"There's always a lighthouse, there's always a man, there's always a city"

So this is my first post on a video game I have recently completed. The game in question is Bioshock Infinite. In a nutshell I thoroughly enjoyed the game, it was something I haven't experienced in a FPS before. A clever story that is smart, keeps you guessing and makes you want to replay it. For anyone who hasn't played the original Bioshock, you probably need to play it and complete it to really appreciate Infinite. So spoilers from here on out. Bioshock Infinite sets you in the world of Columbia, the city about the clouds. While it is a complete different city to that of Rapture, in terms of colour and scope from the original Bioshock (think Disneyland with heavy religious imagery), the similarities are actually there for everyone to see. From the freaky enemies you face to the dark corridors, elevators and special items you collect you definitely remember your journey to Columbia as you did with your first visit to Rapture.

You are Booker DeWitt, a man with a troubled past who is sent to retrieve the mysterious Elizabeth from Columbia as a means of "repaying a debt" you owe. Apart from flashbacks that don't make sense and a few stories we don't know much about Mr DeWitt. We just know he is a man on a mission and needs to retrieve Elizabeth. The girl in question is something so rare, a NPC that we feel emotion for. We find her locked away in a tower by her father (definitely goes with the Disneyland feeling of Columbia) but this girl has a gift. An ability to open wormholes into other timelines and alternate universes. Jumping through alternate universes where different choices would occur becomes a regular occurrence as you try to return Elizabeth to the people who want her and clear you debt. This is probably one of the biggest themes of the game, the idea of choices we make and fate and outcomes. As the story unravels we learn that Booker DeWitt is actually the big baddy (Comstock) but an alternate universe version of himself and he is the father of Elizabeth. The alternate universe Booker/Comstock actually travelled back in time and bought the child of Booker in order to pay off his debts to bad people. Sound confusing? Well it is but it is explained perfectly. If it goes over your head, go back and play it again and be sure to listen to all the videotapes! Plot holes are explained very well via these.


Summary

I really liked Bioshock Infinite. The story however really made me really appreciate the game and appreciate the first Bioshock even more so. It isn't every day I can say that the creators of a game went away and said how can we make a game that is different to the original but pays homage and also expands on a universe we have created? But with Bioshock infinite they have done exactly that. More importantly they didn't water it down. They could have just said here is our story, and you will make a choice at the end that determines the outcome. They were bold. They made a game that was designed for existing fans and had a complex story that would reward you for picking up all the voice clips so you could understand the entire history of each character and also could tap into a new audience.

That is not to say I didn't have faults with the game. I found the combat way too easy. Along the way Elizabeth helps you with everything, if you running low on health, she will help you. If you die, she will help you, running low on ammo? Guess who helps you. It is a great function to have an AI partner who doesn't get in your way during a game but I found it to be quite frustrating that you were never really in any danger you couldn't handle.

Also the special skills such as Vigors felt a bit rushed and just a way to cash in on the Plasmids from the original. I found myself sticking to the same 2-3 vigors throughout the game and felt you could get by with the same combinations.

However the above didn't spoil the adventure for me. It was a great game that will be remembered for a long long time, thanks for the thoughtful fleshed out story, great voice acting, stunning visuals and solid action.

9/10