BioShock Infinite

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1990 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,653 out of 1990
  2. Mixed: 180 out of 1990
  3. Negative: 157 out of 1990
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  1. cowill101
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Following its previous titles, Bioshock Infinite entered the gaming realm with extremely high expectations, not to mention its on and off delays plaguing the gaming community as they anxiously awaited this game's arrival.

    Fear not, this game more exceeded expectations for all gamers, and very well may have redefined first person shooters as a genre. Not only does it reincorporate its    Following its previous titles, Bioshock Infinite entered the gaming realm with extremely high expectations, not to mention its on and off delays plaguing the gaming community as they anxiously awaited this game's arrival.

    Fear not, this game more exceeded expectations for all gamers, and very well may have redefined first person shooters as a genre.

    Not only does it reincorporate its captivating shooter mechanics and genre-based gameplay, its story is comparable to that of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and creates deep bonds and passion between yourself, the gamer, as well as Booker Dewitt (the player character) and Elizabeth; and of course, the ending, for which every piece of the puzzle is put perfectly in place, and leaves you with a lasting impression that will not be forgotten.

    Game of the Year material for sure.    … Expand
  2. MadJack1812
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    This is one of the most ambitious and compelling games I have ever played. The nature and complexity of the plot won't be to everyone's taste as the story begins by tackling subjects including on racism, slavery and religious fundamentalism and ends by trying to melt your brain out of your ears, but it really is a joy to play through.

    The floating city of Columbia is beautifully    This is one of the most ambitious and compelling games I have ever played. The nature and complexity of the plot won't be to everyone's taste as the story begins by tackling subjects including on racism, slavery and religious fundamentalism and ends by trying to melt your brain out of your ears, but it really is a joy to play through.

    The floating city of Columbia is beautifully designed and it's busy streets and hidden corners make it both fun to explore and a welcome change to the catastrophic aftermath of Rapture from the original Bioshock. Combat plays similarly to Bioshock 2 with the familiar mix of vigors (formerly plasmids) and firearms of various size. While combat might not be as slick as a hardcore FPS it's still a lot of fun, although you might want to look to the harder difficulties if you want to be really challenged on that front.

    The real star of the show though is your (nearly) constant companion, Elizabeth. Usually, an AI controlled NPC is little more than a running commentary with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the AI behind Elizabeth is pretty much on the money. In combat, she helps by providing ammo and health, but I found the parts outside of combat the real revelation. While exploring Colombia, Elizabeth will mill about interacting and commenting on your surroundings. The conversations she shares with your character add real context to the story and make her character all the more engaging.

    I don't want to go into any more detail than I already have as the little discoveries you make along the way are a big part of what makes this game so great. Suffice to say that aside from a few glitches and a slight loss of pace in the middle third this is a terrific game and I absolutely recommend you go play it now.    … Expand
  3. Sesshomurai
    Apr 9, 2013
    2
    If the original Bioshock was an artistic and profoundly engaging story with decisions, atmosphere, and detailed design in a house-of-horrors-meets-jules-verne kind of way, Bioshock Infinite is a head-scratching, convoluted affair in the theme-park-design-meets-castle-wolfenstein-gameplay kind of way. It's quite clear that everything about Bioshock Infinite was "designed by committee". AIf the original Bioshock was an artistic and profoundly engaging story with decisions, atmosphere, and detailed design in a house-of-horrors-meets-jules-verne kind of way, Bioshock Infinite is a head-scratching, convoluted affair in the theme-park-design-meets-castle-wolfenstein-gameplay kind of way. It's quite clear that everything about Bioshock Infinite was "designed by committee". A roundtable of ego-centrics wanting to have their pet idea implanted in the game. Writers that practically vomit bucketloads of inane and lifted ideas on you from the beginning. Gone are the subtle undertones of ideology and dystopia. Replaced with in-your-face-eat-it dogma designed more for an audience of short-attention-span-can't-read-between-the-lines teenagers than mature audiences the title is labeled for. Much like the skylines that you simply sit-and-watch yourself zoom along like Sonic the Hedgehog (a good game), the entire game is mostly a watching event separated by periods of "find the fruit in the desk" and "dodge the angry citizen" minigames. The setting for this game is not well framed or introduced making it even more unbelievable than when you see it for the first time. Audacious and inconceivable in any alternate reality. The writers couldn't devise an acceptable set of premises to build their environment out of, so it was simply glossed over to be assumed by the player. Sorry, this is insufficient for me. One example is using your hook to jump around. No real reason how that should be physically possible. It could easily have been designed as a grappling hook or tether to root it in the realm of "possibility", but instead things just happen magically as there are no real laws of physics here. Whatever needs to happen, just does!… Expand
  4. DiRTY8SUPER
    Apr 8, 2013
    8
    Looking at Bioshock Infinite as a game, its not very good. Shooting mechanics are poor and the constant looting is boring. Why loot if you don't have a proper inventory system? Looking at Bioshock Infinite as a interactive story, it pretty much hits the nail on the head. I loved the story but found the game play elements got in the way of the story. It was a drag through the game to get toLooking at Bioshock Infinite as a game, its not very good. Shooting mechanics are poor and the constant looting is boring. Why loot if you don't have a proper inventory system? Looking at Bioshock Infinite as a interactive story, it pretty much hits the nail on the head. I loved the story but found the game play elements got in the way of the story. It was a drag through the game to get to the next part of the story. Visually, it's impressive and the sound design is one of the best. I'll give this an 8 for story but if i was scoring it as a game it would be a 5.… Expand
  5. RADHelpDesk
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    If you rated this game anything other than something in the green, you're either an idiot, or played the wrong game. This is by FAR one of the finest examples of gaming and storytelling I've ever seen in my life. Want multiplayer? Forget it. This isn't CoD, children. Don't like the story? You didn't understand it.

    Jesus, this game was amazing. This is something to play again and again.    If you rated this game anything other than something in the green, you're either an idiot, or played the wrong game. This is by FAR one of the finest examples of gaming and storytelling I've ever seen in my life. Want multiplayer? Forget it. This isn't CoD, children. Don't like the story? You didn't understand it.

    Jesus, this game was amazing. This is something to play again and again. What a way to leave this generation of gaming, highest note you can imagine.

    It's impossible to bash this game. Anyone who does is wrong and a liar with no taste in gaming, PERIOD.    … Expand
  6. SupermanFan45
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    I grade games in five categories, each with a possible score from 0-2. At the end I will tally up the scores for the final verdict.

    Graphics: There really isn't much too say here. You could watch the game for 5 minutes and know that it is easily one the best looking games out there. The characters, the settings, it all looks amazing, and still has the BioShock charm that we all know    I grade games in five categories, each with a possible score from 0-2. At the end I will tally up the scores for the final verdict.

    Graphics:
    There really isn't much too say here. You could watch the game for 5 minutes and know that it is easily one the best looking games out there. The characters, the settings, it all looks amazing, and still has the BioShock charm that we all know and love. I found myself loving this setting even better than the previous two mainly because of how bright and colorful Colombia is. It makes you wish that Columbia were real...without all the corruption of course. Score: 2/2

    Sound:
    This is another aspect that BioShock Infinite nailed. The music is fantastic and again fits the BioShock world perfectly. Then there are the sounds around you as you play (guns firing, skyline swinging, explosions, etc.) It all sounds amazing, but where BioShock really nails it is the voice acting. Never did any of the characters voices not "fit" them. I was amazed and greatly thrilled as I was never taken away from the story and experience and was allowed to listen and enjoy the story with no awkwardness. Courtnee Draper (Elizabeth), Troy Baker (Booker DeWitt), and Kiff VandenHeuvel (Comstock) should get special praise. They are amazing, and it is some of the best voice acting I have heard in a while. Score: 2/2

    Gameplay:
    The gameplay in this game is much like the pervious games although your plasmids are now called vigors and eve is now called salts. As a first person shooter (fps) I find that they did a great job and it is extremely fun. In my opinion it is as good as any shooter I have played. The controls are great, and I also loved the new edition of the skyline. The enemies are not only challenging but at times can be funny. Now even though I loved playing the game and BioShock did a lot of things right in the gameplay department I also had some problems with it. One being the vigors. You could take the vigors out of the game and never miss a beat. Vigors never once felt important to what I was doing and found myself at times forgetting I had them and not even using them and this was on Hard. I will end on a good note though and that is Elizabeth. Not once and I mean once did Elizabeth get in my way. I never had to take care of Elizabeth, she was the one taking care of me. In the game Elizabeth will hand you equipment during a fight. Don't worry she doesn't do it all the time and at times she doesn't do at all. I remember running up to her at times screaming at the t.v. for health or ammo and this was a fantastic tense game mechanic. I never knew if Elizabeth was out of equipment or if she had one last magazine of ammo to give me. Elizabeth also helps by "tearing" objects from other realities into yours to help you, and this is just genius. You will think so too when you tell her to "tear" a box of health packs during a huge fight. I choose to take .5 away from the score because plasmids/vigors are so much a part of the BioShock experience and I found it strange that they weren't more important to the gameplay. Score: 1.5/2

    Story:
    This is what games should be doing today: taking risks. The story can be complex but it is not impossible to understand as long as you are paying attention to the conversations. I loved that it was a story that you needed to pay attention too. It is a story that demands and deserves your attention. I found myself falling in love with Booker and Elizabeth's relationship and could not stop playing to find out what happened next. I wont give any details of the story away because this story is truly magical and something that should be experienced and remembered. I do have some nitpicks though. The progression of the story slowed down quite a bit in the middle. I was gonna deduct a half a point but that would be nitpicking especially since it was necessary to understand later plot points. Now you all know it isn't BioShock without a twist but my problem was I found out the twist way before the ending. I don't know if this was luck or me just listing to every tape recorder and picking up on the clues but either way I won't deduct a point because although I ended up being right, I didn't know I was right until the end. Score: 2/2

    Game Replay:
    I found myself immediately replaying the game after I was done. You will have a whole new perspective of the game after learning all the twists and secrets and it only makes the story even better. On top of that the game is a blast, and 1999 mode is a must for all hardcore fps fans. Of course you have achievements and what not but the story and gameplay is what keeps you coming back. Score: 2/2

    Overall: 9.5/10
    I know that it will only show up as a nine but my true score is a 9.5. This is a game everybody should experience. It's beautiful, intelligent, and brave. You can't ask much more from a game, and as I said before this is game that deserves your full attention.    … Expand
  7. green223388
    Apr 8, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Why is their less power-up (Vigors) options than Bioshock 2 and also less freedom to choose which gear you want compared to the tonics in Bioshock 2? I also found the story rather overly complicated and full of cliches. The guns were really nothing new and the levels were mostly empty and dead feeling. I liked the Handyman, Patriot, Fireman and Crow's from a conceptual standpoint but found the AI lacking. Also Hacking mini-game's have been completely abandoned and the sky rail system was very contrived and boring. I loved Bioshock 1 and 2 but this is a very watered down hybrid of both games set in a unique environment. The whole "religious" concept was barely explored and most of the focus quickly shifted to quantum physics and time travel which was unnecessary and over done. 1999 mode was challenging but unrewarding: no alternative ending? There were in fact NO alternative endings, another way in which the prequels were superior. after defeating 1999 mode which was basically pointless I had no other reason to play it again as the "secrets" were mostly in plain view and very uninteresting. Good luck on part 4.… Expand
  8. Dave_Goose
    Apr 8, 2013
    9

    I was surprised to be excited for Bioshock Infinite. When the original Bioshock came out in 2007 it had universal praise, I bought the game day one and hated it. I was one of the few people who didn’t think it was a work of genius. I liked the story, the world and the graphics just the gameplay didn't connect with me. Fast forward to mid 2010 and against my better judgement I picked up

    I was surprised to be excited for Bioshock Infinite. When the original Bioshock came out in 2007 it had universal praise, I bought the game day one and hated it. I was one of the few people who didn’t think it was a work of genius. I liked the story, the world and the graphics just the gameplay didn't connect with me. Fast forward to mid 2010 and against my better judgement I picked up Bioshock 2. I instantly loved it. I don’t know if it was the refinements like the plasmid/weapon combo or if the overall game felt better but I really enjoyed it. Finally in 2012 I replayed the original Bioshock, I finally saw the great game that had eluded me for five years.



    Story: This is where this series shines. A sort of prequel to Bioshock 1 and 2, the premise of Infinite takes place in a floating city called Columbia in 1912. Columbia is the antithesis of Rapture, it’s bright and open and instead of being created to escape political and religious persecution it was designed to be like “Eden” from the bible. The ruler of Columbia is “The Prophet” Zachary Comstock, he rules with an iron fist and preaches all kinds of religious nonsense.



    The main character Booker has been tasked with going to Columbia and getting a girl named Elizabeth out. He is promised this will wipe away gambling debts he has been accruing.
    Elizabeth is really the star of the game, she is a mysterious girl who can open “tears” which are essential doorways into other dimensions. She is with you most of the game and is never a burden, she picks locks for Booker and during combat with give ammo and health. This was an issue for be because it made the game easy and there is almost no penalty for dying. Playing through the game and learning more about her was interesting.



    It’s very hard to talk about the narrative without giving spoilers, I’ll just say that the ending is one of the best endings I have seen in entertainment, not games, entertainment. People will be talking about this end for years to come.



    Gameplay: The gameplay will be familiar to fans of Bioshock 2. There are now vigors instead of Plasmids, they work very similarly with a new option, if the user holds down the vigors button you can create a trap with them. In bigger fights this can be a real life saver. It will also be essential when playing on the harder difficulty.



    The shooting mechanic is still great, Not the best but good. One beef I have with the shooting is that the aiming down the sights is handled by a click of R3, I have never found this intuitive in games and it leads me to shoot wildly as opposed to aiming. I feel that the shooting of the game would benefit from a different control setup. Also new is the sky lines, Booker has a special tool on his arm (That makes some memorable and gruesome melee kills) that can hook onto Columbia’s sky line system. The sky lines are an integral part of a lot of major set piece fights. Using the sky lines allows a lot of variety in the fighting. There is also combat options while using the lines, you can shoot and if you time it right can do a jumping melee that is a very powerful attack.



    Bioshock Infinite has done away with health packs and instead uses a shield system that is very similar to the Halo series. Throughout the game the player can find bottles to increase their health, vigor or shields. That's not all to find in Columbia, searching every nook and cranny will yield money, items and voxophones. Voxophones are the audio logs to find in the game, they are interesting to listen to and shed some extra light on the world and story.



    I did have a few issues with the game, in many ways it felt stripped down to me, there was no camera to gain advantages on enemies and the variety and number of enemies wasn't enough. I never found fighting the people in Columbia to be as memorable as fighting the unpredictable splicers from the previous games. Guns and Vigors are upgradable but the upgrade system just didn't have the impact on me, the guns look the same, even when upgraded they don’t receive any visual distinctions. Only two guns can be carried at any time now ala Halo. Overall I just felt more constricted in this game compared to previous entries in the series.



    Graphics: Columbia is designed beautifully, the landscapes are colourful and world feels alive. Graphically speaking this could not be further from Rapture, and that's a great thing.The art design is unique without being eccentric. Some of the vigor animations look really great. The actual quality of the graphics is a bit of a mixed bag, some animations look a little stiff and the people in the game are certainly not the best I have seen.



    Overall: I am happy to say that Bioshock Infinite is an amazing game, it uses clever storytelling and a compelling world to hook players in and make them enjoy the journey. Save for a few minor nitpicks with the game play I can honestly say this has been my favourite game of 2013.

