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[ViewtifulJC]

The Handyman fights are zero fun. Negative fun. Just a big fucking bullet sponge on hard

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

The Handyman fights are zero fun. Negative fun. Just a big fucking bullet sponge on hard

The second fight is pretty good, but that's because you have more options to engage him.

For some reason the first fight didn't let me use the freight hooks, and it was impossible to evade him.

 

[Confidence Man]

So from reading impressions it sounds like on a scale from System Shock to Bioshock, Infinite is on the other side of Bioshock?

 

[Double D]

I passed up getting the 'Cheaper Posession' upgrade simply because I didn't have the money. Now that I have been saving up the only things that are available to me are upgrades for other vigors. Will I get the option to buy this upgrade again?

 

[DatDude]

So from reading impressions it sounds like on a scale from System Shock to Bioshock, Infinite is on the other side of Bioshock?

It's, it's own game in a way. So it's hard to really compare one way or the other.

 

[Double D]

The second fight is pretty good, but that's because you have more options to engage him.

For some reason the first fight didn't let me use the freight hooks, and it was impossible to evade him.

The prompts weren't showing up for me because I was basically spamming the jump button because I was kind of freaking out at the time. Once I realized I had to slow it up a bit and look up at the freight hook without jumping for a couple seconds it all worked out.

 

[Messofanego]

Elizabeth is a nice addition to non-combat gameplay. She fiddles with desks, lounges on chairs and points out the odd supply. However, once you've spent an hour or so with her, you've seen pretty much everything, and it's sad that considering how much the plot revolves around how exciting and dangerous her abilities are, she'll never actually do anything to surprise you in-game. In combat, she can be somewhat helpful but it's difficult to really plan strategies around her. She'll throw you health, mana and ammo when you're low, but whether you'll get what you want when you want it is another matter. There are set "tears" she can use to create respawnable allies, cover, skyhooks and supplies, but it's fairly restrictive. You're unlikely to be deviating much from what's expected. Mechanically speaking, she's just the hacking feature from Syndicate.

Can you active reload on her, too?

 

[diamount]

I'm surprised there isn't a decoy tonic of some kind.

 

[Sober]

The second fight is pretty good, but that's because you have more options to engage him.

For some reason the first fight didn't let me use the freight hooks, and it was impossible to evade him.

Is the first one outside in Finkton by the Gunsmith? The second one was okay but I forgot I had to keep putting distance between me and it so I died a lot there (the one after you get Undertow). I actually hated the last one they threw at you, even with the skyhooks, it felt really closed off and I didn't have much room to maneuver (if we were going by the "get him on a rail then shoot him when he's vulnerable). I don't even comprehend how to pull off the heart-only kill on a Handyman when he just moves all over the place.

 

[Messofanego]

The game goes back to using pre-recorded phrases after this event that are incongruous with the new relationship, like, "Booker, catch!" or, upon death, "Booker, breathe! Breathe!"

I think that's weak.

Much like Tomb Raider, another game that could've used the adaptive dialogue of Spec Ops

 

[MuddyDonut]

The rpg-lite elements are fairly pointless. You'll frequently go long sections without ammo for whatever favourite weapons you've been upgrading, so you may as well just roll with it. I doubt one player's "build" and playstyle would differ significantly from another's. That may well have been exacerbated by playing in 1999 mode though.

Elizabeth is a nice addition to non-combat gameplay. She fiddles with desks, lounges on chairs and points out the odd supply. However, once you've spent an hour or so with her, you've seen pretty much everything, and it's sad that considering how much the plot revolves around how exciting and dangerous her abilities are, she'll never actually do anything to surprise you in-game. In combat, she can be somewhat helpful but it's difficult to really plan strategies around her. She'll throw you health, mana and ammo when you're low, but whether you'll get what you want when you want it is another matter. There are set "tears" she can use to create respawnable allies, cover, skyhooks and supplies, but it's fairly restrictive. You're unlikely to be deviating much from what's expected. Mechanically speaking, she's just the hacking feature from Syndicate.

Basically semi-linear - essentially the "corridor/hub" system from Bioshock albeit with more setpiece events. You'll be spending a fair bit of time exploring siderooms for secrets and supplies.

1999 mode is garbage - there's really no justification for calling it by that name except for marketing purposes. It's simply an XTREME difficulty level, not something that can really change the way you play for the better (aka New Vegas Hardcore mode). The only point I'd put in its favour is that it certainly forces you to scavenge and take your time exploring everything. But I would've done that anyway, so all I got in the end was less incentive to try risky but interesting tactics during normal gameplay, and a significantly more frustrating experience during later miniboss fights, with the final battle being hair-pullingly awful and actually souring my memory of the whole experience. I would advise against anyone playing this mode for the "1999" part.

