Bioshock Infinite: Infinite Joy

By Team FHM · Jun 2013 · 3 min read

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Bioshock franchise returns after three years and the game makers took a gamble by changing the storyline. Infinite is about Booker Dewitt, who is trying to pay off his gambling debt, by heading off to Columbia and bringing back “the girl”, Elizabeth. Columbia is a metropolis in the skies and is set in the year 1912. The game dares to venture through the idea of what would happen if religion, politics and racial discrimination were mixed together. Even though Dewitt doesn’t agree to this school of thought, he realised the best thing is to blend in the shadows and finish his task. Unfortunately nothing is ever so boring and simple, as he ended up having an altercation after winning the raffle which soon made him top the most wanted list. The unpleasantness occurred you had to pitch a baseball at a coloured couple and with Dewitt protesting against this act he was quickly labelled as a wanted man.

Pleasing to the eyes

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Unlike Rapture where everything took place in an underwater city, Columbia is all about freshness with different colours. BioShock has consciously stayed way from the dark and sinister look which is good but it takes the sheen off the shock factor. The Columbian architecture is worth mention as it does make you stop and admire the gorgeous graphics. The life like faces of the characters especially Elizabeth’s is beyond words to explain the brilliant work. But let me anyways try. You can understand what she is trying to tell or what is feeling by just looking at the body language and facial expressions. It is that real. The narration, marvel backdrops and the story, itself, makes the journey interactive and believable in this fictional city. What makes it a challenge is that nothing is truly black or white. So the line between right and wrong blurs more often than not and this makes you yourself, what would you do to keep your sanity, to what level would you fall, what atrocities would you commit? Sticking to its roots the bloodshed and gore can in a nut shell “awesome”. Yes the violence sometimes goes overboard but then this is BioShock. I, personally, would have liked it a notch down but let’s just clarify it that this is no guns blazing game. You need strategy if you want to succeed in Infinite.

Plot thickens

BioShock is a first person shooting game but it’s not just about getting fancy guns. You also get to use some supernatural powers which keep things interesting. There is never a dull moment when you use vigours which give the power to throw fire at the bad guys or turn them against each other. My favourite is when you charge towards them and blow them to smithereens. The game play is on the lines of the previous BioShock titles with additional twists like there are no more plasmas, neither do we miss it. The fun part begins when you use the alternative way to hang around the city by using the sky hook to skyline rails. The skyhook doubles up as a drilling weapon. Once you find Elizabeth, she will accompany you in your journey. Have no fear as she isn’t a damsel in distress as she can kick some serious butt. Also she keeps helping you by providing energy packs and her special talent to take a peek at the past or future comes handy.

Verdict

BioShock Infinite has actually managed to be a better game than its previous versions. The graphics and the sound effects married together up the ante. The star of the game is the moral plus violent script. The story telling composition keeps you wanting to keep playing Infinite. Yes there is a lot of racial abuse and religious perversion but then this game adds a realistic theme with a supernatural twist. We won’t spoil the ending but it will make you want to play the game again and you will see Infinite in a view.