Bioshock: Infinite - Review

If you haven't played Bioshock: Infinite by the time you're reading my review, would you kindly stop.  Go get the game, pop it in, and explore the world that is Columbia.  You don't need any knowledge of the first two games to enjoy it, and you'll be doing yourself a disservice by spending one more minute reading about the game instead of experiencing it.  It's that good, and is a heavy contender choice of Game of the Year.

Go On, I'll wait

Ok, everybody reading from this point should have finished the game or is curious about what I thought before purchasing it for themselves.  There seems to be two camps divided between how people feel the game is.  In one camp, it was a fantastic experience, and in the other a confusing muddling of what the hell was that.  VG30 sits shakily in the fantastic experience camp, because the ending doesn't answer a lot of questions that come up during the game.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it makes you think about what it was you just played, and communities have come together to discuss what particular pieces mean and why things happened the way that they did.  It can be very confusing, and you don't understand that phrase until you reach the end of the game. 

Major points occur in the story that surprised me.  In an early event, I literally looked at the screen and said "Oh, THAT's what kind of world this is."  They're not unwelcome, and are very indicative to the time period.  Based on some light research I did after completing the game, I found that many groups found issue with different aspects of the world.  I found those aspects to be somewhat shocking, but true to history.  If you want to be angry with things in the game, there's plenty of ammo for you here, but it's allowed because it's art and it tells a story.

One of the less spoiler-y items

The story is well presented, compelling, and hidden throughout the game.  There's a lot more going on than what is presented to you directly, and this is found in recordings scattered throughout the game.  These recordings divulge the secrets of the inhabitants of Columbia, and if you're playing for story should be sought after.  The extra information gleamed through them adds much life to the story.

Gameplay is extremely well crafted.  Many players were worried about having a character they would have to escort through the world, but those fears are completely unfounded.  Elizabeth is a welcome addition, oozes character, and saved my butt more times than I could count.  Elizabeth searches the area for ammo, health, salt (effectively magic), and money and tosses it to you when it's helpful, and she's very good at making sure you get what you need when you need it.

Combat forces you to adopt a select group of powers and skills.  In sharing experiences with friends, I found that one went with a full melee build where they were able to one shot most enemies with the brutal skyhook weapon, and another picked up dropped weapons and swapped them out as he ran out of ammo.  I personally found chain lightning and a shotgun to be the most effective, so I would zap a group, run up and kill one with a shotgun, causing everyone around him to be stunned again, rinse and repeat.  There is some problem in that there's just not enough money in the game to explore more than a couple routes until near the end of the game, and by then you're pretty well vested in your strategy.

If I had something to complain about in the game, it would probably be the ending.  It is a complicated ending if you want to get everything possible from it.  I would have liked to see the developers spell it out a little bit more to leave some of the guesswork out, but then people wouldn't necessarily be talking about it as much as they are.  If you're part of a gaming community, avoid it until you finish the game, because there's sure to be a lot of conversation going on. 

In most games that I play I look for a "moment".  It's the time when you're playing the game, and something awesome is said or happens or an event that ties everything together.  Bioshock had this moment.  Bioshock 2, eh, not so much.  Bioshock: Infinite doesn't have this moment, but rather it is the moment, and the worst parts of the game are the segments that join the moment together across the entire game.  That's the worst thing I've got to say about it.  It's got to be a hell of a year to beat this for Game of the Year.

Kickstarter 20 Wrapup

In February we took a look at 20 projects on Kickstarter, where they were at, and what kind of problems they were having.  It's been a month, let's take a look at where everyone is at now.

The Order of the Stick Reprint Drive - We received a new work-o-meter detailing what he's been doing, a new comic, and Rich fulfilled a promise to go several days straight in the regular comic.

Seven Sisters - Already complete

Viva Java - Already complete

Double Fine Adventure Game - New update videos, looks like they're going to be going through at least September, almost a year from initial projection

Agents of Smersh - Already complete, seeking feedback for an expansion

Wasteland 2 - Lengthy updates with game play videos, still on time.

FTL - Already complete

Random Dungeon Generator - Final promised goal delivered on March 30

Escape from the Temple Curse - Updated printing information, scheduled to begin shipping of expansion in June, almost a year from initial projection

Mobile Frame Zero - Books printed, decals moved to a new printer, creator asking for voluntary pledges to ship books, selling books at conventions to cover costs of shipping increase in January.  If you're a backer and not going to one of the Cons they're at, you're out of luck for the time being.  Currently almost a year from initial projection.

V!C! (see, I used it again) - Shipping updates to July 15th, almost a year for initial projection

Shadowrun Returns - Game play videos (!), more updates, and the ability to up backer levels.  Currently 3 months past due date.

Zombicide - Expansion figures on track to be shipping this month.  On time.

Tammany Hall - Already complete, shipping anger has died down

Goblins Drool, Fairies Rule! - Shipping update to May, 6 months from initial projection

Killer Bunnies Quest Deluxe - ZERO UPDATES, 4 months from initial projection.  Backers have received their deluxe copies, but those of us who just went in for the Omega card have gotten zilch.

Boss Monster - Updated shipping to May, 3 months from initial projection

Dungeon Heroes - Update on meeples, an unboxing, and possible early shipping date.  On time.

Guilds of Cadwallon - Unboxing, updated shipping to April.  One month from initial projection.

Kingdom Death: Monster - Sculpt updates and pledge manager.  On Time.


So what can we learn from all of this?  The easy lesson is that games take a long time to get published because of the countless ways that they can be delayed.  Printers take two week holidays, decal makers can't figure out how to cut your sheets, and containers get caught in customs and this happens ALL.  THE.  TIME.  I think it's amazing that video game publishers are able to keep the schedules that they do while board game manufacturers have so much extra to deal with. 

The harder lesson is that customers are typically very understanding when you are open and honest with them.  The Queen games outrage was diffused with a simple post explaining where everything was at and the time table that they were looking at, information that people had been asking for but being denied.  The Mobile Frame Zero guys are working their butts off right now to scrape together enough funding to get everything shipped and because they were open about the situation they were in, parts of the community have come in and helped.  Communication is key, and a great example of this is the ever so simple game Dungeon Roll.  The creator was EXTREMELY open about how the process worked, and at what levels he could add new additions to the game, broke it down in updates with math, stated exactly what it was he was getting out of the project and where he wanted it to go and people LOVED it.  On the flipside, you see Playroom Entertainment that hasn't answered comments on their threads or provided backers with updates in a month and a half.  I know which company I'm going to back again.

So to all those that are looking to back for the first time or create their own projects, take a lesson from these 20.  Watch how they work, and what works and what doesn't.  And by all means have patience.  Answers will come.