Back in 2013 BioShock Infinite was released and while it seemed like an interesting idea, my first impression was less than excited. It might of have been that I couldn't fathom a location being equal to or better than Rapture in the original Bioshock. I played the game and was really impressed by it. Flash forward a few years and 2K decide to HD the series up, when it popped up on the PlayStation store recently I thought to myself, yeah I want to play it again.
Recently I have been enjoying pizza, a lot, and eating more than my fair share of it. There is a really great pizza place in Cork called La Tana, they do authentic Italian pizza, thin bases and fantastic fresh ingredients. I have had nothing but good experiences, but it's not very everyone my Nollsy has been less than impressed the last couple of times. Playing BioShock Infinite I found myself is this a really great pizza?
Story
The game has you play as Booker DeWitt, a man who has a lot of debts and now has only way to clear them. The job is to go to a city called Columbia and bring back a girl called Elizabeth. The opening act sees you in a small rowboat being brought to a lighthouse, which was very reminiscent of the original BioShock. Shortly after this, you are transported to Columbia and so your journey begins. The job seems simple of enough but very quickly things can change.
The game is set in 1912, quite sometime before the events in Rapture. The world of Columbia is intolerant to most people and they have significant technological advances compared to those everywhere else in the world at that time. The main story is really interesting and got better as it went along, overall a great story.
The game has three DLC, Clash in the Clouds, Burial At Sea Episode 1 and Episode 2. Clash in the Clouds has no story. Burial At Sea Episode 1 has you reprise your role as Booker DeWitt and this time you're a P.I. on the search for a girl called Sally. The story is set in Rapture before everything went completely crazy. In Episode 2 you play as Elizabeth and continue to search for Sally, the story is better than Episode 1 and adds to the Bioshock universe.
Overall the DLC's aren't bad but are not a patch on the main story of Bioshock Infinite.
Visuals
No matter how you feel about the Bioshock series it's hard to knock the visuals. The world it creates feels both real and surreal. The lighthouse is one of the first things you see, it looks impressive, waves crashing around it and the storm really adds to it. While the game looks amazing, for me one of the most impressive things is the first time you get to lay eyes on the floating city of Columbia, there is just some breathtaking about it. One of the eerie things in the game is Fink's Factory which sees workers moving like robots to a kind of beat, very unnerving indeed.
The game is visually impressive and in some ways more so than Rapture. Speaking of Rapture Burial At Sea Episode 1 and 2 see you return there. It is very similar to my first experience with the original Bioshock, only this time the world has not quite fallen apart. Little Sisters are walking around creepily but in control and so are the people, well mostly.
Overall the main game and the DLC are quite impressive and I enjoyed my time in both Columbia and Rapture.
Music
Bioshock has a very distinct sound, and that sound is foreboding which is created mainly using stringed instruments, specifically the violin. In BioShock Infinite there is very turn of the century sound which features fun piano pieces and a barbershop quartet. The creator of this sound is American composer Garry Schyman who has worked on games, movies, and TV. Some of his works include Magnum P.I., The A-Team, Never Too Young To Die, The Last Hour, Destroy All Humans, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.
Including the DLC the score runs at over ninety minutes and only half that is from the main game. My favorite tracks include, 'Elizabeth', 'Sunk', 'That Poor Child', 'Nocturne Op 9', 'La Vie En Rose (Orchestral), 'Letuce', 'The Girl in the Tower', 'Rory O More/Saddle The Pony', 'Solace' and 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken'.
Overall it's a good soundtrack with a very distinct sound that has helped define the Bioshock series.
Gameplay
Similar to the other games in the series BioShock Infinite is in first-person. The game this time provides you with vigors which give you some pretty cool abilities my favorites being Possession and Bucking Bronco. Possession is pretty self-explanatory and later on, it can be upgraded so that when the ability wears off of on any they will kill themselves. Bucking Bronco sends a large wave out that knocks enemies into the air and has them stay there for a few seconds. Like a good night out you need to make sure to have salt to ensure you don't get drunk too quickly, or in the case of BioShock Infinite, it allows you to use your Vigors.
Guns! There are a good few weapons to choose from, the Burst Rifle and Machine Gun being my favorites. All weapons can be upgraded as you go along, which is well worth doing especially the ones that increase ammunition.
The game has gear which you can use to enhance certain abilities, but in honesty, I found them needless. The game can be challenging on occasion but unless you play the game on the hardest difficulty they are of no real advantage.
One of the best parts of the gameplay is Elizabeth, 'You don't need to protect Elizabeth, she can take care of herself'. That message pops up the first time she is in combat with you and it is 100% true, in fact she takes care of you. Running low on ammo? Need a gun? Need salt? Need to be revived? Need a pizza? She will get it all for you, not the pizza, but she does give you money so you could buy a pizza. Elizabeth is easily in the top five partners in a game, and for me in the top three female characters in a game. I like her character, story, and she holds her own.
The main campaign gameplay is really good, save for the largely pointless gear. The DLC is a mixed bag for me. Clash in the Clouds felt pointless, a bunch of arena battles, no story and it has no impact on the story. Burial At Sea Episode 1 is a more toned down and is not very exciting gameplay wise. Burial At Sea Episode 2 gives Elizabeth some of her own weapons and Vigors. Peeping Tom was a great Vigor and gives you the ability to see enemies through walls. The Radar Range weapon basically causes pain to enemies before turning them into tomato soup.
Overall the gameplay is pretty good throughout, the only thing that really lets it down is the gear and some of the gameplay in the DLC.
Final Thoughts
After thirty plus hours in Columbia and Rapture, how did I feel? Pretty good. The story is really interesting, the visuals are great, the music works well and for the most part, the gameplay is good. In honesty, my biggest criticism would be the DLC, while it added a little something to the game and the series as a whole in honesty in felt unneeded. In fact, the only thing that really stood out to me was the ending of Burial at Sea Episode 2.
Overall I enjoyed my time playing the game, and while the DLC was not the best as a whole package it worked pretty well. This one gets a solid 4 out of 5
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