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Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

I've played the game for about 3 hours so far, and holy crap, I'm blown away. Not only is the game gorgeous both in sound, art, graphics, and presentation, the gameplay and the way the story melds into everything is even better. Maybe I'm just tired from 12 hour workdays, but I was actually close to tearing up during the initial tour through Columbia, being enthralled with the people and what they created. Then there comes a moment where everything shatters and the game begins, and it's probably the most effective opening I've seen from any game, movie, show, etc.

The gameplay is awesome. I'd recommend Hard mode, as getting through difficult battles using your powers and weapons wisely is really fun. The "levels" as they were remind me a lot of that middle-era of shooters (System Shock 2 specifically), where you do have a set path that allows you to explore to the side, with some completely skippable areas being quite large and open. The combat style is very much Uncharted-like in that you're given arenas of various open-ness where you get to climb, ride, shoot, use you/your allies' powers on various enemies and environments to your advantage. Each encounter usually gives me a memorable moment, like swinging by hand on a sky-rail, performing a detaching melee kill, and using my fire power to ignite barrels full of fireworks that kill a group of enemies, or hacking a turret on a zeppelin that happens to be floating by so that it fights for you while floating over the battlefield.

I haven't even gotten to the good parts, apparently, so I'm very impressed, and am just excited that games are finally coming out of the trailer-gameplay closet like this, and makes me look forward to things that are coming out, and will come out this year.

Posted: Mar 29 2013 02:26 am

this game looks fucking awesome.

i have only played part one, never part 2. is it a prerequisite to play either one, or it doesnt really make a difference?

Posted: Mar 29 2013 02:53 am

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

Posted: Mar 29 2013 03:49 am

I played the first one and was blown away. Would someone kindly bring me an Xbox 360?

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

username wrote:

this game looks fucking awesome.

i have only played part one, never part 2. is it a prerequisite to play either one, or it doesnt really make a difference?

Bioshock 2 was created by one of those big mish-mashes of different studios, without the input of the original developers, Irrational Games, or the director Ken Levine. As such, it pretty much plays like the most typical sequel. It was just so afraid to do anything. It was certainly solid, but it really mostly seems like 2K wanted a multiplayer game that could sell with a name, and the single-player was kind of tacked-on, if at least a little interesting to play as a Big Daddy. Just watch this video, as he sums it up really well at around the 4:05 mark:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1494-BioShock-2

As far as continuity goes, Infinite takes place in 1912, a few decades before Bioshock 1/2, and I haven't seen any story connections yet, so since it's a "meh" game, and not a prerequisite to playing Infinite, I'd say skip it.

Posted: Mar 31 2013 02:35 pm

So I just finished this game.

You might say I was.... enraptured.

Joined: Oct 19 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1479

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

I never moved past Perfect Dark.

Posted: Mar 31 2013 04:04 pm

LeshLush wrote:

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

I never moved past Perfect Dark.

I remember buying that game when I was in high school when it came out. I spent over $100 buying the game and the expansion pack, and one of the very few times where every penny was well spent.

Posted: Mar 31 2013 06:31 pm

LeshLush wrote:

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

I never moved past Perfect Dark.

I don't care for a lot of shooters these days because Perfect Dark is the game I compare them to. I know Perfect Dark wasn't a perfect game but it was able to draw me in and keep me playing it to death and the multiplayer was a blast. Never found either of the previous Bioshock games to be anywhere close to as fun. Actually never bothered to beat either because they felt really repetitive after a few levels.

Posted: Mar 31 2013 08:03 pm

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

Last shooters I really enjoyed were TimeSplitters 2/3 and XIII. Haven't played any shooters since then. I saw some zombie FPS at PAX that looked kinda cool, but I can't remember the name of it. What struck me about it was how colorful it was.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

Syd Lexia wrote:

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

Last shooters I really enjoyed were TimeSplitters 2/3 and XIII. Haven't played any shooters since then. I saw some zombie FPS at PAX that looked kinda cool, but I can't remember the name of it. What struck me about it was how colorful it was.

You liked Thief and it was dark and un-colorful as it gets! A slime draws near!

Joined: Oct 19 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1479

JoshWoodzy wrote:

Syd Lexia wrote:

Blackout wrote:

I just don't see the appeal of this franchise, or really any recent shooters. I played the first Bio and thought it was OK, just wasn't my cup of tea.

Half Life 2 is the last shooter I can remember really sucking me in.

