The original BioShock's underwater city of 'Rapture' is maybe one of the most celebrated video game settings of all time. It appropriately sets the mood from minute one, as you clamber from the ruins of a plane crash only to find yourself fighting off Splicers and Big Daddies for the next 10 hours or so. There's no denying Rapture's place in the video game history books as a fantastic setting.
However, while BioShock Infinite was critically acclaimed on launch and has garnered more than its fair share of plaudits in the years since, Columbia has never really reached Rapture's iconic status. 10 years on from Infinite's release though, we want to celebrate BioShock's city in the clouds - Columbia is still an amazing world to explore.
You already know you're in for a treat following the initial lighthouse introduction, yet, the game's seafaring beginning still evokes big BioShock 1 vibes. It isn't until you ring those bells and ascend to Columbia that you realise how different Infinite's setting is going to be from the dark and dingy halls of Rapture. We still reckon Infinite has one of the best video game introductions in history to boot. If you haven't played it then... go do that now - what better time than exactly a decade later!
Anyway, once you do arrive in the game's floating city and are successfully baptised (whether you want to be or not), Infinite begins to open up, and after exploring Rapture before, Columbia feels like taking a big breath of incredibly fresh air. The environment is open, colourful, inviting. Of course, much has been said about that point in BioShock Infinite when things become a little less inviting for the game's protagonist, but thankfully Infinite's location never takes that turn for the player at home.
From wonderfully pristine boardwalks to rundown slum areas and everything in-between, BioShock Infinite has a little bit of everything for the player to gawk over - when they're not taking down hordes of baddies, anyway. The game looked pretty incredible even on Xbox 360 at the time, and more recent remasters have further highlighted the incredible work that Irrational Games cooked up during a roughly five-year development period.
It's not just visuals either; BioShock Infinite's gameplay is downright fun and dare we say it, more enjoyable to return to than the original game's moment-to-moment fighting. Mix in those incredibly slick skyhooks and you just have an amazing environment to mess around in; throwing enemies up in the air with your various 'Vigor' powers or dropping down onto unsuspecting bad guys below.
You know when you get those 'anniversary, must replay' feels - that's exactly what we're going through right now. Despite the game's dark and often extremely violent undertones, BioShock Infinite's Columbia always invites us back with open arms, and you know what, we think the game is more than ready for our first replay of 2023. Another playthrough won't add too much to the backlog... right?
Happy 10th Birthday to BioShock Infinite! Oh and Irrational Games, we're ready for 'Judas' when you are!
Comments 29
great game have played it many times
I throughly enjoyed this game, with the exception of maybe the end game where the big battles got to be a bit much. The setting was beautiful and a lovely contrast the the previous Bioshock games.
Great have one of my top 10!
I bought this without ever playing BioShock — I don't remember why but I'm sure the setting attracted me. Loved every minute of it.
An absolute classic.
This is one of my all time favourite games. The setting, the story, the Gameplay, the characters. It was all very well done. Some great memories..
It still holds up to this day, a masterpiece in art and game design.
Love these articles !
Great game, excellent design and atmosphere.
Some dislike it because it diverged from the first two Bioshock games but taken on it's own, it was a great game.
I much prefer Rapture - its got much more atmosphere and the complete opposite - Claustrophobic, trapped under water and more isolated. To me, Bioshock lost its 'horror' with the move to Columbia. 10yrs later, I still can't help feel disappointed about the 'change'.
This is one of my all time favorite games. In fact, I prefer it much more over the original BioShock - which is an incredible game, mind you - but Infinite resonated with me much more.
I enjoyed Infinite but much prefer the first 2 games. For me it’s a 7/10 game where as the original is probably a 9.
I also really disliked the DLC for infinite.
I respectfully disagree and i'll leave it at that.
Same with me @blackmayge. It was an absolute masterpiece
for me
BioShock 9/10
BioShock 2 8/10
BioShock infinite 9/10
Bioshock Infinite is one of my most disappointing games of all time. It is a huge downgrade from the first two. Columbia was okay though.
I'm going to play it again on SX, I loved this game on PS3-4 😍
Yeah, the setting is great, but also a big pile of wasted potential.
This game is the prime example of a mess born of too many ideas, all at once, with the final result being a thoroughly unfocused and lesser experience, compared to the Rapture duology.
The plot is all over the place, the gameplay is watered down to an incredible extent, and the themes...well, better not even touch those with a ten foot pole.
Oh and the retcons in the DLC are absolutely dreadful.
Loved this game and it does remind me of spring 2013
Infinite is league's better then the first 2 Bioshock games. I much prefer this over the original, mainly cause I don't find the first one to be that enjoyable. Bioshock 2 was too much like 1, the key difference is you're a big daddy. I much preferred the environment and gameplay of Infinite over 1 and 2.
It's alright. The first game is the true masterpiece though. It's superior in every way, especially the setting.
Seems like good many thought this game was great. I played it when first came out and was incredibly underwhelmed and dissatisfied with the game start to finish. Even purchased the collectors edition with the statue. Maybe if played it again would enjoy it more. Hard to tell.
Anyone else care share thoughts?
@clvr Thank you! You put in words exactly my thoughts.
Infinite is not even close to as fun/good/immersive as the first 2 Bioshock games. It's not a bad game per se, but it isn't very good. I was disappointed with just about every aspect of it, especially with how incredibly shallow the gameplay is compared to prior entries in the series.
I can’t tell you the way I feel because the way I feel is all so new to me
They tried to capture lightning in a bottle again with infinite but didn't work, at least for me anyway. They even had to go back to rapture with the dlc because most fans preferred rapture to columbia.
Bioshock 1 stands alone as an all time great, I really couldn't get on with 2 or infinite for different reasons. I much prefer Atomic Heart's world (and the game overall) to Bioshock Infinite.
I liked all 3 games. After the first two the location of 3 along with no big daddies and creepy little girl were welcome differences from 1& 2. My memories are fuzzy now as it has been 9 or ten years since I played any of the three. Maybe I'll try a replay.
I love Bioshock immensely. There was so much passion and drama in the E3 footage from Elizabeth telling Booker about Comstock and what he must do if he gets her, then to have that same conversation feel so lifeless when it was in the game irritated me so much. That is the main reason why I refuse to watch any footage anymore fro games I am interested in.
Bioshock was great. I never got around to playing Bioshock 2 despite owning it for many years (building a better backlog 😄).
My issues with Bioshock: Infinite (gameplaywise) were that it wasn't balanced well on the harder difficulty. You die a lot and lose a considerable amount of money each time. Money is needed to upgrade your plasmids. I felt like I did way too much shooting and barely explored the available powers.
NTM, the game performed well below the hardware capabilities of PC. That persisted, even years later on new hardware.
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