It’s been a long winding road for Bioshock Infinite. The game that was set to be released just a few weeks back, but 2K Games and Ken Levine’s Irrational Games chose to instead push it to February 2013 so that it could reach its fullest potential. And what potential it is. Rather than being set in an underwater city like the first game and its sequel, Infinite takes place in the airborne city of Columbia where a former Pinkerton agent named Booker DeWitt looks for a psychically empowered woman named Elizabeth, finding all sorts of trouble along the way.
Like Bioshock, Levine and his team at Irrational are filling Infinite with plenty of innovation while keeping most of the first-person shooting action intact. As Booker, you’ll be able to take down enemies with a variety of stylized early 20th century American weapons, like what appears to be a steam-powered shotgun and a revolver. However, this isn’t your only tool you’ll be able to use against your adversaries, as the NPC Elizabeth can aide you by creating items out of thin air, both for purposes of cover and as a secondary object to knock them aside. We included the original 15-minute E3 demo video that was shown last year that features these moves in action that really gives you an idea what she can do by your side.
But Bioshock Infinite is more than even that. For the game, you’ll be able to activate vigors and nostrums to execute certain powers that turn the tables on your attackers, similar to what they did back in Rapture years ago. One in particular that’s highlighted in the video clip is lifting up opponents with anti-gravity, setting them up for easy shots from your gun or to be struck by something within the environment. Mixing these abilities together will definitely be a pleasure, as it has been in the original Bioshock.
Want more? How about the rail-riding technique? Scattered throughout the city of Columbia are a number of railways and rather than waiting for a car to whisk you around town, you can use a harnessing tool and grasp on, moving around at lightning speeds. In some cases, like what the video demonstrates below, it’s necessary to use this system to get around. These railways will help you take down a zeppelin that’s high above the city or maneuver from one platform to another, where enemies are taking quick shots at you. This system is easily activated and fun to use, though the high speeds may be a bit much for certain people to take. You just have to get used to it is all.
Despite what the later parts of the gameplay trailer may tell you, sometimes you just have to play it stealthily. That’s the case with the Songbird, a hulking enemy who has been holding Elizabeth prisoner for years and guards her vigilantly. You really don’t have any way of taking it on face-to-face – at least, not from what we’ve seen in video clips thus far – so your best bet when it’s around is to simply play it cool and find an ideal hiding spot. Don’t worry about knowing when you’ll need to do this – you’ll hear the Songbird coming and know you have to prep accordingly.
Perhaps the biggest nod that Levine makes to his fans with Bioshock Infinite is the inclusion of a 1999 mode, first introduced in his System Shock 2 project years ago. This toughens up the game quite a bit, forcing Booker to make particular choices to see how they effect his success in a mission. It’s here that your save games will really be your friend, so use it wisely. (Note: you probably need to complete the main game in order to unlock this mode. Besides, you probably need all the practice you can get in the city of Columbia.)
Overall, the gameplay looks to provide a fine balance of strategy and exciting action. You’ll need to think quickly in some situations to avoid getting flattened (especially by that Songbird), but it’s clear that Levine and his team have spent a great deal of time finding that proper tone that worked so well for the original Bioshock. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the chance to go hands-on with it just yet as it’s been absent from most of the trade events this year.
The good news is we won’t have to wait too much longer to see how it all comes together, as the game should meet its February 26, 2013 release date on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC with no further delays. We’ll be sure to check back with its progress before then – in the meantime, whet your whistle with the 15-minute gameplay below and get ready for a trip to Columbia you won’t soon forget…