    … Expand

  9. osprey
    Apr 8, 2013
    7
    I loved both Bioshock and Bioshock 2 and this game is very good as well but it is not a 10. There are a lot of excellent ideas and all are well executed and the game is beautiful to look at but the atmosphere that was so compelling in the other 2 games is not as rich in this one. I had a lot of fun playing this game but the achievements were a little ordinary as compared with the oldI loved both Bioshock and Bioshock 2 and this game is very good as well but it is not a 10. There are a lot of excellent ideas and all are well executed and the game is beautiful to look at but the atmosphere that was so compelling in the other 2 games is not as rich in this one. I had a lot of fun playing this game but the achievements were a little ordinary as compared with the old games. The game grabbed me most when it referenced the old games so there was some emotional impact but not nearly as much as the old games. This game is worth playing and worth buying to encourage these kind of games being made but while a good effort it lacks the magic of the first 2 games.… Expand
  10. GrayJester
    Apr 8, 2013
    5
    Bioshock infinite what is there to say about it... well there is a lot of things to say about this game, but i will just tell you about a few of the many many things about it. First off i want to say that the game is amazing i loved playing it, i do not have many bad things to say but i just about one thing bad about it its that nobody of the enemies in the game seems to care aboutBioshock infinite what is there to say about it... well there is a lot of things to say about this game, but i will just tell you about a few of the many many things about it. First off i want to say that the game is amazing i loved playing it, i do not have many bad things to say but i just about one thing bad about it its that nobody of the enemies in the game seems to care about Elizabeth at all, sometimes she can be right in front of them and the still care about me more then her. But over to the good things, the gameplay is awesome i loved to go around levels with the sky hook and the guns and and vigors was fun and entertaining to use. The story is the best one during the past few years, it is a rich and good story that everyone should pay much attention too. I really think that this game is a MUST HAVE for everyone who is just a little bit into FPS games and if you are not this is really a good start. Thank you for reading my review of Bioshock infinite… Expand
  11. SuperSaiyan10
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    Bioshock Infinite is an incredible game. Ken Levine and Irrational studios have really created something special. I have beaten it twice and going through my 3rd play through on 1999 mode, haven't started quite yet. I would highly recommend this game to fans who enjoy an engaging story. The story really drives this game. In terms of gameplay it is again very well done. People are going toBioshock Infinite is an incredible game. Ken Levine and Irrational studios have really created something special. I have beaten it twice and going through my 3rd play through on 1999 mode, haven't started quite yet. I would highly recommend this game to fans who enjoy an engaging story. The story really drives this game. In terms of gameplay it is again very well done. People are going to play differently which makes this game unique. Plenty of guns and vigors to switch up your gameplay for a ton of variation. If you are a Bioshock fan, or a fan of FPS in general do yourself a favour and get this game.… Expand
  12. Evman
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    Bioshock Infinite is the most hooked I've been on a game since Fallout 2. I was a little late on the hype wagon so I made extra sure to not read any spoilers while I awaited my order to arrive from overseas (cheaper this way).
    From the opening scene, nay the Main Menu even, the graphics are easily the best seen on consoles (and most probably PC yet). Not the best as in technologically    Bioshock Infinite is the most hooked I've been on a game since Fallout 2. I was a little late on the hype wagon so I made extra sure to not read any spoilers while I awaited my order to arrive from overseas (cheaper this way).
    From the opening scene, nay the Main Menu even, the graphics are easily the best seen on consoles (and most probably PC yet). Not the best as in technologically wowing or polygon counts that require you to buy a liquid nitrogen cooling system, but the overall impact of the art direction and surroundings that draw you into this game world. The sunshafts look exquisite and the subtle dust clouds (which were something a friend noticed before I did) just make the whole image 'complete'. The effects when you first acquire a new vigor are awesome albeit a little chilling and I'm saying this while plodding through my second playthrough (already done Hard, time for 1999 mode now).

    The audio is top-notch. I'm playing through 5.1 in the lounge room (with a bit of recline on the sofa and the subtle background effects are incredible. I looked around the lounge room once because I thought there was a fly behind me! Great sample rate guys In certain areas the crackle and burn of an overloaded electrical circuit sounds as 'nails on a chalkboard' painful as you'd expect. All that was missing was the burnt plastic smell! I'll concede that in certain firefights it can be tricky to pinpoint an enemy's location based on the audio alone. I have a feeling there may be some 'echoing' acoustics in play however which may well be by design.

    Finally the story! You know naught other than what Booker witnesses the second the game kicks off. There is plenty of gameplay before you even meet Elizabeth, but when you do that's when it all shifts up a gear. I refuse to give anything away here, but even though I may have been frustrated due to failing repeatedly in a gun battle here or there, the niggling 'what happens next?' compelled me to power on through to victory.

    Based on the usual logical criteria and gameplay itself this game would still rock a solid 8 or 9. But the feeling the player is left with after finishing the game and witnessing everything come to fruition? That's a 10 in my books.    … Expand
  13. Caste
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    The game is a blast.
    Nothing new on mechanics but works well through all the game. Gorgeous scenarios and OST.
    The story starts in one direction and twist to twist plays with your head, making the game to gain intensity and proposing perspectives that actual games doesn't use to. It's a little suspicious that all specialized media give the game a 10/10 when usually they just play the    The game is a blast.
    Nothing new on mechanics but works well through all the game. Gorgeous scenarios and OST.
    The story starts in one direction and twist to twist plays with your head, making the game to gain intensity and proposing perspectives that actual games doesn't use to.
    It's a little suspicious that all specialized media give the game a 10/10 when usually they just play the game for a few hours at best.
    For me, a really good game and one of the bests FPS I've played in a long time.    … Expand
  14. JfreakinD
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    Simply amazing game, everything about it is just so polished and refined. only complaint is the some of the gun battles in the middle feel a bit forced, overall though a fantastic experience.
  15. Mitchelldfc
    Apr 8, 2013
    8
    Just a beautiful game and a joy to play. The first 2 bioshock games made me want to explore the whole world and this does likewise. Im so sad that its finished. Iv picked up Far Cry 3 again but its a poor subsitute for bioshock infinite.
    Its an 8 though cause i agree with some of the critics in relation to the difficulty and weapons. Im not a good gamer but I seemed to coast this game.    Just a beautiful game and a joy to play. The first 2 bioshock games made me want to explore the whole world and this does likewise. Im so sad that its finished. Iv picked up Far Cry 3 again but its a poor subsitute for bioshock infinite.
    Its an 8 though cause i agree with some of the critics in relation to the difficulty and weapons. Im not a good gamer but I seemed to coast this game. There is tons of ammo and weapons lying around and the upgrades are unexciting. I barely spent a penny on upgrades. Likewise with the vigors. In bioshock the plasmids were central as to how rapture fell into chaos. Vigors in Columbia simply exist but the average joe doesnt seem to have access to them. So story falls down here and so does the difficulty as the soldiers arent powered up and hence the difficulty level is significantly lower than either of the previous bioshock games.
    The ending is superb and provokes debate and thought and is a far more satisfying ending than what you get with most games nowadays.
    The story is engaging as are the characters and finding and listening to voxophones is an essential and satisfying endeavour. playing the game without listening to the voxophones seems almost pointless.
    Admittedly, the baddies are nowhere near as intimidating as that first ever big daddy encounter on bioshock. But I do not think this game was meant to replicate the originals, its a standout on its own and is miles better than other recent big releases.    … Expand
  16. blogfirstlast
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    Amazing Graphics, Game play, etc. but the thing that sold me about this game is that it touches religion and
    politics, also racial diversity and it is ironic how heaven can be so evil.
  17. Husk989
    Apr 7, 2013
    4
    This game is visually stunning. However it doesn't bring anything new to the genre and in fact is worse features wise compared to the earlier games. In infinite the entire story is on rails you make no decisions that effect the ending there is no mechanic based on morality. Games in the same series that offer less than the previous games for the sake of better graphics are not better games.
  18. superturtle
    Apr 7, 2013
    10
    So I'd been hearing about all the hype about this game for awhile, so I caved and bought the damn thing. All the while playing it, I was very impressed, but not really thinking that it was a 'masterpiece' that some people had claimed. I thought that until I got up to the end, and honestly everything I thought I knew about games went out the window. Definitely the most thought-provoking andSo I'd been hearing about all the hype about this game for awhile, so I caved and bought the damn thing. All the while playing it, I was very impressed, but not really thinking that it was a 'masterpiece' that some people had claimed. I thought that until I got up to the end, and honestly everything I thought I knew about games went out the window. Definitely the most thought-provoking and mind-bending end to a game I've ever played... I literally said 'WTF' to my TV. Comparing this to the last 2 games does it no justice, it stands on its own as a great achievement in video games. Of course it's not without its faults, but really the story alone is the reason to experience Bioshock Infinite. I'm definitely going to play it again.… Expand
  19. DoctorBell
    Apr 7, 2013
    2
    I was excited for Infinite because we were back with Irrational Games and Levine. I expected an experience something like the original Bioshock. I really liked Bioshock. But Bioshock Infinite felt much more like Bioshock 2, which was a cynical money grab with no merit.

    Gameplay? It's Ratchet and Clank without the fun. But that's not what we're here for. We're here for the story. And    I was excited for Infinite because we were back with Irrational Games and Levine. I expected an experience something like the original Bioshock. I really liked Bioshock. But Bioshock Infinite felt much more like Bioshock 2, which was a cynical money grab with no merit.

    Gameplay? It's Ratchet and Clank without the fun. But that's not what we're here for.

    We're here for the story. And the story is DUMB. Just plain dumb. Offensively so. I don't think I was supposed to laugh at the ending, but I did. The same way I laughed at plan 9 from outer space. This was not the experience I was hoping for.    … Expand
  20. Backwater
    Apr 7, 2013
    10
    (If its too long for your taste, I round it all up it the last paragraph, use ctrl+f and type ~~)

    ~Lets clear something up right off the bat, what will make this game either a 8 or a 10 for you is your ability to follow complex ideas, because to truly enjoy the story at its fullest, you can not be lacking in brain power. That being said, we can talk about the game play, which is pretty    (If its too long for your taste, I round it all up it the last paragraph, use ctrl+f and type ~~)

    ~Lets clear something up right off the bat, what will make this game either a 8 or a 10 for you is your ability to follow complex ideas, because to truly enjoy the story at its fullest, you can not be lacking in brain power. That being said, we can talk about the game play, which is pretty darn near flawless. The shooting and Vigor's work much like they did in Bioshock 2, though obviously the gun load-out is more robust and aiming down sights has been added, and there are less vigors than there were plasmids. Switching between weapons and vigors is a breeze, as long as you don't begin button mashing. You've also been given a regenerative shield, like the one in Halo: CE (separate from health, which goes down when your shield is down) and this allows for much more active combat and more combatants at once. The one thing I will knock the game play for though is the Auto save feature, which replaces straight up saves, like the ones seen in the original Bioshock. That though alone is not enough to ruin anyone's experience, unless they have anger issues and cant play 2 minutes back from where they left off, if they shut off before they earned another one.
    ~Then You have the atmosphere, which completely captures the feel of the American society during the beginning of the Progressive era. If I were to sit here and list them all in paragraph form, it'd be quite a novella. Anyone who has ever taken AP US History, or just knows there American history, will pick up on this. Trust me, they got it right. Columbia's bright atmosphere on the outside evolves perfectly with the story, and the floating city's turn of the century charm is a refreshing for the recently generic modern warfare settings we've had in shooters recently. (not to knock those games, the story mode is not the main focus of those games anyways) Elizabeth is the best sidekick I've had in a game, she talks to Booker constantly (while not being annoying) provides supplies, and does other useful things. (trying to keep this spoiler free) I actually cared about her, and it actually effected decisions I made in a game. The atmosphere actually blew my expectations out of the water, which was not a small feat by any means.
    ~Finally to touch on the story, which like I said is very complex at points, mostly as you reach the end. I applaud Ken Levine for his creativity. I will say in the last five to seven minutes while playing, my jaw was just hanging loose in absolute awe. Nothing short of excellence. Also just like in the last two installment, back-story is provided through recordings by characters, (Voxaphones in Infinite, Audio-logs in Bioshock 1 and 2 And one must hunt them down throughout the story. They can be either easy to locate, or stashed away in a hiding spot. Finding these help one to understand the story much better, and should not be skipped (you can miss a few if you don't feel like searching forever) unless one wants a less than satisfactory experience. You don't have to find them all, but finding at least 2/3's of them should be enough for anyone who is impatient, but wants to experience the game as it was meant to be.

    ~~Bioshock Infinite is smart, action packed, (while not being way too over the top) and overall a thrilling and enthralling experience. Its atmosphere is without flaw and is also refreshing. Its story is intellectual and just overall one of the most solid ones in recent memory, though if one can't understand some of the concepts it detracts a bit from the experience. (this game can make a smarter than average person feel dumb at points). Then you have the overall game-play, which has been slightly improved from both Bioshock and Bioshock 2. Fans of the previous two games, will love Infinite, though its still a great starting point if you haven't played any of the past games. This game, while some may disagree, shows exactly what a Mature 10 games is, intellectual and thought provoking while still entertaining and a blast to play.    … Expand
  21. Oxcart
    Apr 7, 2013
    7
    Few games totally upended genres as effectively as the original Bioshock. The weird amalgamation of shooter and sorcery-style gameplay, the settings, the story writing...all of it was fresh, original, and thoroughly unexpected at every turn. Bioshock 2 tried to keep up with that legacy, although didn't quite have the steam (seriously, no pun). So how did Infinite do in keeping up theFew games totally upended genres as effectively as the original Bioshock. The weird amalgamation of shooter and sorcery-style gameplay, the settings, the story writing...all of it was fresh, original, and thoroughly unexpected at every turn. Bioshock 2 tried to keep up with that legacy, although didn't quite have the steam (seriously, no pun). So how did Infinite do in keeping up the Bioshock mantle? In short, it did pretty well. Make no mistake: Infinite is a radical departure from the games that have come before. For a change, you are not in the decaying and (mostly, not quite enough) abandoned city of Rapture, but rather the vibrant and very much alive...and flying, did they mention the flying part?...city of Columbia. Columbia is sort of the mirror-universe evil twin of the America we know and love: it's a place of racial segregation, theocracy, and mindless fervor based on a cult of personality built around a "prophet" whose bolts aren't just loose, they're missing. The other quirk the game design has, and this one is unique among all the games I've seen, is that nearly the entire game is an escort mission, but escorting someone fully capable of handling problems. That someone is Elizabeth, a character so well-designed and well-written that the folks on Irrational's "Liz Squad," the tiger team put together to make sure she was a good addition to the game, clearly all deserve major congratulations and probably a raise. (Read some of the development information to learn more about them.) Let me say this: I hate, capital HATE, escort missions. They annoy me. It's constantly trying to save a brainless AI from itself. I almost decided against Infinite because of Elizabeth, but got it anyway. Glad I did, because Elizabeth isn't your usual escortee. She's tough, very helpful, and never a hindrance. Environments are well-built, thematic, and engaging, not to mention unbelievably creative. So that's a lot of praise...why a 7? A few reasons. One, where environmental graphics are good, the people inhabiting this world are not well rendered; they all have a china doll appearance which is very unsettling. Texture resolutions are generally good, but some of the level decor does suffer from decreased resolution. Interactivity with the world is variable and, while occasionally quite good, does sometimes leave the player wondering why something has no interactions. But perhaps most frustrating is the total lack of directional input on character development. You are locked into the script as it was developed by writers and have no opportunity to make choices...and, frankly, the player's character is really rather a jerk, and that didn't resonate with me at all. Finally, Infinite does follow the Bioshock 2 approach of segmented world progression, meaning that when you leave a sector, there's typically no returning. That's a departure that started with Bioshock 2 and one of my least favorite things about the game. So, points off for poor NPC graphics resolution, the inability to change your character's insufferably-bad attitude, and lack of open worldness (or even its emulation). Still, don't misunderstand: 7 is a good score, and Infinite is well worth your time. It is a true piece of originality in an ocean of the mundane and the ONLY heavy-hitter release in the last three months that didn't leave me severely disappointed (I'm looking at YOU, Colonial Marines). A good and well-earned 7 for Bioshock Infinite, the year's first actual "you really should play this" game.… Expand
  22. NabaDwA
    Apr 7, 2013
    10
    Gameplay is as u'd expect the bioshock formula. But the story... the story is confusing, you sit there at the end of the game with your jaw on the ground trying to understand. This just makes you want more, it engages you, its not another game that's all about gameplay and the story is a side game. I felt like I was playing a movie. The characters are great, what some people have said isGameplay is as u'd expect the bioshock formula. But the story... the story is confusing, you sit there at the end of the game with your jaw on the ground trying to understand. This just makes you want more, it engages you, its not another game that's all about gameplay and the story is a side game. I felt like I was playing a movie. The characters are great, what some people have said is that they needed more faces to the voices, a face for Fink a face for Booker because we play it we feel like its a movie nd we want to c the faces behind the voices with the emotions being formed in their faces. Only complaint but it doesn't take away from the beautiful city in the sky, the music that creates the atmosphere, its brilliant. This is what new gen games should be like. This is what dishonoured wishes it was.… Expand
  23. Truepsycho
    Apr 7, 2013
    1
    This game is utterly boring, the only upside is the voice acting.
    It's just the same 7 different enemies and the same environment all the time, people rating this a 10 have never played anything else but Tetris.
  24. vangoat
    Apr 7, 2013
    9
    Strengths: The story is the best of the series. Do yourself a favor and play it through to end. This game really does make me feel like gaming is one of the greatest artistic mediums of our time. The music is absolutely amazing for setting the tone. The variety of music and how it comes into play is amazing, so authentic and immersive to the experience.

    Graphically: the game is    Strengths: The story is the best of the series. Do yourself a favor and play it through to end. This game really does make me feel like gaming is one of the greatest artistic mediums of our time. The music is absolutely amazing for setting the tone. The variety of music and how it comes into play is amazing, so authentic and immersive to the experience.

    Graphically: the game is beautiful. I can't believe how many times I would stop...and just look. So much thought and care has gone into what you are looking at, in every moment of the game.

    Gameplay: Yes it is a shooter now. They did tighten the controls though and you can pick people off from afar. The hand cannon rules by the way.

    To say its a poor shooter is ridiculous, it is as it has been.

    Greatest game of the series? maybe not...but still an absolutely fantastic ride.

    Weaknesses: The only flaws I can think of are some of the tedium of the other games, that they left out (like hacking and the way the upgrades worked) but I think this was done for purposes of pacing. Were there a couple frustrating gameplay moments? Yes, but I blame myself for not being creative with my gameplay and instead I would approach the situations with the normal "run and gun" mentality. WARNING: you will have to use your brain in the heat of battle.

