Bioshock Infinite

[Emmett L. Brown]

I think the fact that she was designed like a Disney princess was a Rule 34 magnet of unaparalled proportions.

[JezMM]

...when? You mean the dominatrix-ish design that they (thankfully) scrapped.

 

Uhh I just mean throughout her whole design evolution from the first trailer she's been rather easy on the eyes in the chest department, not that there's anything wrong or automatically pervy about that, but, y'know, peeps like it.

[WarioBone]

I don't find Elizabeth even remotely attractive.  She has this weird porcelain doll quality to her.

[Dizcrybe]

Uhh I just mean throughout her whole design evolution from the first trailer she's been rather easy on the eyes in the chest department, not that there's anything wrong or automatically pervy about that, but, y'know, peeps like it.

 

I never noticed. And usually I pick up on that sort of thing immediately.

 

Must've been distracted by how out-of-place she looked.

[Dantemustdie00]

I don't find Elizabeth even remotely attractive.  She has this weird porcelain doll quality to her.

I didn't liked her till she puts on her mothers dress and cuts her hair short.

[JezMM]

I just played and finished Burial at Sea Part One.  Short version: I loved it.

 

Detailed thoughts below, very minor story spoilers (just the confirmation of something I expected from the start considering the main characters and the fact that this is DLC for BioShock Infinite, not BioShock 1), and spoilers of how the gameplay differs and doesn't differ from BioShock Infinite Vanilla:

 

Even though the gameplay is very much BioShock Infinite, the pace has REALLY been slowed down to BioShock 1/2 levels, and there’s a mishmash of elements.  For example you can now hold onto all your weapons like in the first two games (even though it was sort of a tucked away feature, I didn’t realise until I noticed the tutorial message telling me to push OR hold down E to change weapons and I was like “…what’s the difference?”)  While one enemy alerted equals all enemies alerted like in Infinite, you now CAN lay traps without them being alerted until they activate them, unlike Infinite where merely preparing a trap started a fight.

 

Tons of BioShock assets return, though they also use some Columbia art assets too, which honestly considering BioShock Infinite’s story shtick is easily forgiveable (as much as I want this to be an extension of BioShock 1 and 2’s canon, it is of course connected to Infinite - I expected no less considering, y’know, Elizabeth and Booker are there).  The vigors are renamed as Plasmids but the actual powers themselves are the same - it’s Shock Jockey, not Electrobolt, etc (though Shock Jockey + Melee is a one-hit kill here which I’m sure it wasn’t in Infinite so that made me happy).  There’s one new Plasmid and one new Weapon.  Both are pretty fun though the former is just an Infinite-ised Winter Blast.  It’s used in a new way (though at the same time in completely classic BioShock-styled progress gating way).

 

Anyway overall the DLC felt like a perfect blend of BioShock 1 and BioShock Infinite style.  The final action sequence was exactly what I hoped for and the ending left me with jaw firmly dropped.  Can’t wait for Part 2.

 

Also fucking Hop-Up Cola and a few other aesthetic references/place names appeared/were mentioned that originated from BioShock 2 so thank you Ken Levine’s team for canonising and just silently appreciating that for me as a BioShock 2 fan.  That was one of my silent nerdy little hopes for the DLC.

Edited November 13, 2013 by JezMM

[WarioBone]

Gotta re-rent Infinite to give this a shot.  I really can't wait to play it.  How long did it take you to get through it, Jez?

[JezMM]

Gotta re-rent Infinite to give this a shot.  I really can't wait to play it.  How long did it take you to get through it, Jez?

 

According to Steam it took me around 4 hours, though if you aren't the explorative type who searches every room and listens to every NPC conversation I can see it being very easy to beat in only 2 hours or so.

 

There's still a few lockpick rooms I missed so I'd prolly estimate there's a good 5 hours of gameplay tucked away here.

 

I'd say the asking price for the single episode is a rip-off, but it is great value for money with the season pass.  Even if you don't care about Clash in the Clouds, it'll pay for itself once Episode Two is out to not buy them seperately.

Edited November 13, 2013 by JezMM

[Emmett L. Brown]

Just finished Buried at Sea, and here are my thoughts immediatelly following the cliffhanger ending:

 

"Oh my god! OH MY GOD!! AAAAAAAAAAAARGHHH!!!!"

 

I think it's the first time a game deliberately goes for shock value and actually succeeds without having my cynicism immediately surface and dismiss it as your average lame shock attempt. Worse still, I was expecting a huge twist ending from before the game was installed, and I still didn't see it coming. If I'd been spoiled it would've been ruined, so don't.

