Bioshock Infinite

[dbdynsty25]

I caved because of this thread. Mind = blown at this game.

I am having a weird issue that is making it hard to play. The mouse seems ultra sensitive on default. A simple move send my view hurling and turning it down one notch which is all that is left makes it very slow. The whole experience is a bit disorienting for me and made me feel a bit sick.

I plan to update my mouse drivers tonight. I have a Rat 7 mouse with programmable dpi so hopefully I can find a happy medium for the game.

It really is weird, but easy to correct. The drivers aren't the issue, it's just an odd calibration thing in game. I changed the sensitivity in the game to one click from the left (the lowest) and then set my G400 mouse to the middle DPI...you just have to find something that's comfortable. Takes a bit more tweaking than most other games. Oh, and turn mouse acceleration OFF. That's the devil for accuracy.

[Danimal]

Thanks for confirming DB i am not going crazy. Well actually I might be but at least I know I can tweak it somehow. If I couldn't play a game that has a barbershop quartet floating around on a zeplin singing I would be very sad.

[Danimal]

I live streamed so video of this today. It's one setting down from the top on the PC if anyone is interested. No comments on how much I suck.

http://www.twitch.tv/maximumpixelation/b/384496376

[LAking]

Finished this a couple days ago. Pretty powerful ending sequence. I've been reading some analysis and I've already started a new game just to see if I notice more of the little details.

If you've finished the game I would recommend checking out these links:
http://peripsuche.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0 ... lysis.html
http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/04/b ... %7CLife%29[/url]

You may not agree with everyone's point of view but it's nice that a game can elicit this type of discussion.

[Macca00]

That ending........

holy



s h i t.



I am still picking up fragments of my brain after it exploded all over the living room.

Along with LAking's links, he's one explaining the ending succinctly - DO NOT CLICK IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME! - http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/28/under ... planation/

EDIT:

Should have known you could find the definitive crazy person resource for breakdown of Infinite's story at NeoGaf;

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=533205

[Danimal]

Yeah that ending, I mean, I don't really have any words.

Geesh

Well f*** if I had known I would of sat through the credits, that's kind of important.

[Pete1210]

I absolutely loved the first Bioshock. The second one I got bored 1/2 way through and didn't finish.

I think I'm over 1/2 way through this one (at the Zeppelin fight). If it wasn't for the story I would have quit since I am bored with the game play. The setting was impressive initially, but then it dosen't matter aside from sometimes using the rails. And there's too much back tracking. This may end up getting my vote for most overrated game of the year.

[LAking]

I absolutely loved the first Bioshock. The second one I got bored 1/2 way through and didn't finish.

I think I'm over 1/2 way through this one (at the Zeppelin fight). If it wasn't for the story I would have quit since I am bored with the game play. The setting was impressive initially, but then it dosen't matter aside from sometimes using the rails. And there's too much back tracking. This may end up getting my vote for most overrated game of the year.

Just finish it. It's not about the gameplay as much as it's about the intelligent story and themes. Kind of like The Walking Dead. The gameplay wasn't particularly good but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who wasn't completely taken in by the characters and story.

EDIT: The Zeppelin fight? You might be near the end.

[Naples39]

I think I almost done with this one, though the game is longer than I expected when some reviews said 9-12 hours.

There's nothing new with guns in one hand and plasmids...er...vigors in the other, but one big difference with gameplay is the fighting spaces. You have the skylines and large multi-tiered fighting arenas, which sets it apart from Bioshock 1. I think it's pretty impressive.

Of course the big thing with this is also the careful story and lovingly created world. The creativity in care in those details reminds us how frankly stupid most game characters and plots are.

[Naples39]

I did finish this the other night. For anyone who disliked the brief and relatively insignificant ending to Bioshock 1, this is the complete opposite. Multiple, interactive scenes, and generally a mindf*ck.

When it concluded, I kind of stared at my screen and thought "what?" It was only after reading stuff on the internet the next morning that I was 100% on everything and all its implications. I'm debating about playing this through again knowing the ending, even with my backlog of games on my to-do list.

The ending themes remind me a lot of Looper, and especially Fringe. At the least the reasons for the title "Infinite" become clear!

[Danimal]

I'm the complete opposite of you. I would never play this game again.