    Overall: I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to be amazed by an immersive experience. It is not borderlands or call of duty (both of which I own), it is something all to its own and feels that way the entire time. Thank you Irrational games for making something wonderful. I will begin my second play through today:)    … Expand
  25. drlowdon
    Apr 6, 2013
    8
    Very few games will ever be able to compete with the opening to the original Bioshock as you enter the underwater city of Rapture and, while Columbia is certainly spectacular, it just doesn’t inspire the same sense of awe.

    Where Infinite does better its predecessors however is in its story and gameplay. The combat is not all that different with the weapons mapped to the right trigger    Very few games will ever be able to compete with the opening to the original Bioshock as you enter the underwater city of Rapture and, while Columbia is certainly spectacular, it just doesn’t inspire the same sense of awe.

    Where Infinite does better its predecessors however is in its story and gameplay. The combat is not all that different with the weapons mapped to the right trigger and the powers (plasmids in all but name) mapped to the left they can, as before, be combined in all manner of ways during combat. The two big additions to this formula are the skyhooks that can be used to zip around the environment, helping to attack or escape foes, and the ‘tears in reality’ that can be opened by companion Elizabeth to allow access to weapons, ammo, cover etc. Both are arguably not used to their full potential but between them certainly bring a new dimension to the combat.

    As for the story, I won’t go into any ruinous detail but suffice to say it is one of the best in gaming despite the sometimes rather clumsy approach to topics such as racism on occasions. Importantly however it is told completely without cut-scenes meaning for the first time in a while I was actually interested in what was happening as I didn’t have to sit a watch endless non-interactive sections. In the end it doesn’t compete with the best the movie and TV industry can offer of course but I can’t think of many other games in which I felt the need to look on online forums to see other people’s thoughts.
    Summary: Many reviews may lead people to believe that Bioshock Infinite will change gaming but it is too many obvious faults for that. What we do have though is a very good game indeed.    … Expand
  26. MrLuBurt
    Apr 6, 2013
    7
    BioShock Infinite delivers great gameplay with a wide variety of different playing styles, although I only ended up using only 1 or 2 vigors throughout the whole of the game
    The story line was awful with a very gineric plot and most of the time found myself extremely bored throughout most of the game.

    Overall, even though the plot itself was very bad, the gameplay makes up for it...
  27. Daelus
    Apr 6, 2013
    6
    Firstly, for all those who rated this game a 10, I'm glad if you actually enjoyed it, but come on, Mass Effect 2 and Red Dead Redemption are 10's, rating this game a 10 makes mockery of ratings at all.

    That said, this game was 'Infinitely' better than the original in this series; which in my opinion was 1 of the 2 most over-rated games in history (Dark Souls being the other). Pros:    Firstly, for all those who rated this game a 10, I'm glad if you actually enjoyed it, but come on, Mass Effect 2 and Red Dead Redemption are 10's, rating this game a 10 makes mockery of ratings at all.

    That said, this game was 'Infinitely' better than the original in this series; which in my opinion was 1 of the 2 most over-rated games in history (Dark Souls being the other).

    Pros:
    Atmosphere is 1rst-rate; a trait it shared with the original Bioshock; score, sound and design are top notch and help try to draw the player into the world.
    Story is good...not great, but certainly above average.
    Gameplay is vastly improved from the original. The ability to fight from distance was appreciated.
    AI was well done...again, not nearly as great as say ME, but solid.

    Cons:
    Storyline is VERY linear and the world is VERY small. This is in no sense of the word an epic game.
    Much (most) of the game is spent searching through every piiece of furniture for coins and fruit...its ridiculous.
    2 weapons and no inventory....enough said.
    There is no element of choice that matters....you cannot veer from the story...which of the guns or powers you use is irrelevant as they're all basically the same.

    I could understand an objective user rating this game anywhere between 4 and 7...anything higher or lower says more about the rater than the game.    … Expand
  28. justachair
    Apr 6, 2013
    9
    The Original BioShock is one of the best games of this generation of consoles, and it has been proven. Here's Why: No game makes you feel scared though connected with a deep, sort of moral storyline you actually have to build yourself. BioShock had one of the best ambiance and story in video games, and BioShock Infinite follows the step of its predecessor in a similar, only less creepyThe Original BioShock is one of the best games of this generation of consoles, and it has been proven. Here's Why: No game makes you feel scared though connected with a deep, sort of moral storyline you actually have to build yourself. BioShock had one of the best ambiance and story in video games, and BioShock Infinite follows the step of its predecessor in a similar, only less creepy way.
    The story starts as simple as it can be: You are Booker DeWitt, private investigator, who owes money to some mysterious man. To clean his debt, he must go to the flying city of Columbia and bring a girl called Elizabeth back to New York. As he does this, he will discover that Columbia is a city at war between the religious, rich side of the town that are followers of prophet and founder Zachary Comstock, and the poor, less privileged side of the town that are the rebels also known as the Vox Populi. But this that I've just told you means nothing at the end of BioShock Infinite, which has one of the most twisted and confusing endings in video game, that will leave us thinking for a long time. Not gonna post Spoilers, but boy, it will get you. BioShock Infinite is also great by its visual spectacle. The original BioShock with its overwhelming art design and "art deco" architecture was already mind blowing. The Sky city of Columbia is even more impressive. As I played it on Xbox 360, I wasn't lucky enough to have the high resolution textures from the PC. ANYWAY, the game still looks amazing. Sometimes, breathtaking moments will push us to enjoy the sights the game offers.
    Storywise, we've already told you the game is good, but even though it is confusing as hell, still BioShock Infinite has its plot holes, some of them really important, not to understand the story but to get some things cleared out. One obvious is how the hell Elizabeth (Your companion AI) got those powers. You will ask yourself that more in the ending that in the middle of the game.
    Talking about Gameplay, BioShock Infinite is mostly successful. You have a pretty wide variety of guns, and vigors. You will need Ammo for the weapons, and salts for the vigors, really similar to the original game's functionality. If you are in a tight situation, Elizabeth will stock you with Ammo, Salts, Health or Money. But there are some annoying aspects such as not changing the vigors: The game lets you have two vigors, but if you drink one more, one of them is replaced FOREVER. That is really bad as one of my favourite vigors, Possession, could only been used for the first quarter of the game before being replaced with some useless ones. Also, you have upgrade stations, although still it does not seem to have much effect when you are playing. They are small flaws to how fun and awesome you feel once you kill the really, REALLY hard bosses, or when you make your enemies float and shoot them one by one with the shotgun.
    There is no multiplayer or Co-op. That is not bad, but it is when the game has little replayability. It is a consistent game, about 10 hours long if you play it in a medium difficulty. Still, there is no much reason to take the ride again, only if you want to clear your mind again. BUT this game encourages you to play something else again: The original BioShock. Yes Infinite is a prequel, one hard to get in that sense, but a successful one.
    Overall, BioShock Infinite is as good as the same one. Yes, I missed the creepy ambiance of the first one, but not the story, as BioShock Infinite has that and more.    … Expand
  29. zgdelta
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    The original Bioshock is my favorite video game of all time, and I thought there was absolutely no way this game can live up to it. I was wrong. I have never had so much fun in a game in my entire life. The sky rails are amazing and I could stay on those things all day. Although there are less powers (Vigors), the powers are all very different and I do not need anymore. My personalThe original Bioshock is my favorite video game of all time, and I thought there was absolutely no way this game can live up to it. I was wrong. I have never had so much fun in a game in my entire life. The sky rails are amazing and I could stay on those things all day. Although there are less powers (Vigors), the powers are all very different and I do not need anymore. My personal favorite is Undertow. The ending was superb and makes this game have the best story of any video game of ALL time. Play it and you will experience this masterpiece.… Expand
  30. C3realkillah
    Apr 5, 2013
    9
    this game is epic. i love the bioshock series and this one is no doubt the best one. the setting columbia is beautiful and breathtaking, the vigors are powerful and fun to use, the gunplay is vastly improved over the other games and elizabeth is the best videogame companion in recent memory! The story is well told and will definitely you. the skyhook is fun as well. everything about thisthis game is epic. i love the bioshock series and this one is no doubt the best one. the setting columbia is beautiful and breathtaking, the vigors are powerful and fun to use, the gunplay is vastly improved over the other games and elizabeth is the best videogame companion in recent memory! The story is well told and will definitely you. the skyhook is fun as well. everything about this game is fantastic which is expected of the bioshock series. It definitely deserves to be a part of any gamers collection...its just that damn good! so do yourself a favor and buy this masterpiece and enjoy adventuring with elizabeth in columbia.… Expand
  31. rty511
    Apr 5, 2013
    10
    This is the future of gaming as a respect for of entertainment and as art. I have never been sucked into a game like I was for this game. Truly a masterpiece.
  32. ReusedPaper
    Apr 5, 2013
    10
    I like this game. You can shoot stuff and use these things called vigors to really mess up your enemies. But the best part about this game? Elizabeth. She may not make you a sandwich, but she'll give you things depending on the situation. She may toss you health, mana, coins or more ammo. She's awesome!
  33. MsLibra
    Apr 5, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a diehard Bioshock fan, I was awaiting the game with anticipation and purchased as soon as released.

    The game is playable and for those that have not completed previous versions, it is probably a decent 5 day play however, In comparison to previous versions it sucks BIGTIME. No imagination with the enemy's/bosses, no crazy people appearing out of nowhere, no splicers crawling up the walls (and you only knowing they are there because of the sound of their knives climbing). No mini turrets, no ability to go invisible or to kill the Big Daddies in imaginative settings, capturing your creative kills on camera for additional points.

    The weapons are unimaginative and boring and the storyline is pathetic. This game just doesn't deserve the hype.

    Pretty lazy of the developers in my opinion. Waste of money and disappointment. Just lucky enough to have completed and sold it with minimal cash difference.    … Expand
  34. ChrisScott89
    Apr 5, 2013
    10
    This game in one word: Unbelieveable!! From my ascension into Columbia to the epic final battle at the end, this game had me gripped. I played the game in 2-3 hour sessions as i didnt want to spoil it and get to the end too quickly. The music along with the overall story made my hair stand on end at certain points. Upon my completion of the game i was left thirsty for more and immediatelyThis game in one word: Unbelieveable!! From my ascension into Columbia to the epic final battle at the end, this game had me gripped. I played the game in 2-3 hour sessions as i didnt want to spoil it and get to the end too quickly. The music along with the overall story made my hair stand on end at certain points. Upon my completion of the game i was left thirsty for more and immediately started the story again. This game is a must buy, trust me you wont be disappointed.… Expand
  35. RaunchyRam
    Apr 5, 2013
    7
    General Fanboy Distaste
    Bioshock Infinite is a good game in and of itself. But sadly is has nothing in common with the Bioshock series/franchise, except for a single cutscene. 2K could have independently released this game with a different and cut out that singular cutscene. But it seems they rather use a already thriving name to produce greater sales. I honestly do love the other two    General Fanboy Distaste
    Bioshock Infinite is a good game in and of itself. But sadly is has nothing in common with the Bioshock series/franchise, except for a single cutscene. 2K could have independently released this game with a different and cut out that singular cutscene. But it seems they rather use a already thriving name to produce greater sales. I honestly do love the other two in the series though but this one seemed like a cash in.

    There are no horror aspects, creepy at the slightest, and definitely no "survival" aspects like the others in the series. Ammo and Health items are thrown at you like a Lays Truck that left its hatch open. Just loads and loads of crap flying at you down the freeway. The enemies pose little to no challenge at all, save for the Mechanical Patriots and Handymen. But those enemies are just as easily handled once you get a Usage Deduction Upgrade on your Possession Vigor.

    Oh and yes the Vigors a half arsed drunken wink from across the bar. The Vigors are a rehash of your old favorite Bioshock Plasmids, but they couldn't be bothered to name them what they are.

    Gameplay
    There are quite a few guns, all fill their own little niche. But you can only carry two at any given time! Here is a tip, if you don't care about achievements or trophies then only carry the Carbine and the Volley Gun. Everything else is equally balanced. Other than this small problem the gameplay is fine.

    Vigors are powerful and all equally useful. I found my self only stagnant on one Vigor, Possession. This Vigor allows you to possess machines (and later people), making them give you money or fight for you. But this took out the need for hacking, so no mini game for hacking (which I didn't notice until just now).

    Story And Characters
    The characters are attractive and appealing. Booker has such a tortured past as well as Elizabeth. I can't help but love them. And when I was playing I constantly found myself saying, "I hope neither them die, they're so likeable". And that is what is the biggest problem for me in games, finding a character I "want" to keep alive.

    There is so much story going on at one point my mind wanted to explode. But once I figured it out (through the help of recordings) I loved it. But sadly the story is mystery like and once you know the twist it makes any subsequent playthroughs equivalent to spamming buttons to skip cutscenes. The only fathomable reason I can imagine playing this again is to entertain friends who aren't good at shooters or don't like playing video games.

    Graphics
    The graphics are beautiful, and the art style of some choice enemies are very Bioshock. Everything is bright and colorful, its like I tripped face first and got a Kaleidoscope lodged in my eye. The graphics of the large scale points of interest are beautiful and detailed to great extent.

    But alot of the smaller things that you see more frequently were ignored to make big objects look better. Such as roses on a bush, if you walk past one you can see edges and the backside, they're 2D and flat. Like I cut them out myself and pasted them to the bush!

    Sound
    I never noticed much out of the ordinary. Nothing annoying, other than Songbird's screeching. The voice acting is top notch. I stop everything I'm doing when the characters are talking, so I can give them my undivided attention. Booker De Witt is got the best possible voice actor for him, I can't imagine a single other person who could do better. And the same goes for the rest of the cast.

    Controversy
    This game is RASCIST, but it can't help it, its 1912 kid. The game's setting is in a alternate 1912, on a floating city called Columbia. The man in charge hated Abraham Lincoln and his emancipation. The people of Columbia even worship John Wilkes Booth to some extent, for killing President Lincoln. So of course Black Men, Women, and Children are still slaves or at the least hard laborers with little pay. So if you have a weak stomach for words like "Colored" and other stereotypes you might want to avoid playing. (Note: Its not just blacks that are portrayed negatively, Jews, Chinese, Native Americans, Mexicans, Irish, and anyone who isn't American Caucasian.)

    Overall Opinion
    Despite the negativity, Infinite (I refuse to call it Bioshock), is a pretty good game. Another great in a genre that is beginning to run dry (Single Player Games). But if it wasn't for the numerous raving reviews I wouldn't have bought it at full price.    … Expand
  36. Diablopepe
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    From the moment I heard about this game I was excited. I played the game ...I was excited. I beat the game...I was excited. I came on metacritic to write a review about the game...I was excited. This game is one of the best games I have ever played. Gameplay is excellent. Story is fantastic. Most definitely the best game of 2013...so far.....
  37. dharma
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    As this generation of console is coming to a close, gamers are spoiled for choice in terms of quality games to buy. This generation is also recognized as a proof that Western Developers are eclipsing their Japanese counterparts. Sure, many of their outputs are low brow, violent, military shooters, a trend that seems to sell games by the millions. Nevertheless, western games 'auteurs'?As this generation of console is coming to a close, gamers are spoiled for choice in terms of quality games to buy. This generation is also recognized as a proof that Western Developers are eclipsing their Japanese counterparts. Sure, many of their outputs are low brow, violent, military shooters, a trend that seems to sell games by the millions. Nevertheless, western games 'auteurs'? Well, they are not as 'prevalent' as in Japan, but with Bioshock Infinite, we can finally say that Ken Levine is indeed one of such type of game developers, standing along legendary game makers such as Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto. Infinite is an incredibly beautiful game, pushing current hardware to the max. It's a FPS at heart, but it contains a narrative drive and worldview that is truly great. Surprisingly poignant storyline is coupled with jaw dropping set pieces. It has a great AI partner that really helps you in a bind, but at the same time really forms the core of the story. The world of Columbia is so detailed, 'Miyazaki'-eqsue at times, and its immersive nature is done without a nary of cut scenes in sight. Is Infinite one of the best game of this generation? Yes it is. And along with other great games coming in the last two months, such as Tomb Raider and MG Rising, will definitely leave a mark on your finances!… Expand
  38. ChuckDee33
    Apr 4, 2013
    5
    As a preface, I will say that I haven't finished the game yet. Although, I feel what I've seen thus far (about 50% or so) is enough for me to give my overall impressions and still have some weight behind them.

    GRAPHICS On a technical level they are actually pretty bad and it pains me to say that. Textures are muddy all over the place. In places it honestly looks like a late-gen    As a preface, I will say that I haven't finished the game yet. Although, I feel what I've seen thus far (about 50% or so) is enough for me to give my overall impressions and still have some weight behind them.

    GRAPHICS On a technical level they are actually pretty bad and it pains me to say that. Textures are muddy all over the place. In places it honestly looks like a late-gen original Xbox game, no joke. Moreover, I have experienced numerous graphical aberrations with water and lighting effects. I just wasn't expecting this poor quality considering the first Bioshock still looks really good and that was released in 2007. Some games hold up even as you inspect closer; not this one unfortunately. From an artistic standpoint though things improve, so I applaud the development team in that regard at least.

    SOUND Good voice acting, nothing groundbreaking though. The songs are pretty cool. Standard FPS effects. They use some similar cues from the original Bioshock which are nice.

