The entire point of a review is for someone to give their personal opinion of a game. Trying to be "objective" by distancing the review from their own opinion means they're not writing what they actually believe, they're writing what they think other people want to see.
Bioshock Infinite is completely unfocused *Major spoilers for the Bioshock franchise*
- Thread starter Fury451
- Start date
NathanDiego
Member
I love Bioshock Infinite,my favorite by far.
DeadPhoenix
Member
I wanted to like BI, but the gameplay held it back on my initial play through. Not only was combat boring, even for a FPS( i don't like fps' in general, but the inclusion of plasmids should have made the game interesting for me, unfortunately they turned out to not be nearly as interesting as I hoped), but I felt it was... misplaced? basically I'm one of those people that thinks the game would have been better off with little to no actual shooting sections(personally I think I would have loved to see plasmid based puzzle solving).
Honestly the mutli-dimensional stuff almost saved the story for me in my first play-through, but looking back it was wasted, and the game might have been better off without it? Or maybe would have just been better if was more focused on that.
Honestly the mutli-dimensional stuff almost saved the story for me in my first play-through, but looking back it was wasted, and the game might have been better off without it? Or maybe would have just been better if was more focused on that.
Greatest Ever
Member
I'm drunk.
BioShock Infinite is fucking shit.
BioShock Infinite is fucking shit.
I find your silly take on something so inconsequential to be cringeworthy.
I thought the game was rather interesting and had fun debating theories in the spoiler thread.
I used to like discussing wrestling plots on forums back in the day, that doesn't mean they weren't pulpy schlock.
Jangowuzhere
Banned
Yeah, mine as well.
I say that as someone who wasn't a fan at all of the original Bioshock. Really enjoyed the world they set up, but playing the actual game was zero fun for me. That hacking mini game, the bad shooting, the terrible power balance, etc.
Doctor Ironic
Member
Neither the prefix "bio" nor the word "shock" have anything to do with the sea.
What exactly is your point? Like I said, I enjoyed the game well enough. Searching for some super deep story in a video game is a fool's errand. I personally enjoyed discussing what story there was. Sorry you didn't. I went into the game realizing it wasn't going to be Planescape Torment or something and enjoyed it for what it was.
SoraanTribal
Member
I agree completely. I liked the first 70% or so or the first Bioshock, but I loved pretty much all of Infinite. Thought the story was more entertaining as well as I actually cared about the characters in that game (unlike the first one). I was honestly more upset/pissed at the DLC for Bioshock Infinite and what they did to the story there. Hated that. I pretend it doesn't exist and the ending of Infinite is just how the entire thing ends.
ScientificPizza
Banned
I'd like to read the original script for this game, if one exists, because it seems all of its original intention was lost during its endless dev cycle
The game itself attempts to present a "super deep story" so it's fair game to critique it. Just because it failed at its goal doesn't mean the developers didn't try.
lasrmountedmoai
Member
I would argue that Comstock is meant to be a reflection of what a person can become given certain choices and paths, a very different approach than the story of Andrew Ryan, or a different perspective. I generally agree that every aspect of Infinite is trying very hard and doesn't hit the way it should.
It tried and didn't pull it off. But I'd much rather a game shoot for it than take the easy route.
visiblemode
Member
Being "above" Bioshock Infinite's story, joins hating TLOU's ending, thinking UC games have terrible gameplay, and hating "2.5D Mario Games" in the list of exhausting gaming opinions that people just seem unbelievably eager to share.
I liked the story, I think it had it's charms. Was it perfect? No. What story is? Why do people feel like this game deserves such a thorough dressing down? I understand not liking it, fair enough, but it's not so remarkable, imo, as to warrant such hyperbole.
I liked the story, I think it had it's charms. Was it perfect? No. What story is? Why do people feel like this game deserves such a thorough dressing down? I understand not liking it, fair enough, but it's not so remarkable, imo, as to warrant such hyperbole.
Really enjoyed Infinite, I do wish the combat also had townsfolk from the early builds that functioned like Splicers, trying to melee you in B1/2 considering there is so much shooting. That being said it isn't perfect, but I really enjoyed it for what it was, and I for one loved the ending.
It didn't feel 100% finished in some sections with some left open plot threads but I don't think it's fair to say it was a horrible game.
It didn't feel 100% finished in some sections with some left open plot threads but I don't think it's fair to say it was a horrible game.
clockworkinyou
Banned
'He doesn't ROW?'
'No. He DOESN'T row.'
When I figured the significance out behind that little sliver of dialogue, the Bioshock universe cemented itself as one of my top 3 of all time.
