlatımı ile sunmak büyük bir hayal kırıklığı oldu benim için. Ayrıca oyunda yan karakter yok sayılır, bütün hikaye Booker DeWitt ile sonradan kızı olduğunu öğrendiği Elizabeth etrafında geçiyor, evet Booker ve Elizabeth iyi karakterler ama bu iki karakter yine iyi yan karakterler ile desteklense BioShock Infinite çok daha iyi bir oyun olabilirdi. Hikayeyi özetlemek gerekirse Booker DeWitt borca girmiş eski bir asker, borcunu ödemek için Lutece kardeşlere (aslında kardeş değiller, farklı boyutlardaki farklı cinsiyete sahip aynı kişiler) kızını teslim ediyor. Ardından pişman olan DeWitt kızının izini sürüp onu bulmaya çalışıyor. Booker kızının peşinden giderken Comstock ortaya çıkıyor ve bir yırtık oluşuyor. Booker, yırtığın diğer tarafındaki kızını Comstock'ın ellerinden almaya çalışırken yırtık kapanıyor ve Booker'ın kızı Anna'nın serçe prmağı yırtığın dışında kalarak kopuyor. Kızını vermesinin pişmanlığını unutmamak için eline "AD" harflerini kazıyan DeWitt, Columbia'ya doğru kızını bulmak için yola koyulur. Columbia'ya geldikten sonra farklı bir boyuta geçmenin etkisi ile yaşadıklarını unutan Booker, buraya gelme sebebinin Elizabeth isimli kızı alıp New York'taki borçlu olduğu kişilere teslim etmek olduğunu sanır. Elizabeth aslında Booker'ın kızı Anna'dır ve Zachary Comstock tarafından alıkoyulmuştur. Zachary Comstock, Booker DeWitt'in farklı boyuttaki halidir, yani Comstock Booker DeWitt'tir. Elizabeth'i buluruz ve onunla Columbia'dan kaçmaya çalışırız, peşimize Comstock'ın adamları takılır ve hikaye bir süre böyle ilerler. Oyunun sonunda da Booker ile Elizabeth Comstock ile yüzleşmeye gidiyor ve Booker Comstcok'ı boğarak öldürüyor. Ardından Elizabeth ile Booker farklı boyutlara geçiş yapıyor. Bu boyutlardan birinde tek çarenin Booker'ın ölmesi olduğunu söyleyen Elizabeth, farklı boyutlardan çağırdığı diğer Elizabeth'ler ile Booker'ı derede boğarak öldürüyor ve oyun sonlanıyor. Oyun oldukça gizemli ve karmaşık bir şekilde sonlandığı için oyuncu internetteki kaynaklardan okumadan finali anlayamıyor, bu da oyunun ne kadar kötü bir hikaye anlatımına sahip olduğunu gösteriyor. Oynanış kısmı da beni hayal kırıklığına uğrattı. BioShock serisini diğer Birinci Şahıs Nişancı oyunlarından ayıran özelliği farklı oynanışı ve atmosferidir. Atmosfer konusunda sıkıntı yok, ancak bu oyun kesinlikle oynanış konusunda serinin diğer oyunları gibi kendisini sıradan Birinci Şahıs Nişancı oyunlarından ayıran özelliklere sahip değil. Bu oyunun oynanışı sıradan ve önümüze gelen herkesi vurduğumuz diğer Birinci Şahıs Nişancı oyunlarından farklı neredeyse hiçbir farkı yok. BioShock Infinite; üstümüze akın akın gelen düşmanları ve yarı-Boss'ları öldürerek ilerlediğimiz bir oynanış yapısına sahip, ilk oyunlarda "plazmit" olarak adlandırılan özel yetenekler bu oyunda "virgin" adını almış ve çeşitliliği büyük ölçüde azaltılmış. Yarı-Boss'lar iyi ancak sürekli karşımıza çıktıkları için bıktırıyor. Ayrıca oyunun son Boss'u bile yok, ellerinde Songbird gibi bir Boss adayı olmasına rağmen bunu kullanmamışlar ve oyuna tek bir Boss eklemişler. Oyunda kullanılabilir sadece 7-8 tane virgin var ve birkaçı hariç çok da farklı bir hissiyata sahip değiller, ilk oyunlarda olduğu gibi oynanışa farklı bir hava katmıyorlar yani. Onun dışında ilk oyunlarda olan silah ve virgin geliştirme sistemi bu oyunda da kısıtlı bir şekilde mevcut, bunlar silahın hasarını ve şarjör kapasitesini arttıran sıradan geliştirmeler. İlk oyunlardaki kötü fizik motoru bu oyunda geliştirilmiş, vuruş hissiyatı nispeten daha iyi olmuş. Bunu oyunda silahı ilk elime alışımda fark edebildim. Grafiksel olarak oyun hiç fena değil, idare eder grafikleri var. Columbia şehrinin atmosferi gerçekten inanılmaz, ilk oyunlardan alıştığımız harika atmosferli şehir tasarımını bu oyunda da devam ettirmişler. Şehirde seyahat edebilmek için bir teleferik sistemi oyuna koyulmuş, kolumuza taktığımız aletle teleferiğe binip heyecan verici bir şekilde ilerleyebiliyoruz, bunu gerçekten çok beğendim. Onun dışında belirtmeliyim ki oyun çok kısa, 5-6 saatlik bir oynanışa sahip ve bir günde bitirdim, aynı şekilde oyunun eklentileri de kısa. Sonuç olarak BioShock Infinite serinin diğer iki oyunu kadar iyi değil. Kendisi kötü bir oyun olmasa da diğer iki oyundan sonra arşa çıkan beklentimi karşılayamadı. Expand
  14. Dec 30, 2020
    10
    A game I adore, which is very strongly ingrained in my soul. with love, forever in my heart!