Last shooters I really enjoyed were TimeSplitters 2/3 and XIII. Haven't played any shooters since then. I saw some zombie FPS at PAX that looked kinda cool, but I can't remember the name of it. What struck me about it was how colorful it was.

You liked Thief and it was dark and un-colorful as it gets! A slime draws near!

I don't know, I think Rogue is as dark and un-colorful as it gets.

Posted: Apr 01 2013 09:57 am

I do love Thief! But if you're playing Thief as an FPS, you doing it wrong. Thief is more like first-person MGS, and even that isn't a great comparison.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

Just picked this up, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's probably one of the most engaging games I've ever played. The story starts so quickly, you're sucked in and learning the history of Columbia within 15 minutes. I just stared in awe at the overall design of the game. It just looks incredible, and not necessarily the graphics, just the visual design of it. It's so bright and colorful, so basically the opposite of every other FPS of the past decade. ALSO, calling this game a FPS is such a fucking disservice. It's as much of a FPS as Thief, Deus Ex, System Shock 1 and 2, Ultima Underworld are. Of course you can play it like one, but who does that? The gameplay feels so tight and perfect, the narrative so thrilling, that I'm almost having a hard time finding a single thing wrong with the game.

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

Yeah, between this, The Walking Dead, and a few others, the bar in game story-telling is set so goddamned high now. There's so much being told every second of the game, in the movements and appearances of characters, posters, signs, and other ways, I don't think I'll be able to sit through another lame cutscene ever again. I was so enthralled during the first walk-through of Columbia, but I could tell I was supposed to be uneased. Then the scene in the park that launches the game had me in complete awe. It sounds dumb, but I literally had my mouth open during it.

The gameplay is tight, too. Enemies are smart, and instead of stuffing yourself behind cover, they'll flank to flush you out, so you have to, say, use your powers to launch a flock of murderous crows at a group of enemies, while setting fire traps against other enemies flanking around a corner. It's fun as hell.

Joined: Aug 04 2009 Posts: 2515

THIS WILL HAVE SPOILERS

I'll briefly give my two cents. This is probably the best FPS i've played in years. Mainly because the Bioshock franchise does it right and doesn't give you regenerative health (shields I can live with) and since I am doing my first outing on 1999 mode the challenge never ceases - I swear there was a point where I was going to break my keyboard fighting one of the handymen - they are basically a two hit kill on 1999 mode and since they jump right in front of you, you are fucked.

I'm only 11 hours in - about 3/4 of the way I think and it's really good. The art style is really what drew me towards it. I'd played Bioshock but I'd never finished it.

I also felt very quickly that this game brings out a very well painted picture of the United States. Obviously not really what the US is like right now but some of the issues are still there and the historical aspect I am enjoying. Like Black hate and Irish hate. The former I guess has never went away but the latter I found intriguing as being an Irishman I never really thought of it as a problem in the US considering the large amount of immigration there. To me it was more a problem in England.

What really made the game in terms of cultural tone with this Alternate United States is that it has all the fanaticism and patriotism that I just don't like. Even within the setting of the game I found it annoying - which is actually a good thing since they actually did it well enough to make me find it annoying - aka the whole walking down the street and the fucking national anthem is getting trumpeted, and fucking flags everywhere. First quest of the game: Get baptised. Like seriously that has USA stamped all over it. It fits just so well with the setting. Also the religious fanaticism and religious propaganda was perfect. The idea of this dictatorship that is created. The inverse of this USA but sort of the same, land of the free idea where it has the American imagery but then it's like YOU DON'T LIKE OUR RELIGION? DIE! The fucking murals everywhere just set this up perfectly. Everyone is brainwashed and worshipping this Prophet, who has visions. The fact that you aren't even allowed to enter the city without getting baptised. It's a near perfect commentary on what is happening with religion in real life, not in the West of course but in more of the Arab nations.

What made this especially fantastic I found was within the first 15 mins of the game you got all this COLUMBIA IS THE GREATEST FLYING BALLOON NATION ON EARTH and then you get this:

SHOCKING SPOILER ALERT, READ ON AT PERIL
[SPOILER:e2953b96dc]

and this is what sold me on the game because I knew there would be these issues but so far in front and to be so in your face with them. It was never to be expected. It parallels so well what happens in the real world and especially in the USA. We are the greatest etc. etc. and then there is these fucking social problems of racism. I mean this happened in a lot of places but with the game being set in America 2.0 I have been wondering if there was meant to be some sort of commentary here or perhaps it was just intended being a period piece but it just fits so well and it was just done so well, they researched it and implemented it brilliantly. Anyway I found that highly interesting.[/SPOILER:e2953b96dc]

The story is literally plot twist central as well. What you think is the deal at the start, where I am now is nothing like the beginning.

