BioShock Infinite

[Ascendancy]

not sure if i'm going off topic here, but can you play this game with a 360 or ps3 controller for the pc version? if you have been doing so maybe you can hit me up a pm with directions as to how or reply here if its allowed.

[Mirby]

Between cage or bird.

knowing you i'm surprised you wouldn't go with cage every time

[Brandon Strader]

not sure if i'm going off topic here, but can you play this game with a 360 or ps3 controller for the pc version? if you have been doing so maybe you can hit me up a pm with directions as to how or reply here if its allowed.

This is the most insane thing I've read in this thread. If you are part of the PC Master Race, able to play the game on Ultra and have quick, twitch controls of your character with the mouse, why would you sacrifice that quality to use a crummy xbox360 controller? That makes no sense. Thank the heavens this isn't a console exclusive. The PC version is far above any other version you could get. I have actually been lamenting Ni No Kuni not having a PC version lately. It would have looked so much better, it's a gorgeous game anyway though.

Also I totally went with bird, not cage. I thought the cage symbolized Elizabeth's life stuck in the tower so I went the other way, with the freebird. As mentioned earlier I don't think it really makes any difference at all unless it's going to be some kind of DLC thing.

Also, I hope the next game takes place on the Moon. During the 1960s. With a secret Moon colony established before the 'moon landing' takes place.

I also thought the next logical step would be into space.

http://i.imgur.com/HzIKAdI.jpg <-- I laughed at this... cute baby you got there

http://i.imgur.com/8P3qkFd.jpg -- SPOILER butt pretty funny

Edited March 28, 2013 by Brandon Strader

[Ethan Rex]

Just finished the game, while I think some of Ocre's points are valid, I still though the game kept me involved and on the edge of my seat for the whole playthough.

And got damn that storyline.

[Ando]

This is the most insane thing I've read in this thread. If you are part of the PC Master Race, able to play the game on Ultra and have quick, twitch controls of your character with the mouse, why would you sacrifice that quality to use a crummy xbox360 controller? That makes no sense.

Ha, whoa, no need to freak out. It all comes down to personal preference. I personally don't enjoy using a keyboard + mouse configuration, and if I can set the game to use my Dualshock 3, you can bet I'm gonna (friggin' PC version of Mass Effect 1 and 2 don't let me ). And I did!

not sure if i'm going off topic here, but can you play this game with a 360 or ps3 controller for the pc version? if you have been doing so maybe you can hit me up a pm with directions as to how or reply here if its allowed.

Yeah, if you plug a 360 controller in, the game should recognize it right off the bat. If you wanna use a PS3 controller, Google "MotionInJoy" and use the drivers there; be sure to set it to "X360 Controller Emulation" to trick your system into thinking it's a 360 controller (you'll also probably have to change some of the button settings to follow the 360 controller layout -- set Circle to A, Triangle to Y, etc.).

[EC2151]

So, a lot of the reviews tell me this game's story is "life-changing," my favorite one saying it might prompt within me an "existential crisis."

So is that, as I assume, a whole load of fucking bullshit? Why would you want to play a game that prompts an existential crisis? Isn't life hard enough? Have game reviewers ever read a book before? More at eleven!

[The Derrit]

So, a lot of the reviews tell me this game's story is "life-changing," my favorite one saying it might prompt within me an "existential crisis."

So is that, as I assume, a whole load of fucking bullshit? Why would you want to play a game that prompts an existential crisis? Isn't life hard enough? Have game reviewers ever read a book before? More at eleven!

we're very proud of you for being too cool for school

if i may hearken to an old throwback... lurk more. if everyone liking a game is your signal to say 'this game is shit' despite not having played it like you have now done TWICE in the past month then maybe you should control that verbal diarrhea a little bit better

[PixelPanic]

So, a lot of the reviews tell me this game's story is "life-changing," my favorite one saying it might prompt within me an "existential crisis."

