BioShock Infinite E3 preview – endless thrills
There’s no return to Rapture in the new BioShock, as the original series creators take to the skies in what will be one of 2012’s biggest and most innovative first person shooters.
Bioshock Infinite Debut Trailer [HD]
The usual complaint about sequels is that they’re always just more of the same, sometimes with only the number after the name differentiating one from another. That’s not a problem suffered by the new BioShock, though, which has almost nothing to do with the last two games except the first person combat and an unusually profound plot. And the fact that it looks amazing.
Storytelling in video games is slowly improving, but it’s still very rare for them to have any kind of serious theme. That’s why BioShock’s deconstruction of objectivism came as such a revelation, not just because of the subject itself but because it never rammed the subject down your throat. If you just wanted to play the game as a straight first person shooter you could do, and that’s still the case with Infinite.
Set in 1912 the game explores an alternative history that has seen the concept of American exceptionalism (the idea that the U.S. and its people are uniquely different from all other nations) turn into a kind of aggressive xenophobia.
BioShock Infinite: likely to be the best game that deconstructs notions of American exceptionalism released next year
The whole game is set on a flying island in the sky called Columbia, which was originally created with the blessing of the U.S. government but later disowned when it began firing on civilians during the Boxer Rebellion in China. As the game begins a power struggle is in full flow on the island, between the ruling class of the Founders and a loose grouping of ultranationalists named Vox Populi.
Essentially it’s like visiting Rapture during its fall, rather than after, which immediately lends this new dystopia an entirely different kind of atmosphere. Literally, given how beautiful the game is, with the clear blue Sega skies an ironic counterpart to the ugly violence that occurs below. The use of colour, the level of detail, and the expressive lighting are not just technically impressive but ensure the game looks unlike any other – including the other BioShock games.
As complex as the plot background might seem the dramatic thrust of the story is very simple: you’re a disgraced Pinkerton agent called Booker who is tasked with rescuing Elizabeth – a mysterious young woman who has been held captive in Columbia for years. Both factions are fighting over her, but her most dangerous pursuer is Songbird: a giant mechanical avian that is in some ways the game’s equivalent of the Big Daddies from BioShock 1 and 2.
The E3 demo begins innocently enough as Elizabeth and Booker enter an abandoned store to loot it of any useful provisions – including Infinite’s equivalent of plasmid powers in the various nostrums and tonics. Unlike the usually mute heroes of other first person shooters Booker is extremely talkative, his comments to Elizabeth acting as a subtle hint as to your current status and objectives.
BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth: big eyes, nice hair, can rip holes in time and space
The pair are immediately likeable (Elizabeth’s ridiculously sized eyes and ample cleavage are entirely unnecessary attempts to endear her to players) but their gentle banter is eventually interrupted by the appearance of Songbird, whose baleful yellow eyes sweep the store front like a searchlight. The two manage to hide though and eventually he disappears.
Elizabeth then makes it clear that Booker should kill her, rather than ever let Songbird recapture her. The decision is then made to try and reach Comstock, the leader of the Founders, which clearly isn’t going to be easy given that the whole island city is in a state of near riot.
The area immediately outside the store is quiet though, until Elizabeth finds a dying horse – injured in some previous explosion. An onscreen prompt appears giving Booker the option to euthanise the animal, but before he can Elizabeth uses her powers to try and save it.
BioShock Inifinite's floating city of Columbia
At this point developer Irrational are still being very vague about the extent and nature of Elizabeth’s powers but they seem to revolve around the ability to tap into and control rips in time and space. These are indicated by flickering yellow objects in the game world, one of which is centred on the horse. This allows her to briefly revive it and turn the muddy battleground back into a beautiful flower-filled park.
Then something goes wrong and Elizabeth’s lack of control suddenly finds the whole scene catapulted into what appears to be 1983 America. Except that the nearby cinema is showing something called Revenge of the Jedi, indicating that this is still an alternative timeline and not our own universe.
Booker, not to mention the audience of watching journos, is shocked by the whole incident but at this point the game shifts a gear and proves that it’s not some intellectual pontificator but an inspired and dynamic action game as well.
Wandering through the gradually thickening crowds of people Booker gives into the temptation to intervene, as the mob attempts to execute a man in public. Not only is there no obvious hope of reward for this intervention but the crowd then immediately opens fire.
Combat works similarly to BioShock, with Booker having picked up the Murder of Crows tonic just before the fight – which allows him to control an instant plague of the birds. Despite the year the guns are all relatively advanced and there are equivalents of pistols, shotguns, rocket launchers and all the usual shooter equipment.
BioShock Infinite: a very literal murder of crows
Where things diverge from the norm is the ability for Elizabeth (who cannot be killed in combat)) to use her powers to your tactical advantage. This revolves around materialising objects, from a kiosk to use as a cover, to a machinegun turret and a door to another part of the city. Elizabeth can only maintain one object during a fight though, so you have to choose carefully.
The other main aid in combat is a grappling hook that allows you to use the monorail tracks that spiral around the island. As impractical and dangerous as it seems it’s not only extremely useful for getting out of trouble quickly but jumping between rails and freefalling to one below looks absolutely amazing. The speed at which all this happens is dizzying, literally like a rollercoaster, and again quite unlike any other game.
BioShock Infinite: freefall
After dealing with an attacking blimp Booker seems to emerge victorious, until Songbird reappears, clearly intent on killing him and recapturing Elizabeth. But instead she surrenders herself to the creature in exchange for Booker’s life and the whole lengthy demo ends.
Our excitement over the game has only just begun though, and with something for everyone in terms of story, action and innovative spectacle, it was probably our favourite game of E3.
Formats: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Irrational Games
Release Date: Summer 2012
copied from GC
