BioShock: Infinite Released

kandelar writes with news that BioShock: Infinite has been released. It's the third major release in the series of BioShock first-person shooters, and it's available for Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows. The game is garnering good critical reception, for the most part. Rock, Paper, Shotgun said, "Infinite is a game ruled by artists at least as much as it is by its writers. It’s the ultimate answer to the question of whether art or technology is the most important part of creating a visually excellent game – Crysis 3 might have far more going on under the hood, but its uninspired paintjob makes it seem so dull compared to Infinite’s vaguely Pixar-esque fusion of the photoreal and the colourfully unreal." Ars' reviewer wrote, "Infinite's battle system doesn't wear out its welcome or weigh down the game's excellent pacing. Infinite avoids the problem of near-endless waves of identical enemies that plagues so many shooters these days. The bits of shooting action are spaced and timed to serve as gentle punctuation marks that break up the story rather than full stops that bring it to a grinding halt." However, RPS adds this criticism of the player's effect the plot: "Infinite’s a triumph in terms of fantasy-architecture spectacle and bringing superb flexibility to the modern rollercoaster shooter, but in other respects it’s a small step down from the player agency and even the singular aesthetic of BioShock."

Comments

What about DRM?

[larry bagina]

If I'm going to spend money on a game, I'd like to actually play it.

Re:What about DRM?

[Darinbob]

BioShock was DRM encumbered with Steam, even physical copies,so I don't think they would have removed that.

Re:What about DRM?

[Anonymous Coward]

some people (including me) like steam. I don't want to be the one doing backups for my several hundred GB game collection. you do it your way, I'll do it mine.

Re:What about DRM?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why should I support those who are trying to combat the people who liberate software? I justify cracking games because it is the moral thing to do. It lets people own their software and to use it when ever or where ever they want without artificial limitations.

I'll gladly pay when they put out a DRM free version. Whether that's tomorrow, in ten years or never is up to them. Plenty of games make it on to GOG and I have no problems buying those.

Re:What about DRM?

[neonmonk]

Just because you don't like DRM, doesn't mean you can justify pirating it. They've chosen to release their product with DRM. Don't like, it don't buy it.

Re:What about DRM?

[Luckyo]

Idealistic bullshit. Reality is that piracy is the only viable way of resisting enroachment of DRM. Not buying it? Then clearly you're not a buyer and don't matter.

Massive piracy? Time to lower prices, reduce/remove DRM and make content as accessible as possible.

Just ask music companies.

Re:What about DRM?

[hairyfeet]

Well the guys in combat weren't always the smartest but in the previous games made sense...they were completely batshit. I mean you only had to hide and listen for a little while to hear that their minds were as warped as their bodies and since they too had Plasmid power i could see them thinking their powers would cover their behind. After all if I could throw fricking fireballs I'd probably be a little sloppy and arrogant too.

But if the AI is just okay? That I can handle. For instance the bad guys in the Borderlands games are kinda predictable but they can still give you a damned good fight. Do you feel in any way challenged by the enemies? Have you had any "Oh shit, run for cover, RUN!" moments in the game? The first time I accidently shot a Big Daddy when I wasn't ready made me haul some behind with my heart racing, the only game I've felt the same with since the Bioshock games is Borderlands and the first time I popped over a hill and literally landed in a nest of Alpha Skags.... man I ran like a girl because I was soooo not armed for that encounter!

So I'm not asking for award winning AI here, I'm really not that hard to please honestly, all I ask is that the bad guys aren't so stupid I just stand there going "Really? You are REALLY gonna do that?". If you need an example for comparison FEAR 3 where I could walk right up to an enemy from the side and they would continue to stay behind cover that not only did nothing but I could just walk up and club their stupid asses.

If the AI doesn't ruin the mood, blow the immersion, or get on your nerves by their thumb up their asses stupidity? I'm really not that hard to please, I'm really not. Just don't make the bad guys Far Cry II stupid and I'll play, all that matters in the end is "is it fun?" and if that answer is yes? I'm in.