    STORY It's probably unfair for me to rate this since I haven't finished it. So far, I can appreciate the ties into American history and the religious overtones. It seems pretty far out there but I have purposely shied away from any spoilers so far. I'm not feeling a strong sense of player agency though, as others have mentioned. Levine might have bitten off more than even he can chew here. We'll see.

    GAMEPLAY Obviously the most important aspect of any game and this bring my biggest complaints to this title. I can easily encapsulate my feelings here: I'm not dying to pick up the controller and play this again. There is hardly anything here that I haven't done a thousand times in other games. Basically run around looking in trash cans and looting from dead bodies, madly pressing the X button. That is in no way FUN. Then stopping for a pretty standard gun/tonic battle against some mediocre intelligence level bad guys who seldom have any charisma or stand out personality traits. The fact that the levels are floating in the sky doesn't really do anything for me. If the developers were trying to create a sense of wonder and suspense from this, then they failed in my mind. Case in point, if you accidentally or even on purpose jump or fall over an edge you just magically teleport right back to safety. That just kills so much of the world for me right there. And yeah I was expecting the same kind of thing when you died, you just get placed in an area a little bit back from where you died and lose some cash. But it's just jarring when you die like 8 times in the span of one firefight and you see the exact same sequence with Elizabeth every time. I could go on about other specific ways I think the gameplay is stale, just as a FPS/adventure game in general and also compared with the original Bioshock, but I won't.

    In summation, I'm pretty disappointed with this game. It feels tedious rather than fun to play in and explore the world. In my time with it so far there have been a few moments that were neat and made me smile, but few are far between. It offers maybe one new gameplay mechanic (sky hooks). The tears are not very original as a mechanic. No inventory, limited choices in how you manage things, unoriginal upgrades and weapons. I'd rather go back and play Tomb Raider again 9 times out of 10. That's just my two or three cents.    … Expand
  39. bodogjoe
    Apr 4, 2013
    10
    Amazing game, on console sometime it can be foggy, but its due to the huge environments. It doesnt take away from game though, such a unique setting, you want to just take your time and actually stop and look at your surroundings. Love the skyhook too, like a rollercoatser with a gun. GOTY candidate.
  40. SUPERFLY
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    The most entertaining lesson in quantum physics that I've ever had! So, was Bioshock Infinite worth the wait? HELL YES! Will the story mess with your head? DAMN RIGHT! I've just finished my first play through and have been completely blown away. Not so much by the game play, which remains pretty similar to previous Bioshock titles, but more by the attention to detail and pure love that hasThe most entertaining lesson in quantum physics that I've ever had! So, was Bioshock Infinite worth the wait? HELL YES! Will the story mess with your head? DAMN RIGHT! I've just finished my first play through and have been completely blown away. Not so much by the game play, which remains pretty similar to previous Bioshock titles, but more by the attention to detail and pure love that has been shown in the production of this game. It's beautiful in a way that I can't even begin to describe. I spent the first 15 20 minutes of the game just wondering around taking in the scenery with a huge smile on my face! Once I got into the combat I quickly realised that this game wants you to experiment with your abilities. If you just stick to simply gun play then you're going to miss out on so much. Using Vigor (Previously Plasmid) abilities is where the fun lies. My only criticism would be that the pacing of gaining new weapons and abilities is a little off. Also, the game rations out money so harshly that you are really forced to focus on one or two weapons and abilities to be able to fully upgrade them. I suppose though that this adds to the incentive to play through again. Or have I already played, will play, am playing again? Goddamn, my head hurts! Thanks for that Irrational Games. Buy this game people.… Expand
  41. ArchetypeGaming
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    BioShock. If you’ve played the series, you know the feeling you get when you hear the name.

    We all grew to love the underwater city of Rapture, splicers, little sisters and big daddys through the first two parts of this epic series. With Infinite, we are given a completely new setting and story. BioShock Infinite is set in 1912 during the growth of American exceptionalism, the game’s    BioShock. If you’ve played the series, you know the feeling you get when you hear the name.

    We all grew to love the underwater city of Rapture, splicers, little sisters and big daddys through the first two parts of this epic series. With Infinite, we are given a completely new setting and story.

    BioShock Infinite is set in 1912 during the growth of American exceptionalism, the game’s protagonist, former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt, is sent to the floating air-city of Columbia to find a young woman, Elizabeth, who has been held captive there for most of her life.

    You are pursued by the city’s warring factions; the nativist and elite Founders that strive to keep the city for pure Americans, and the Vox Populi, a rebel grouping representing the common people. There is quite a hint of racism in this imaginary place they call Columbia. The way they handled religion, certain beliefs and old school values couldn’t have been handled in a better way.

    This game is totally in the running for Game of the Year. It takes a lot in a game to make me feel the way Infinite did upon completion. I was sad to see it end, but glad to find out the ending and have everything make sense.

    You’ll be scratching your head for a while when this one ends, but don’t worry. Let it stew for a little bit and it’ll finally click.

    A quote from our community talking about possible titles for Game of the Year:

    “Do those games let you speed around on air rails while jumping off to execute somebody after you possessed a giant mechanical George Washington looking mother F’r wielding a chain gun and mowing down enemies that you stunned with a murder of crows?”

    ‘Nuff said.    … Expand
  42. Terrythetramp17
    Apr 4, 2013
    10
    One of the greatest games of our generation. The ending made me just restart the game straight away. Also the connection with Booker and Elizabeth was just phenoenal. Such a great comeback after a shaky sequel Bioshock 2 I would recomend this game to anyone.
  43. Dazdnconfuzed
    Apr 4, 2013
    5
    I give a 10 to the marketing department a 5 for the game. $65 for a 2 day game with no multiplayer?? No challenge at all in this game due to built in free supplies and unlimited lives. The A.I. Stood there and let me take my time to line up the head shots. I bought one upgrade the whole game on hard. Story? I think the multidimensional stuff was a cop out to many questions you might haveI give a 10 to the marketing department a 5 for the game. $65 for a 2 day game with no multiplayer?? No challenge at all in this game due to built in free supplies and unlimited lives. The A.I. Stood there and let me take my time to line up the head shots. I bought one upgrade the whole game on hard. Story? I think the multidimensional stuff was a cop out to many questions you might have about the characters. "What about this? Just add an alternate dimension to "fix" it". I'm a hardcore gamer and this game lacks any challenge. Rent it,beat it,forget it...… Expand
  44. JohnSnow
    Apr 3, 2013
    0
    Ok, we've been had. Irrational Games lied to us for several years, feeding us pre-release "actual gameplay" videos that show abilities, powers, main (You+Elizabeth) and NPC character interaction, scale and dynamics of gameplay and maps that were great except it turns out none of that has anything to do with the game we received. Bioshock Infinite managed to receive 80 awards based onOk, we've been had. Irrational Games lied to us for several years, feeding us pre-release "actual gameplay" videos that show abilities, powers, main (You+Elizabeth) and NPC character interaction, scale and dynamics of gameplay and maps that were great except it turns out none of that has anything to do with the game we received. Bioshock Infinite managed to receive 80 awards based on pre-release footage which is the largest rip-off in the gaming history. In addition to that actual game has horrible textures and detail level, gameplay is dumbed down, no hacking, no puzzles, it's short. As a gamer i'm insulted by what Irrational Games did and by what most critics did. Please read this, it describes in detail how we've been had:
    http://billywritings.blogspot.com/2013/03/bioshock-infinite-sucks.html

    :(((((    … Expand
  45. xitis
    Apr 3, 2013
    0
    To start, I'm a big fan of the Bioshock series. Well I should say a big fan of Bioshock and while Bioshock 2 wasn't the best it was still a good game. While Infinite isn't a horrible game it is really a 5 or 6 at best. I just had to rate it lower to make a meager attempt to reduce some of what I hope are shills just rating it highly for the compay. The graphics were dated, no challange onTo start, I'm a big fan of the Bioshock series. Well I should say a big fan of Bioshock and while Bioshock 2 wasn't the best it was still a good game. While Infinite isn't a horrible game it is really a 5 or 6 at best. I just had to rate it lower to make a meager attempt to reduce some of what I hope are shills just rating it highly for the compay. The graphics were dated, no challange on the hard difficulty, all weapons and abilities were mediocre at best, storyline was a so-so and there was absolutely no ingenuity. If it hadn't been named Bioshock Infinite, reviewers would have called it a poorly done weak imitation of Bioshock 1 too many years to late and frankly i still think thats what people should say. Dishonored was 100 times the game this one was. Its worth renting if you have a day to kill but that is about it. I started to play the 1999 mode and while that is at least a little challenging, the thought or playing through with the current game mechanics and graphics another time left me too nauseous to continue. I figured it may have gotten a 7 or 8 on the boards, but I can't believe the overall praise its received. Maby the other reviewers didn't really play it or they smoked and drank too much.… Expand
  46. prsreaper1230
    Apr 3, 2013
    10
    Bioshock Infinite has been on my radar ever since it was announced. Now that it's out I can now say, it's one of the best I've ever played along with the first Bioshock and The Mass Effect series. It adds so much diversity in the gameplay and the story is incredibly intriguing. Once I finished the game, I wanted to play it again. And you will want to too.
  47. aadms
    Apr 3, 2013
    7
    The story is quite extraordinary, and that's what carries the entire game but the frustrating game mechanics and shooting is below par to give this any higher of a score. I recommend this game as a rental, or buying it half-priced. It takes about 15 hours to play (I died a lot on normal setting), which is better than the average first person shooter, but its ending is such that you'llThe story is quite extraordinary, and that's what carries the entire game but the frustrating game mechanics and shooting is below par to give this any higher of a score. I recommend this game as a rental, or buying it half-priced. It takes about 15 hours to play (I died a lot on normal setting), which is better than the average first person shooter, but its ending is such that you'll never want to play it again. The first person camera frame is too narrow to get an appreciation of your surroundings when you are being attacked from all directions. I haven't seen a camera frame this narrow since Dead Island.. The floating islands of the city are quite spectacular, but your path through it is linear. The populace in the city are all the same and non-interactive. The bottom line is the story is great but is it a fun game to play? No, not really.… Expand
  48. KomodoDave
    Apr 3, 2013
    8
    There are a lot of positives about this game, particularly when compared with the original Bioshock. The new environment is much more appealing; we all prefer to look at sunny skies and bright pastel colours than dark greens and browns in murky subterranean tunnels, right? The skyhook is a novel gameplay mechanism. Combat is more enjoyable thanks to larger areas for the enemies to seekThere are a lot of positives about this game, particularly when compared with the original Bioshock. The new environment is much more appealing; we all prefer to look at sunny skies and bright pastel colours than dark greens and browns in murky subterranean tunnels, right? The skyhook is a novel gameplay mechanism. Combat is more enjoyable thanks to larger areas for the enemies to seek cover in, more vertical battles and tighter controls alongside dual-wielding (vigour weapon).

    However, I can't give this game 9 or 10 as others have, because the gameplay simply isn't _fun_ enough.

    The skyhook and skyrail while an interesting idea feel extremely limited. If this were an open world where you could use the skyrail to get anywhere you like, that would be fun. Instead you're stuck with very localised skyrail sections that are designed to aid the player for a big battle in that particular area; they help you travel up and down vertical areas, much like an elevator, but that's all. When you've played games like Just Cause 2 with its grapple hook, or Batman: Arkham City which allows you to glide between locations, you become aware of just how "on rails" you really are in Bioshock Infinite.

    There are still too few enemy types. The majority of the game sees you deal with 2 enemy types (civilians/militia, bombadiers) with the occasional handyman appearing. Aside from a couple of one-off encounters with unique enemy types, this is the entirety of opposition you'll encounter.

    Ken Levine has been bragging about Elizabeth a lot since the game was announced, stating she had incredible AI that took months to develop, and would always add to the experience rather than require your aid/attention.

    I find this statement more than a little overbearing, because (i) she is invulnerable, and (ii) no enemies attack her. These very simple changes to the game logic are what enable you to forget about her in battle. Hardly revolutionary.

    Her ability to throw you weapons and other items is undoubtedly useful and again an interesting new mechanic in an FPS but again it just doesn't have the "wow" factor the creators intend it to.

    The game ending is excellent, and the dialogue between Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth is well written throughout the story.

    If you enjoyed the original Bioshock then I would certainly recommend this game. However, if you're looking for sandbox fun, replayability value or exciting new combat mechanics, I'd have to say: don't bother.    … Expand
  49. NothingButJacka
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    Late March has brought us perhaps the year’s first blockbuster game. Bioshock Infinite is at once a spiritual successor, a side story, and a sequel to previous entries Bioshock and Bioshock 2. The thematic similarities are made known from the very start with a vague objective (‘bring us the girl and wash away the debt,’ the game’s arc words) and a similarly isolated city. Fans of theLate March has brought us perhaps the year’s first blockbuster game. Bioshock Infinite is at once a spiritual successor, a side story, and a sequel to previous entries Bioshock and Bioshock 2. The thematic similarities are made known from the very start with a vague objective (‘bring us the girl and wash away the debt,’ the game’s arc words) and a similarly isolated city. Fans of the series will notice references and parallels to the previous games throughout, culminating in an ending sequence that ought never be spoiled.

    Columbia is a steam-punk inspired flying city steeped in the imagery of the third great awakening. Perhaps the greatest improvement to Columbia versus the previous Bioshock’s underwater city, Rapture, is the addition of an extant society in the city prior to the start of the action. Our protagonist, the pushing-forty Booker De Witt, interacts with Columbian society before, during, and after all hell has broken loose. The game sends you backtracking through these earlier levels later on to showcase how the city fairs before and after law and order breaks down.

    The first fifteen to thirty minutes of the game include minimal shooting, even minimal gameplay elements outside of a few stalls and cleverly disguised tutorial elements. Instead you are taken on a foreshadowing-laden guided tour of the city on its independence day. July 6th to be exact.

    While the tour showcases a brighter side of Columbia, seedier elements make themselves known in short order. Thus begins a twelve-odd hour campaign with extraordinarily tight first person shooter combat. Pacing is much faster than previous entries with a focus on shooting, with a complete lack of machine hacking and fewer stealth opportunities.

    Most gameplay changes from the previous games have turned out for the better. You encounter enemies in larger, more effective groups and squads. Genetic plasmids of the previous games are replaced with Columbian ‘Vigors’ that look like snake oil but work all the same. Some will seem familiar, some brand new, and a few reworked into new powers entirely.

    One noteworthy downgrade is the melee combat, which starts out impressively lethal with the game’s new ‘skyhook’ bladed attachment, but is quickly rendered ineffectual. Even when melee strikes have been upgraded to set enemies ablaze, they prove useful for only a coupe de grace, or showy finishing blows. The skyhook is nowhere near Bioshock 1’s simple wrench or Bioshock 2’s powerful drill in terms of damage per strike.

    While this skyhook may not be a useful in fisticuffs, it fulfills its primary purpose admirably. Zip-lines and transport rails litter the battlefield. A simple button press will send you onto these rails and have you speeding across the battlefield. This quick transportation does wonders to the game’s already smart level design. Barreling down railways like a freight train feels wonderful, even if the physics of this system throttle suspension of disbelief in the process.

    Redemption is a constant theme made obvious when Booker accepts a baptism to enter this city in the sky. Bioshock Infinite also delves into race relations, religious revivalism, turn-of-the-century anarchist movements, modern political allegory, and quantum physics. It might not always do these concepts justice (a whole subplot about revolution seems out of focus) but it will beg questions. Rarely does a video game even attempt that with finesse.