    игра, которую я обожаю, она очень прочно укоренилась в моей душе. с любовью, навсегда в сердце!
  15. Dec 24, 2020
    10
    Improvements to this game, I could not think of any. More mechanics or RPG elements would have fogged the brilliancy of the ones it presents, and make it feel just like a bit too much.

    Even if the aesthetics and the storyline of the game weren't as they were - simply the greatest of all time - the rest of the game would still make it to a perfect score. The voice acting is stellar, the
    Improvements to this game, I could not think of any. More mechanics or RPG elements would have fogged the brilliancy of the ones it presents, and make it feel just like a bit too much.

    Even if the aesthetics and the storyline of the game weren't as they were - simply the greatest of all time - the rest of the game would still make it to a perfect score. The voice acting is stellar, the combat is action-packed and entertaining, the looting is smooth yet incredibly necessary, the level design couldn't have been done better, the plot hooks couldn't fit better, the visuals are breath-taking, the collectibles, extras, easter eggs and secrets are brilliant.

    The mix of action, drama, pause and strategy leave enough space for creativity, intrigue, fun and emotion. The ending, as is known, will leave you speechless, very possibly crying, and absolutely flabbergasted.

    A must-play for any type of video-game enthusiast, or for anyone actually. Fans of the steampunk genre will lose their heads. Simply the best game ever made.
    Expand
  16. Dec 23, 2020
    10
    그저 갓갓갓. 스토리, 게임성, 그래픽, 자유도, 메세지, 정치적 함의 모두 갓갓갓.
  17. Dec 19, 2020
    8
    Oyun hikayesi olarak gerçekten güzel bir oyun. Etkiliyor insanı oynanış da gayet iyi.
  18. Dec 17, 2020
    10
    A game with a wonderful world, the story of which, in my opinion, is masterfully entered into the narrative and is presented during the gameplay.
  19. Dec 16, 2020
    9
    One of my favourites games ever. This masterpiece really got me emotional at some points and, the experience of playing it, it's something i really appreciate.
  20. Dec 13, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Thats is a best game i ever play. Just i ask myself why i dont play when it fresh Expand
  21. Dec 9, 2020
    10
    This game is just wow. You take Bioshock and take it to another level. You should search about Bioshock after finishing the series in order to see it's philosophical depth.
  22. Dec 7, 2020
    10
    Having beaten this game, and all of the DLC, I can strongly say that this is among the best written game series that I have ever played. The characters are well developed, the score very well done and placed, the dialog very well written, and the ending exceedingly perfect. You are missing out on a lot of the story, if you do not play the two Burial at Sea additions.

