...continued from February 3
The Setting
The original Bioshock was
loosely based on the philosophy and writings of Ayn Rand and George Orwell. The
idea was not just to create an interesting world for a plot to play out but
rather to have an idea shape the entire game, from the gameplay to the
characters to the story. Bioshock massively
succeeded in this endeavor. The LA Times said
“Sure, it's fun to play, looks spectacular and is easy to control. But it also
does something no other game has done to date: It really makes you feel.” And
just like its prequels, Infinite
dazzles in the “feels” department.
The first level of emotional involvement, for me, came in
the setting. For those who played the original Bioshock, you will remember that details made the game. The game
threw you into a strange and unfamiliar world but it wasn’t that way because
you were told so. Everything about Rapture, from the décor to the dialogue,
pointed one direction. Game locales and interactions made sense with the world
and there was never any inconsistency between what occurred in the game and
what the story was ultimately about. This remains true in Infinite, as the locations you encounter are not directed by the
gameplay but rather the gameplay is directed by the places you go.
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| A painting in the "Order of the Raven," an example of Columbia's unique culture |
The art direction in Infinite
is beautiful and poignant as well. The environments you inhabit are
haunting not necessarily because of any particular action you take, but because
of the ideas that are represented in each. Two such examples really struck my
eye. The first moment that really struck me was a scene where DeWitt comes
across a Comstock-endorsed cult called the “Order of the Raven.” The order
worships the Founding Fathers like the rest of Columbia, but also adores John
Wilkes Booth, a hero for assassinating Lincoln. To them, “lower” races have no
part to play in civilized life. This cult is revealed as DeWitt makes his way
through their building, viewing paintings and statues, listening to recordings
and stumbling upon an induction ceremony. Another scene includes a stage-like
reenactment of two brutal moments in Columbia’s history, including
animatronics, statues, and the like. But make a wrong turn and you end up
backstage, where they store the extra materials to keep the display running. The
level of detail and prime placement within the storyline of these scenes are
not necessary to the “fun” of the video game, but it is central to the reason
why the Bioshock series is so engaging.
These two scenes generate sub-plots, reveal motivations and develop the
characters as they engage and react to their surroundings. This is where the
genius of the developer comes through: most video games have filler – something
to get you from one moment in the action to the next – but Infinite simply does not have filler. Every square inch of the
world and every second of play existed for a reason. The sheer amount of
intricate detail in this game cannot be covered in this review, but certainly
let me know if you want to hear more. It is a bottomless pit of immersion.
The Story
Okay Russ, I’ve finally gotten around to the story. And oh
my goodness I could write a book about how good this story was. I already
discussed DeWitt and Elizabeth and how their relationship evolves as the game
goes on. That relationship alone is enough for me to say how good this story
was, but that only scratches the surface. Bioshock:
Infinite is a game of revelations. From a first-person standpoint, I was
confused from the start. I knew that DeWitt had to rescue Elizabeth and return
her to New York to pay off a debt, but I didn’t know what the details were. These
are revealed slowly from the moment DeWitt arrives in Columbia via two
storylines.
The first plays out in the game. DeWitt attempts to rescue
Elizabeth and get her out of the city. But strange things begin to happen that
Booker does not fully understand. Elizabeth has strange powers that seem to be
able to transport them into different universes. Comstock seems to know more
about DeWitt’s situation than even he does. DeWitt copes with this mostly
through a dedication to his mission, which eventually transforms into a simple
devotion to Elizabeth. But by the time the story’s climax is reached, DeWitt is
lost, and so is the player.
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The second part of the plot is the backstory, revealed
gradually by voice recordings collected as the game goes on. A genius move by
Irrational was not to throw the entire backstory in your face at once, either
by showing you a cinematic or putting the backstory in the manual. Instead, by
listening to voice recordings from key characters as you travel through Columbia,
the backstory is revealed slowly in a way that has a direct bearing on your
current situation. By the end of the game you know the entire backstory, but
the most haunting or significant pieces of information are saved until the
climax, making the game that much more thrilling. Another great side effect of
this strategy is that it makes you think. Everything isn’t obvious; in fact
quite the opposite is true. Truths are revealed slowly and indirectly. And both
the backstory and the gameplay throw you toward a conclusion that you are excited to discover. This is true
storytelling mastery – not only is more information revealed over time, but with every revelation
comes an even more intense desire to see how things pan out. Not since Lost have I found myself developing so
many theories about how the story would end. But unlike Lost’s controversial
and disappointing conclusion, the end of Infinite
is exquisite, its cerebral audacity and literary unanimity matched only by its
emotional impact. It’s a stunner that left me breathless and desiring to play
the whole thing over again.
Conclusion
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| DeWitt's evolving relationship with Elizabeth is one of Infinite's triumphs |
I want to apologize to those who hoped I would discuss the
ending on here. To be honest, the end is too deep, beautiful and
mind-blowing to try to cover it all, not to mention it would take me six pages
just to cover what it all means. My best advice: go play the game and find out
for yourself.
Irrational went to the extreme again. I remember first
hearing that there would be a game called Bioshock:
Infinite in 2009 when they revealed some gameplay elements in a gameplay
video. I was pissed that it took them three years from that point to finally
release it, but boy was it worth the wait. It isn’t just that Bioshock: Infinite is fun. It is
stepping into a whole new universe (no pun intended). Many game and movie
previews will use that phrase, but Infinite
really makes that happen. From cinematography and art direction to character
development and a meticulously scripted plot, Bioshock: Infinite totally redefines the potential of video games
as a storytelling tool. Add in the ability to throw fireballs at enemies after
flying through the air, and you have one amazing entertainment experience.
“Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt.” Not since
“Rosebud” has a single phrase given me so much reason to get excited.
Bioshock: Infinite.
A 9.5 out of 10.
Yours truly,
DCon
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