The Stunning Third Game in the Acclaimed BioShock Series
BioShock Infinite is a single-player action and first-person shooter video game developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games. Released in 2013, it is the highly-acclaimed third installment in the BioShock series, featuring similar gameplay concepts and themes despite it not being a direct sequel to its predecessors. This time, the story takes you out of the underwater ruins and into the grand flying city of Columbia, a seemingly-perfect utopia of America hiding dark secrets. You play as Booker DeWitt, who has been tasked to retrieve an imprisoned girl in the city to erase his debts. The two of you will eventually become embroiled at the heart of a great struggle in Columbia.
Soar Through The Skies
BioShock Infinite’s setting had been based on numerous historical events at the turn of the 20th century. It’s loosely connected to BioShock and BioShock 2’s underwater utopian concept of the city of Rapture but stands well enough on its own. This time, the game is set in 1912 and follows former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt, who is sent to the mysterious but glittering airborne city of Columbia to find a young woman named Elizabeth. She’s been held captive there for most of her life and Booker needs her to be able to repay his heavy debts. However, while they’ll easily join up and work together to escape, they’ll quickly come face-to-face with the turmoil happening in the city and affecting everyone. At the heart of this fight between the elitist Founders and the rebellious Vox Populi lies Elizabeth’s strange powers of accessing alternate realities.
These Strange Powers
Alongside Elizabeth’s abilities to use “Tears”—pathways to other universes—Booker can have his own supernatural abilities by imbibing Vigors. These can range from psychokinesis to creating fireballs, similar to how it was done in the first two games. You can upgrade these to become more powerful in combat, and coupled with the various weapons and gears you can obtain and use in the game, fighting the deadly and often-supernatural enemies in BioShock Infinite can be a breeze. It helps that Elizabeth assists you with her own skills and is a dependable companion despite only being controlled by an AI.
Use Your Wits
Unlike the cramped and limited space of Rapture in BioShock and BioShock 2, Columbia is set in the vast open sky and thus gives you more freedom in how you approach a fight. For example, you can take advantage of the city’s Sky-Line, a rollercoaster-like rail system you can ride and jump to and fro to gain an edge against your opponents. This title is mostly a shooter game but it doesn’t stop you from hand-to-hand combat. Tears will also grant you a dynamic way of fighting, as you can pull weapons, turrets, and other resources out of thin air to turn the tide of a battle.
The Art Deco Classic Game
BioShock Infinite has been hailed with numerous praises when it was released and had become one of the best video games of the seventh generation of consoles. Its story, setting, and visual art design was the best of its time and had quickly become a classic title, further highlighting the BioShock series. It even released an indulgent expansion, Burial at Sea, that featured an alternate reality of Booker and Elizabeth in Rapture, way before the first BioShock game. There’s also a game mode called “1999 Mode” that gives experienced players a taste of the kind of design and balance that hardcore gamers enjoyed back in the 20th century, unlocked when you finish the main game. Overall, this is an FPS that gives you a different kind of adventure altogether. There are still some setbacks, especially if you’re a hardcore FPS player. However, if you want a story full of twists and turns, and a combat system that gets you creative, BioShock Infinite is a highly recommended title.