I wrote up my impression and why here (spoiler free) http://maximumpixelation.com/2013/04/08 ... to-return/

Loved the setting, Liked the story and hated the game play.

[Naples39]

In fact one of the biggest issues with this game is that its not an RPG or Adventure game.

I mean the game is what it is--a story driven shooter.

This is just my own taste, but I think open-world randomized encounter games are being overdone, and there's nothing wrong with actually sticking to a specific set of events if well done. This game is very carefully made, and I feel like playing it again will provide a deeper and more satisfying understanding of all the little things crammed into there. Open-world games' stories are necessarily thinner and leave a lot up to the imagination, and while each play-through will be different, different on the 2nd time isn't necessarily better on the 2nd time. The only way to have this level of depth and connected themes is to make them more like a "wax museum", and that's fine. It's just a different approach, but it's done excellently here. For me, playing this again is like watching a movie such as Memento a second time around---you know what's gonna happen and what people will say, but you see more meaning behind each thing.

Second, the big open battles in this game can actually be played pretty differently. There were vigors and guns I barely used and there's plenty of room for me to mix it up.

[Pete1210]

I'm the complete opposite of you. I would never play this game again.

I wrote up my impression and why here (spoiler free) http://maximumpixelation.com/2013/04/08 ... to-return/

Loved the setting, Liked the story and hated the game play.

Great write up which sums up my feeling about the game as well, except I was a little less impressed with the setting. I felt more aware and awed of the setting in Bioshock.

As far as replaying sp video games, I just don't. With limited time, I'd rather move on to something new. In the rare instance where a game has a compelling story, I might hit the online forums for more information and viewpoints.

[Danimal]

Who said anything about open world? there is a difference between open world and just having some kind of substance. Bioshock went for artistic style over substance and that's fine but its all a bit hollow. I'd agree watching a good movie a second time is great to pick up things you might of missed. There is not enough content in this game in terms of story, conversations and encounters to miss anything IMO. In fact it is kept purposely light just so they whole story ties together and they can deliver the big shocker at the end. If they tried to put more meat to the story it would unravel with giant plot holes.

I love in the game how a message pops up saying you don't always need to fight when that is so far from the truth. The game is just a walk from one shooting sequence to the next. Its fine for what it is but there is nothing for me to get out of another play through. Why?

Can I talk to someone I haven't? No
Can I see something I haven't? No It's not like I missed sections of the city.
Can anything play out differently? Even the one choice you make about the necklace. I'm told that doesn't even matter in the game.

As for the shooting aspect of this game. It is no different than any other Bioshock I've played and I would argue it is worse then the first 2 Bioshocks because the enemies are so limited. As I said it's not bad its just not original in anyway.

I get we have a big contingent of shooter fans here so people opinions vary. I never said the game was bad, I enjoyed my play through of it. I just said I would never want to play it again because for me I would prefer if they are going to take the time to craft such an interesting city that they actually let me interact with it.

As a friend of mine said when discussing this game. "I have no idea how many people live in Columbia but by the end of the game I bet I killed most of them."

[Naples39]

Who said anything about open world?

Can I talk to someone I haven't? No
Can I see something I haven't? No It's not like I missed sections of the city.

Well there's something of a sliding scale between on rails game and full fledged GTA-style, but it seems to me the second quote contradicts the first. I would say expecting there to be entire sections of the city to explore anew on a second playthrough would be my definition of an open world.

I just feel like saying "In fact one of the biggest issues with this game is that its not an RPG or Adventure game" is akin to saying "I really like Madden, but my biggest issue with the game is that its not a hockey or basketball game."

I do also feel that the story is really dense, and it's not just the ending. Things that seem light and pulpy when you didn't 100% understand the subtext are actually quite meaningful when you hear them a second time. And there's all the easter eggs and voxophones and little films to discover.

All that said, I expect one playthrough will be enough for the vast majority of players, and a lot of the little shootouts were simply popping off a few headshots then moving on. Not a transformational game, but a vividly imagine world and story that I may poke around with some more.

[Danimal]

Who said anything about open world?

Can I talk to someone I haven't? No
Can I see something I haven't? No It's not like I missed sections of the city.

Well there's something of a sliding scale between on rails game and full fledged GTA-style, but it seems to me the second quote contradicts the first. I would say expecting there to be entire sections of the city to explore anew on a second playthrough would be my definition of an open world.