    In-depth talk of Booker’s redemption arc must necessarily mention the ending. And so this review must be cut short. Bioshock Infinite is certainly an enjoyable experience with twists, turns, and some imagery to make you squirm. It’s certainly a memorable experience, one fans of new and old will likely enjoy.    … Expand
  50. Asif88
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    This game represents a transformation of the entire video game genre. I have played many fantastic video games in my life but this game is by far the greatest video game in history. This game seamlessly blends combat, haunting poetic meditation, gut-wrenching story, and themes that have been prevalent in society since the beginning of time into a whole. This game demands more from theThis game represents a transformation of the entire video game genre. I have played many fantastic video games in my life but this game is by far the greatest video game in history. This game seamlessly blends combat, haunting poetic meditation, gut-wrenching story, and themes that have been prevalent in society since the beginning of time into a whole. This game demands more from the player than what the average video game does. Ken levine has proved yet again that his two bioshock games can only exist in the video game world. He has pushed the boundaries on what is possible in a video game to the maximum possible degree and transformed video games into poetic haunting works of art. The game also contains the most mind-numbing story and final sequences I have experienced in a video game which culminate into a twist I dont think the video game world or anyone for that matter will ever forget. I had full faith in ken levine and in this game before it came out, yet I did not dare dream that the game would turn out this good. It almost seems impossible that a video game can be this good. This game represents a landmark which will forever change the face of the video game industry because it makes you truly feel and ponder things long after you have finished playing the game. When you finish the game you will want to play it again IMMEDIATELY(I have played it twice). Calling this game the best video game in history is a huge claim and ask. My favorite game of all time up to this point before I played infinite was the legend of zelda ocarina of time. When considering infinites standing in the video game pantheon you must remember one thing: All video games no matter how good they are up to this point are simply at the end of the day just video games. Bioshock Infinite is not a video game. At some point in the game it transforms into something MUCH MUCH more. I wholeheartedly believe that this game is a true work of art which can easily rival Michelangelos sistine chapel and Leonardo Da Vincis Mona lisa. It is a game that will be scrutinized, broken down, and debated for a very very long time. Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt. At the end of the game you will never forget those words. I have never written a video game review in my entire life but I loved this game so much i felt compelled to write one. That should show you how much this game can impact someones perception of video games. Would You kindly play Bioshock infinite?… Expand
  51. NinjaTwin
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    If you are a Bioshock fan, you will LOVE this game. This is everything I have waited patiently for all these years. I hope the DLC is just as good as the campaign.
  52. THEwrite
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    This game is INCREDIBLE loved the campaign the combat was cool because it was different the ending was confusing but its really cool game worth the money.
    pros
    change in combat cool plasmids challenging achievements
    cons ending can be confusing no multiplayer (don't really care)
  53. Boltfrowah
    Apr 2, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Yeah, we got it, the artistic content is good. But at what point did Bioshock become a solid shooter? This game required very little focus on the vigor abilities, and pretty much quickly devolved into a run-and-gun with some content such as flying across rails and what not. The vigor abilities were not as useful as previous Bioshocks, and the weapon customization was unimaginative at best. As for the plot, whoooo boy. The developers decided to do the "Inception" approach that basically just kept changing what was going on through the use of "tears". Do I like plot devices that are imaginative and lend themselves to games? Yes. Do I like games that have pretentious plot devices that insist upon themselves to make a completely innocuous ending? Hell to the no!… Expand
  54. Steveico
    Apr 2, 2013
    7
    Bioshock infinite is a good game. It is not great but it is good. The game had beautiful visuals and a unique art style. Game play wise, the game was OK. It is like a normal FPS shooter which has a cool new feature with sky lines that you can travel through the battlefield quickly. Story wise the game is great. The end actually makes you think and actually feel some emotion for some of theBioshock infinite is a good game. It is not great but it is good. The game had beautiful visuals and a unique art style. Game play wise, the game was OK. It is like a normal FPS shooter which has a cool new feature with sky lines that you can travel through the battlefield quickly. Story wise the game is great. The end actually makes you think and actually feel some emotion for some of the characters. The reason I gave this game a seven is because I felt like it was a bait in switch from the E3 demo. The demo showed a very expansive environment that you can traverse and it made it seem like the game was sort of open world. The enemies also introduced at the E3 demo don't play a big role. The boys of silence and the siren are just bosses that appear once in a specific stage. I also got very annoyed when the game recycled the same boss three times to explain some backstory to the player. You only see the handyman four times. In my opinion the game is worth playing for story but not for gameplay.… Expand
  55. NYfree83
    Apr 2, 2013
    6
    I loved the first two Bioshock games. I have read everyone talking about the first Bioshock but I hope you all played Bioshock 2 as well. As far as Bioshock Infinite goes, I am still playing it. If i'm going to run out and spend $60 on a game, I'm going to take it slow and get my money's worth. To start off, this game's first impression was great graphics. I love the detail and the earlyI loved the first two Bioshock games. I have read everyone talking about the first Bioshock but I hope you all played Bioshock 2 as well. As far as Bioshock Infinite goes, I am still playing it. If i'm going to run out and spend $60 on a game, I'm going to take it slow and get my money's worth. To start off, this game's first impression was great graphics. I love the detail and the early century artwork. LOVE IT. So far the story seems ok. I am however disappointed.

    I suppose from the end of Bioshock 2 you can't really continue the story line much, but you could always go back in time and explore the beginning of Rapture, maybe before everyone went nuts if you want a lighter story. I feel this would be a better story to carry the name Bioshock. I don't feel that this game really should be named Bioshock. It is similar, but about as similar as Rockstar games are to each other. This game is what L.A. Noire is to Grand Theft Auto.

    To reiterate what another poster said, THE DESKS! Oh my god, the desks! ENOUGH WITH THE SAVAGING OF THE DESKS ALREADY. Another little thing that bothers me is the extras. They must have only had like 4 to choose from. Every male citizen you go up to looks like the same dude... and that dude looks like me... it's freaking me the hell out! Why waste so much effort in structural detail and design just to skimp on the characters living there?

    As far as the weapons go, WEAK. If there were no prior games to compare this too, it wouldn't be so bad, but sorry, don't get lazy now guys. The "plasmids" are not nearly as fun or powerful. Plus the "Eve" seems to run out so much faster in this game. The new scale that your bars operate on to deplete and refill is also a little confusing. Two shots in the beginning and your out. The Gene Tonics have been replaced with articles of clothing, which to me seem confusing and offer too little. The gun handling is not what you would expect in a FPS either. It's very choppy and hard to aim accurately, quickly. I too dislike the weaponry, the inability to progressively modify your weapon. That was really cool in the past Bioshocks. That kind of makes a player a feel like he's earned something for his time. A little merit badge. A friend comes over and say's "Hey how did you get your shotgun to look so crazy?", and you get to show him the blisters on your fingers.

    To sum it all up I guess I'd say this game would be great if it didn't carry the name Bioshock and along with it all the memories and expectations of the other games. It's misleading. This is not a Rapture story or anything like it. It is also less a FPS and more a First Person Scavenger and storybook. This is all fine, just not what I was expecting.    … Expand
  56. Rickin10
    Apr 2, 2013
    6
    Did I miss something? Did Ken Levine on his extended promo tour utter the words, 'Would you kindly give my game an obscenely high score please Mr Reviewer?' Or could it be because the game actually offers us something thought provoking, even profound that screams I AM ART! I AM WORTHY! that reviewers everywhere have been blinded to the GAME'S shortcomings, or scared that they'l be seenDid I miss something? Did Ken Levine on his extended promo tour utter the words, 'Would you kindly give my game an obscenely high score please Mr Reviewer?' Or could it be because the game actually offers us something thought provoking, even profound that screams I AM ART! I AM WORTHY! that reviewers everywhere have been blinded to the GAME'S shortcomings, or scared that they'l be seen as lobotomized COD fan-boys if they fail to gush over this work of art?
    The game starts intriguingly and you'll be in awe the first time you enter Columbia and it's beautifully detailed environment. But once you realise the inhabitants are all a similar, barely functioning model and all your plans of freely soaring along the skylines to reach far off islands is not possible, the whole world is revealed as limited and lifeless as you obediently plod along linear paths with blurry floating boxes hanging teasingly in the distance. When they actually do appear, skylines are limited in their usefulness and just aren't as prevalent or as essential as they should have been. You can't carry any supplies and there is a stupid 2-gun limit which leads to infuriating uncertainty to which guns you should pick, and use your money to upgrade. While we're on the subject, if you want to upgrade these and get the more powerful evolutions of the vigors, be prepared to spend upwards of 40% of the game speed-humping tables, boxes and cupboards, spamming the 'a' button to collect loot between every.single.fight. This is made utterly infuriating in conjunction with one of the most obnoxious autosaves in living memory. There is no manual save and forget about being able to save when you want to quit to, y'know do life stuff. After a while the repetitive formula of fight, ransack, search for items, upgrade, fight, ransack.... becomes excruciating and to your regret you'll start whizzing past all the little details that you know you should be admiring.
    The combat is relentlessly frantic, with uninspired enemies who all have 100% accuracy that mostly just brainless rush you which feels rather archaic. Vigors are fun powered up and when you have enough Salt to utilise them properly but there are few of them that have much effect on the Heavy-Hitters, who are very poor relations to the BIg Daddies of Bioshock.
    The much-hyped Elizabeth is a mixed bag. She is amazingly alive and her facial expressions are great, as are the tears she creates for you in combat, even if again they are rather constrained. Her ability to not need protecting, not get in your way, and throw you much needed supplies during combat initially seems impressive...until you remember that in Bioshock it actually allowed you to carry stuff like health and Eve so you didn't need this artificial crutch. She is also by far the best,most well developed character in the game, constantly evolving like her moods. Refreshingly, she is never treated as a sex-object, and even when she does have a damsel moment, it is merely for you to unshackle her to allow her use her powers again. Even so, the players feels a huge sense of responsibility and protection towards her. However, talk of her as 'revolutionary' is pure hyperbole. The rest of the cast are underused and underdeveloped throughout, only Booker and Comstock receiving any kind of real explanation and satisfactory ending If I had to describe B.I. in one word it would be: limited. Everything in the previews promised genuine gaming evolution, creativity and freedom. Yet somewhere along the way everything seems to have been reined in. Was this down to the much documented troubles in development, this gen's aging hardware, or simply bad design choices. Who knows. What we've ended up with is Bioshock in the sky with some interesting but disappointingly underdeveloped new mechanics, playing second-fiddle to a genuinely profound story. A simultaneously good but hugely disappointing game that fails to live up to what it promised, and is the most critically overrated game since GTA4.    … Expand
  57. MrManBoy55
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    This game is perfect never had a problem with glitches or bugs, the story is amazing with a perfect ending that no one will guess, and the gameplay is different but feels like Bioshock. The original Bioshock was the Greatest game of all time in my opinion but this is a superior game with a perfect story and top notch gameplay. I currently am on my second play through on hard and am goingThis game is perfect never had a problem with glitches or bugs, the story is amazing with a perfect ending that no one will guess, and the gameplay is different but feels like Bioshock. The original Bioshock was the Greatest game of all time in my opinion but this is a superior game with a perfect story and top notch gameplay. I currently am on my second play through on hard and am going to play on 1999 mode after. Now "would you kindly" buy this game.… Expand
  58. Rox22
    Apr 2, 2013
    8
    This is a game that I wish I could rate higher, as it has soooooo much potential, that it just barely scratches in order not to confuse its general gaming public.

    First the good: (1) Absolutely fantastic art direction, concept design and execution of almost all of the vistas and locations are utterly breathtaking, particularly in the opening act that just explodes with detail. (2)    This is a game that I wish I could rate higher, as it has soooooo much potential, that it just barely scratches in order not to confuse its general gaming public.

    First the good: (1) Absolutely fantastic art direction, concept design and execution of almost all of the vistas and locations are utterly breathtaking, particularly in the opening act that just explodes with detail. (2) Elizabeth is just one of the best design characters I've ever seen in a game. Such a wonderful personality and she really does feel like a real person at times. (3) Booker may come across a bit flat at first, but he really grows and develops into an extremely deep character. (4) Music was also pretty good, although I never was a big fan of the music of that era, still, I can appreciate that it was well done and fit the game perfectly (in fact one or two of the songs seemed oddly familiar and for most of the game that did bug me until the reveal about Albert Fink's "inspiration." Clever!) (5) Combat is fun and engaging for the most part, particularly the Handymen. (6) The Songbird is such an eerie character and does a superb job at creating a tense and even scary atmosphere whenever it appears. (7) The Lettuce twins are a riot and the banter just charming as hell. I would love to see more characters like them in games in general. (8) This game has big balls! Racism, sexism, preaching religion, and they really didn't ease up on it either. This is really unique as most movies/games tend to water it down, nice to see they were trying to keep it as realistic as possible to the way the world was back then.

    Now the bad: (1) While I said the backgrounds looked good, character models seem a little poorly done at times (aside from Booker, Elizabeth and the Songbird.) Enemies and lesser character just seem completely lifeless and completely artificial if you look to closely. (2) Aside from the main characters (Booker, Elizabeth, Comstock, Lettuce twins) NONE of the other side character get much depth, or enough that you would care. All the side characters' character development was either non-existent or rushed (I know the Voxophones act as filler, but they alone are not enough.) (3) Vigors feel mostly useless most of the time. While they are fun to use, I found myself mostly ignoring them (aside from Possession, which was generally useful.) (4) Two weapon system: This was REALLY annoying! While I do get why they did it, there is a fine line on just how realistic you want to make a game. (5) Lack of variety in enemy types the Vox and Patriot troops more or less were the same, just reskinned (kind of funny considering the racist undertones of the game.) (6) No real boss fights, aside from the Comstock Bank "boss" but that kind of is up to debate on whether that can be considered a boss battle. (7) Aside from the last area of the game, the rest of the game is more or less linear giving you a semi-scripted path to follow. While it does flow naturally, it would have been nice to have a bit more of an open and larger world to discover, the Skyline system shows that this is possible. (8) None of the "choices" you make in the game matter. There is only one ending, one outcome. While I get this is kind of the point, as stated in the ending, it still feels a little cheap considering the previous games did feature this.

    Side Notes: (1) While not a bad or good thing I found Elizabeth a bit too similar to Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, especially in the beginning. Half the time I expected her to burst into song. (2) The ending: It is good, but not as brilliant as many reviewers think. In fact it could have been brilliant, had they actually gone into the subject with a bit more depth as it is a really interesting topic they touched upon. Sadly they dumbed it down for the masses to be able to understand. A pity. So yes I liked the ending, but they could have done more with it.

    Overall: Bioshock Infinite fills me with really mixed feelings. I want to look at it as the perfection that it could have been. I'm sure many who barely understand it think it is, but I fully grasps the subject and wish it could have done more as I can see that it easily could. The foundation is there, why they stopped building is beyond me, but I do get they want everyone to understand, not just me. So yes, Bioshock Infinite is an excellent game worthy of anyone's collection. Just for me a bit of a missed opportunity.    … Expand
  59. Yolosucks
    Apr 2, 2013
    8
    The game is great. Except I would like a create your weapon feature and more vigors.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  60. samxrl
    Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Bioshock infinite is definately the best of the series. It has its problems, namely that in some areas the graphics leave some to be desired as well as the fact that you can now only hold two weapons instead of having a wheel containing all of them and you can only get other weapons by finding them, whether it be on a body or in the environment. Half the vigors seem to just be a retool ofBioshock infinite is definately the best of the series. It has its problems, namely that in some areas the graphics leave some to be desired as well as the fact that you can now only hold two weapons instead of having a wheel containing all of them and you can only get other weapons by finding them, whether it be on a body or in the environment. Half the vigors seem to just be a retool of the originals and the other half are either underwhelming or cost way too much to be used regularly. The vigors also only get two upgrades now, usually with only one of them actually changing the vigors effect. These sound like huge problems, yet you will notice i gave this game a 10. No, it was'nt a mistake. The fact is that all of these mistakes really do nothing to take away from the gameplay. The graphics are only really bad on the bushes and flowers(both of which look two dimensional) but the city, the people, the weapons, hell even the sky are all absolutely breathtaking, even after staring at them for hours. This goes doubly for elizabeth. Everytime i looked at her, i kept looking. some of my favorite parts of the game were when it was just the two of you in an elevator doing nothing but talking because watching her talk is absolutely amazing. No more bland models or characters that have one expression. Elizabeths expression actually changes depending on the mood, not only in the elevator where its obvious youd be watching, but in regular gameplay where you can look over and see her looking troubled or excited or angry. The guns at first seemed a big problem, but as i went on i realized that having the bioshock one and two wheel would'nt work, simply because ther are SO DAMN MANY GUNS. And not in a bad way either. i never felt that one gun was just a previous one in a different skin, and the variety enemies carry mean that its not hard to change guns. Whenever i wanted something different, it never took me too long to find it. As for the vigors, the Vigor wheel does return, but now instead of having one vigor and then bringing up the wheel to change it, you now have two tht you switch between, which can be changed at anytime(you may have bucking bronco and devils kiss attached, for example, and all you need to do to change that is switch so your using the vigor you want to change, bring up the wheel, and then select the one you want to replace it with). As for only having half of them usable, as i played further in the game i realized that was less a desighn flaw and more a result of my choice of gameplay style. And assuming that all of those problems were big, and did stay big throughout the whole playtrouygh, it would be worth the annoyance and hassle just for the story. Bioshock is known for its amazing, original story, but most of all for its big twist. Infinite has its own twist, or rather a series of twists, one after the other, but the thats not the entire reason you enjoy the story. Bioshock one had a good story, but its success really hinged on the revelation(realize im making a distinction between the lore of rapture which was and is amazing and the main story), whichout which, its story would'nt have been nearly as good. Infinite does not suffer from this. even if you took out the last chunk of the game with all the twists and put in an ending that was perfectly predictable with everyone living happily ever after, the story would have still been one of the best, in my opinion, of any modern game. Whith the twists though, infinite has a story that completely and utterly surpases bioshock one and damn near anything and everything that has come since, or before. To sum it up: its a kickass shooter where you can throw balls of flame from your hand while flying around a floating city on a suspended rail shooting a motorized george washington who is shooting a hand cranked mini gun at you as you uncover a story that will leave you either discussing it for days, mad from paradoxs, or in the morgue from massive cranial hemoorhaging due to a cranial implosion.… Expand
  61. Bo33y
    Apr 2, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I will go middle road on this game. Mainly due to being hugely impressed by story, graphics and concepts. Although these don't make a good game, it is the game play. This game really didn't have much game play. The story was so short, the campaign lasting as little as 6 hours max 10 hours in 2 playthrough's. The AI was no existent committing suicide, getting stuck, or running away. While your guns and a lot of the vigor's were for the most part the same or very similar. Ammo, health, salt were in huge abundance, making this game so easy. While you had those massive I win buttons, through gear and vigor killing all enemy very easily. Upon death if you where very unlucky, enemies retained the same loss of health and any killed remained so most oftenly. Lack of any real in game choices apart, from the rpg element of leveling vigor and guns. Nothing in the story line apart from flip a coin and choice of pendant. Which you had to play a certain way always going forward rarely returning to the same area's once progressing. For the most part it was a crime that this games, game play, played like poo. Away from these very bad elements the game had some favourable points. It was a lot of fun, this came from collecting all the collectibles which each had there own story. Exploring each location to find all of the collectibles. While playing a very engaging thought provoking story. Using vigor and Skyrail system was also very fun. Having Elizabeth as support again was great. Great graphics, humour, and concepts. Although ultimately what a complete and utter rip off that really should be avoided. It is so criminal to support a game that has a very small story and where the AI is practically non-existent and also the game play is far to easy. At least wait until all content is available while the game is at hugely discounted price. Undoubtedly a DLC will arrive later with a mass effect 3 scenario. Freaking rip off lame. Do the critic's even play these games?… Expand
  62. Raggedyryan
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    In reviewing this game, I find it so difficult not to mention the original Bioshock, as for me that is still one of the all time greats of this generation and possibly in my top 10 favourite games of all time. Infinite however raises the bar for me. I didn't necessarily think that while playing the game initially. Even though I was having a great time, playing some of the awesome gameplayIn reviewing this game, I find it so difficult not to mention the original Bioshock, as for me that is still one of the all time greats of this generation and possibly in my top 10 favourite games of all time. Infinite however raises the bar for me. I didn't necessarily think that while playing the game initially. Even though I was having a great time, playing some of the awesome gameplay mechanics, using the greatly varied Vigors and zipping around the Sky-line despatching enemies ever more efficiently. Something just wasn't quite there... Until those final 5 minutes of the ending and then everything fell into place, making all that came before so much more relevant and powerful. This is story telling at its very best and adding to what is one of the best times I've ever had playing a game. Although Bioshock Infinite shares its DNA with its predecessors, the original gameplay ideas, setting, visuals, fleshed out characters and incredible story telling, should be more than enough to make any comparisons redundant. Any self respecting gamer should play this game and all who do really do owe it to themselves to finish the story, as then and only then will you realise what a masterpiece you've been playing.… Expand
  63. stl1gocards
    Apr 1, 2013
    9
    This is a really nice game. The series just keeps getting better. you have to get it.