1999 mode impressions make me sad. I'll try it out, but I'll probably just play on hard first.

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

Is the first one outside in Finkton by the Gunsmith? The second one was okay but I forgot I had to keep putting distance between me and it so I died a lot there (the one after you get Undertow). I actually hated the last one they threw at you, even with the skyhooks, it felt really closed off and I didn't have much room to maneuver (if we were going by the "get him on a rail then shoot him when he's vulnerable). I don't even comprehend how to pull off the heart-only kill on a Handyman when he just moves all over the place.

I stopped last night after the second fight so I can't comment on the third one.

 

[Raxus]

I really wish gear wasn't so random. I see people run into random gear that I really want and I wind up with shitty melee gear.

 

[Haemolacria]

(Slightly bossfight-spoilery alongside with musical wankery)
I just fought with

Spoiler

Slade. The fight was so-and-so but as people have pointed out in this thread, the use of music and classical music especially is simply fantastic in this game. I literally got goosebumps, when I was rummaging my way through through the story of The First Lady and it was accompanied by selections from Mozart's Requiem. When Confutatis started blaring out my speakers, it sent several chills down my spine. I'm sorry for ever doubting you, based Ken.

 

[sikkinixx]

Curiosity got the better of me and I checked out far I am into the game: just over 2/3s

I think I need to stop playing for a day because it's just dragging on so much. The beauty and interest of the world from the opening hour or two has disappeared completely

Spoiler

I am just about to enter the Factory proper after blowing up the blimp

and I kind of want to do something important? I'm running from point A to point B then back to point A for what feels like zero reason which is probably the thing that grates me the most. Like the trip to Rapture it starts off with laser focus, get it, do the job and get out. Okay! Cool! Then... well... mystery character X needs y so run around for an hour to get y, oops! Then turns out character x didn't need it/is dead/whatever, in comes mystery character z to repeat. The game is dishing out the stuff I want to know

Spoiler

(ie. tell me more about the rifts, why did I hear CCR for a second? Why did I see Paris 5 hours ago and nothing more since? Who the fuck are they weird twins? Where the hell is Cromstock in all this?)

but the game pads it out with a few hours of apathetic firefights between each nugget of something cool.

 

[Remachinate]

1999 mode impressions make me sad. I'll try it out, but I'll probably just play on hard first.

Keep in mind, these impressions are mostly from people who did their first playthrough on 1999 mode such that they don't really know what they're doing. That mode is for people who have mastered the game's systems, not those who are just trying to learn them. For example:

It's pretty interesting the stuff in the game you might otherwise never know about if you play in 1999, like skull icons triggering a finisher. A lot of that stuff is outright disabled.

 

[Zeliard]

Keep in mind, these impressions are mostly from people who did their first playthrough on 1999 mode such that they don't really know what they're doing. That mode is for people who have mastered the game's systems, not those who are just trying to learn them. For example:

Just to clarify, I absolutely love that about 1999 mode and still go for Skyhook finishers by gauging enemy health bar percentages. I don't need nor want a skull icon telling me when that's okay.

 

[Tummi Gummi]

Can you active reload on her, too?

Ha, no. Let's say Syndicate is a game where you use hacking/special abilities on the enemy or environment. Lizzie is used on the environment, and "happens" to you.

1999 mode impressions make me sad. I'll try it out, but I'll probably just play on hard first.

Well, it all depends on what you play games on high difficulties for. If 1999 mode was merely "insane/master" difficulty or whatever, I would have no quarrel. But calling it "1999 mode" and marketing it as "old-school" is deeply misleading, and had a negative effect on my enjoyment of the game.

 

[MuddyDonut]

Well, it all depends on what you play games on high difficulties for. If 1999 mode was merely "insane/master" difficulty or whatever, I would have no quarrel. But calling it "1999 mode" and marketing it as "old-school" is deeply misleading, and had a negative effect on my enjoyment of the game.

I don't want an insane/veteran/master mode. I wanted what Ken described when first talking about it. Disappointing and I hope I can turn off those hud icons on hard anyway.

 

[jim2point0]

A friend of mine just gave me this review (contains NO spoilers) after completing it:

My thoughts on the game? Very fun visually all the way through. I won't talk about the story but I'll say that the fights ramp up considerably toward the end and some of them become these insane skyline kamikaze drive-bys. It's fairly exhilarating when there's a proper challenge. On the other hand, it's the same old formula of blatant AI spawning into these very deliberately constructed arenas. I played on medium difficulty first time around and that was probably a mistake since the game seemed way too easy. Not that I derive pleasure from difficulty, but I never really felt I had to think all to creatively to get past a tough spot. I just spammed RPGs and area-damage vigors and usually the fight was over in a minute or three.

