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
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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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