The first Bioshock released in August 2007 to widespread critical acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the best videogames of this generation, if not all time. The sequel released in February 2010 and though it featured numerous gameplay improvements over its predecessor, the overall response to the game was less than favorable when compared to the original. Bioshock: Infinite has been in development for quite a while so for those of you unfamiliar with the IP or for those of you who may have had this game drop off your radar due to the numerous delays, here are five quick reminders why you should be excited for this title.
The team behind the game
Many of you may not realize that the original Bioshock was the brainchild of Ken Levine and Irrational Games whereas the sequel had no involvement from Ken or most of the original team and it was developed by 4 different studios cooperatively. Ken and his team at Irrational have a near perfect track record including System Shock 2, Freedom Force and Bioshock. Not one of their games have been released to negative reviews and Infinite should continue that trend.
The delays
This game has seen a number of delays during its development cycle which not only fosters impatience in gamers waiting for the title, it also leads to a cause for concern in regards to developmental difficulties and the quality of the game. A studio with a track record such as theirs would not have delayed this game unless they were focused on releasing the highest quality product they can. The great Shigeru Miyamoto (of Mario Bros. fame) once said that "a late game is only late until it ships. A bad game is bad until the end of time." As tough as it is to endure delays, when the final product ships with an incredible level of polish, gamers everywhere reap the rewards.
The setting
Both the original game and sequel took place in the fantastic setting of Rapture; an underwater utopia beautifully designed and realized that ended up becoming a character in and of itself. Bioshock: Infinite finds Irrational Games looking to the sky for inspiration and the equally impressive floating city of Columbia. With floating zeppelins and an interesting sky-hook traversal system, this city begs to be explored and experienced just as Rapture did.
The story
The story revolves around the player's character Booker DeWitt, who is tasked with finding and extracting a young woman named Elizabeth who has been held captive in the city for the last 12 years. Columbia is in the midst of the beginnings of a civil war between the two warring factions consisting of the Founders who seek to keep the city white and pure, and the Vox Populi who are a rebel group fighting for the common man with a Marxist twist. Irrational Games are known for their storytelling and Infinite should be no exception.
The enemies
The first two games had a number of enemies including your run of the mill Splicers along with Little Sisters and the iconic Big Daddies. Infinite stands to introduce the Songbird, the Handyman, the Crow and more, along with your standard gun toting humans. The increased enemy variety should keep gamers on their toes looking for the most efficient ways to take down these baddies using a combination of guns and vigor which looks to be the plasmid equivalent in this game.
These are just a few of the interesting aspects of this game that when combined together should lead to an original and compelling experience. For those of you who are interested in spending some time in Columbia, the game is set to release on March 26, 2013 (presumably) and you still have time to preorder the game at your local game store or favorite online retailer to ensure you get your copy on release day.
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