Overall 10/10 game. The story blends so well in, and I never realised till I read it above. It does it so well because there are so few cut scenes or because cut scenes are done in real time along with the action.

Posted: Apr 02 2013 09:33 am

You guys are really selling me on this. Don't think I'll pick it up quite yet, but before year end.

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

Alowishus wrote:

THIS WILL HAVE SPOILERSI also felt very quickly that this game brings out a very well painted picture of the United States. Obviously not really what the US is like right now but some of the issues are still there and the historical aspect I am enjoying. Like Black hate and Irish hate. The former I guess has never went away but the latter I found intriguing as being an Irishman I never really thought of it as a problem in the US considering the large amount of immigration there. To me it was more a problem in England.

What really made the game in terms of cultural tone with this Alternate United States is that it has all the fanaticism and patriotism that I just don't like. Even within the setting of the game I found it annoying - which is actually a good thing since they actually did it well enough to make me find it annoying - aka the whole walking down the street and the fucking national anthem is getting trumpeted, and fucking flags everywhere. First quest of the game: Get baptised. Like seriously that has USA stamped all over it. It fits just so well with the setting. Also the religious fanaticism and religious propaganda was perfect. The idea of this dictatorship that is created. The inverse of this USA but sort of the same, land of the free idea where it has the American imagery but then it's like YOU DON'T LIKE OUR RELIGION? DIE! The fucking murals everywhere just set this up perfectly. Everyone is brainwashed and worshipping this Prophet, who has visions. The fact that you aren't even allowed to enter the city without getting baptised. It's a near perfect commentary on what is happening with religion in real life, not in the West of course but in more of the Arab nations. .

1) Bigotry against the Irish was mostly just an anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic thing, when there were massive ghettos in major cities of Irish working poor. Didn't hurt with Catholocism being a target as well. Notice that most racism towards the Irish was boistered by the whole "alcoholics with a thousand hungry kids," stereotype. Overall, it was a short-lived thing, with a short pop in WW2 over their neutrality. Even those "No Irish Allowed" signs that people paste to the walls of crappy restaurants were all just jokes made in poor taste in the 50s-60s. The Irish were pretty much just thrown up as a face for ignorant turds during socio-economic strife.

Overall, you just have the typical, over-propagandized Euro glasses towards the US. It's nothing like what you're told, and even as a fairly left-wing guy who hates his government, I'm tired of listening to it. I felt so much gratification when Steven Fry did that tour show, and seemed to not know what to fucking do, since everybody was incredibly kind and helpful to him, and the entire country wasn't just one huge mini-mall.

2)It's satire, pure and simple. They just mix in fact and propaganda against each side, so you can see the motivations of each faction, and the different reactions towards them. It's cool, and seeing that there are so many sides to a conflict builds the world a lot better.

Posted: Apr 02 2013 08:39 pm

This is definitely an 8.5 game. I had some major complaints about it, but it was so good that I would still absolutely recommend it. I think that despite marked flaws the game, the cut content, the unfulfilled promises, and other potentially showstopper issues, the fact that Bioshock Infinite still rises to the heights it does speaks to the care and polish that went into so many aspects of this game.

If you've finished the game, go back and look at footage from two or three years ago, and see how dramatically different basically everything is. It's pretty neat.

Also, I just ran away from all the handymen. You only have to kill one of them, you can just run past the others.

Joined: Aug 04 2009 Posts: 2515

Greg the White wrote:

1) Bigotry against the Irish was mostly just an anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic thing, when there were massive ghettos in major cities of Irish working poor. Didn't hurt with Catholocism being a target as well. Notice that most racism towards the Irish was boistered by the whole "alcoholics with a thousand hungry kids," stereotype. Overall, it was a short-lived thing, with a short pop in WW2 over their neutrality. Even those "No Irish Allowed" signs that people paste to the walls of crappy restaurants were all just jokes made in poor taste in the 50s-60s. The Irish were pretty much just thrown up as a face for ignorant turds during socio-economic strife.

Overall, you just have the typical, over-propagandized Euro glasses towards the US. It's nothing like what you're told, and even as a fairly left-wing guy who hates his government, I'm tired of listening to it. I felt so much gratification when Steven Fry did that tour show, and seemed to not know what to fucking do, since everybody was incredibly kind and helpful to him, and the entire country wasn't just one huge mini-mall.

