Bioshock Infinite review

[Dogg Thang]

When you Irrational explained that thing about Elizabeth, do you mean they did that in the context of the game or did they have to explain it separately another time?

[Golgo]

I assumed from Mayhem's spoilered remarks that he meant they explained separately, which would mean their story failed to communicate on its own terms. Certainly I never found any explanation for the tear ability within the game and I think I attended to it quite closely...

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. If they had to address it somewhere else, it means they didn't succeed with their storytelling.

[Golgo]

The starting premise of a Gulliver's Travels 'Laputa'-esque floating city-state that was tied into key moments of US history (Columbia Exposition, Wounded Knee, Pinkertons, Boxer Rebellion) was already exciting and imaginative enough, I thought, without the added layer of faff that comes from inter-dimensional rifts and suchlike.

[Dogg Thang]

I don't know if I agree. While I don't think that

->Open Spoiler<-

a twist was necessary, they sold me on the rifts when I heard the barber shop quartet doing a Beach Boys song and also that version of Girls Just Want To Have Fun later on. I loved that. I think the story was probably fine, it just maybe wasn't told as strongly as it could have been.

[k0pp0]

I don't know if I agree. While I don't think that

->Open Spoiler<-

a twist was necessary, they sold me on the rifts when I heard the barber shop quartet doing a Beach Boys song and also that version of Girls Just Want To Have Fun later on. I loved that. I think the story was probably fine, it just maybe wasn't told as strongly as it could have been.

I'd have liked to see more of that sort of thing.

[Golgo]

->Open Spoiler<-

I loved the musical adaptions too, the God Only Knows Barbershop Quarter especially, but couldn't you just do that as a bit of self-aware fun without feeling the need to include an interdimensional rift plotline to explain it 'rationally'?

[Guts]

Hah, I didn't even think about the rifts, tears and all with that, just thought it was a cool little easter egg!

[Dogg Thang]

Well as I had posted back when I was in the very early stages of the game, I was pretty certain that

->Open Spoiler<-

the game didn't actually take place in the early 1900s as a result of those songs (and others). I thought that was the twist.

[Golgo]

Hah, I didn't even think about the rifts, tears and all with that, just thought it was a cool little easter egg!

->Open Spoiler<-

The main composer/star of Columbia was a talentless fraud who stole and reworked music via the rifts. You might have visited his house in the graveyard area?

Actually, now I think about it that is a pretty cool conceit...

[H-Man]

I find it hard not to think back to System Shock when looking at the Bioshock games. On it's own Bioshock Infinite is a pretty decent, mindless, run and gun fps. Compared to System Shock 1 & 2 it's a dumbed down beyond comparison and certainly not a worthy spiritual successor. So yeah, fun pew pew shooter with a nice story.

[Mayhem]

The music "composer" in question stealing music from the future was actually Fink's brother iirc. But then, that's how vigors were created too...

By "Irrational explain" I didn't mean that is how I got it (although I'm fairly sure there are official videos detailing such information), but that multi dimension travelling has been done in games and films previously, and I was detailing how in Bioshock Infinite that Elizabeth is able to open tears. Other media have different plot devices for achieving similar. You discover WHY Elizabeth can during the end sequencing of the game, but that's Irrational's plot device.

[k0pp0]

Completed it again on 1999 mode last night for the scavenger hunt cheeve. Much better on the harder difficulty - some planning/trapping needed for some of the set pieces. I still don't think it matched the impact that the first 2 had on me though.

Slightly miffed that I missed some of the upgrades in my last run. So that means another playthrough. I think I fancy speedrunning it on easy.

[Colin]

About half way through this judging by the chapter list I found online. It's a bit of a chore to play in my opinion, and very little in the way of fun. Story and voice acting are pretty poor to the point I tend to zone out as soon as people start talking. At least it was free, but not sure I can see it through.

[Darwock]

I couldn't. Never went back to it.