And if you are on Windows? Try Comodo Dragon as its also based on Chromium but is frankly rock solid, I give it and IceDragon (their version of Firefox) out to my customers and use them myself, very well built. Oh and as a bonus if you use their free Internet Security it will automatically connect with the browser and sandbox it so you really don't have to worry about web based threats. Since I started handing it out to customers frankly the only infections I see now are when they are duped to download and install the malware, Comodo will do everything but reach out and knock the keyboard out their hands trying to stop them, but some people just want to see the dancing bunnies more than stay virus free, so I can't blame the AV and browser for that.

Re:What about DRM?

[dreamchaser]

Wrong. The moral thing to do would be to not buy it and not use it at all. If you don't like DRM don't use any DRM'd software. Your stance is just rationalization.

Re:What about DRM?

[Looker_Device]

Pfft and spend a few hundred bucks buying a console for a vastly inferior experience? Right.

So you want no DRM, but only on your platform of choice too?

Do you have any other demands? If so, please list them in an angry rant on the internet.

Re:What about DRM?

[Grizzley9]

Why should I support those who are trying to combat the people who liberate software? I justify cracking games because it is the moral thing to do. It lets people own their software and to use it when ever or where ever they want without artificial limitations

How can you own something for which you pirated? At least as the GP said if you purchased it first, then pirated it for DRM free play, then you'd have a standing. Face it you're just trying to justify getting free games no matter what you tell yourself.

Re:What about DRM?

[Raenex]

What's that have to do with anything?

The expense was part of my original point. Ignoring it while talking about songs is bullshit.

Movies cost at least as much to produce, and they're still making tons of those every year despite "piracy". Also, the distribution model there is changing too: Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, etc.

They still rely on money from theaters (including premium 3D and IMAX prices), and they also delay streaming until they give discs get a chance to sell. They also hit the streaming services up for more money. And finally, if they really start to lose out on movie sales, they're going to shift to cheaper budget films.

For video games, there's Steam.

Which is DRM, the whole reason we are talking about this in the first place, for fuck's sake. They also sell games at a premium at launch, and then rely on sales later. Don't expect any more replies to such stupid arguments.

Re:What about DRM?

[SteffenM]

+5 Insightful indicates he's not alone in this opinion.

Re:the truth... apk

[Deltaspectre]

Meh, it's an Anonymous Coward.

FTFAQ:

Concentrate more on promoting than on demoting.

Promote the good comments so no one needs to browse at 0-.

I've been playing it since yesterday.

[Nyder]

Game so far isn't too bad, but you can tell it's a console port.

There are some graphic problems i see. Like the baskets of apples are flat, no raised textures. And i found some smoke that was very 2D.

Mouse acceleration seems the same if it's on or off, and it's way too sensitive.

Other then that, it doesn't seem to bad at all, can't wait to play it more later.

Oh, the enemies seem to jump a bit, not sure if that is planned or what, but whatever, i can kill them the same.

Preset to High, get 40+ fps at 1080p with a i7-920 (3.2ghz) and a Nvidia 460.

If you like the other 2 games, you will probably enjoy this.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[Nyder]

Game so far isn't too bad, but you can tell it's a console port.

There are some graphic problems i see. Like the baskets of apples are flat, no raised textures. And i found some smoke that was very 2D.

Mouse acceleration seems the same if it's on or off, and it's way too sensitive.

Other then that, it doesn't seem to bad at all, can't wait to play it more later.

Oh, the enemies seem to jump a bit, not sure if that is planned or what, but whatever, i can kill them the same.

Preset to High, get 40+ fps at 1080p with a i7-920 (3.2ghz) and a Nvidia 460.

If you like the other 2 games, you will probably enjoy this.

Oh, i forgot to mention, almost all the NPC look like each other, they used maybe 2-3 different models. I think that is bullshit, but whatever, I just kill everyone in the game anyways.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[JMJimmy]

That's the short list of problems... graphics tearing, horrible audio levels (footsteps are louder than crashing waves!?), audio overlays that make the dialogue unintelligable, etc etc etc.

