We all knew Bioshock: Infinite was going to be something special. The question was whether it would be a flawed-but-unquestionably-incredible title like the original, or a flawed-but-slightly-lackluster effort like Bioshock 2. Well, Irrational Games’ much anticipated Bioshock: Infinite is here, and the verdict is in.
And it is everything we could have ever hoped for.
Visuals: 9/10.
The design and art-style are out-of-this-world, but anyone paying any attention at all to the work that Irrational has done could have told you that. The sheer level of detail in Columbia – along with the incredibly detailed period-work – is simply magical.
The technical aspects are very, very good. It’s not the single best looking game you’ll deal with, and the later more technically demanding environments make it clear that there was more of an attention to dealing with vast scope than hyper-realized smaller environments. Still, it is damned fine work.
Audio: 10/10
The voice-over work – in particular, that of the lead duo – is miles above the competition. No doubt, Irrational’s choice to record the work with both actors present and working off of each other is to thank for that. Incredible, haunting work, from top to bottom.
The beautifully haunting soundtrack drips with authenticity, full of needle scratches and, at-the-very-least, what feels like original tracks, which do as much to build the atmosphere as any other single element of the title. The various uses of “Let the Circle Be Unbroken,” are a particular high point. The audio is step up over its predecessors, with very well handled surround tech.
Gameplay: 9/10
Infinite controls every bit as well as its predecessors, but gun-play is significantly more advanced. The interface is familiar to anyone who’s played any of Irrational’s previous titles. There is a particular brilliance in their ability to transfer mechanics between the Bioshock titles but perfectly ground these mechanics in the radically different setting; the voxophones and tonics are blatant cognates, but are perfectly rational in Columbia.
The actual core game-play is simply a joy. It controls well, and the wealth of options available to you, particularly the tactical freedom in combat is exhilarating.
Tech: 9/10
Visually, this is a stunning work, and Irrational has eked out some incredible results from what should be, at this point, a very aged Unreal III engine. There are some questionable animations, some noticeably repeated facial textures, and the detail work could certainly be just a touch sharper, but all in all this is a beautiful game.
The technology behind the AI is revolutionary, and while that sort of phrasing is often vacuous, in this case you will feel the difference. Elizabeth is easily the least useless AI companion in gaming.
Intangibles: 10/10
The moment where you first open the doors to Columbia is magic and that moment will stay with you long after. This is not a game you will forget.
The mystique of Rapture was unquestionably one of the factors that made the original Bioshock such a resounding success, and one of the major questions for the third iteration in the franchise was whether Irrational could successfully create a similar sense of identity with Columbia, and did they ever. There is a brilliant acknowledgement and representation of the confidence of the ‘Gilded Age,’ and it is direct, and brutal, and unsettling.
There is a timeliness in the themes presented in this work, dealing very much with the 99% vs the 1%, with the very real questioning of authority that runs rife in our generation, a brilliant approach to the moral grey and disillusionment that will, or should, speak very directly to its core audience.
The relationship between Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth, and the Songbird is simply one of the most compelling in the history of the form.
The addition of 1999 mode, a heightened, or perhaps altered difficulty is a nice touch, and the ability to unlock it via the ‘Konami’ code is an inspired wink.
Overall
There is no question that this game is important and that it is a labor of love. However, I did not expect the surpassing masterpiece that Irrational Games has given us in Bioshock: Infinite. This game is so close to perfect that the minute distance simply does not matter. Bravo.
There are people that will love this game for the narrative and dramatic elements, and for some that will be enough. For the rest of the audience, Bioshock: Infinite excels as a brilliant action title, and there is simply nothing else to say. It is excellence given form.
Total Score: 9.8/10.