Just finished Bioshock infinite

[Madmick]

Since we're all giving our opinions on the game....

I thought it was excellent. The game play could've used more depth though. The world, atmosphere, and story are second to none. I really loved the city in the sky, and the music was especially engrossing. Few games give me chills like a movie, and that opening is worth the price of admission alone. Once you hit Columbia, and the subtle piano tune, followed by the hymn kicks in, I'm there. It's such a good opening. One of the best cinematic openings to any game I can think of. It's so good, and the impact lingers and makes an otherwise run of the mill shooter, special.

That said, it does tend to overstay it's welcome a bit, simply because the game play is so familiar. It's an arena shooter with some very basic RPG elements, and it does nothing special in that regard. I would've appreciated a little more effort in that department. The game play is nothing special. Once you get settled in, you're pretty much shooting shit and opening drawers.

I'd give it a 6/10 in the game play department, but a 10/10 in the story/atmosphere department. That's all you can ask from shooters. It's hard to re-invent the wheel, but if you give me something compelling to shoot my way through, I'm good. The story wasn't "tight", but it was compelling, and left you asking questions in a good way. And seriously, who didn't love the big reveal? It was no "Would You Kindly?", but it did the job just fine.

I loved the game. TLOU rightly overshadowed it a bit, but Irrational Games still went out with quite a bang with this sucker.

I also think this is a fantastic summary, except that I think you (like most) are underrating the combat mechanics of the game. I like that they KISSED it. Keep it simple. Keep it tight.

Furthermore, like many of the finest single player games in terms of combat mechanics, that aspect of it can only be enjoyed on the hardest setting. It's like "balance" in competitive PvP. Most games with poor combat mechanics tend to balance their game for the "normal" experience...which immediately inhibits their ability to make a game that more hardcore gamers tend to like. The most ridiculous example of this isn't even a setting, but the "slider" in the The Elder Scroll games. My God. Terribad. They simply must keep the skill curve too low.

The hardest setting on Infinite isn't by any means up there with the Donkey Kongs of the world, that's not what I'm talking about, but the best fight in that game, hands down, is the final Handyman fight in the factory. If you play it on normal settings you don't really have to figure out a way to fight. On the hardest setting, suddenly it's a rollercoaster of fun. ABM: always be moving. You can never stop and sit down for more than a few seconds. You cannot run on the ground. You simply must be a freaking spider monkey jumping from rail to rail while frantically attempting to get off as much dps as you can in the several seconds you get every time you hit the ground. I was having a wild time the first time I fought him trying to figure out what the hell worked it. It was like, "Gotcha bitc....oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!"

Obviously that isn't the most difficult fight, because Lady Comstock was pretty ridiculous, but she wasn't as fun.

 

[Concrete]

It's funny because I've played this through three times, yet I agree with all of this criticism.



I think we still let a lot slide in video games, as its such a comparatively new form of 'art'.

 

[bosox32]

Loved it. Game was fun and story was engaging.

 

[HereticBD]

I also think this is a fantastic summary, except that I think you (like most) are underrating the combat mechanics of the game. I like that they KISSED it. Keep it simple. Keep it tight.

Furthermore, like many of the finest single player games in terms of combat mechanics, that aspect of it can only be enjoyed on the hardest setting. It's like "balance" in competitive PvP. Most games with poor combat mechanics tend to balance their game for the "normal" experience...which immediately inhibits their ability to make a game that more hardcore gamers tend to like. The most ridiculous example of this isn't even a setting, but the "slider" in the The Elder Scroll games. My God. Terribad. They simply must keep the skill curve too low.

The hardest setting on Infinite isn't by any means up there with the Donkey Kongs of the world, that's not what I'm talking about, but the best fight in that game, hands down, is the final Handyman fight in the factory. If you play it on normal settings you don't really have to figure out a way to fight. On the hardest setting, suddenly it's a rollercoaster of fun. ABM: always be moving. You can never stop and sit down for more than a few seconds. You cannot run on the ground. You simply must be a freaking spider monkey jumping from rail to rail while frantically attempting to get off as much dps as you can in the several seconds you get every time you hit the ground. I was having a wild time the first time I fought him trying to figure out what the hell worked it. It was like, "Gotcha bitc....oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!"

Agree to an extent. There is really nothing special about creating a hard as balls scenario, where you have to run and gun to survive. Where Bioshock Infinite differs somewhat, is in the enemy types. The Handyman is one of the more impressive enemies ever conceived, and it really does shine through when he's put to the test. He makes you use all the tools available, like the rail lines, and gives you a good fight. Unfortunately, he's the only guy that puts you to the test.

Other than him, it's a shooting gallery with some very loose mechanics. I'm no shooter expert, but the mechanics in Bioshock have always felt a little off to me. Like the bullets are just slightly off the mark of the hit boxes. I can't quite explain it, but it feels...loose, I guess. Not up to the standards of other shooters. It's just not as tight.

Obviously that isn't the most difficult fight, because Lady Comstock was pretty ridiculous, but she wasn't as fun.

If I had a complaint about this game, it would be the lack of good boss fights. If Lady Comstock was supposed to be that, she sure didn't cut the mustard. More annoying than anything. The other guys, like the initial fireman, and crow were a joke as well. This game really could've used some more big baddies.

 

[LEGS MAHONEY]

Fuck yes they are. The trilogy is one of the most replayable series ever for me. Check out the bural at sea dlc content. Ties in everything nicely and it has a cool vibe.

 

[Madmick]

Agree to an extent. There is really nothing special about creating a hard as balls scenario, where you have to run and gun to survive.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to convey with allusion to Elder Scrolls where "hard as balls" doesn't mean the AI has more abilities, is smarter, more puzzling, or more technically difficult in ANY way to beat...they just hit 100x as hard and take 100x as much damage.

Where Bioshock Infinite differs somewhat, is in the enemy types. The Handyman is one of the more impressive enemies ever conceived, and it really does shine through when he's put to the test. He makes you use all the tools available, like the rail lines, and gives you a good fight. Unfortunately, he's the only guy that puts you to the test.

Other than him, it's a shooting gallery with some very loose mechanics. I'm no shooter expert, but the mechanics in Bioshock have always felt a little off to me. Like the bullets are just slightly off the mark of the hit boxes. I can't quite explain it, but it feels...loose, I guess. Not up to the standards of other shooters. It's just not as tight.

I was just glad after the disaster with the Big Daddies in the first two where on the hardest setting you're basically just left resource-deprived, and there's no intelligible way to gain distance because they're so fast, relentless, and there was so few environmental obstacles or layouts that would let you use LoS and level changes and other tricks to evade them without ultimately trapping yourself in a corner, or exhausted of bullets and plasmids.

They developed the first two around a respawn farm when I prefer the more traditional checkpoint model of Infinite where you either succeed or fail at beating a stage, and can't just infinitely grind it down.

If I had a complaint about this game, it would be the lack of good boss fights. If Lady Comstock was supposed to be that, she sure didn't cut the mustard. More annoying than anything. The other guys, like the initial fireman, and crow were a joke as well. This game really could've used some more big baddies.

Agreed. The Handymen were easily the highlight of the game.

 

[deadshot138]

Just got to Comstock house, am I almost done?

 

[DangDaGawd]

In terms of creative storytelling, the game definitely was a masterpiece. In terms of FPS gameplay, it was average at best. I really enjoyed my playthrough, but will likely never play it again.

 

[deadshot138]

Can't find the 3rd tear to save my life