    NICE! I just Microsoft points for free from this site! :D freemspointsforever com
  64. CPB
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    One of the best games of all time, let alone 2013. The story tackles everything from American history, politics, and science. The gameplay is smooth and fluent, and the rail system is a very innovative mechanic. I liked the first bioshock, thought the second one was okay, but this is great 10/10.
  65. HypotheticBunny
    Apr 1, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What a Disappointment. On Xbox 360 Bioshock Infinite (BI) looks great from afar. Up close and personal it looks worse than any game in my recent memory. Textures, fonts, details, shapes of small objects all horrendous, poor, devoid of realism to a bizarre degree, lacking sharpness, depth. Please don't tell me that Xbox 360 isn't capable of showing good realistic textures. Yes, it's not a souped-up gamer PC, but I just played Dishonored, and it looked very good. I just finished Far Cry 3, it looked terrific, and you could walk from one end of the giant island to the other without loading anything.
    The gameplay.. oh, where to begin.. this is supposed to be a Bioshock, a but a bigger better one, right So, at every turn I was forced to compare BI to the original game and the conclusion was quite disheartening. As many critics point out, BI gameplay is drastically dumbed down, simplified and stripped of most elements that made it exciting in the 1st game. Rapture was full of mad splicers who attacked you without regard for their own life, but in BI you fight police, soldiers or thugs who also lack any common sense, often attacking the grenade launcher wielding you with batons instead of having a second thought. Gun fights feel very subpar, partly due to very mediocre enemy AI, partly due to vast open areas that completely killed off any sense of frantic closed quarters combat. Weapons suck, they don't visually change with upgrades, some are quite similar, most' don't even sound believable or powerful. Vigors blow as well, there less of them than plasmids and in conjunction with almost non-existent security infrastructure and inability to combine vigors you pretty much find two that suit your gameplay and stick with them. I remember having a lot of fun in original Bioshock painting big daddies as enemy and watching how small flying turrets come from all directions and drain their life. Similar vigor in BI doesn't work as well, mainly because they don't trigger multiple elements of security system which is quite rudimentary compared to the original game. There’s no equivalent of big daddies in BI, handymen don't count. Fighting a big daddy was one of the best parts of Bioshock, you could avoid him altogether, could hide from him, could jump to a side when he was charging at you, and big daddy had a reason to be in the game, a very important role to play. Handymen are inserted into BI only to provide a heavy enemy class, but they are poorly executed, too fast, have no depth to their character and fighting them is simply frustrating, and the fact that's there is only 4(!) of them in the entire game is both ridiculous and good. The Siren that was advertised as a separate enemy class is nothing of this sort, it’s a level boss you have to fight 3 times in 3 locations but that's it, only one "siren" in the game, having many would be much more exciting. Boys of Silence is a total letdown. We were led to believe that these disturbing creatures will be another creepy enemy class, but it's only five of them, they don't fight you directly and you never even get to kill any of them and watch their metal head explode. Songbird The one creature that was endlessly showcased in every promotional video and was either supposed to be a boss that you absolutely have to fight or a big daddy- type monster Forget it. You two will never cross swords, and it's not even explained what or who this is. It has a purpose, but not the one I wanted or anticipated...
    There is no hacking whatsoever, an element that was fun and could set off security system in the original game is completely removed from BI. No puzzles of any sort.No inventory which is just a travesty, you can't store anything or see it, can’t use it the way you want, can’t drop items, can’t accumulate salts for refill during combat.. why, Irrational Games, why Are you that irrational nowadays Invisible walls is another thing that separates a good game designer from a bad one, yet BI team doesn’t consider it worth the attention. Too many corners, piles of rubble, seemingly friendly structures were protected by ethereal force field. In promo videos Sky-line looked more intoxicating than I found it to be, it’s not a game changer and didn’t alter the combat in a great and useful way. Remember this http://kotaku.com/5951936/two-more-key-developers-leave-bioshock-infinite
    This is why BI has sucky AI and combat dynamics. Yes, BI has a great story, but this is not a book with beautiful pictures, it’s a game, gameplay here is paramount. I will always remember original Bioshock as one of the best games I ever played where the story was provocative and gameplay electrifying. Bioshock Infinite is a game with a great story and overall great art design ruined by hype, bad graphics (xbox/ps), uninspired combat, forgettable enemies and disregard for many key elements that made original Bioshock great. Dishonored, you win.    … Expand
  66. ReBilly
    Apr 1, 2013
    5
    The scores you are seeing are very inflated. This is not a bad game. But it's not a 10, it's not a 9, not an 8 or even a 7. It's a 6 at best, 4 at worst. The story is good. The game play is above average. The graphics are average. The game mechanics are below average.

    I found myself laboring over finding loose change for half the game yet it didn't seem to matter much in the result. The    The scores you are seeing are very inflated. This is not a bad game. But it's not a 10, it's not a 9, not an 8 or even a 7. It's a 6 at best, 4 at worst. The story is good. The game play is above average. The graphics are average. The game mechanics are below average.

    I found myself laboring over finding loose change for half the game yet it didn't seem to matter much in the result. The vigors are a bit nerfed so, it's not like you have that fun superhuman feeling as in last games. The experience is less creepy than previous editions.

    I did have fun blowing stuff up and sniping at times. But the enemies got repetitive, and the hook thing was less useful than I had hoped.

    I can't for the life of me understand how many 10 reviews this game got here. It's worth playing, but the execution just didn't meat the lofty ideas behind it. It was a good game but underwhelming overall. I am convinced that many of these reviews are planted. There's NO WAY this is a potential game of the year, or a game changer, or historically significant. It's just another Bioshock with some changes. Some good and some bad.    … Expand
  67. Diego2112
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Right, so-them what's played Bioshock (the first or second one) know that Sociopolitical themes and whatnot run throughout the game. Infinite is no different at all. Them what's NOT played Bioshock, this is a good one to cut your teeth on. Fact is, the gameplay is a bit easier (on the lower setting, anyway) than the first two installments, and the large open spaces (which are brightly lit) lend towards firefights going easier.

    Now, the game itself-the story is a bit convoluted, and somewhat hard to follow, unless you're into that sort of thing to start with (pro-tip: I am). The characters are fairly well realized, even if Elizabeth's downgrade from the initial "Gameplay Demo" they released a couple years back takes away from her somewhat (there is no her calling up a twister, you hitting it with lightning, and the more you use her abilities, the weaker she gets-still, she's an amazing character).

    The layout is very similar (as far as progression) to the original game-a big figure you're fighting against, and then at the halfway point-ish, things change a bit.

    Yeah yeah, this review rambles-deal with it-first time ever really writing a game review.

    The social aspects of it are amazing-really makes you think-I find the Vox Populi to be very much like the Occupy Protesters, while the Founders I find to be more like Westboro Baptist Church (not like the Tea Party or Conservatives or whathave you-keep in mind, I'm a "Randian," or to use the correct term, "Objectivist"), in their xenophobia and racism. However, you learn the Deep Dark Secrets of the VP, too. So don't get too attached and think they're all that righteous.

    Now, as to the mechanics and whatnot... They're great. Very fluid controls, a Vigor is a Plasmid, just a different name, functions similar, all of that-the only gripe I have is the textures-but then again, I'm playing on an Xbox 360, so yeah.

    Anyway, what I'm driving at is, this game is deep, thoughtful, and awesome.

    Sure, the review is choppy, jumpy, and contrived-but then again... well, just play the game.    … Expand
  68. ChrisMattar
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    A game such as this comes once in a generation, and very few times in a lifetime. True Master craft worked with the biggest love and attention, from music to visuals, it was an incredible pleasure. The story in particular is the work of genius, it will have you thinking for days after you've finished it. Never has a game had such an incredible story and characters that can stir some deepA game such as this comes once in a generation, and very few times in a lifetime. True Master craft worked with the biggest love and attention, from music to visuals, it was an incredible pleasure. The story in particular is the work of genius, it will have you thinking for days after you've finished it. Never has a game had such an incredible story and characters that can stir some deep emotions inside of you. Thank you Irrational. Unforgettable.… Expand
  69. VidsRule
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    There's nothing else to say about the atmosphere and setting. It's the gameplay which hooked me. It's better than ever and I can't stop playing for that reason alone, and the rest of the game is almost impossibly good. The first bioshock had the atmosphere but game play was a little off. The gameplay in the second bioshock was better but the atmosphere not quite as good. Infinites hasThere's nothing else to say about the atmosphere and setting. It's the gameplay which hooked me. It's better than ever and I can't stop playing for that reason alone, and the rest of the game is almost impossibly good. The first bioshock had the atmosphere but game play was a little off. The gameplay in the second bioshock was better but the atmosphere not quite as good. Infinites has better gameplay than the best from 2, and a better atmosphere than the best from 1. I'm trying to avoid saying 'Best Game Ever' or 'Best Game This Generation' but..... um..... yeah.… Expand
  70. Govenah
    Apr 1, 2013
    9
    Well, just like you'd expect: I'm giving Bioshock Infinite a high score. Not because of the overhyped persona, the intellectual and pretentious appeal, or the figuratively and literally paradoxical conclusion, but because it touches base with something all gamers want in a game: ingenuity. I speak biased when I say: "This is GOTY" or "You just don't understand the subtext", because weWell, just like you'd expect: I'm giving Bioshock Infinite a high score. Not because of the overhyped persona, the intellectual and pretentious appeal, or the figuratively and literally paradoxical conclusion, but because it touches base with something all gamers want in a game: ingenuity. I speak biased when I say: "This is GOTY" or "You just don't understand the subtext", because we generally develop diverging tastes in our games (One of the main reasons why there is some criticism on why gamers and critics bicker over it's overestimated story, like what happened to it's predecessors). But like any high hitting game, this game followed a formula most games aren't willing to take and in the end was relatively successful.… Expand
  71. Shocktor
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    This is the best story driven game I have ever played. I'm not sure I can write a proper review to give this game justice. I highly recommend it to people who are into these types of games for the story. It is mind blowing and gives you a lot to think about... Watch the scene at the end of the credits (A lot of people seemed to have missed that). I created an account on this site just toThis is the best story driven game I have ever played. I'm not sure I can write a proper review to give this game justice. I highly recommend it to people who are into these types of games for the story. It is mind blowing and gives you a lot to think about... Watch the scene at the end of the credits (A lot of people seemed to have missed that). I created an account on this site just to review this game.… Expand
  72. Sh0dan
    Apr 1, 2013
    8
    Its good but not a classic like BioShock 1 or System Shock 2 are. Truth is the game has been streamlined to such an extent that it doesn't really live up to the legacy of the ‘Shock’ series…
    - GAMEPLAY It kind of feels just like every other game out there the way it has been stripped out of all its complex mechanics. The U-Invent crafting machines have gone, the researching to improve    Its good but not a classic like BioShock 1 or System Shock 2 are. Truth is the game has been streamlined to such an extent that it doesn't really live up to the legacy of the ‘Shock’ series…
    - GAMEPLAY It kind of feels just like every other game out there the way it has been stripped out of all its complex mechanics. The U-Invent crafting machines have gone, the researching to improve abilities, there’s no map screen, the Vigors and Gear feel extremely shallow compared to the Plasmids and Tonics, the focus on emergent gameplay doesn't seem to have been a focus this time. Dynamic gameplay were all the systems interact with each other is much less present than previous games. Also there are no alternate ammo types, only two weapons at a time, no visual weapon upgrades, the weapons themselves are rather generic (nothing exotic or unique), levels feel much less detailed and a lot more linear, straightforward and less fun to explore, the looting has been simplified to just cash and ammo, with a couple health, shield upgrades, a few pieces of gear too. There is no stealth support what so ever, so those gamers looking to play cautiously like they did in previous games are outta luck (very sad about that). There are no patrolling enemies were the player could observe them from a distance and then strategically plan when and where battle will occur, enemies are more like obstacles that you HAVE to fight on the spot, you often can't return to previously explored areas, the hacking system is completely removed; no hacking of security bots to make allies, no hacking cameras to turn them on your side, no hacking vending machines or health dispenser (I miss poisoning splicers), no security cameras to avoid alerting. You can't take medkits and Eve (Salts) hypnos with you to use on the fly, which causes a lot of backtracking to previously explored areas just looking for un-looted health/salts. Very few meaningful interesting morality or story decisions to be made. Nothing like the harvesting little sisters from BS.
    Don't get me wrong, they did instead bring in the skyrails and Elizabeth as a companion, but as innovative as those mechanics are, they don't make up for all the things that were stripped away, and only Liz is present for the majority of the game, the skyrails are often hard to come by. They also added a shield regeneration mechanics just like Halo's, which imho really doesn't belong in a game like this.
    - STORY As for the story, its not bad, but its not great either. It becomes very muddled and messy, and takes forever to really get going. There are a lot of "save the princess" moments which seem a bit forced in to add length to the narrative. One twist right at the end in particular is hard to swallow IMO. The narrative also seems full of plotholes that don’t really make sense. There is a huge information dump at the end during an overly long and extremely linear piece of scripted handholding. The delivery is a lot more overt and spoon fed this time. Control is snatched away far to regularly for first person cutscenes, or ‘look’ only scripted scenes to throw narrative our way. Overall it felt like one of those games that wanted to be a movie, rather than a video game that wanted to be an immersive and dynamic video game. Not at all how story was delivered in previous shock games. CHARACTERS Good, but not as interesting as those seen and heard in BioShock 1 and 2. Only Lutece comes to mind as memorable. No Sander Cohen’s, Tenebaum’s or Andrew Ryan‘s, and certainly no arch nemesis on the awesome and terrifying scale as Shodan from SS2 or Atlas from BS1. The enemy too lack imagination, they are not scary at all like the messed up Splicers were from BS or the Machines and Many were from SS2. They’re just people, which kinda makes it feel odd when you are slaughtering them by the dozens. Also Liz’s A.I really contrasts how poor their NPC’s A.I is. They just seem to stand around looking off into space. You cant interact with them and they don’t give the feeling like Skyrim or GTA that they have lives.
    - FINAL VERDICT I didn't expect a BioShock 1 remake, but like System Shock 2 to BioShock, I did expect all of the cool things to return in new guises of one form or another, but that just didn’t happen. I don't hate the game, its by Irrational and its still a GOOD game, but its just a lot less than I expected it to be.
    Compared to BS 1 and System Shock 2, which in my opinion are two of the greatest games ever made, it was just too hard to follow, which in turns makes me appreciate what 2K Marin pulled off in BioShock 2 a lot more.
    - SCORE I gave BioShock 1 and System Shock 2 a 10/10 on metacritic, and BS2 a 9/10. I am sad to say that Infinite will only be getting a 8/10. Its good game, as good as most everything else that is out right now, but it is also far away from the deep and meaningful game that I expected. So good, but not a classic.    … Expand
  73. Proletaryo
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    I cannot give this game anything less than 10, I am not going to repeat the reasons already described ad nauseum in the 10 reviews below, but I thought It was worth it mention this I have seen some reviews in the list below that mentioned "clunky controls" (I have played on the Xbox 360), I have changed the default layout control in the options menu to the one that uses the LT buttonI cannot give this game anything less than 10, I am not going to repeat the reasons already described ad nauseum in the 10 reviews below, but I thought It was worth it mention this I have seen some reviews in the list below that mentioned "clunky controls" (I have played on the Xbox 360), I have changed the default layout control in the options menu to the one that uses the LT button for aim zoom instead of the default layout that uses the right stick (button 3), that has facilitated the gameplay a lot to me.… Expand
  74. chillgreg1
    Apr 1, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So bad it hurts.

