A city in the sky sounds like heaven. Unfortunately, the city of Colombia is anything but one. The city filled with racist viewpoints, religious cult followings, and a secluded reality from the rest of the world is brought to life in Bioshock Infinite.
You play as Booker Dewitt, who is tasked in finding a girl by the name of Elizabeth and bring her back to a group of people to wash away his debts. In true Bioshock fashion you play a fast paced first person shooter with special vigor powers, the equivalent to Rapture’s plasmids. Navigating the clouded city is a joy to play. You walk and take trolleys but the most fun is gliding through its skylines with your skyhook. It feels like you are riding on a rollercoaster, and that is how Infinite ends up being; a rollercoaster of a ride in terms of storytelling and action.
Presentation: Never before has anyone envisioned such a project as what Colombia is; a floating city full of districts, shops, buildings and people going about their business in a secluded Utopia. These flocks of people are led by a man named Comstock, and is your main adversary who wants to keep Elizabeth locked up.
What makes the journey more difficult is the fact that there is a guardian, called the Song Bird, who keeps chasing you in order to retrieve Elizabeth. This adds some dread to your adventure because of the fact that you are being watched. Handymen replace Big Daddys as the bulkier enemies and are a little smart since they block off the core area that you must hit to defeat them. Deranged citizens and police attempt to get in your way as out try to lead Elizabeth away from Colombia.
The game moves along at a good pace giving you a chance to visit what Colombia has to offer. Since this takes place in 1912, the weapons reflect the time even though vigors add depth to the fighting. You also have special kits that can be worn to modify certain stats and abilities for the player.
The story and evolution of Dewitt and Elizabeth takes center stage even with all the madness around them. Their plight of understanding the secrets and origins of Colombia and why they are there is central to the plot and both characters become memorable due to this.
Graphics: The imagination of Colombia created one of the most beautiful ideas for a city that has ever been created. Elizabeth and the main NPCs have really good expressions when they act. The engine does show a little age with regards to other random characters since the game had been in development for years now. It is still a visual treat to see though.
Sound: The music, sound effects, and voice acting are tops for the year up to this point. Dewitt and Elizabeth are so in tune with each other it just truly completes the game. There is a scene in the game that will truly give you goose bumps that involves a guitar and solo act. Not all the music is serene in tranquility but the quality even if chilling is top notch. The chorus at the beginning of the game that leads you to entering Colombia is haunting but soothing at the same time. Gun shots, explosions and all other sound effects give Colombia it’s just dues.
Controls: A little different than most modern shooters, Infinite sticks true to its press the diagonal button to focus your shot. The shoulder buttons are used to use vigors and shoot. The camera never really gets in the way of the player, which is always a plus.
The evolution of the Bioshock series has hit a high point. The story, its twist, and especially the ending will have people talking about it for a very long time. There is a reason that the team picked the word infinite for this game. It is justifiable due to everything that happens to our heroes. The action is great and the sound is some of the best you will ever listen to. The use of power up kits and the continuation of “magical” powers make this Bioshock very unique. Traveling through the skylines and the hectic end battle drives us to a thrilling conclusion. The interactions between you and the NPCs are never overdone and the evolution of Dewitt and Elizabeth’s teamwork and relationship is at the height of gaming for sure. I wished there was a city in the sky to go on an adventure. Bioshock Infinite is one of the greatest PS3 games to come out.
Score: 9.8
2013 Game Awards
3rd Place Overall Game of the Year (PS3/PS4)
3rd Place Best PS3 Game
Best Shooter (PS3)
2nd Place Best Music/Sound (PS3)
2nd Place Best Story (PS3)