I will say that there is A LOT to explore even later in the game that's off the beaten path (or the nav-marker, if you will). Definitely spend some time exploring since there are a few interesting moments/scenes tucked away in secret places. There's even a great musical joke in the game that a few internet journalists mentioned.

Anyway, I really like the game. But the fact that it's so damn good compared to most others makes me overly critical of it in a way, especially with respect to its more subjective characteristics. Certainly you'll get a "wat?" or two out of it by the end haha

Now I'm paranoid about exploring every possible nook

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

I'm kinda disappointed that his Booker's vigor hand isn't visible at all times.

 

[Tummi Gummi]

I don't want an insane/veteran/master mode. I wanted what Ken described when first talking about it. Disappointing and I hope I can turn off those hud icons on hard anyway.

Then I would say do not play it on 1999 mode. The stuff about "permanent choices" and such is unambiguous nonsense. And having played SS2 a few months back, I certainly wouldn't compare it to that either.

 

[Messofanego]

Ha, no. Let's say Syndicate is a game where you use hacking/special abilities on the enemy or environment. Lizzie is used on the environment, and "happens" to you.

ALWAYS BE BREACHING TEARING

 

[Superimposer]

1999 Mode sounds like a big letdown. It's just a harder hard mode. You don't see other games releasing a press statement that they're including a Hard mode in their game.

 

[EviLore]

It's pretty interesting the stuff in the game you might otherwise never know about if you play in 1999, like skull icons triggering a finisher. A lot of that stuff is outright disabled.

Yeah, I figured you just didn't get to do them on 1999 mode since I kept seeing gear referencing melee finishers but had never seen an option to.

 

[Dylan]

I'm kinda disappointed that his Booker's vigor hand isn't visible at all times.

What's up with the random vigor hand coming into frame? At first I thought it happened when you have possess and are near something possesseable, but I guess it's just a random occurrence.

 

[bidguy]

1999 Mode sounds like a big letdown. It's just a harder hard mode. You don't see other games releasing a press statement that they're including a Hard mode in their game.

Yeah they kept talking about irreversible decisions but I don't see a difference between 1999 and hard mode.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I regret starting this game off on hard. I am dying... a lot, and it's costing me a lot of money.

I started on hard and died a bunch, I dropped it to easy so I can really take in the world and the story and I will go back the second time on 1999 mode.

 

[Hop]

What's up with the random vigor hand coming into frame? At first I thought it happened when you have possess and are near something possesseable, but I guess it's just a random occurrence.

Idle animation, I suppose.

 

[Zeliard]

Yeah, I figured you just didn't get to do them on 1999 mode since I kept seeing gear referencing melee finishers but had never seen an option to.

You also have to hold on the melee button to trigger the finisher so that may be why you never noticed it.

I've found the Skyhook to be surprisingly useful on 1999. I figured it would be far too dangerous to use melee, and for the most part it basically is, but there are points where it has really come in handy. I think you get some invincibility frames during the finishers as well.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

I don't want an insane/veteran/master mode. I wanted what Ken described when first talking about it. Disappointing and I hope I can turn off those hud icons on hard anyway.

As far as I am aware, you can turn off most of the HUD indications, which is why I'm leaning heavily towards Hard mode with stuff turned off.

Just to clarify, I absolutely love that about 1999 mode and still go for Skyhook finishers by gauging enemy health bar percentages. I don't need nor want a skull icon telling me when that's okay.

Your impressions are literally the only thing making me want to start on 1999 tonight

 

[Ghost23]

I'm at

Spoiler

The factory after Elizabeth finds out that Booker was going to take her to New York.

How far am I? Hopefully less than half way.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Ha I love how at

Spoiler

Battleship Bay the band is playing Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Elizabeth is excellent. She feels like a Disney Princess

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

Damn, the season pass gear you get is crazy powerful.

Just stunlocked a

Spoiler

Fireman

with melee.

 

[Vire]

As much as it pains me to say this, I don't think ANYTHING is going to top this game for my personal game of the year.

Not even The Last Of Us.

It isn't perfect, but it's pretty god damn special. Definitely a tentpole game for the industry.

 

[DatDude]

As much as it pains me to say this, I don't think ANYTHING is going to top this game for my personal game of the year.

Not even The Last Of Us.

It isn't perfect, but it's pretty god damn special. Definitely a tentpole game for the industry.

What's going on with The Last of Us anyway?

I used to be really hyped for it, but the latest pax footage just put me off so much by it :/

Really hope Naughty Dog can work there magic, but after UC3, I don't know any more.

 

[Wario64]

Does the physical version of the PC version incude a Steam code?

 

[Tunic]

Bought this today for PS3. Will start playing today after work. The hype got me, can't wait to start though.