    The not being able
    Having beaten this game, and all of the DLC, I can strongly say that this is among the best written game series that I have ever played. The characters are well developed, the score very well done and placed, the dialog very well written, and the ending exceedingly perfect. You are missing out on a lot of the story, if you do not play the two Burial at Sea additions.

    The not being able to save bothered me at first, but I found that it actually helped to keep me from forgetting important immersion points, from how it begins each chapter. The method is actually an improvement, in my opinion, as opposed to the save anywhere option. The challenging difficulty was fantastic. I had immense trouble at some points, making it require actually strategy, instead of just banging your head against a wall until you get through. While that might work at times, and the Clash in the Clouds addition does feel like that, this game benefits the person who uses a methodical approach, rather than guns blazing.

    I have read some have become of sudden experts on quantum physics, and they dismiss the ending of the main game. From Doctor Who, Star Trek, Time Machine and many other movies who have done such ideas of paradoxes, there is no straight answer to how it could or could not work. I did feel a bit at odds with the ending, despite it being very well done from its own individual point, but having playing Burial at Sea 1 and 2, I can now say the writers of this game, and the additional content, are simply amazing.

    While I hear rumors of a fourth addition to the Bioshock series, and I hope that it does come to fruition, this series could end respectfully here.

    In short, this is a must play game, if nothing else, for the story. You will need to have played the first Bioshock to get the fullness of the story, though Bioshock 2 is just filler, it is a worthy part of the series as well, if you enjoyed the first and third part of the series.
    Expand
  23. Dec 3, 2020
    6
    TL;DR: Competent - but linear - gameplay, convoluted story, terrible items management and saving system.

    I know I'm in the minority, but I found BI disappointing. Mind you, it's not bad, but I found its gameplay to be... average. After having loved both Bioshock (BS) 1 and 2, I found BI less entertaining, more linear and less strategic. The visuals are stunning, sure, but: the gameplay
    TL;DR: Competent - but linear - gameplay, convoluted story, terrible items management and saving system.

    I know I'm in the minority, but I found BI disappointing. Mind you, it's not bad, but I found its gameplay to be... average. After having loved both Bioshock (BS) 1 and 2, I found BI less entertaining, more linear and less strategic.
    The visuals are stunning, sure, but: the gameplay is similar to many other games, you need to search everywhere for money (otherwise your weapons and vigors will remain weak), you can go on those rails-in-the-sky only when the game decides you can. And, you cannot plan in advance your boss battles (like you could in BS 1-2): the heaviest enemy, the Handyman, jumps around like crazy, so setting traps is useless; you better run around and jump on and off the rails.
    Again, this doesn't mean is bad, just... not much fun. I'd give the gameplay a 7.

    The real issues are 2: item managements and saves (or lack of it):
    - The item management is AWFUL: you can only carry TWO weapons (!), you can fast-switch only TWO vigors, and you have only FOUR slots for gears. That means, every time you meet a different enemy, you should stop the game and select different vigors and gears for best effects. It breaks the flow and immersion (BS 1-2 were much better at this).
    - The saving system is TERRIBLE: there's only checkpoints, and they're often far away. Besides, it's easy not noticing the "Saving" icon, so you often don't know the last time the game saved your progress: you could easily lose two hours of play, and the game may not even inform you. Sometimes I played for hours (even when I wanted to stop), just to arrive to a point where I was sure the game saved. Truly infuriating.

    Hence, to me items management and saving system do not deserve better than a 4. I mean, they did a lot better in BS 1-2, why oh why BI become way worse?!?
    In the end, I'd make an average and my vote is 6.
    What a pity. BI could have been great, but an average gameplay and some really stupid interface choices almost ruined it.