2)It's satire, pure and simple. They just mix in fact and propaganda against each side, so you can see the motivations of each faction, and the different reactions towards them. It's cool, and seeing that there are so many sides to a conflict builds the world a lot better.

In response to the first part of 1. I know the reasons for the stereotype, I hear it all the time. I was however surprised that it was a thing in the US. Especially the immigrant part since it's basically a land of immigrants. The anti-catholic sentiments do not surprise me at all.

In response to the second part of 1. I don't know why you presume think i've been told my "supposed views". I've been to the United States three times and on two of those times (one of which I can't remember due to being 4 years old) everyone was extremely polite and friendly. I'm afraid you have misunderstood my posts. My posts never really give a full reflection of my views of the United States. Though for once and all I shall make it clear.

I like the USA. I enjoy a lot of things that come from the USA: music, tv and film mostly. However that does not mean that I agree with all the things that the USA does and things that it may do in the future. I'm sure you've seen my views on guns and healthcare. So I dislike some of the stuff that the USA does, contrary to some viewpoints that does not mean that since I criticise the USA that I automatically fucking HATE the USA. I don't hate the USA or fucking kiss its ass repeatedly. The USA is not perfect.

So what is my beef then? I hate patriotism. This is however not to say that I dislike people having an identity. I would say that I am an Irishman, i'm sure people say they are Americans. I have zero problems with that. What I have a problem with is when people start acting like they are the best shit on earth.

It probably is a stereotype. I've never encountered it with regards to any trips i've had to America, nor would I say that any forumers here really display it - though maybe sometimes it creeps out. However I have seen it online and in American Media and in other places.

The whole "America is the greatest nation" or "America is the best at everything" drives me up the fucking walls.

When anyone on this forum responds to me about any criticisms that I make about the USA saying that I hate the country (even though I don't) that is what I first jump to.

I jump to the stance that the responder sees me criticising the USA. How could I be doing that? The USA is perfect.

This sums it up from a yahoo question:

Quote:

People in the UK, Australia, Canada etc get mad when an American citizen is proud to be an American. What's wrong with that? Is it because of the connotations associated with the USA? Powerful, rich, superior...thus making their respective nations feel inferior?

This is really the core of the argument. Am I mad because Ireland is somehow inferior?

No! I am not! I like living here, I like the culture and I am proud to be a part of it but I don't go around like it's a dick waving competition. No one here I have ever met is like that. I mean I support the team in sports and stuff but that is the extent to me. I admit Ireland has a lot of problems, social problems, economical problems etc.

That question in fact is the answer to what annoys me so much.

>connotations associated with the USA? Powerful, rich, superior

That is so fucking arrogant. In my view the USA is not really any of those. Especially not superior. I don't think Ireland is the best nation in the world or superior to any other nations.

The person who responded made a lot of good points that summarise what I mean:

You see, for the rest of the world, the USA are the SELF-proclaimed "land of the free and the brave", SELF-proclaimed world leader, SELF-proclaimed "best country in the world" (which is debatable)... etc... etc....

Like i've repeatedly said. I like my country but if it comes under criticism I will not defend it if what is being said is true.

So bringing this back to Bioshock. This is why the whole flags flying everywhere, music getting fucking trumpeted from the heavens is so fucking annoying to me because it is that same shit which rings true to me from American Patriotism. We are the best, shove it in your face.

Like I think i've made my point but i've also seen cases of where people think Americans invented shit they didn't even invent. But of course America must have invented it. We're the best nation in the world of course!

Understand I don't hate the USA. I hate uber-American Patriotism. That is all and I KNOW, and please god realise that I know that not all Americans are like this but when I see shit like that it just drives me into insanity mode.

Not to mention that (in response to your last point) the game is a period piece to me. Not a satire. Most of the things occurring were in fact problems in the USA at the time but maybe you too are perhaps doing the "oh stupid Europeons they are stereotyping us as usual, we are the best, none of these issues are happening here" - I know you aren't but it can be perceived that you are doing that.

and finally realise, that we all know (us non-Americans) that not all Americans are super patriotic. We are just saying that when it comes along we get seriously fucking annoyed because those who do take it to a whole fucking new level of patriotism where the only way they do it is by telling us that we suck and people don't like being told the suck . So realise that I don't hate America, I disagree with views on some of their issues, but that is a side issue. I disagree arrogant American views that somehold that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Here are some other quotes just to make this abundantly clear:

Quote:

Foreigners don't mind American patriotism _per se_, but take issue with the notion of 'superiority'. Americans think that their country is the greatest on the planet. Which it isn't. Not at all. Not by a long chalk.

