BioShock Infinite review

Some people won’t have played the previous two Bioshock games set in the underwater city of Rapture. They’ve asked if it’s possible to play Bioshock Infinite even if they haven’t touched previous games and the good news is you can, as it’s a completely different story with different characters doing different things. Well, there are some similarities which I will cover in just a second.

You play from the first-person perspective of a guy called Booker DeWitt who’s taken on the mission of finding a girl called Elizabeth so he can pay off ‘the debt’. The game begins with a surreal exchange between you and an odd couple in a rowing boat who you’ll see countless times again on your journey, and soon you make the ascent to Columbia, a city in the sky that’s an absolute marvel to exist in. Although this twisted version of a 1912 wonderland is highly stylised, it’s one of the most convincing places I’ve ever been to in a game. Usually I don’t stop to smell the metaphorical roses but this time I savoured every moment, listened to every character and found lots of fun things to see and do. In fact, some of the sections of the game where you’re not in combat are actually the most engrossing.

That’s also down to the superb characterisation of Elizabeth. Not only are there plenty of game devices involving the damsel in distress, she’s also a great companion. Sort of like a troubled Disney Princess, she holds your hand through the game and helps to keep some semblance of narrative through fantastic voice acting and facial animation. She certainly makes Infinite a less lonely experience than previous Bioshocks.

So, what about combat? Well you have a variety of guns you can shoot and upgrade and also Vigors at your disposal which are basically Plasmids with all new powers. you can send a murder of crows to attack enemies, fire lightning at them, whip them with water and much more! Elizabeth can also play with other dimensions by ripping open tears in the world to access new realities and also throw you health and ammo when you need it most. She’s also pretty handy when it comes to picking locks!

Bioshock Infinite is a great yarn but be warned, it’s bonkers and doesn’t actually make sense when all is said and done. Think of it like the video game equivalent of the TV series Lost. This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful, engrossing first person shooters I’ve ever played so it gets a sky high 9 out of 10.

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