So is that, as I assume, a whole load of fucking bullshit? Why would you want to play a game that prompts an existential crisis? Isn't life hard enough? Have game reviewers ever read a book before? More at eleven!

Haven't played it yet, but, reviews don't really mean anything, even coming from friends. If they say "it's a good game because it does X, Y, and Z, well", that may have SOME merit, but saying it will have profound effects ON YOU is all subjective. Reviews and criticism should be based closer to objectivity.

I've learned to follow the rule "Play the game on your own accord or don't have an opinion on it." Learn for yourself. Have the existential crisis, or don't. It's how YOU see it and stuff, man.

[EC2151]

Derrit, I know you live to reply to my posts, but I didn't even say the game was bad. Nor did I even deny Levine's ability to spin a good yarn (I don't think he worked on Bioshock 2, and I thought that story was dumb). But, uh, maybe you like knee-jerk responding to everything I write, to show that you indeed are 'too cool for school.' Personally I love the undue praise your attention brings to me (by making me look smarter), so keep it up!

It's just so many reviews, browsing the metacritic page, told me how this game would 'change my life' or 'provoke me in ways I never knew a game could' or what-have-you... Especially funny when said reviews don't even tell me about the game itself, or how it's played. It's a comment more on game journalism than anything else. When you see all those people saying the same exact thing, doesn't that get you slightly suspicious?

Isn't looking at the critical reception to the game worthy of a post or two or discussion? When a game gets a bunch of perfect scores, surely it must be so, no?

If they say "it's a good game because it does X, Y, and Z, well", that may have SOME merit, but saying it will have profound effects ON YOU is all subjective. Reviews and criticism should be based closer to objectivity.

I've learned to follow the rule "Play the game on your own accord or don't have an opinion on it." Learn for yourself. Have the existential crisis, or don't. It's how YOU see it and stuff, man.

I think the only game you can really have an 'existential crisis' with is a game like Civilization, where you realized you just spent 12 hours playing Civ 4, where you have to ask yourself "WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE????" No game plot, in my experience, have yet to provoke any sort of gut-wrenching psychological turmoil as advertised. Maybe I'm jus' cold-blooded.

I just felt sort of turned off how few of these reviews mentioned anything substantial about the combat, if it's better or worse or more simplified or more complex than previous 'shock offerings. Literally one review had one sentence devoted to gameplay (I think it was like "the combat drags a bit sometimes"). The rest was amateur philosopher hour. Lol, do we really need to hear that shit when determining to buy a game or not?

[Ando]

I just felt sort of turned off how few of these reviews mentioned anything substantial about the combat, if it's better or worse or more simplified or more complex than previous 'shock offerings.

I don't know if you've seen it, but Adam Sessler discusses the gameplay itself about halfway into

.

[ocre]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed the cut content.

This guy touches on some of the points I was talking about.

[lazygecko]

It's a reflection of the playerbase at large when reviewers would rather concentrate on the spectacle rather than the gameplay. Much like how most music journalist try their darndest to discuss anything but the actual music.

[Crowbar Man]

I'm probably close to beating it now, my opinions haven't changed much.

It is a really beautiful game (artistically) with a decently written story, stuck in almost boring Call of Duty / Halo / Modern Game style game play.

Recharge Shield? Check

Two weapon at any time limit? Check

Chest high cover in many locations? Check

"Click button for better aim which centers the gun directly in the screen"? Check

Character your playing as yapping all the time? Check

Two different branches of weapon types? Check

I mentioned before how the game was leading me by the nose with both pop up banners (and an optional navigation arrow), well, I forgot to mention Elizabeth also basically runs ahead of you where you need to go at all times, its pretty annoying actually because I feel like i am being lead through the whole game. That is three "GO HERE" indicators making the game pretty brainless as far as navigation is concerned. And no you aren't free to explore anything, if the game decides you can't go back you can't. You only really have access to a single area at any given time. The game is so straight forward, it doesn't provide you a GUI map because its not really needed.

