The Nerd Agenda: Bioshock Infinite Review

Bioshock Infinite is one of the most anticipated games of 2013, it is the spiritual successor to one of the best first person shooters ever made and it has one of the best development teams working on it. So with such a reputation to uphold the question now is, is Infinite even worth your time?

The game takes place in 1912 in the floating city of Columbia where players assume the role of Booker DeWitt who has the unfortunate distinctions of being both a former Pinkerton agent and a veteran of the Battle of Wounded Knee. Booker is sent to Columbia to rescue a girl named Elizabeth so that he can wipe away his debts. Elizabeth is no ordinary young woman either as she has the ability to open up rips through time and space called tears. Booker first arrives in Columbia and is greeted with a mixture of religious fervor, ultra-nationalism. racial segregation and xenophobia.

The leader of Columbia who goes by the name of Zachary Comstock is worshiped by the people and George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin are considered as saints. In many ways Columbia is much like North Korea because in addition to the whole living God part both nations also uphold the policies of self reliance and a stance of heavy military might.

Simply stunning...for now at least.

It is these elements that Booker has to contend with as he tries to get Elizabeth but to treat Bioshock Infinite's story solely based on Booker rescuing Elizabeth is a huge misstep. The game has so many elements, themes and plot devices that it demands to be investigated fully.

The core storyline of Booker rescuing Elizabeth works well because it is supported by these other plot devices found in the game namely the civil war in Columbia, the aforementioned ultra nationalism, Elizabeth's powers as well as Booker's shady past. All these elements combine together to support what is a barebones and safe plot device (rescue the princess in the tower) and evolves it into something more concrete, solid and deeper. The storyline of the game is so well told and so brilliantly executed that it sets a standard on how a game should tell its story.

Bioshock Infinite's story can be broken down into a few key segments namely Introduction, Foundation, Revolution, Deconstruction and Revelation. Introduction is what its name implies, this is where Booker is introduced not only to Columbia but to Elizabeth as well. It is also during this segment where players are introduced to Elizabeth monstrous guardian known as the Songbird who is intent of bringing her back no matter the cost. During the Foundation part of the game the relationship between Booker and Elizabeth grows and both are exposed to the evil that Columbia possesses. It is in this segment as well where the antagonists are made clear as well as the actual goal that the players must accomplish. In Revolution players are shown the plight suffered by Columbia's lower class which mainly comprises of the Irish and black demographics of the city.

Eventually this pain and unfair treatment culminates in a full blown revolution as the poor and mistreated form into the militant communist group known as the Vox Populi. During the Deconstruction segment players start to see the Columbia devolution and decay into a city torn by civil war. In Revelation players finally see the true purpose of their overall mission which without giving too much away is mind blowing to say the least.

A downside of this intricate storytelling is that although it is well paced there are pieces of the story that has to be investigated by the player for themselves such as looking for audio recordings which contain very vital information to the overall plot and if they choose to skip looking for these audio recordings they will miss out on critical details. But on the other hand, this will motivate players to seek out the story on their own rather than just follow the path the game sets out for them and it is because of this players can be seen to be treated respectfully by the game because it regards the players as intelligent and brave enough to find critical elements of the story on their own.

Militant religious ultra nationalists bowing down to their God king...they make for easy targets.

But for a player to truly respect and understand the plot they have to be able not only to pay attention to many details but also be able to deduce for themselves what is going on within Columbia. It is the game's confidence in the player's intelligence which makes the overall story so worthwhile.

The character development within the game is just as complex as the overall story because the fact is that most of the characters within the game are there to push the player toward the climax by either giving the player a purpose based on the emotions of love and respect or in most cases hatred and disdain.

Booker DeWitt the player character is one of torn by two sides, one of which is that of the caring guardian of Elizabeth and another is a man who has led a life of shameful moments and severe mental trauma. Throughout the game players can see that Booker grows to care for Elizabeth even though he makes mistakes that seem to jeopardize their relationship but despite all this he never shows her hatred nor anger. At the same time however Booker hides a dark past namely in the form of his debts and his time during the Battle of Wounded Knee.

For the uninitiated the Battle of Wounded Knee resulted in the deaths of 300 Sioux Indians many of whom were women and children at the hands of the US Army. In fact during one segment where Elizabeth asks Booker what happened during the battle Booker deflected the question not out of spite but because of the shame that it brings him. It is these moments of humanity that make Booker a brilliant character within the game. So although Booker might not evolve as much as Elizabeth through the game that does not detract from the quality of his character mainly because it's his own personal mission that evolves, more specifically it evolves from a simple task like taking Elizabeth back to New York to one of personal redemption and it is Elizabeth that provides this path for Booker.

