Messin' With Your Mind--BioShock: Infinite

I've been on a bit of a BioShock kick lately.  The remastered versions of BioShock and BioShock 2 were automatically given to anyone who had already purchased the original games (on Steam) and I wanted to see if the old gems were even shinier (I didn't notice a great difference and would recommend against playing the remastered version of the second game--it's prone to crashing).  After I finished both of those games, it still didn't feel right to not to play all three games in the series, so I decided that a refreshing trip to Columbia was in order.  Now, I'm fresh off my trip to the clouds in BioShock:  Infinite and still trying to figure out what the whole thing means.  There could be some spoilers, so just be aware.

One of your first glimpses of Columbia.

Pros:
--Amazing environment.  My favorite part of the  BioShock series has always been the magic of the worlds where the stories take place.  The underwater utopia of Rapture is one of the best settings in gaming and Infinite definitely continues the trend of awesome worlds.  The floating city of Columbia is another utopia, but this time it's hanging up in the clouds.  If it wasn't a shooter, it would be a great place to simply explore.  I love the fact that it's set in 1912 and that it manages to capture an old fashioned feel while also incorporating a variety of weapons and a whole steampunk-esque type of technology.

--Bonkers story.  I have played through the entire game at least 4-5 times and trying to figure out exactly what happened still makes my head hurt.  There's a lot of quantum physic-y mumbo jumbo but that mind bending aspect is what makes it so out of the ordinary and thought provoking.  I will often find myself thinking about random parts of the story and having epiphanies about something that I've finally nailed down...like the fact that the Lutece twins aren't really twins at all, but are the same person--err, people.  When I first played it, I was completely baffled and had to play through the ending twice.

--Elizabeth as a companion.  At first, there's something slightly grating about Elizabeth.  She has this Disney princess type of look and voice and she seems like exactly the most ridiculous type of companion that typically gets thrown at you.  There's something brilliant about her character though and the way she matures and changes throughout the game.  I enjoyed watching the subtle changes in her character as the game progressed--it's something that I haven't really paid attention to in the past--and I discovered myself really liking her as a character.  One refreshing part of having her by your side throughout the game is the fact that she's not some feckless, weak idiot who cowers when battle starts--sure, she doesn't fight, but she helps you fight by throwing you items and opening tears which can be useful for providing cover or weapons.

--BioShock combat that is different enough to be fresh, but remains true to the series.  There are still plenty of special abilities--though in Infinite they are elixirs rather than plasmids--and to be successful in combat players will need to utilize a combination of elixirs and weapons.  The fresh part comes from the addition of skylines (throughout different parts of the game) which are a ton of fun to zip around on and leap down onto enemies.  Fully utilizing Elizabeth's ability to open tears is also a new challenge that helps keep things new.

--No jump scares!  The original games are chocked full of hideously deformed splicers and so many creepy settings that I find myself jumping at my own shadow.  It's nice not to feel so freaked out.  (Some people might disagree with me here.)

--No minigames or puzzles.  Simply equip Possession and enjoy some free cash--no other actions required.

--Movement required.  Enemies keep you on your toes and you need to shoot and scoot to stay alive.  You will become adept at shooting on the move--whether it's while you are gliding down a skyline or running for your life.

What does it all mean?

Cons:
--Your brain hurts from trying to figure out the story and all the possible links.  Are Rapture and Columbia the same place in different worlds?  They seem oddly similar--two worlds led the fanatical leaders--the "prophet," Comstock, and the visionary, Andrew Ryan.  What about the "lamb?"  The Lamb is an actual person in BioShock 2--Eleanor Lamb--and Elizabeth fills the role in Infinite.  Is Booker DeWitt just another Big Daddy guiding a lost little sister?  My brain!

I've always greatly enjoyed BioShock:  Infinite.  I think it's a game that manages to combine the fun of a shooter with great storytelling.  The fact that the story is so crazy sets it apart from other games.  I'll take a whacky, mind bending story over bland, run of the mill grist anyday.