But the reason foreigners get mad isn't because of patriotism, it's arrogance. It drives me up the wall whenever people say we're "the free world," or "the greatest country on Earth." How are people from other countries supposed to interpret that? We're saying that they are inferior, and not free. We constantly bring up how we "saved Britain's *** in WWII," despite the fact that by the time we entered the war it was nearly over. Bringing up History never makes anyone happy, particularly when we've got it wrong. If we were to just say "America is awesome! America is a great country! America is free!" no one could take offence. But we don't say that, and what we do say implies that other countries are not all those things.

This may be the sort of thing you think I am like:
http://virgomonkey.wordpress.com/why-canadians-and-britons-hate-america-and-americans-so-much/

I disagree with a lot of what they are saying and in fact most of these people are total assholes. Like this:

>The USA is a very VERY new country, and it needs to realise that fact. There is no history in the USA. So stop banging on about the founding fathers and whatever else you think is history. Anything in the USA absolutely pales in comparison to places elsewhere that absolutely ooze history. Jericho is over ten thousand years old, Istanbul is over five thousand years old, Athens, 5000, Jerusalem, 4000 and so on.

What a load of shit. The idea that because a country is young that its history is irrelevant is fucking idiotic. However I think the point that he is trying to make is that you are so young, stop going on about it. Like I've said. You can be proud of your history all you want. Don't be so fucking arrogant about it though and act like your the best shit on earth.

I remember seeing this:

and seeing people fucking soil themselves. Like it was a wake up call that America isn't the greatest nation on the world. In fact, in my view. There is no greatest nation in the world.

EDIT: and this is the final time I am saying this. Too many threads go off the rails because of people calling me out. No more and yes I can be a dick about these things. I can be very condescending and rude when I discuss issues, especially when I disagree strongly with points - I totally admit it. However this is not really the case here. I'm just finally explaining what the dealio is. Like i've said. Anytime I make a post e.g. guns or something and then I see people saying oh you just hate the USA or use the roll eyes emoticon, I immediately read that as "get a load of this guy, we are the greatest on earth bitch".

Joined: Oct 19 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1479

Alow, what you're describing as patriotism I would say is more nationalism. And I think that a lot of people would say that patriotism is usually good and nationalism is usually bad. It's a bit of a nuanced distinction, but I think an important one.

Posted: Apr 02 2013 11:27 pm

On the immigration thing. The thing with America, is that in the 1800s, before unionization, the newest wave of immigrants was always looked down upon. Because they usually came here with next to nothing, because they had different customs, and most importantly because they'd work for less money than established citizenry. First you had the Germans, then the Italians, the Irish, then, while not immigrants, you had the emancipated slaves.

After labor unions were able to get a foothold and fair wage laws and safety regulations and fair work days started to fall into place, the ethnic barriers eventually came down. But before that, the captains of industry intentionally played different ethnic groups against each other to keep wages low and to keep them from organizing. That was the underlying issue.

Joined: Apr 09 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3112

Good point Syd, and the game does touch on that with things like job bidding, and these racist little nickelodeon machines that you can watch.

Alow, most of the animosity is that your posts are too fucking big. Condense your thoughts, man. It'll be easier to read and respond to. You go off on lots of tangents, and yes you do pull the "I don't care about the US, but here's my young-person's manifesto on why it sucks, here I'll show you my charts and links."

We hear it from everyone, and every smart-assed Euro kid will tell me I'm a racist fat-ass who thinks America is a shining star, but will go on and on about Europe's new acceptable racism targets like the Polish or whatever. Your country's good in some ways, mine in some ways, and both of them are shitty in many ways.

Nobody actually says that shit about the US being the greatest unless they're an ignorant dope or a Fox News anchor riling up their base, and they're just outspoken on top of being rare. It's just some thing that they throw on your TVs to point and laugh at to help you ignore the crap other governments are doing wrong.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

Jesus Christ, people.

Post some screenshots of the game, someone. Trying to show people who haven't played it how gorgeous the art design is, but all I can find is promo pictures.

Posted: Apr 03 2013 10:27 am

If the game is even half as colorful and beautiful as the commercial makes it look, I'll be a very happy man.