Elizabeth on the other hand is a character that at first seems like an innocent child who is exploring the world for the first time. Early on in the game she seen as curious about most things and even wonders why there is racial segregation going on. Her innocence however is soon shattered to a degree as she sees death and chaos in its purest form.

Throughout the game players will see Elizabeth evolve from a young woman to a person who seems traumatized by the amount of death and destruction that she sees around her. Elizabeth's evolution of a character is one which is brought on about by her own desires, her curiosity for the outside world as well as her own fears and personal trauma. She will exhibit a range of emotions from anger to sadness and players cannot help but to fall in love with her because of the humanity she exhibits.

At one point of the game we see Elizabeth visibly tired due to her being in several skirmishes but despite this she shares a moment of great beauty and kindness with her protector Booker and a small hungry child. Her kindness and innocence is contrasted with the evil, hatred and violence so prevalent in Columbia and it is because of this players are driven to care for her on an emotional level.

The innocence and evolution of Elizabeth is one of the hallmarks of the game.

However despite both characters showing moments of humanity it has to be pointed out that Booker and Elizabeth are a team and one that works so well that it needs to be fully investigated. The two together share a relationship which is initially based solely on Booker getting Elizabeth out of Columbia but just like the characters themselves their relationship evolves into something not seen in gaming on a regular basis. The first time when Elizabeth and Booker get into firefight Elizabeth is visibly shocked at Booker's calm when it comes to killing people but is later convinced by him that certain entities will stop at nothing to get her back. In another segment of the game Elizabeth is truly saddened by an act of deceit on the part of Booker and rebels because of it. It is these sort of moments within the game that players are given reason to not only care for Elizabeth as a person but to respect the relationship between the two. Elizabeth despite her fears and trepidation will never give up on Booker or herself, Booker in turn will never abandon Elizabeth and will stop at nothing to ensure her safety.

The relationship between the two go through several tests mainly during times of heavy gunfire and copious amounts of death but no matter how bad things get the bond between the two endures because of the trust and love that evolves over time. It is the emotion of love that will drive players to care for Elizabeth and in many ways will be the driving force for players to complete the game.

During a segment later on in the game Booker is separated from Elizabeth and it's up to him to get her back but as the mission progresses the player will hear and see moments of physical and mental harm falling upon Elizabeth and it is during this moment in time where the player is gripped by rage to see their partner is such dire straits. What must be noted here is that by this part of the game players would have been through a lot with Elizabeth and to see her in such pain will drive many players into a homicidal rampage to get her back.

Plenty of man tears were shed...

One other character that needs to be mentioned is the city of Columbia itself because just like the two protagonists the floating city changes as the game progresses but unlike our two heroes it is more of a path of devolution and destruction.

Columbia's beauty lays in the life and character that it possesses, stroll down through the beaches of Battleship Bay and you will be treated to a moment of peace and serenity. However this moment of calm will become nothing more than a memory as the game goes on. The aforementioned elements of racism, xenophobia, ultra nationalism and religious fanaticism all contribute to the city's decay in some shape or form. In the early segments of the game the player sees that Columbia's society is segregated in the sense that the black and Irish segments of the populace are just there to be menial labor and treated as second class.

There is even a group that worships John Wilkes Booth and commend him for his assassination against Abraham Lincoln, the group's garb even resemble that of the Klu Klux Klan. This racism and poor treatment of the city's underclass is what motivates Daisy Fitzroy to mobilize her militant communist group the Vox Populi to take action against Columbia which in turn causes a civil war to break out. What has to be noted here is that the civil war in itself plays a very minor role in the overall plot instead it serves as a sort of obstacle to Booker and Elizabeth.

The civil war is one of the two main causes to Columbia's decay (the other being Elizabeth's powers). Another important thing to note is that this civil war is not a fight of Good vs Evil but it is more of a conflict of Evil vs Evil, both the Vox Populi and Columbia's Army have done horrid things to the populace and neither will get sympathy from the player so as a plot device the civil war can be seen as a sort of incurable cancer that has blighted the fair city. The deconstruction (and later destruction) of Columbia forms one of the game's biggest tragedies because the player will see its slow decay into nothingness, they will see her residents flee in terror, they will see building crumbling down and they will hear the screams of the city's residents as the horrors of war catch up to them. Unlike Rapture in Bioshock 1 and 2 which was in shambles even before the player arrives, Columbia's devolution will to a certain degree strike some sympathy in the player's heart.

