So the game of the year has already been decided....

[trashcanman]

Let me just point out that Bioshock: Infinite is probably one of the best pieces of science fiction I've ever encountered -video game or otherwise- with arguably the greatest ending of any film, game, novel, tv series or anything else. I know The Curmudgeon isn't into first person shooters as a rule, but every once in a while, there comes along a really good excuse to break any given rule. This is one of those times.

This sucker combines social and religious politics with flawless gameplay, characters with genuine emotion and development, the best usage of space-time theory I've ever seen in fiction, brilliant use of music, and a finale that will you will never forget and will keep you thinking for days if not weeks. The game is so unspeakably well-crafted I can't imagine a greatest games of all time list without it. This is not a video game, this is an experience. I think these trailers between the three of them should give you a pretty good reason why you should hop aboard this particular bandwagon.

[The Curmudgeon]

Yeah, OK, that looks pretty God damn spectacular. Nice to see the "this is actually GAME footage" claim at the end, because if I'm buying a game I don't give a shit how pretty the intro is, which a lot of game trailers seem to forget.

Now I wouldn't have given this a second thought, Trash, what with my sucking at first person shooters and all, but man, it sure does look nice, and if it's as deep and layered and well crafted as you say.... hmmmm.

Couple of questions: who ARE you in this, or WHAT are you? You've got a gun and.. what's that, a mechanical hand or something?

Is this any relation to that game from a few years ago, another first person shooter, and it had a big giant robot and a little girl. Is this the same series?

[trashcanman]

Yes, the original Bioshock is the "highest rated FPS of all time" (and rightly so) the trailers refer to, and this one is absolutely, without question better. The two are related, but you don't see how until the end. Playing the first isn't really a necessity, although there is a scene at the end that will give you much more of a kick if you played the first. Bioshock 2 was made by an entirely different studio and was pretty average from what I understand. I skipped it. This is the real sequel.

You don't find out who you are for reals until the end (it's part of the game's mystery) and I am NOT spoiling this one; but basically, you are a guy with who owes somebody something and they send you to a city to kidnap a girl for them. Also, the city happens to be floating in the sky and is run by fascist religious zealots and the girl has the power to transcend space and time. Lots of steampunk, amazing scenery, and a lot of familiar classic songs being used in new and interesting ways in the story. Plus you get to shoot some klansmen, send flocks of crows to attack your enemies (to name one of many awesome powers), and ride on rails using that "mechanical hand" (it's more like a gun, not actually part of your body). It's like a floating, (more) racist Disneyland where you get to wreck up the place and shoot the fuck out of the staff.

Really, though, this game is so high-concept storywise that some reviewers have even said that the action detracts from the game. The awesome, pulse-pounding, flawlessly-executed action detracts from the video game. Think about that. It's really not that hard and there is not an excess of combat if that's what you're worried about. I played it on hard difficulty and maybe had two or three parts in the whole game where I had trouble. On normal or easy it'd be cake. Plus, you don't really die so much as you respawn so there's no trouble making progress even if you aren't good at FPS's. I've got to say that this is one of those rare games everyone should play regardless of what genre they prefer.

[lemex]

Yeah, it was good, but it just wasn't AS good as everyone was expecting. It's not very good at hiding it's secrets, and the story is a bit weak in places. But other than that, it's a great game.

[trashcanman]

Hey, lemex! Where ya been? The parts where you're blowing shit up is pretty weak in story, I guess, but other than that I've no clue what you could be talking about. The philosophical depth is pretty intense when you consider that among the various possible realities presented in the game everyone is a villain at some point depending only on the circumstances involved. Can you name a piece of fiction that better illustrates this facet of human nature? And if you can,can you find one that in addition to that one, has maybe a dozen more sophisticated philosophical, political, and sci-fi themes just like it? That kind of thing in a video game where your primary function is shooting stuff is almost unheard of.