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Bioshock Infinite (PS3)

Status: Finished playing
I started playing this game on Tuesday 20 May, 2014  //  I stopped playing this game on: Thursday 10 July, 2014
Current opinion of this game
Really enjoying the setting and the shooting/vigors. But, I have scavenging....

July 10, 2014 09:27:15 AM
Woohoo, finished it!

The ending was really quite interesting (and long, but I was ok with that). I enjoyed the fact that there were 3 twists (I was only aware of one of them), and one of them was really counter intuitive AND gameplay related.

Throughout the entire game I was convinced that, at some point, I'd have to fight songbird. So having it come on as an ally (that, to be fair, you don't really interact with in any meaningful way) was pretty neat. Especially since it comes in at a moment where you feel there really is no way out. He makes you feel pretty badass to be honest. I'm trying to think of other games that have pulled off a twist of this kind and I can't think of any. I mean, there are lots of games with reversals (now, you lose all your powers/weapons/etc.) but I can't think of any that do the following:

1. Turn a major villain/challenge/problem into an asset.
2. Have that villain/challenge/problem be a gameplay asset.

So, the game where you fight the bad guy and then he becomes an ally doesn't really count. Similarly with, say, a giant tank that you defeat and then ride around in.

The other two twists were story-related and thus, from my point of view, less interesting. However, it really is quite an interesting game (and story, to a certain extent).


July 1, 2014 08:59:34 PM
I'm just about to enter Comstock house. I think I'm getting close to the end of the game and things are definitely starting to get interesting in terms of the story and the setting. This whole thing with the tears and parallel universes is pretty crazy, and pretty neat. I've really been enjoying those aspects of the game.

However...

a. The scavenging is starting to get really aggravating for me. I feel like I have to do it while also feeling like it's a complete waste of time. The "have" comes from the feeling that I'll miss out on something important if I don't (cash to buy an upgrade or a vox recorder with something cool to listen to). The "waste" comes from the amount of time I have to spend sniffing around in all the nooks and crannies in case I missed anything. It doesn't make a lot of sense story-wise either (hello ludonarrative dissonance!). I mean, why are all these people stashing food, coins, and ammunition in their mailboxes and trashcans in the first place? Anyways....

On the other hand...

a. I'm really enjoying how many of the "set piece locations" have scaffolded different tactical approaches for you to take. These "set piece locations" often feature multiple tears you can use to bring in cover, AI helpers, hooks to hang on, etc. The trick is, you can only have one tear open at a time - so which tear you use depends on where you are AND what you plan on doing. So, I often eschew cover in favor of AI helpers that I then support. Or, I'll often bring in a hook so I can get to higher ground and snipe. It's a pretty neat idea and it's worked in with the story quite well.


June 23, 2014 06:34:00 PM
Played a few more hours over the weekend and whoah, major strangeness!

So, I'm heading over to the Hall of Heroes to pick something up (electricity?) and it turns out that a disgruntled general has bunkered up with his soldiers. Curiously, he happens to know Booker (they fought together) and then proceeds to rant against Comstock (for taking credit for something he didn't do). Anyways, the idea is that you're going into the exhibits (which are really cool/creepy) listening to Slate's ranting, then you fight some guys and so on.

The weird thing is that after a fight in an open courtyard area two doors/areas opened up. I followed the one that happened to be closest to me and, after wandering some empty halls, came upon Slate dying on the floor. I chose to save him, got the electricity vigor and decided to double back. After all, there was an entire other area I hadn't seen! I thought that finding Slate dying on the floor was weird, but whatever.

As soon as I entered the next (doubled-back) area, Slate starts ranting again, enemies start popping up and so on. He rants that he won't give me the vigor (but he already did!) and so on. Later on, when I went back the original way (empty halls that ended with dying Slate), Slate pops up! But he doesn't move and I can't kill him. And then, Slate appears again! With electricity flowing and all the rest. So, I had a boss challenge after beating the boss using the vigor the boss was supposed to give me. Anyways, I'm glad I didn't die in all of this, because who knows what would have happened then! So, a weird bug/glitch resulted in my playing through stuff out of order...


June 16, 2014 03:32:06 PM
Finally made it to some shooty bits, but still no sign of the girl. I hope that's not a sign that this game is really, really long.

The skylines are pretty neat, and I like how the mounting (and dismounting) was implemented. I've had a hard time figuring out all the skyline controls, but I hope that it won't bite me in the butt too much later on.

As for the setting? Wow, it really is bright and colorful despite the dark undertone. I've been wondering about the racism in the game. To be fair, the depictions of racism. There's the scene with the couple (I chose to throw the baseball at the presenter, and that's when the shooting started. I'm not sure what happens had I done otherwise), but also I've found a bunch of recordings from Comstock(?), the leader of the floating city. 100% racist - which doesn't bother me. But, I wonder if some players get that the racism is the point of the game (AFAIK, these are the bad guys)? Or, do some players see it the other way around? (in this game you're playing a mercenary bad guy who's infiltrating the good guy's floating city to kidnap a girl).

I wonder!


June 2, 2014 04:44:44 PM
I spent about an hour and a half just wandering around with not much happening. Yes, the environments are beautiful and there are lots of little cool details and things to look at...but still. Not a lot going on in the first 90 minutes. I'm sure that'll change soon though...

 
kudos for original design to Rodrigo Barria