 

Gameplay was decent enough, but the story and setting are always what get me hooked on Bioshock, and neither disappointed.

[JezMM]

Okay so Burial at Sea Episode 2 was 1. Much longer than Episode One oh god I need to go to bed, and 2. Super freaking awesome and a satisfying close to the BioShock franchise should this be the end of it.

 

You also will not believe some of the fanservice they dish out for Rapture fans.

[Gabz Girl]

Woah the second episode is out already? o_o Feels like I played episode one ages ago (it was really good btw, if not slightly difficult at times). Guess I better boot up my 360 and play it!

[JezMM]

Okay, gonna post some detailed, extremely spoiler heavy thoughts now.  Do not read if you haven't played.  Don't read even if you don't plan to play, watch a playthrough or something and at least half experience it MAN this was intense.

 

So yeah, goddamn, this was cool.  I love that it was majorly more story focused than the previous episode.  And man, freaking Atlas!  Getting to see the Suchong Audio Diary where he was killed by a Big Daddy play out!  Freaking, looping everything back round to BioShock 1 and Jack!  Holy shit what a ride this was.  I never expected we'd get a little sidetrip to Columbia that expanded Infinite's story too.  Man it's gonna take me a bit to wrap my head around everything, and it still isn't necessarily canon to BioShock 1 due to the "drinkable Plasmids" and other such Infinitey things, but it's still a super cool plot thing that at least in this canon, Elizabeth provided Atlas with the means to kick off BioShock 1.  Oh, and the torture scene was so uncomfortable aaa.  And the conversation where she told "Booker" she missed him was so sad aaaaaaaaa.

 

The gameplay was fun, I decided to take things stealthy.  Was very satisfying using the Peeping Tom Plasmid, especially once levelled up.  Taking out Houdini Splicers was pretty nerve-wracking due to their ability to track you if you moved around too much, even when invisible.

 

Also holy shit, I won't spoil this since it's optional and even a person who's played might've missed it - pleeease explore the locked room in the flooded bar with the chandeliers you can jump across - the one that requires you to enter the vents above via skyhook.  Watch the Cohen film in there.  Goddamn he got me one last time, fuck you Cohen lol.

 

The opening (sorry for my jumbled order of thoughts here, just saying stuff as it occurs to me) was SO goddamn pretty too.  I just knew stuff would go to shit fast, but the pretty part was still just beautiful.

 

 

My only criticisms was that the story took over a bit TOO much at the end.  BioShock Infinite had like 10-15 minutes of story at the end, but it had a climactic final battle beforehand.  Episode One of course ended beautifully with a boss fight against a Big Daddy.  But alas, here the final bit of "proper" gameplay is just getting past a bunch of splicers to Fontaine's elevator.  I would've liked something a little more special than that in case this is the end of the BioShock franchise.  Still, in terms of not "proper" gameplay, can't argue with the final action being assisting with the bonding of the Big Daddy and Little Sisters.  <3

 

Oh I also wish we could have gotten a proper "theme song" for Burial at Sea in the style of the 1&2 themes and Elizabeth's theme but ah well.

 

 

And final note: Yay BioShock 2 acknowledgement again, Adonis Luxury Resort is mentioned!

[JezMM]

PROBABLY not worth making a new thread over I think but:

The long rumoured BioShock collection is happening!  The collection will release for about the price of a regular standalone new game release it seems, but from the original prices of the content, contains over $100 worth of stuff.  It'll be on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

The content includes:

BioShock

• The Challenge Rooms DLC (previously PS3 exclusive): 3 short levels set outside of the storyline which task you with raw BioShock puzzle solving and combat gameplay
• Explorable Museum of unused concepts and content (previously PS3 exclusive): A playable level that lets you wander around a museum filled with stuff that was modelled but ultimately never used
• (No word yet on whether it will also include the PS3 exclusive "Survivor" difficulty mode.)

BioShock 2

• Minerva's Den DLC: A 3 level side story set in Rapture's Central Computing hub. For those who never checked it out, it was critically acclaimed, with great gameplay and widely considered to have a better narrative than the main campaign.  Essential playing for sure.
• Protector Trials DLC: For those who can't quite get enough of defending Little Sister gameplay, this mode challenges you with new enemy wave structures on existing maps, and severely limited loadouts, with ranking for how well you do.
• (BioShock 2's Multiplayer will not be included.  For those who were fans who want a nostalgia fix, Multiplayer is still avaliable on the PC Steam version of BioShock 2 with personal hosting, though naturally the playerbase has dwindled to nothing, so you'll want to gather up some friends.)