    Watch the last 30 minutes of The Lord Of The Rings where you think it finished about 18 times. That's how playing this game feels. I feel a deep sense of betrayal and confusion and disappointment after playing this

    The story is weird and tries too hard to be way too intellectual.. Reading all the reviews, my jaw didn't drop once, Elizabet's head is too big for her body so she looks strange. The guy you're supposed to shoot in the heart is so fast and strong it's silly. So I ran into a sideroom on the airship and he lost sight of me and when I came out he was gone. So wth was that all about? And part of the story is Columbia attacking the USA? Then it's Cyndi Lauper in the future with "Columbia" (CBS) and Merry Melodies... Devine must of been on a heavy trip when he wrote this story, cause it's like he got a blender and filled it with religious and social stereotypes and cliches. And out spewed this mess. Oh and then it's Rapture. The only reason my jaw might have even twitched would have been at the absurdly predictable and bombastic self-congratulations this story kept piling upon itself. I was in disbelief at not how good it was, but how atrociously bad. Oh the stars are all doorways to different universes. Did Levine raid the bargain bin at Comicon?

    Trying to access all the gear setups and vigor combinations is a joke. No presets can be saved and the Dpad with a bumper could have made it as easy as a keyboard. Bleh.

    Released at about the same time, Tomb Raider is brilliant in comparison. I don't normally consider myself a knuckle-dragger, but I must be because the average review scores and comments seem like my case had the wrong disc in it. The fact that I bought the season pass makes me feel even more ill. The joke is definitely on me. :(

    Feel free to respond.    … Expand
  75. PhantomReview
    Mar 31, 2013
    9
    Get set, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure that will live you wanting more. First off I am a huge bioshock fan, and in my opinion some of the best games of this generation. I am glad to say that Bioshock Infinite is no different. Although Columbia is not as cool, or darker then Rapture, but it certainly is a very interest place to be. This was the first Bioshock game where (forGet set, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure that will live you wanting more. First off I am a huge bioshock fan, and in my opinion some of the best games of this generation. I am glad to say that Bioshock Infinite is no different. Although Columbia is not as cool, or darker then Rapture, but it certainly is a very interest place to be. This was the first Bioshock game where (for the most part) you have a companion along for the adventure. I will admit that I was a little worried about this in the fact that one key part about the previous Bioshock games was the feeling of being alone. Irrational Games has done a wonderful job at crafting a great relationship with you and Elisabeth while still making you feel alone with her in this massive world. So in all Bioshock is one of the best games of not only 2013, but of this generation.… Expand
  76. rykeith
    Mar 31, 2013
    9
    Excellent game, a great adventure from start to finish. There are negatives to be found, mostly in the form of occasional low-res textures when you get up really close to some objects. Pretty much everything else was fantastic. The story is just as good as the previous Bioshock games, with twists in the plot that you will likely not be expecting. Gameplay is excellent, and I spent aroundExcellent game, a great adventure from start to finish. There are negatives to be found, mostly in the form of occasional low-res textures when you get up really close to some objects. Pretty much everything else was fantastic. The story is just as good as the previous Bioshock games, with twists in the plot that you will likely not be expecting. Gameplay is excellent, and I spent around 25 hours (I explore everything very thoroughly) in total on Hard mode, but have yet to try my hand at 1999 mode. If you like something a little different than the traditional shooter (i.e. more story-driven), this is the game for you.… Expand
  77. Flumenius
    Mar 31, 2013
    8
    This game by far shows that solo only games are still alive and well. Art direction, voice acting, and plot are the biggest hits in this game. There were a few points that dropped my overall score for this one though.
    One in particular is the jump between difficulty levels. For a seasoned player like me, "hard" difficulty settings usually are a simple test of my skill, but not enough to    This game by far shows that solo only games are still alive and well. Art direction, voice acting, and plot are the biggest hits in this game. There were a few points that dropped my overall score for this one though.
    One in particular is the jump between difficulty levels. For a seasoned player like me, "hard" difficulty settings usually are a simple test of my skill, but not enough to take away from the game. However, the differences between "normal" and "hard" are so vast, absurd, and disproportionate, that "hard" becomes a true test of one's patience as you fight even canon fodder enemies with frustration. The Handymen become a feat of luck and little skill as it takes all of your ammo (to include the ammo drops from enemies and Elizabeth) and all of your "salts," the replacement for Adam for your powers. Another nit-pick that I have with the series as a whole is that the look controls have always been really clunky and unforgiving when fighting on the hard difficulty, but one that I overlooked when I made my review score.
    I'd like to point out that I thought that the first BioShock was a mediocre game that had only a few good selling points: atmosphere, voice acting, and art direction. The first installment into the franchise was filled with glitches, bad texture mapping, plot holes, a bad morality system, and really dumb AI. I didn't even put forth an effort into playing BioShock 2, as I knew (like many others) that it was basically playing on the fact that many people would have pre-ordered enough copies for it to not matter how bad the game really was.
    This game blew me away though. I found myself immersed in the game's art direction and scenery that there were many times where I had forgotten what I was doing. The plot is also superior to the first by a long shot. Infinite has a plot and sub-plot, each one feeding the other as you find yourself alone with Elizabeth, who is strongly voice acted and well animated. Elizabeth in particular reminds me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, with grace and strength. The climax, plot-twists, and ending all made me connect with the characters, something that doesn't happen often.
    One thing that I saw though was that the sheer amount of money needed for upgrades on skills or weapons was absurdly high for how much you get. Even after searching every nook and cranny in the game, I still only had a couple of skills upgraded and only 2 weapons fully upgraded. The funny thing is that a lot of your gameplay is spent looking through objects that give little reward. You find yourself wondering, "what extra quest (which I did all of them) did I forget that would have given me enough money to get at least half of all the upgrades?"
    Final word: If you appreciate art direction, story, voice acting, and thought-provoking ideas placed within plot, then get the game. It is a game worth the $60 price tag, but not so much Game of the Year worthy.    … Expand
  78. SergeantSoz
    Mar 31, 2013
    9
    Bioshock Infinite is a great addition to the Rapture-based Bioshock in the past. The two are correlated in a cool way. Without spoiling anything, I can say it is a mind bender of a game, especially the final 20 minutes. This is the first game I've had to sit down and think about it. People are going to theorize and come up with explanations, which is something that you don't see often.Bioshock Infinite is a great addition to the Rapture-based Bioshock in the past. The two are correlated in a cool way. Without spoiling anything, I can say it is a mind bender of a game, especially the final 20 minutes. This is the first game I've had to sit down and think about it. People are going to theorize and come up with explanations, which is something that you don't see often. It's VERY complex. After all the secrets are spilled, it demands a second playthrough. Knowing what you've learned will make the game different the second time around and you'll learn new things as you play it again and again. It's kind of like Pink Floyd the Wall. The more you listen to it the more different things you learn. This is a great game, but it can be very complicated and hard to wrap your head around it. There are great elements that make this play like the original Bioshock, but there are great new things such as the skyline and new vigors (plasmids) that make for some new kinds of combat. I do feel that the audiologs are not as good as the ones found in Rapture and there aren't as many choices to make or twisted characters. However some of the new enemies are great. The Boys of Silence are especially creepy. A great thing about this game is not everything is trying to kill you. You can walk around the city at some points peacefully. However this game is slightly more linear and there are less choices to make. Columbia is a great setting and a great representation of turn of the century 1900s America. I love the concepts of nationalism, racism, zenophobia, and the steampunk style. This game is DEEP and one of the most creative and wonderfully designed games since, well, Bioshock. At the end you may be confused but its OK, a lot of people will, but once you've beaten Infinite and sat and thought long and hard about everything that just happened, you'll come to respect Ken Levine and learn how much of a genious creativist he really is. When people from the future look back at games and ask are they an art form, the Bioshock series will be what they look at first. No other devs can match the art style, the detail to the environment and architecture and the rich story that Irrational games can do. I sill choose Bioshock 1 as the best in the series, but Infinite is worthy of any Bioshock fan.… Expand
  79. partyintheback
    Mar 31, 2013
    10
    Bioshock Infinite is a Bioshock game, period. I know it looks different and may seem different, but a lot of the things from Bioshock are in Bioshock Infinite. While Infinite has its own look and everything, which makes it feel new and fresh, this is a Shock game through and through, so you have a mix of the familiar with something entirely new. The combat is very similar to the firstBioshock Infinite is a Bioshock game, period. I know it looks different and may seem different, but a lot of the things from Bioshock are in Bioshock Infinite. While Infinite has its own look and everything, which makes it feel new and fresh, this is a Shock game through and through, so you have a mix of the familiar with something entirely new. The combat is very similar to the first game, but guns have more of a kick this time around. Plasmids also make a comeback in the form of Vigors, which allow for a lot of variation and experimentation in combat. There's also the inclusion of sky-lines, which make some fights really exciting and frantic. I'd say the combat scenarios are an improvement from the first Bioshock. You'll also be looting the environment and corpses for money, food, salt (for Vigors), etc.

    Bioshock's art direction is simply stunning. It takes a very talented art team to pull off something like Infinite, and the team at Irrational was definitely up to the task. The amount of detail in each and every environment is staggering. You'll definitely understand why this game was such an undertaking and took so many years to create when you see it in action. Then you have Elizabeth, which is one of the most realized characters in all of gaming. Elizabeth's animations and interactions are one of Infinite's many highlights.

    But Bioshock Infinite is ultimately all about the narrative, which it delivers on from beginning to end. This game's story is hands down one of the best in the business, even going as far as surpassing the original Bioshock. While Bioshock was a masterpiece, its ending left a little something to be desired. But this isn't the case with Bioshock Infinite. This game has an ending that'll blow you away.    … Expand
  80. vermithrax
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    First off, I am admittedly a Bioshock fan. The first game, and even the second, demonstrated and combined unparalled narrative and brilliant gameplay. So, while I am a gamer, this is only the second game I have ever preordered. While I had my doubts that it would live up to the first game, I did assume that on some level it would be at least a fun experience with an interesting story. OhFirst off, I am admittedly a Bioshock fan. The first game, and even the second, demonstrated and combined unparalled narrative and brilliant gameplay. So, while I am a gamer, this is only the second game I have ever preordered. While I had my doubts that it would live up to the first game, I did assume that on some level it would be at least a fun experience with an interesting story. Oh my, how it absolutely blew away my expectations. FYI, this review is spoiler free.

    The Story: Absolutely amazing. If you enjoy stories of any kind this is a story that could not be told in other medium. Think Twilight Zone at its best. The enviroments create layers upon layers of pull narrative, which is there if you want to experience it but it won't get in the way. It's not heavy handed at all and there are a ton of lodd ittle moments that stand out but totally make sense later on, or if you pay attention to certain details.

    Graphics: The best of this generation in my opinion. The lighting and enviroments are incredible. The character models are full of style and life; a mix of realism and cartoonish aesthetics. It is unique to Bioshock and works really well. The art desgin really stands out as well.

    Gameplay: Shooters are a dime a dozen, but what makes Bioshock unique is the abilities given to the player. Infinite does this well, and the combat is really enjoyable. The weapon are varied as well. I often had issue with being forced to carry ony two weapons, but half way through the game it became quite apparent there was always another weapon lying around if you needed to rely on it. My biggest gripe is the AI often seems stupid. It's not too noticible in the midst of a fire fight, but occassinal the AI will not even notice your presence which takes away from the experience. Overall, the combat is a blast. The sky rails really are awesome and add an extra element t the fast paced combat. The other addition is Elizabeth's ability to bring in objects from other realities which can aid you, this adds to the overall strategy of combat and a welcome addition. She is also helpful and getting you items when you're in need.

    As I've stated, this game is nothing short of a masterpiece that will be talked about for ages, even moreso than the first I think. It is baffling to see the odd user review call it overrated, but I think that comes down to what you enjoy in a game. This game is an experience, but if you're looking for a straight up shooter this might not be for you. There are periods of time without any combat at all, you're just taking in the world. I really think this is the game to show what is possible with stories and videogames. The ending does not dissapoint.    … Expand
  81. TheLastHuman
    Mar 30, 2013
    9
    If you've been on the Bioshock train since the beginning, you'll fall in love with Bioshock Infinite. The game play has been vastly improved from its predecessors, and the art style has only become more unique and vibrant. Sky-lines offer a thrilling new way to approach combat, and though I had my doubts about it, proved me wrong by making fights more engrossing and intense, especially inIf you've been on the Bioshock train since the beginning, you'll fall in love with Bioshock Infinite. The game play has been vastly improved from its predecessors, and the art style has only become more unique and vibrant. Sky-lines offer a thrilling new way to approach combat, and though I had my doubts about it, proved me wrong by making fights more engrossing and intense, especially in the higher difficulties. The second I took my first big step on to Colombia, I was blown away by how beautifully everything was designed and placed. From the Mosaic-like windows, to the larger than life statues, Infinite truly makes you feel like you're in another, separate world from ours. The only hiccups in the game are some textural issues that are more common than I'd like to admit, and a some what unsatisfying ending that leaves you thinking "Well what happened next?" Also, in my opinion, combat felt severely hindered by the fact you could only carry two weapons at a time, whereas in previous games you were allowed to carry every you weapon you found a long your adventure. Overall, Bioshock Infinite will only disappoint the most pessimistic, glass half-empty, least educated people on Earth. If you love Bioshock, you have no excuse not to to buy or rent this game. If they haven't already picked it up, all your friends, family, and pets will be begging to borrow this game.… Expand
  82. crazyeye343
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    Rarely is there a game that as soon as you finish it do you want to play through it again immediately. Bioshock Infinite is one of those gems that you can't help but play again and again. whether it be for the excellent, thought provoking story, awesome gameplay, incredible voice acting, or simply to see the beauty of the city of Columbia one more time. This is the type of game that youRarely is there a game that as soon as you finish it do you want to play through it again immediately. Bioshock Infinite is one of those gems that you can't help but play again and again. whether it be for the excellent, thought provoking story, awesome gameplay, incredible voice acting, or simply to see the beauty of the city of Columbia one more time. This is the type of game that you will want to stop and smell all the roses and dive head first into its mythology and world. This is an instant Classic and everyone will find something to love… Expand
  83. sumguitardude
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    One of the best or maybe the best fps i have ever played! A story and characters that will grab you from the start and combat that has the old bio-shock feel. And plot twist that will go WTF more then once, You need to do yourself a favor and get this game now
  84. TheZebra
    Mar 30, 2013
    9
    While not quite deserving of the title of Game of the Generation, Bioshock Infinite does so much right, it's hard not to fall in love. The graphics are a little dated, but the art direction is beautiful, just beautiful. To walk out of the door and see a floating city easily rivals the intro to Rapture from Bioshock 1. The Characters are real, believable, and the voice actors are fantastic.While not quite deserving of the title of Game of the Generation, Bioshock Infinite does so much right, it's hard not to fall in love. The graphics are a little dated, but the art direction is beautiful, just beautiful. To walk out of the door and see a floating city easily rivals the intro to Rapture from Bioshock 1. The Characters are real, believable, and the voice actors are fantastic. Combat is much like Bioshock 1, but the Skyhook makes for a great and balanced weapon and tool, and the executions are brutal, but still great to perform. I would only say that it feels a bit lengthy, and I really wish multiplayer had been included. Irrational has been open with us about this thought, and that makes up for some of Infinite's flaws. Overall, after playing the game, I would consider Bioshock Infinite to be a rare gem in a genre suffering from too many bad shooters. It is enjoyable, pretty, and is going to be a good choice for GOTY of 2013.… Expand
  85. aaronrs2
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    This is what I call a masterpiece, the best since Half-Life 2.
    A great story, good looking visuals, and a great sound.
    Gameplay is awesome, faster than in the other 2 Bioshock games. You will feel like you are inside Columbie, like you are Booker. Also, Elisabeth is a great character, you will WANT to help her, even If you don't need to. For me, she's even better than Alyx. It has    This is what I call a masterpiece, the best since Half-Life 2.
    A great story, good looking visuals, and a great sound.
    Gameplay is awesome, faster than in the other 2 Bioshock games.

    You will feel like you are inside Columbie, like you are Booker.
    Also, Elisabeth is a great character, you will WANT to help her, even If you don't need to. For me, she's even better than Alyx.
    It has one of the best videogame endings, but it's a little strange.
    .
    Also the story is long, and if you are masochist, or really good, you can try the "1999 mode" in wich you start the whole story again each time you die.