With the city in war her people start evacuating. The game shows the player Columbia's fall from grace in full.

The voice acting within Bioshock Infinite is superb all round and it is very hard to point out the standouts mainly because of this fact but here is a list anyway.

Both Booker Dewitt and Elizabeth voiced by Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper respectively do a very good job not just in voicing their own characters but also conveying the relationship between the two protagonists to the audience. In several instances they both show great emotional variety depending on the situation their characters are in and in the final segment of the game both Mr Baker and Ms Draper play their roles in spectacular fashion showing sadness, remorse and anger in a span of only a few minutes.

Cornelius Slate voiced by the venerable Keith Szarabajka is a fine example of character contrast. In this case Slate can be seen as a sort of opposite to Booker DeWitt because unlike DeWitt whose mental trauma is present is limited compared to Slate's trauma. Cornelius Slate was a soldier in both the Battle of Wounded Knee and the Boxer Rebellion and suffers from severe post traumatic stress because of the events he witnessed in both conflicts. Mr Szarabajka does a brilliant job in conveying to the audience that Slate is not just a broken man but an old honorable soldier and one that sees death at the hands of DeWitt as the only source of redemption for himself.

Rosalind and Robert Lutece voiced by Jennifer Hale and Oliver Vaquer respectively can be seen as a sort of comic relief in the game. The Lutece siblings throughout the game will help the player in many ways and is an essential part to the overall plot but most of the time they are there to put a smile on the players face whether it be through their actions or the verbal exchanges they make between themselves. Like Booker and Elizabeth the Lutece siblings are a team and both Ms Hale and Mr Vaquer do a marvelous job at being a comedic double act.

The Luteces...the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum of Bioshock Infinite.

When it comes to Bioshock Infinite's gameplay one needs to take into account several elements namely the difficulty, the combat, the punishment and the mechanics and for the most part Infinite succeeds in most areas but there are some significant downsides to this overall package.

Combat in Bioshock Infinite itself can be divided into four sections, the core gun play, the vigors, Elizabeth's powers and the Sky Lines.

In Bioshock Infinite many combat zones have Sky Lines which are like rail tracks which give the player an opportunity to reach higher ground or shoot at enemies while on the rail. The Sky Lines work better in the support role rather than for offensive tasks but if a player were to train themselves shooting at enemies while on the Sky Line it would be a massive advantage.

The gun play in Bioshock Infinite is solid and fast paced but it's brought down by the fact that you can only carry two weapons at any given time. In many games this might work well and add to the realism but in Bioshock Infinite most of the enemies are smart, hard to bring down and pack a really heavy punch and this is just in reference to the standard enemies, when it comes to the so-called Heavy Hitters like the Handyman and Motorized Patriots a player needs either the right gun for the encounter which means they either need to know beforehand when one of the Heavy Hitters are on the field of battle or they are vigilant enough to carry one heavy weapon at all times.

The two gun law shows its weakness in the final segment of the game where the player is given no vending machine to buy ammunition and has to contend with legions of troops, several Motorized Patriots and plenty of enemy air support. Poor use of the two gun rule aside, the AI of the enemies in Bioshock Infinite can push the player especially on the harder difficulty. These enemies will use cover, support one another's attacks and will come in from multiple directions however the decent AI is no match against a player who is able to use his/her vigors and Elizabeth's powers to their fullest extent.

The vigors in the game are its core powerups the players can use, these range from offensive vigors like Devil's Kiss and Shock Jockey (that will cover the enemy in flame and electricity respectively) or defensive vigors like Bucking Bronco which suspends enemies in the air making them an easy target or Murder of Crows where a...murder...of crows fly towards enemies and distract them with mass pecks to their bodies. The vigors are undeniably varied and will encourage players to experiment with them in different combinations.

For example the Murder of Crows vigor can be used to distract a horde of enemies and before they can recover the player can unleash a volley of fireballs from the Devil's Kiss to finish them off. The vigors can be both fun and deadly to use and players are encouraged to experiment with different combos. These vigors however cannot be abused since they rely on something called salts which can be considered as a form of mana.