BioShock Infinite

• Burial at Sea DLC: Both episodes are included, and are definitely essential playing once you've finished the main BioShock Infinite campaign.  Includes gameplay much closer to the original BioShock's, and of course plenty of fanservice on virtue of being set in Rapture again.
• Clash in the Clouds DLC: Set outside of the story, these are a series of combat challenges under a variety of conditions, with currency and shops between rounds to customise your loadout.  Good playing will unlock content in a museum of statues of various BioShock Infinite characters and background trivia, as well as developer commentary.
• Weapons, Gear and Items that was DLC or bonus content: Weapons and Gear obtained as DLC (such as in the Season Pass) will be available.  Honestly this'll be a little odd for first time adopters as all these extra weapons and gears, as well as some bonus Infusions, are all thrown at you in a mandatory room early on, and you are forced to consume them before continuing.  Several make the game a significantly different experience I have to say (Infusions naturally make the game a bit easier to be frontloaded with four of the buggers, and - if you choose to use it - one gear gives you a 75% ammo capacity increase, meaning you'll very rarely have to swap out weapons compared to standard gameplay).

Exclusive to the Collection

• Developer commentary from Ken Levine and others - it's unclear whether this is just a video or whether it's a video AS WELL as in-game commentary, but I'm guessing the former.
• BioShock 1 and 2 have had their graphics remastered for all platforms.  BioShock Infinite on PS4 and Xbox One will have visuals closer to the original's highest settings on PC compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, however the PC's highest settings graphics will be unchanged.

 

 

So anyone interested in this?  I'm tempted simply on virtue of having remastered graphics for BioShock 1 and 2, and while I did own the PS3 version and all DLC, it'd be great to have ALL the BioShock content on PC at last.  However those are the only benefits for me, as I do own all the content that is available for PC, so it'd be a hefty price.

It'd be amazing if they added DLC to standalone BioShock 1 and 2 on Steam that let you "upgrade" to the new versions.  Buuuut can't see that happening.

 

Of course the biggest hope here is that releasing this now is to serve as a reminder that BioShock is a thing, in anticipation for a BioShock 4 reveal sometime soon.  We know they're working on it already, and while Ken Levine won't be involved, honestly I was one who really loves BioShock 2 as an unnecessary but welcome addition to the franchise, so I have faith that more BioShock could be good, even if the content so far is very nicely contained right now story-wise.

[Clewis]

33 minutes ago, JezMM said:

It'd be amazing if they added DLC to standalone BioShock 1 and 2 on Steam that let you "upgrade" to the new versions.  Buuuut can't see that happening.

The article on Steam says you can do just that, actually.

Since it's a free upgrade I'll probably try them out somewhere down the line. Visually this remaster doesn't look like much of an improvement at all compared to the PC versions, so hopefully they've made more improvements on the technical side of things. Playing Bioshock 1 on modern computers can be a pain.

[JezMM]

1 hour ago, Clewis said:

The article on Steam says you can do just that, actually.

Since it's a free upgrade I'll probably try them out somewhere down the line. Visually this remaster doesn't look like much of an improvement at all compared to the PC versions, so hopefully they've made more improvements on the technical side of things. Playing Bioshock 1 on modern computers can be a pain.

Fantastic, thanks for the info!  I feel bad about being pessimistic on that concept lol.

Definitely hope there will be some general improvements - the biggest issue I have with the original BioShock is the nearer to the end I get, the more sound bugs there are.  On later levels the sound effects almost act like they're running on an old 8-bit game - like it can play up to three sounds at once and then newer ones will overwrite the old ones, resulting in gunfire cutting in and out and the level ambience like the sea water sfx and clanking pipes vanishing completely, killing the atmosphere as I wander around in silence.

[Wraith]

I'll probably grab this just because I've never played Bioshock 2. Infinite is one of my favorite games artstyle wise so I look forward to seeing that upgraded as well.

[Penny]

oh this is really cool. i've been wanting to play infinite on my xbone for some time, and this is the perfect opportunity. plus the developer commentary is something i'm looking forward too as well. having the other two bioshock games get upgraded is pretty cool too i guess, but i'm probably not gonna spend too much time playing those. i wonder how much better infinite's gonna look, considering i've only really played the xbox 360 version, which already looked really nice.