The rails system? Wow, they somehow make the game EVEN MORE ON RAILS instead of a new means to explore. Previews of the game made it seem you could travel to different locations on the fly as if the game was somewhat open world. Nope, you can just travel a short distance to different parts of the (limited) area your in. It can come handy in combat situations, and once in a while get you to a secret room, but sadly that is about it.

There aren't anything I'd call "puzzles" in the game, all the hacking mini-games are gone for taking over turrets, there is just a spell to use for that and its barely useful to even use it

Most of the Vigors just seem as afterthoughts. The seem to lack any power to them. Everything has a "trap" mode, but the AI is so focused on military style most of the time all the enemies stay under cover and never wander out into the traps you lay, even if you try to lure them out.

The game only really is enjoyable when the action stops and it goes "oh right, uh, something creepy to make this kinda like a Shock game" or "heres a segment we will show off for previews/trailers" (seriously, a lot of the best cut scenes are ruined because they showed them off during previews, OR ALTERED/REMOVED THEM)

But then you walk around the corner and oh boy, modern style shooter time. An obviously set up for gun battle location complete with chest high walls and waves of enemies pouring in. Everything you just enjoyed is ruined.

I was extremely excited for the game to come out only to be hit with a very VERY large disappointment that everything the game was seemingly advertising itself to be is basically opposite of what they produced. Over all I would still have to admit it is still an enjoyable game, and had I never played BioShock 1 (or SS2), or if the game wasn't even labeled "Shock", or had they released NOTHING about the game, I would probably be enjoying it FAR more.

But unfortunately, all of that happened

Now if you dont MIND a modern style game, this is a pretty unique one out of the lot. I just wish it wasn't a part of the lot

Edited March 29, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Tensei]

I think it really is a fantastic game. Not perfect by any means, with combat arguably being the weakest link, but just the feeling of virtually walking through such an exquisitely crafted world makes up for a lot.

And I really have to appreciate the game for that. Modern FPSes have this tendency to put all the graphical luster on a single angle right in front of the player, and make sure that they never turn around or take a detour in order to save on graphical resources. Maybe my standards are low, but in a day and age where FPSes block off the way you came every five steps you take, it's a breath of fresh air to be able to save up 5 lockpicks and then backtrack to the start of the level in order to open a safe. I still don't see how it's any more limiting than the original game.

The combat really is just Bioshock 2 with skyrails and tear-objects, which I guess is adequate enough for me. I guess I have the benefit of not having watched any PR on the game whatsoever, so I didn't come into the game expecting dynamic Zeppelin appearances (as opposed to scripted ones) and whatever else the demo showed off.

The real strength lies in the graphics, aesthetics and the worldbuilding: there's so many memorable setpieces and symbolism/foreshadowing all over the place. Again, you can really feel that a lot of time was put into polishing absolutely everything. Plot is good, pretty ambitious, and a bit sloppy towards the end, but resolves satisfyingly enough.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Tensei

[Crowbar Man]

Maybe my standards are low, but in a day and age where FPSes block off the way you came every five steps you take, it's a breath of fresh air to be able to save up 5 lockpicks and then backtrack to the start of the level in order to open a safe. I still don't see how it's any more limiting than the original game.

BioShock 1 you could walk around all of Rapture at any point in time. There were only a few places you couldn't revisit, and only a few situations where you couldn't go back. But the vast bulk of the game you could explore everywhere. Same with System Shock 2 made in 1999

Being excited you can walk back to the beginning of a single small limited area is pretty sad indication how games have gone backwards instead of forwards

I also avoided Bioshock 2 because it wasn't made by the same team and was a quick cheap sequel thrown out to make money for 2K. Its pretty inferior to the first game. I expected this game to be more like the first as it was made by the same team as BS1 and had a larger budget and in development for FAR longer. Guess I was wrong

I do enjoy the aesthetics and the story, but with the OPPOSITE of what I like to play attatched to it ruins any of it. If they had made it an RPG, or a visual novel, or I dont know, an action rpg fps game in the style of Shock series like it should of been, it would of been so much better.