    And what about the story and Elizabeth? Well, the story is original and interesting, but the way it's narrated doesn't work much. It's confusing and not fluid. Elizabeth has personality, but I didn't like her much: she's often pouting or angry looking at me (hey, I'm saving your bacon, lady!), and she doesn't develop a good relationship. Alyx in Half-Life 2 was a way more captivating companion, someone I truly cared about; Elizabeth... c'mon, lady, do I have to look for you half the game? Do I really?!?
    Expand
  24. Dec 2, 2020
    9
    greattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
  25. Nov 30, 2020
    8
    This game was absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed every moment of the game. The game is very good with a mind blowing story, but not only a very good game, this is a fantastic game because our partner's prensence. She is the prettiest, kindest, most human woman i have ever seen in video games. I wanted to protect and took care of her all the time. i recommend everyone. This is really a must-play game.
  26. Nov 28, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Jamas había pensado, que jugando la mitad de un juego dijese "va a ser mi juego favorito", ya que, después de mas de 13 años de jugar videojuegos, no esperé que una saga, y que este juego en concreto me fuese a enamorar tanto.
    Partiendo que es un juego de 2011 (puesto que se tuvo que atrasar hasta 2013) los gráficos y efectos no iban a ser lo mas extraordinario jamas visto, pero me sorprendieron gratamente, es como si los graficos no importasen ya que de lejos se veía súper bonito.
    Algo que me agrado como nada, fue el movimiento de los personajes, en especial el de Elizabeth, y hablando de Elizabeth, es un personaje del cual tengo que hablar unos cuantos puntos, empezando por su diseño, su diseño es fascinante, otra cosa que me encantó, es la forma de expresarse y sobretodo sus movimientos tan realistas que tiene, su importancia en el juego, me parece increíble como todo se forma alrededor de ella.
    Personajes como los Lutece me fascinan pero, aunque me hubiese encantado verlos mas en el juego, son una de las llaves de la historia, los cuales me han provocado dolores de cabeza el entender cada cosa sucedida entre Columbia y Rapture. (Esto va a buenas claro).
    Hablando de vuelta del juego, la jugabilidad está decentemente bien, el diseño de las armas y de los vigorizadores me gustan bastante, y los enemigos pues igual, cuando vi al primer handyman me puse eufórico por que no se moría y se acercaba a ti bastante rápido.
    Y lo último y lo que mas me ha gustado, es la historia, la historia me parece una obra maestra, te pone siempre en el momento, ya sea con la banda sonora (otra joya) o con los diferentes ambientes que te encuentras a cada rato; al principio parece un juego con una historia lineal, rescatar a la chica y vivir una aventura con ella hasta entregarla, pero la cosa nunca se para, la rescatas, y cada vez vas desgarrando todo el sentido de columbia, de como una utopía se vuelve una guerra, aunque de eso te da pinceladas (al principio con la rifa), la cosa empieza cuando viajas en tu primer desgarro, el mundo cambia y el protagonista de ese mundo ha muerto, ahí te das cuenta, que cada cosa que vives, no distingues entre la realidad y lo que no debía estar, a cada rato el juego te da una nueva incógnita la cual te ayuda a descubrir el puzzle de toda la historia.
    Mi valoración un 10 de 10.
    Expand
  27. Nov 17, 2020
    9
    Bioshock serisinde saçma sapan bir şekilde ilk bu oyunu oynamıştım. İnanılmaz beğenmiştim. Aksiyon ortalama ama hikayesi ve bunu anlatış şekli hakikaten bambaşka bir seviye.
  28. Nov 16, 2020
    10
    This is the best game ever!
    Great fps game with elements of RPG. Great story, fluid gameplay, great characters, beatiful graphics, and the most beautiful landscape in game. This game is just Perfect
  29. Nov 9, 2020
    9
    Kojima nervously smokes on the sidelines. This game is great for its gameplay, graphics, and visual style, but the storyline...To understand the plot, I needed to watch several hour-long videos. 10 stoned screenwriters out of 10.
  30. Nov 2, 2020
    10
    Cuando crees que BioShock no se podía superar, aparece el Infinite. Hasta el nombre es perfecto. Detallista, inmersivo, original. Rejugable a pesar de tener una sola historia lineal. De mis juegos favoritos.
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. 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]