 

[LunaticLMD]

I just beat the game on hard and... I have some very minor gripes with one or two things in the game, but yeah... I'm satisfied. I loved the original Bioshock and when I first saw this I was very excited and it didn't disappoint. This year has been very good to me.

 

[DatDude]

Damn, the season pass gear you get is crazy powerful.

Just stunlocked a

Spoiler

Fireman

with melee.

what other stuff do you get from the season pass? gear wise.

 

[Derrick01]

As much as it pains me to say this, I don't think ANYTHING is going to top this game for my personal game of the year.

Not even The Last Of Us.

It isn't perfect, but it's pretty god damn special. Definitely a tentpole game for the industry.

I'm not seeing what's so special about it at all. I'm actually kind of enjoying it as I slowly progress through it but as usual when people prop up a game as industry defining or some shit I end up lost and confused.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

I'm not seeing what's so special about it at all. I'm actually kind of enjoying it as I slowly progress through it but as usual when people prop up a game as industry defining or some shit I end up lost and confused.

I think what's important about this game is the story. At least that's how I feel about it.

 

[f0rk]

I'm not seeing what's so special about it at all. I'm actually kind of enjoying it as I slowly progress through it but as usual when people prop up a game as industry defining or some shit I end up lost and confused.

The story and setting is very good. I don't think anything else is particularly revolutionary, just solid.

 

[vladdamad]

OK so I just got to the bit where

Spoiler

you open the three tears, and the whole ghost lady comstock thing

. It's starting to drag just a teensy bit, partially because

Spoiler

of the large waves of enemies all the time, and the fact that the city has gone to ruin. part of what made this game special for me was that it showed the dystopian city while it was still functioning - now it's starting to feel a little bit like regular bioshock, which is by no means a bad thing, but not god-tier like it was before the rebellion started.

. It's still a phenomenal game and I'm enjoying it loads. I take it I'm close to the end, right?

Also, I honestly have zero idea of where the story is going. Just what. Really hope all the story threads come together, otherwise i'm gonna be seriously pissed.

 

[Zeliard]

Your impressions are literally the only thing making me want to start on 1999 tonight

If you have a good idea of what awaits then I'd say go for it. The game is ultimately a shooter, and most of the stuff in 1999 mode is geared towards making it harder as a shooter.

But that doesn't just mean demanding better aim, but also movement and tactical ability. Vigors can be combined with each other in very effective ways, guns are accurate even from the hip, Railways confer a high degree of movement, and between plasmid traps and Elizabeth you have various ways to lure and trick enemies.

Movement and vigors are the key to 1999 mode. If you see a combat arena with Skyrails, use them liberally and frequently. Upgrade your salt so that you can use more vigors, with will much better allow you to control a given combat situation and keep from being overwhelmed. Individual vigors can also be upgraded to allow for a lower salt cost and some useful properties.

The balance isn't perfect, obviously, but I've honestly been having a lot of fun with the mode. In 1999 mode the game's combat feels somewhat like Hotline: Miami in its sheer kinetic energy. I just go into a state of violence and precision in these games.

 

[Vire]

I'm not seeing what's so special about it at all. I'm actually kind of enjoying it as I slowly progress through it but as usual when people prop up a game as industry defining or some shit I end up lost and confused.

Beat the game and see the ending and get back to me.

Also, let me know when you see a game that tackles issues like racism and religion as deeply as this game.

Don't worry, I'll be here waiting.

 

[Muffdraul]

I'm not seeing what's so special about it at all. I'm actually kind of enjoying it as I slowly progress through it but as usual when people prop up a game as industry defining or some shit I end up lost and confused.

Isn't it about time you just accepted and embraced your role as a bitter and jaded curmudgeon? C'mon, man. It's the reason we

Spoiler

love

you so much.

 

[GoddyofAus]

Spoiler

Just finished the part in the Memorial Gardens Graveyard where Comstock "Resurrected" his wife. Fucking scary stuff man. Her screams....

The sound design in this game is as good as the visuals. Fuck, if this thing doesn't win GOTY, the title is meaningless.

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

what other stuff do you get from the season pass? gear wise.

Spoiler

Electric Punch: 70% Chance that a melee target is stunned for 4 seconds.

Ammo advantage: Increases clip size for all weapons by 75%

Eagle Strike: Increase weapon damage by 50% on skylines.

Ghost Solider: Killing with a vigor trap has a 70% chance to cause the enemy gun to become a ghostly ally for a few seconds.

 

[Derrick01]

Beat the game and see the ending and get back to me.

Also, let me know when you see a game that tackles issues like racism and religion as deeply as this game.

Don't worry, I'll be here waiting.

Oh...story stuff. I was secretly hoping you were talking about some drastic gameplay shift that really spiced things up a bit. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.