I just feel like saying "In fact one of the biggest issues with this game is that its not an RPG or Adventure game" is akin to saying "I really like Madden, but my biggest issue with the game is that its not a hockey or basketball game."

Actually it is only a contradiction if taken out of context like the above which is why selective editing is never a good idea. You accidentally left out this one

Can anything play out differently?

However I have no desire to argue with you why my opinion is more right than yours. That is why they are called opinions, neither is any more right than the other.

I would suggest if you haven't you play the Walking Dead. It's a great example of how a game can have a compelling story with meaningful choices that change the outcome. Plus you don't shoot 500 things and its not open world. I know crazy right?

[LAking]

Can anything play out differently? Even the one choice you make about the necklace. I'm told that doesn't even matter in the game.

I don't want to get too into this since now we're talking major spoilers, but isn't the point of that necklace choice that it doesn't really matter in the end. It's a single choice in one of the alternate realities that can change but doesn't affect the outcome. Booker can do all he wants to try to save Elizabeth (and himself) but it won't change his destiny. The necklace is also a reference to video games as a whole and player agency. We don't actually control the outcomes of these games. We make choices that might affect small things within the world, but ultimately it's the game and it's creators that are telling the story.

I'm terrible at explaining this but you should read some of the links a few of us have provided earlier in the thread. I'm also not saying your complaints aren't valid, because they are. The game relies too much on the same old ultra violent FPS tropes and for the most part the meat of the game is just wandering from one shootout to the next. I got tired of the battles very quickly, but i also enjoyed the subtext of the game and thought the ending brought new meaning to a lot of the little details I witnessed earlier in the game. That's why I think it might be worth a second play through. I just wish I could skip the battles.

Here are some more links to some critiques you might find interesting and even agree with.
http://www.brainygamer.com/the_brainy_g ... eosis.html

http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/2/4174344 ... k-infinite

http://superopinionated.com/2013/04/03/ ... te-review/

[Naples39]

I recall four choices you make, and none have any meaningful consequences;
-Throwing the baseball at the mixed couple
-Grabbing the ticket vendor or getting stabbed in the hand
-Killing or sparing Slater
-The bird or the cage necklace

I read somewhere Ken Levine got all kind of grief about the choices and multiple endings in the last Bioshock 1, and very intentionally took all that out.



Really the point I set out to make is that different games set out to do different things. This game has no ambition to be open world-ish or give the player meaningful choices. This decision creates various pros and cons, but I still think it can be interesting on a second play through. And as I said earlier; it's just a different approach, but it's done excellently here.

[Danimal]

I don't want to get too into this since now we're talking major spoilers, but isn't the point of that necklace choice that it doesn't really matter in the end.

Yes that is spot on but lets not confuse the conversation here. I am not saying the game is bad. I was simply saying for me I would of rather explored the world of Columbia in another form, i.e. not a shooter. I was then simply stating why I have no desire to replay it. I won't rehash the reasons they are listed above.

That's it, not saying the game is bad, I enjoyed it. I just didn't enjoy some aspects of it.

[Pete1210]

I finished the game last night. Afterwards I enjoyed reading up on the story and themes through the links posted above (thanks) and also found this:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/ ... re-ending/

If you are done with the game as I am, you can get $36 back at amazon.com.

[pk500]

I'm slow on the draw; I had no idea Amazon took video game trade-ins. Damn good prices, too. Even better on most titles than Best Buy with its 100 percent trade-in bonus.

Thanks for the tip.

[Pete1210]

I'm slow on the draw; I had no idea Amazon took video game trade-ins. Damn good prices, too. Even better on most titles than Best Buy with its 100 percent trade-in bonus.

Thanks for the tip.

And they give you a prepaid mailing label too.

The only issue I had was once my game had a unique bar code from a different retailer due to preorder bonus content. They would not take it even though it was the same title. But they did ship it back, so it didn't cost me anything.

[Pete1210]

Good recap of the story here:

http://bioshock.wikia.com/wiki/Booker_DeWitt

[greggsand]

I'm slow on the draw; I had no idea Amazon took video game trade-ins. Damn good prices, too. Even better on most titles than Best Buy with its 100 percent trade-in bonus.

Thanks for the tip.

Heck yeah, I use amazon for all my trade-ins.

[Naples39]

FYI amazon is offering a $20 bonus to all trade-ins today.