Instead it looks like its catered towards the sad state of modern gaming to make more money: If you dont make the most generic FPS style gameplay you can't sell millions. Don't make anything that diverges too much from CoD, MONEY IS AT STAKE HERE

But i guess if you don't mind playing modern style games, its probably not as big of a deal. I just absolutely hate seeing how games are these days, and this game ruined several years of anticipation

Oh well.. here is hoping next gen stuff brings us out of this rut.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Brandon Strader]

Are you sure you played BioShock 1? Are you sure you're playing BioShock Infinite? I am a big call of duty fan, but comparing BioShock Infinite with Call of Duty is just ridiculous.

[Tensei]

Fair enough, but Bioshock 1 was a game from the start of this console cycle. We're 6 years further now, graphical standards have increased correspondingly, but we're still on the same consoles.

I guess what I'm saying is that considering the limitations of consoles and the current trend in FPS level design, it's impressive that they went and made such a beautiful-looking game that has nonetheless relatively open level design, allowing for significant backtracking and a lot of optional side-areas. Also Bioshock 2 was a far better game than the first one, it just had a worse story and characters. Maybe you haven't played the first one in a long time but its general gameplay/combat was pretty mediocre, even for the time. 2 improved on the combat a lot, and Infinite is an evolution thereof.

Also I refuse to believe that you think this game would have worked better as a visual novel. Like, seriously?

Edited March 28, 2013 by Tensei

[Crowbar Man]

Brandon:

Yes, I am positive I played both BS1 and SS2, they were wonderful games. I am probably going to beat Infinite this evening or tomorrow depending on my time window.

BTW, I am not a fan of modern FPS games at all, especially CoD, which is why I am upset obviously

Tensei:

I do not subscribe to the believe you have to lower the gameplay to make your game prettier. Gameplay should always be held above all. Always

The game doesn't allow any backtracking, let alone "significant". "Backtracking" is not being able to walk to the beginning of a segment of a small level, that is just sad :/

There is nothing "open" about the game its on a strict linear path, and one or two side missions and secret rooms is not "a lot"

Don't advertise features the game is sorely lacking!

Beautiful graphics and a nice story it has, Open-ness it does not.

Also I refuse to believe that you think this game would have worked better as a visual novel. Like, seriously?

If all you are going to do is focus on story telling and visuals, a visual novel is a perfect way to do it. and would be less intrusive then having COD stuck int he middle of your presentation for no reason. Its an extreme example obviously, but think about it. You have a lot more focus on character building, story telling, etc.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Tensei]

What do you consider backtracking if it's not the ability to walk to the beginning of a level from any point? It's not necessarily even level-bound. You can have a locked safe in Battleship Bay, go do the entire Hall of Heroes section, and come back with enough lockpicks for the safe. Areas like the Fink factory and the entire section before the Comstock House consist of multiple interconnected levels that allow you to travel around freely between them. What modern FPS are you comparing it to when you say that it has no openness?

Also, I don't see how you can say that the combat is any worse than the original. This game has a greater variety of weapons, a big number of QoL improvements (such as the ability to use vigors and weapons at the same time), and generally less claustrophobic areas which allow you to vary your approaches, not to mention the mobility you get from Hooks, Skyrails and the Charge vigor. Combat is still the weakest aspect of the game, enemies have shitty AI and too much HP, but claiming that the original was any better takes some huge rose-tinted glasses.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Tensei

[Crowbar Man]

I'm almost positive that isn't a possibility, but since I can't go back to those areas since the game doesn't allow me to revisit any previous areas, I can't confirm without reloading a chapter from scratch. Guess I'll try it after I beat the game.

If you can do that, I'm sure it is only because those areas all all DIRECTLY connected to each other, and only for a limited time frame. Once you go past a part of the story, access to those areas are gone forever.