The Bucking Bronco vigor will result in enemies floating through the air helplessly.

One other aspect of combat in Infinite is the use of Elizabeth's tear powers. Elizabeth can summon various items such as cover, automated machine gun turrets and medkits. These tears appear throughout the different skirmish zones in Bioshock Infinite, basically Elizabeth is able to open up one of these "tears" at any given time and when she does so she brings in the item that was in that tear into the physical world. Although these items are varied they can only be brought in one at time so it is up to a player when and what they choose to bring into the world. In addition to these tears Elizabeth will give the player much needed support like throwing medkits, ammo and salts to him/her. Elizabeth is also able to revive the player should they be killed in battle.

Which brings us to the serious problem of Bioshock Infinite's combat, it can be too easy especially on the default setting. The fact is that between the vigors, Elizabeth's tear powers and her support abilities, enemies stand little chance against the player. Even though enemies are smart enough to use cover this means little when they are burnt out of it with a vigor or cut down with a machine gun turret that Elizabeth summoned with her powers.

Also the punishment for dying can be considered minimal because should a player die they are treated to a short animation where Elizabeth is seen resuscitating the player and once the player regains consciousness they are restored to full health with only a small loss of money but once this happens the health bars of the enemies also regenerate which results in some of the challenge being retained.

For the combat in Bioshock Infinite to be truly worthwhile a player needs to crank up the difficulty to Hard, enemies will fight harder and are tougher to bring down. The 1999 Mode is undoubtedly punishing with enemies even tougher than that found in Hard and the punishment for death can be a game over screen.

One other mechanic in the game that needs to be pointed out as well are something called Gears which give players certain advantages throughout the game. Certain gears give the player extra speed while another will keep the player hidden from automated turrets but the fact is that most of the Gears are useless in tense combat situations and more often than not players won't even bother with them.

Despite all the setbacks that the gameplay in Bioshock Infinite possesses it is still a solid and fun experience especially if a player is daring enough to play it at a higher difficulty.

The Motorized Patriot is the walking embodiment of pain in the game.

Another disappointing aspect is that Elizabeth's guardian known as the Songbird plays only a small role in the game and never really presents a real threat to the player and is mostly there to be used as a plot device and nothing more. This is really disappointing considering how important Songbird has been in the promotional material of the game and for him/her/it to be used just as tool to carry on the story is a missed opportunity to create a sense of dread for the players. The Songbird would have been better suited to a role much like the Big Sisters in Bioshock 2 whose appearances was always followed by tense battles and players sweating from their brow.

The graphics of Bioshock Infinite are decent on the consoles but there are certain moments in the game where the framerate will take a big hit and certain textures look washed out or take a while to load. However on the PC the game looks downright beautiful with brilliant lighting effects.

The soundtrack in Bioshock Infinite is by far one of the best in any game to date. Garry Schyman composed a brilliant collection of songs that not only play on the emotions of the player but also to a great degree help pave the way for the story in beautiful and heartbreaking moments.

In addition to the brilliant orchestral pieces there are a few cheeky additions as well including a Blues rendition of Creedance Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son and a classical jig version of Tainted Love, even though these songs are essentially parodied in the game they are nonetheless brilliant in their own right and fit into the overall environment of the game.

Bioshock Infinite is a fine example of a game that has a lot going for it but is let down by giving the player too much of an advantage in the form of Elizabeth but this is remedied to a great degree when a player decides to push up the difficulty and in return enemies are more vicious and fight harder with greater tenacity. The game's other aspects such as story, acting, character development, soundtrack, art design and theme are all solid and little can be said against it.

The gameplay aspect is the weak link but it's not weak enough for it to be considered a failure because the mechanics such as the vigors and Elizabeth's tear powers provide players great freedom when it comes to different combat situations. It cannot be stressed enough that the player should try the 1999 Mode since this is the mode that will make the game a whole lot more interesting, challenging and in the end more playable.

So time for a score, contemplating between an 8 or a 9 was a very hard thing to do but in the end 9/10 (with the Macho Man award) is the final score because despite the game being too easy on the default setting it is still a very good game with interesting mechanics, a deep storyline whose ending will stick in the player's head for a very long time and brilliant character development and acting.

Editors Note: To those of you who are still confused at the ending visit this link for a decent explanation of the ending, this link obviously has spoilers.

Bioshock Infinite Timeline

And in addition to that here are a couple of examples of the spectacular soundtrack.