'No. He DOESN'T row.'
When I figured the significance out behind that little sliver of dialogue, the Bioshock universe cemented itself as one of my top 3 of all time.
Yeah that's complete gold.
LinkMaster111
Member
I always feel like people played a different game than I did whenever threads like this pop up, I adored Infinite when it came out and I still adore it as I'm doing my 1999 mode/no Dollar Bill machine playthrough for Platinum right now. Both the story and the combat.
lasrmountedmoai
Member
I think I might have held it in higher regard if I hadn't played The Last of Us before it. The environmental storytelling in TLOU was so well done and interactive. Infinite felt like a toy world afterward.
randomengine
Banned
Let's remove the entire story for the sake of argument and look simply at the gameplay.
So I started the game was I did Bioshock. I play methodically, exploring every area, nook, and cranny. Early in the game, I found a locked chest that I needed to find the key for. I got really excited that this would be a part of the game. Little did I know that that element of the game only exists in the very early portion of the game.
As I played methodically, the farther I got into the game the more the gunplay became a real grind up until the very end when there is an endless area of enemies if you don't target and kill the boss. What began as a great little environment and exploration game with shooting elements, became Doom without any of the fun. Why? Because the game was rushed. The problem with Irrational Games was that the story came first, it took forever to develop, and so the gameplay was just there to service the story. It's filler and there is no inspiration behind it at all.
So I started the game was I did Bioshock. I play methodically, exploring every area, nook, and cranny. Early in the game, I found a locked chest that I needed to find the key for. I got really excited that this would be a part of the game. Little did I know that that element of the game only exists in the very early portion of the game.
As I played methodically, the farther I got into the game the more the gunplay became a real grind up until the very end when there is an endless area of enemies if you don't target and kill the boss. What began as a great little environment and exploration game with shooting elements, became Doom without any of the fun. Why? Because the game was rushed. The problem with Irrational Games was that the story came first, it took forever to develop, and so the gameplay was just there to service the story. It's filler and there is no inspiration behind it at all.
randomengine
Banned
My problem is that I played VLR before Bioshock Infinite and so the story in Bioshock Infinite seemed very tame and lame in comparison. VLR was epic.
I'm not above the story, I think it's very ambitious and I can applauded for that, but it bungles and drops a lot of the major concepts that it's juggling .
Of course all stories are subjective in terms of what people like or don't like, and all of that. But within the context of the franchise I think It's really highlighted so much for me because they explicitly put it in the same universe as Rapture, which felt like a science-fiction, yet somewhat possible place that had a plot-important reason for existing, and was thematically consistent throughout; and all the characters had motivations that made sense. Columbia and it's characters are largely absurd in comparison, and plot lines just start crashing into each other after you break Elizabeth out of the tower.
Just focusing on the 1984 attack on New York for example, I guess the implication is that Columbia has advanced technology, but everybody is still riding around in steam punk airships; still, the world's 1984 military should be able to take them on no problem. There are some explanation as to what the scene is all about, but it largely comes across as a non sequitur as the whole "stop the evil Elizabeth future" thing just kind of drops in and out of the plot right at the end.
There are a bunch of neat ideas that just don't really go anywhere, much like the sky rails that loop around arenas. It's not the worst thing ever, I even said that it has its crowdpleasing moments, but it just never felt like they brought it together with whatever they were trying to do.
Infinite seems like 2 or 3 games cut into one and it uses tears and quantum physics to cover the plot holes. I would be very curious to see what it started out as an how much it changed over the course of development.
I won't argue with that
This is kind of how I felt. It looks beautiful and has lofty ideas but when I finally got to play through it, nothing really blew me away.
Mechanically it's an extremely linear typical FPS with some sequences where the story is conveyed through roller coaster attractions. Most of its praise comes from touching on ideas AAA action games usually won't touch with a 10-foot pole, and does so in a way that looks and sounds beautiful. It just doesn't do it with a whole lot of nuance. How it handled Fitzory was particularly disappointing. And mechanically the way the world is conveyed is a far cry from how Bioshock Infinite's predecessors would have handled it. Not just the last two Bioshock games, but the System Shock and Ultima Underworld games carry ideas and lessons that could have been an excellent fit for Infinite's subject matter.
Burial At Sea felt slightly better mechanically, particularly the second part. It tried to take a couple steps back towards the Looking Glass games. I just don't like how it linked back towards Rapture. I don't like how side stories and prequels or intrequels tend to needlessly side characters into events from the main work. They made Elizabeth
responsible for most of what happened in Bioshock 1 for no good reason
Jesus. I've watched Sessler's reviews for years, but here it seems like he got completely caught up in the hype over Infinite's production values and the quality of its presentation. That's seems to be the main selling point of a ton of AAA games these days.