I did try to go backwards several times throughout the whole game but i was met with locked gates, dropped into completely new areas, etc over and over so I gave up. Maybe I missed one small section your refering to

So yeah. Lack of backtracking

The part with the 3 tears is the most "open" part in the game, but its way later in the game, and there is not a whole lot to do and most of the areas are destroyed. Its mostly just rigged for, surprise, more battlefields. I did like revisiting the destroyed areas regardless, but then that section ends. Also bugs me i can't see whats going on in those tears during that section, they are just glorified recordings

What modern FPS are you comparing it to when you say that it has no openness?

My beef is that is IS a modern FPS. It wasn't supposed to be. There are ton of Open World / RPG style games out there, and before that "MetroidVania" or "MGS" style games where you can go to any place in the entire game. Again pointing to BioShock 1 and System Shock 2 as games made by the same team that have far more openness then this one. I don't really play many modern FPS games because they do nothing for me, so I couldn't tell you if a game is more or less open than Infinite. But I know Infinite is SIGNIFICANTLY less open then BS1/SS2 and many other games that it was supposed to be like, and far less open then it was advertised.

It may have more openness then COD/Halo style games that are a dime a dozen. But is that really an achievement? It is a step backwards IMO compared to its history

For a modern FPS, I would have to say it is doing well for itself. Maybe its pushing modern FPS forward a tiny bit. It just could of, and should of, been more than a modern FPS in the first place

Also, I don't see how you can say that the combat is any worse than the original.

I don't recall saying the combat was better in the original. The original wasn't a combat focused game so why would it? It was even more focused on story telling (though much more indirectly, the recordings were actually useful for expanding the story), had a much slower pace, combined the games creepy and atmospheric setting. The game has challenging enemies you had to kinda solve like puzzles or just sneak passed because you were outclassed, along with actually having some small puzzles. The Plasmids were pretty powerful and useful in the game where I feel like im wasting my time using them in Infinite because the game just wants me to constantly move and shoot and the enemies rarily ever fall for the traps. There was far less ammo to boot making a small amount of resource management / survival horror going on.

Every single enemy in infinite is just plowing down with the most powerful weapons (which are laying ALL OVER THE PLACE in the multiple battlefields you come accross) you can find while hiding under chest high walls and enemies ducking and covering "realistically"

I was really mad when the ghost battle turned into HER SUMMONING MORE DAMN SOLDIERS and then just became duck and cover again. Same crap, graveyard was really a battlefield full of chest high walls

I was literally thrilled, then quickly disappointed, just like everything in this damn game [/spoiler}

Also yes infinite has many weapons which are all too similar and you can only hold 2 at a time :(

So sure, Infinite is "better" in combat, if "combat" is shooting guns in an FPS. It more focused on that, because it is a modern FPS. There isn't much outside of combat going for it in the gameplay elements in Infinite. They've removed/simplified everything else!

Overall I feel there was a huge potential here that was wasted just to satisfy modern "gamers", most who are satisfied with eye candy and shooting things. And by the awkwardly near perfect ratings the game is getting, looks like the scheme to sell more is probably going to work.

Here is hoping someone else picks up the slack in this wake for a good Action RPG FPS type game, probably not going to expect much from Irrational anymore

*hoping Cyberpunk 2077 turns out good

Edited March 29, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Brandon Strader]

[ocre]

We may not be able to agree that this is the best BioShock, but can we all agree that stuff like *potential minor spoiler* THIS is genius?!

[Theory of N]

I think probably the best part about this game in my eyes was the fact that it doesn't give a fuck. It explored subjects that most developers would absolutely cringe at including into their game because of potential backlash; Most prominently, the racism aspect. I think it's awesome seeing developers taking a huge risk like that and seeing it become so successful.

[Brandon Strader]

I think probably the best part about this game in my eyes was the fact that it doesn't give a fuck. It explored subjects that most developers would absolutely cringe at including into their game because of potential backlash; Most prominently, the racism aspect. I think it's awesome seeing developers taking a huge risk like that and seeing it become so successful.

Racial aspects?! Where?!

BONUS!!

[Brushfire]

Coming soon from First Achievement Reviews.