    9'8 out of 10, so a 10.    … Expand
  86. bosconian87
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    I loved the original Bioshock when it came out in 2007. That the pace of the plot evaporated after the twist mattered not one jot, the game delivered deep in something sadly missing from many games today atmosphere. Bioshock 2 I also enjoyed in 2010, with the way that it opened up more, and gave a spin on events in Rapture of its own accord, but it never stunned like the original.I loved the original Bioshock when it came out in 2007. That the pace of the plot evaporated after the twist mattered not one jot, the game delivered deep in something sadly missing from many games today atmosphere. Bioshock 2 I also enjoyed in 2010, with the way that it opened up more, and gave a spin on events in Rapture of its own accord, but it never stunned like the original. After seeing the first trailers for Bioshock Infinite 2 years ago, I was hoping for something that would deliver in all key areas of a great game i was not disappointed!! Presentation is generally excellent for the 360, the loads being minimal and fairly fast. The graphics are beautiful in the way that they are executed and the imagination behind them, and if there is the occasional pop-in of objects or textures, and an odd moment of frame rate stutter, it never affects the gameplay. Sound design is on another level though, completely the voice actors do a sterling job, the sound effects are eerie in their delivery, and coupled with the amazing soundtrack which at times evokes memories of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, amongst other things. The soundtrack is a loud, cluttered and often blustering bundle of objects that does what its supposed to it fills in the spaces that the graphics depend on to deliver the whole 'feel' so to speak. And so to the gameplay, which is where I have to state that this latest entry in the Bioshock series truly is the best so far. There are a handful of neat gimmicks put into the game at key points (the skyhooks, the tears in time), which when coupled with some familiar aspects (the vigors you may have seen before, and the weaponry), makes for some compulsive First-Person shooter gameplay however, the final ingredient, the one that makes this game truly great, and probably one of this years' best (and probably the decades I'm going to state right now!!) is the plot thundering through on some riffs from Alan Moore (think sparks of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Watchmen), and some very clear influences from Terry Gilliam (Brazil, 12 Monkeys), and many more I could mention, the whole thing moves from scene to scene, and never ever detaches the player from the game I've said this before, but if this were a book (the whole thing certainly feels like a graphic novel) you'd be up until 4 in the morning reading it!! The last time I played a game that truly made me want to get to the end, to see the whole thing, and know what was going on so much, was either Shadow of the Colossus or Half Life 2, so I think you can understand how highly I rate this game. i could write more, but alas, I'm on my second playthrough of the cursed game you see, and I want to get back to it, so I'll finish with this it is the best single-player campaign game I have played in years, it threatens to overflow with the wealth of ideas bursting forth, and even if you don't think you'll enjoy it, you have to give it at least a try. One utterly superb game.… Expand
  87. b12arr0
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    Loved this game from beginning to the very crazy end. It was so much fun! I was a big fan of Bioshock 1, not so much Bioshock 2. Bioshock Infinite is almost as great as the first one. Looking forward to my next playthrough.
  88. TheIronLotus429
    Mar 30, 2013
    10
    I was worried about leaving the dark, ominous depths of Rapture to explore this colorful new game, but after a few hours i was hooked. The action is much more intense and much tighter than the previous games, and though there might not be as many plasmids/vigors, the combos are just so satisfying. Knocking enemies off the world with vigors and the skyhook just never get old. The charactersI was worried about leaving the dark, ominous depths of Rapture to explore this colorful new game, but after a few hours i was hooked. The action is much more intense and much tighter than the previous games, and though there might not be as many plasmids/vigors, the combos are just so satisfying. Knocking enemies off the world with vigors and the skyhook just never get old. The characters and the connection between them really drive the story forward too, and if the player takes their time through this one there is some great detail and heart within this game. There might be low-res textures up close and maybe there couldve been more done with weapons after seeing the modding system from bioshock 2, but the downsides in the game never stopped it from moving forward. Definitely looking forward to whatever these guys have in mind for bioshock infinite in the future.… Expand
  89. Muddmins
    Mar 29, 2013
    8
    Am I the only person who thinks the voice casting of Booker and Elizabeth is terrible in this game? I'm so sick of video game heroes who sound like Nolan North and girls who sound like a character on a sitcom. This game is set in 1912!! Everyone else in the game has a voice that fits the time period. I haven't finished the game yet and I will eat my words if they turn out to be fromAm I the only person who thinks the voice casting of Booker and Elizabeth is terrible in this game? I'm so sick of video game heroes who sound like Nolan North and girls who sound like a character on a sitcom. This game is set in 1912!! Everyone else in the game has a voice that fits the time period. I haven't finished the game yet and I will eat my words if they turn out to be from the present day sent back in time but come on... why bother making a fantastic world we've never seen before if the main dude is going to sound like someone from any other adventure game? Close your eyes and you could be playing Assassin's Creed, Uncharted, etc. Other than that, the gameplay mechanics are fun and it's more Bioshock, which is a great thing. Does anyone else feel like your character walks too slow, like he's got a load in his pants? Maybe I've been playing too much Half Life 2. Actually this game makes me want to play Bioshock 2 again. Sure it wasn't as brilliant as the original but some of the plasmid combat was really freakin fun and that game needs more love.… Expand
  90. Mad_gamer
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    I was highly anticipating this game especially after loving Bioshock 1 & 2! Ok so the scenery is a little different but I guess thats why I enjoyed it so much it was something different. Absolutely loved the graphics, game play and the immersive world that you are thrown into. I spent ages searching all the rooms and alleys looking for voxophones and collectibles. Really enojoyedI was highly anticipating this game especially after loving Bioshock 1 & 2! Ok so the scenery is a little different but I guess thats why I enjoyed it so much it was something different. Absolutely loved the graphics, game play and the immersive world that you are thrown into. I spent ages searching all the rooms and alleys looking for voxophones and collectibles. Really enojoyed having Elizabeth there, kinda missed her when she wasn't, lol. I think that her character is done really well, she is helpful and not a damsel in distress that you constantly have to baby sit and protect. From the minute I put this game into the console I could not wait to play this game again. Everything justs seems to flow in this game. The different bots through it like the patriots and handymen keep you on your toes. I cannot believe people are scoring it so low (especially for the graphics), they are done in typical Bioshock flare. All I can say is get this game and give it a go you will not be disappointed. I take my hat off to the team who designed this game, absolutely loved it and cannot wait to play it through again and get all the things I missed. Well done. … Expand
  91. drnicholasmills
    Mar 29, 2013
    8
    bioshock does look good but the Xbox really is beginning to look it's age. the presentation, sound and graphics are absolutely top notch. the art direction great although not on a par with the original game. that is the problem for me whilst playing I do admire the beautiful environment but the game fails to deliver tense fight action. so ultimately let down because I really feel letbioshock does look good but the Xbox really is beginning to look it's age. the presentation, sound and graphics are absolutely top notch. the art direction great although not on a par with the original game. that is the problem for me whilst playing I do admire the beautiful environment but the game fails to deliver tense fight action. so ultimately let down because I really feel let down as the first two games were excellent. this is still a good game worth buying and miles better than farcry which I again say was appalling. the best games of the year for me are dishonored, tomb raider then bioshock infinite. I give this a solid eight because although good does not raise the bar for a sequel like tomb raider did or have the excellent story telling and gameplay of dishonored.… Expand
  92. Pinguino
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simply put, amazing everything. SPOILERS the ending... a bit strange… Expand
  93. Derkamite
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    *9.9* The biggest issue in Bioshock Infinite is that not only does it beg to be explored, it is necessary to fully understand and appreciate the game.
  94. hansel4150
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    Bioshock Infinite is, simply put, a masterpiece. The original Bioshock was good, but this game is a truly great. I was a little hesitant to say so at first, because saying that would put it up there with the likes of Red Dead Redemption and others. But, after finishing it, I can say without pause that Bioshock Infinite is everything Irrational set out to do in more. The story is probablyBioshock Infinite is, simply put, a masterpiece. The original Bioshock was good, but this game is a truly great. I was a little hesitant to say so at first, because saying that would put it up there with the likes of Red Dead Redemption and others. But, after finishing it, I can say without pause that Bioshock Infinite is everything Irrational set out to do in more. The story is probably what most will come to the game for, and rightfully so. While the gameplay of Infinite is incredibly fun and addicting, it must be said that it doesn't quite live up to the story. This is acceptable though, because the story told by Ken Levine in this game is right up there with some of the best stories ever told in the video game universe. Before playing the original Bioshock, I had no clue that a video game could actually make me think. But, alas, they can. Then, last year, a video game made me cry. The Walking Dead probably did that for many. And this year, Bioshock Infinite does all of that and more. My only advice to people who have picked up this game or plan to is this: TAKE YOUR TIME! Do not rush through this game. Explore and absorb everything Columbia has to offer. If you are still on the fence over whether or not this game is worth $60, IT IS! Call of Duty and Halo are the Sirloin steaks of gaming. Bioshock Infinite is the Filet Mignon.… Expand
  95. BoyofSilence
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    This is one of the best video games I have ever played. And that is why I'm going to start the review off with things that were poor about the game.
    Character control is the slightest bit murky. We're not talking Red Dead Redemption bad, but Booker DeWitt seems just the littlest bit unresponsive. Starting a sprint is a bit more difficult than I'm used to; sidestepping is a tiny bit    This is one of the best video games I have ever played. And that is why I'm going to start the review off with things that were poor about the game.
    Character control is the slightest bit murky. We're not talking Red Dead Redemption bad, but Booker DeWitt seems just the littlest bit unresponsive. Starting a sprint is a bit more difficult than I'm used to; sidestepping is a tiny bit awkward and has a little bit of lag.
    The Vigors just seem slightly off, and forced. I was never a fan of plasmids in the original BioShock (despite it being one of my favourite games of all time) and although the Vigors are implemented infinitely better into core gameplay in Infinite in that you don't need to switch between a gun or a plasmid, I found that in my first playthrough I actually never used the Vigors at all except for when they were necessary to story progression, or by complete accident which elicited inappropriate words from myself. Collision in this game is a bit upsetting. The world is absolutely huge! I understand that. But within my first 10 minutes into the game I found a glitch where you could walk around outside Columbia on thin air which is entertaining and fun yes, but a pretty noticeable glitch on a game which has had 3 years of development. Another time, I got stuck behind a barrel in an office of an arms dealer and had to reset from the last checkpoint after 5 minutes of furious button mashing (and even more furious swearing).
    Not a negative but still surprising to me, was the amount of FPS in this game. I love shooters, but I was really hoping for a more story, atmosphere experience. These are both supplied in droves and the shooting doesn't take anything away from the experience of the game at all, but I was surprised at the amount of combat nonetheless.

    That's all the bad. Now let me delve into why, despite those (honestly fairly minor) problems with the game, why it is one of the best games created in a very long time. Not only in terms of gameplay, which at its worst is slightly rocky, and at its best is absolutely seamless and exhilarating, but in storytelling (and actual story itself), and atmospheric setting. The game starts you off on a boat with two particularly aloof characters giving you information but entirely ignoring your questions he DOESN'T row. What? It is as disorienting and confusing as the initial BioShock as you walk up to a lighthouse and see increasingly worrying signs. You solve a little puzzle an- wait what the hell? The sky is lighting up under the sound of a foghorn. This moment is when confusion gives way, and instead begins the incredibly dystopian, twisted transition to the sky that is in my opinion, much more disheveling than the opening of BioShock. That being said, stepping out of the pod in BioShock is definitely a more difficult decision than in Columbia the polar opposite of its predecessor warm, inviting, cheerful, choir music and candles invite you lovingly into the bosom of Columbia.

    This begins the incredibly detailed, wonderfully fleshed out adventure through Columbia, as well as time and space itself. Everything about the atmosphere is perfectly thought out, down to the last touches, whether that's a poor young boy singing and begging in the poor streets of ShantyTown, or a girl who is far removed from the game objective, who kindly asks you to donate towards her cause. Detail is something that clearly, Irrational Games does not overlook one cutscene in particular had me in awe of the level of detail after Booker played guitar and Elizabeth sung in a part of the game so off the beaten trail I bet 1/10 of the players who finished the game saw it.

    The AI in Elizabeth herself is something to behold. I cannot believe the amount of work that went into creating her from her sighing and sitting down on a couch, chair, wall when you take too long; to her bending down to closer inspect small details of the map; to her balking at blood splatters you just created with an enemy; Elizabeth was not a half-hearted project. The emotional connection you feel to the character is intense and undeniable as the game ends (provided you followed the story and didn't just like the blam-blam) you are either forced to sit in tears in your eyes (either of sadness or just from how purely brilliant this game is) or with your mouth agape as you process everything that just occurred. Or maybe both.

    There is enough exploration in this game to last several playthroughs. I picked up my 8th infusion (upgrades to shield, health and salts) and patted myself on the back for upgrading my shield all the way "so early" and I went on to beat the game about 2 hours later I thought I was really indepth in my exploration but I was sorely wrong. This game has so much to offer it's a wonder even the developers remembered where everything goes.

    Basically, there is so much good about this game. It is this generation's Half-Life 2. If you didn't love the story, you didn't understand it.    … Expand
  96. adrenilinmatt
    Mar 29, 2013
    9
    Absolutely amazing. There are no other ways in which to describe bio shock infinite, the art direction, the attention to detail, the character relationships... Just unreal. Game of the year for me. I just love it that much. I wasn't a big fan of the first bioshock either, but this one really shines for me.
  97. WarriorFight
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    Before Infinite, BioShock is probably one of my favorite games. Everything about it was epic, and then, when 2 came out, I enjoyed it, though it could have been vastly better. I have had Infinite pre-ordered since they announced it, and, now, when it finally comes out, it is becoming one of my favorite games of this generation. Everything about it, the art-direction, the AI, the combat,Before Infinite, BioShock is probably one of my favorite games. Everything about it was epic, and then, when 2 came out, I enjoyed it, though it could have been vastly better. I have had Infinite pre-ordered since they announced it, and, now, when it finally comes out, it is becoming one of my favorite games of this generation. Everything about it, the art-direction, the AI, the combat, everything screams "Game of the Year." Even with all the next-gen games coming out this year, I feel that Infinite will still stay my top game of the year. I sat down in the morning after it came out, and played straight into the night, and it was probably the most fun I've had playing a game in years. I highly recommend getting this if you thought the first BioShock was good/great, or even if you're not a fan, because Infinite is probably the most immersive games I've ever played.… Expand
  98. Aonien
    Mar 29, 2013
    4
    Honestly disappointed in this game. I was expecting alot more, but wasn't satisfied. While the story, graphics, music and voice acting is incredible, the gameplay seems to lag behind everything else. There are only 8 vigors, as opposed to the 11 plasmids from the first game, and only about 8 weapons, most of which are useless and boring to use. The hacking puzzles that I personally enjoyedHonestly disappointed in this game. I was expecting alot more, but wasn't satisfied. While the story, graphics, music and voice acting is incredible, the gameplay seems to lag behind everything else. There are only 8 vigors, as opposed to the 11 plasmids from the first game, and only about 8 weapons, most of which are useless and boring to use. The hacking puzzles that I personally enjoyed are gone. Weapon upgrading is nowhere near as good as it was in the first two games, The Sky-Hook, though, was really awesome and cool. Landing those fatalities with the weapon was so satisfying. The last thing I'll say about this game is that the ending was a huge disappointment, and not rewarding at all. But hey, alot of people seem to be calling this game their GOTY contender, so keep playing. I still think it sucks, I still think it's stupid, but keep playing.… Expand
  99. BasicSpace
    Mar 29, 2013
    10
    Just finished it. I'm at a loss for words, so deeply affecting is this game. I can only describe it as a masterpiece. It transcends the genre and can be held up against any contemporary medium. Also, It shows a glaring light on the state of the games industry, this game is possible, yet what we so often get is marginalized and made stupid and any weed of intellect and art must be removed.Just finished it. I'm at a loss for words, so deeply affecting is this game. I can only describe it as a masterpiece. It transcends the genre and can be held up against any contemporary medium. Also, It shows a glaring light on the state of the games industry, this game is possible, yet what we so often get is marginalized and made stupid and any weed of intellect and art must be removed. It shows the industry is a sham.… Expand
  100. xcoders
    Mar 28, 2013
    10
    This is one of the very best games I've played in a while. Very inspiring story, great gameplay, what else could you ask for. Columbia just looks beautiful and so real, you just feel like you were there. Thanks for bringing us one of the greatest games ever Ken Levine, you're definitely in the right direction. Keep it up. If I had to describe this gem with one work it would be: EPIC
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
8
#8 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Gamers' Temple
    May 27, 2013
    98
    An instant classic that should be kept in a special place in every gamer's collection.
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  2. GameFocus
    May 11, 2013
    87
    BioShock Infinite is a sure-fire game-of-the-year candidate, and definitely one of the standout single-player games of this generation.
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  3. GameCritics
    Apr 19, 2013
    70
    Fuzzy-headed narrative and thematically irrelevant auxiliary mechanics make Infinite feel sloppy even when it's working. Combat increases in frequency and decreases in impact after the Hall of Heroes, so for most of its length the game sinks towards a deflated ending rather than rising towards a climax. However, that slow descent starts from a great height, so there is still much to value in Infinite even as it drowns in its own shortcomings.
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