Ironically, you could levy these exact same pros and cons on The Witcher 3, which I have defended in previous threads as being my favorite game of the current hardware generation. I'll admit the combat in TW3 is nothing to write home about, but I still got sucked in because 1) it's one of the best-written RPGs in a long time, and 2) its storytelling and how it conveys its world is interactive and immersive in all the ways Bioshock Infinite should have been but isn't.
Princess Carl
Member
Finshed Bio 1 and 2. Couldn't even make it through infinite.
Infinite was shit. Great OP OP.
Infinite was shit. Great OP OP.
ginger ninja
Banned
Infinite is a perfect example of pretentious game development.
Yep. The story was a complete mess and never goes anywhere. The gamepaly wasn't good either. The lady comstock fight was one of the worst designed boss fights I've ever encountered. Worst part about it is having to do it three different times. Seriously, who thought was a good idea? Making the player fight a shitty boss 3 times. Ugh.
Modest Mauser
Member
I mean, I still love the game. Lots of memorable imagery and scenes. It doesn't add up to a cohesive whole, sure, but I admire it for its ambitiousness.
SolicitorPirate
Member
I have never played the Bioshock games, and my sole connection to the franchise was making Andrew Ryan a Mii in Tomodachi Life.
That said, it's been fascinating to see opinion turn so harshly against Infinite
That said, it's been fascinating to see opinion turn so harshly against Infinite
I feel like that sums up way too many games from last generation.
I enjoyed it enough to platinum and you can probably find posts of me claiming the story was amazing when it came out. Then everyone dissected the shit out of it and a lot of "yea now that I think about it that really didn't work or could have been different" came to my head. I would play it again but I don't know if I'll still like the story.
I was enthralled with the game when it released, so much so that I finished it in two straight 6-8 hour sittings. The fact that I found myself reacting so negatively towards it now really caught me offguard.
It's an interesting game, and if you're having fun you won't really dive too deeply into its flaws.
I, however, just saw issue after issue. I couldn't really get over how awkward everything felt.
Shambalakan
Member
I really liked the game, but agree with this:
Can't wait to play it again, specially for those parts!
Can't wait to play it again, specially for those parts!
I don't really need to throw my hat in but...
Laughable story that seems like it was written by an undergrad....
+
Way too ambitious without being realistic about said ambitions....
+
Mounting pressure due to hype and bleeding money
=
Convoluted, mediocre game that looks really pretty and has nothing to say
I found it a slog and a bore after the first couple hours. I finished it but the ending was lolz.
The music is actually quite good.
Bioshock 2 is the best because gameplay> story> graphics.
Laughable story that seems like it was written by an undergrad....
+
Way too ambitious without being realistic about said ambitions....
+
Mounting pressure due to hype and bleeding money
=
Convoluted, mediocre game that looks really pretty and has nothing to say
I found it a slog and a bore after the first couple hours. I finished it but the ending was lolz.
The music is actually quite good.
Bioshock 2 is the best because gameplay> story> graphics.
It had everything to do with it being a spiritual sequel to System Shock 2, and about it relating to bio-engineering/splicing. I think it was even more this way when the early game had, what was it? Mutated bugs as enemies?
orthodoxy1095
Banned
In fairness, video game reviews do have this lingering issue of objectivity (aside from fanboy drivel) in at least some small part due to their technical aspect. People want to be informed about crashes and textures and framedrops and so-on.
But that's not in the scope of a thread about the story and themes, so I digrsss.
Given the amount of people who didn't understand the story in the spoiler thread, I'm more inclined to think that Bioshock Infinite should have dumbed it down even more than people already accuse it of having done.
RustyNails
Member
To me it seemed like the game story was originally set to focus on crazy ideas of rightwing fringe and how Glenn Becks practically worship the founding fathers, but instead went in a way to not offend anyone's political sensibilities.
But I also think a game can be analyzed by its design. Good level design is not really subjective, well-designed and well-implemented mechanics are a thing you can analyze. A game can have a pace. It can have rules that are deep or shallow.
You can analyze film, books, comics, tv, etc on technical merits like that. Why not games?
Mr. Mister
Member
Total sneak under the radar game. If we this was released in current times people would be up in arms about refunds etc. Game promised a ton and clearly didn't meet over hyped expectations.
Sad that defenders still exist.
Sad that defenders still exist.