Most of all: The game is BORING! I couldn't have been more disappointed in the story. I've played for 8 hours or so and still don't know why I'm doing anything I am other than "someone hired me"... uhh ok... the world's story was going all religion then took a hard right into weird cult ville ala Resident Evil then took a U turn into racist land and now I just don't know.

Big prettyish world with crap all to do in it.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[jellyfoo]

You forgot the lack of manual saves (quicksave or otherwise). Whenever someone complains about checkpointed save systems, invariable someone chimes in and suggests that continually pressing F5 is hardly an improvement. What the said smartarse fails to mention is that pressing F5 ensures you've saved NOW, and hence can safely quick the game knowing it's going to load exactly where you saved and not a checkpoint 5-10 minutes ago.

It also means you can experiment more with situations, try out various weapons or tactics or ideas since you can just save manually before doing so. If the lack checkpoint was a while back, the enthusiasm to experiment deteriorates if you have to progress through scripted sequences to get back to where you started messing around.

Oh and of course, no-one said that a checkpoint AND manual save system couldn't be implemented. Games like Deus Ex - Human Revolution and even Half-Life 2 have this feature, and it works great for both types of players. But apparently to some idiots, if you complain about checkpoints you must be a save-smasher.

TL;DR - people suck on the Internet and are unable to form a argument unless it involves belittling other people.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[0123456]

Most of all: The game is BORING!

Consistent with Bioshock 1, then. Never played #2 because I gave up on #1 a few hours in.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[shione]

Here's my complaints:

16:9 resolutions on a 16:10 monitor is bugged. Any 16:9 resolution you pick the game will stretch it out to 16:10.

Mouse sensitivity is screwed up as you say. One it is too sensitive and two it seems to move in y axis faster than in the x, so when youre walking you view moves up and down too much , and I'm not talking about the head bob.

If there are stairs that are part of a building you have to jump to walk up them unlike all the other stairs in your path.

Game is very linear in your choice and it is very short. I finished it in 10 hours yesterday.

During the game and in the menus I have to hit the enter key. I can't remember when I last had to use the enter to in a game other than for chatting.

The Menus are very dumbed down and simplified. If you want to get to the nitty gritty stuff you have to edit the ini files.

You cannot manually save. All saves are automatic and you dont know when it happens, which means if you die you dont know if those items you last picked up have to be picked up again. Also makes it harder if you just want to explore the place and not worry about dying because if you die its hard to keep track of your progress unlike if you could exactly when you wanted to.

These are the main things that annoy me about the game.

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[RogueyWon]

I'd agree with the comments here. To add a few things to it: the combat is marginally better than Bioshock 1 and 2. My biggest issue with those games was that the weapons lacked any sense of clout. You'd have an enemy charging you who was basically a psychotic human (no armour, no supernatural powers) and to take them down, you'd have to pump multiple clips of ammo into them. That just felt poor. Infinite has, so far (in normal difficulty) felt better in this regard. Not perfect, but better.

The two-weapon limitation is a step back for the series. Very, very few shooters are improved by two weapon limits. Makes sense for realism-heavy military shooters (Operation Flashpoint, ARMA etc), in anything else it just forces bad game design. "Oh look, there's a sniper rifle over there, the game is telling me I will need to snipe in the next sequence". By all means do what Borderlands and its sequel do and, for console control-convenience, have 4 hotswitch weapon slots manageable at any time by your (much larger) inventory. But absolute 2-weapon limits are the absolute worst trend in fps gaming over the last few years.

The story is good. I must say that, as with the original Bioshock, I suspect it's not quite as good as some of the reviews have made out. In particular, I don't think the political and moral dimensions are quite as sophisticated as they claim to be. It's all a bit... well... undergraduate. The first game was "Ayn Rand is bad!". This one is less sophisticated still "Racism is bad!". I actually thought the second game tried to be a little more sophisticated and grey-shaded, but that had the least rapturous reception of any installment in the series.

And on the technology front... I'm running on an i7-3820 (3.6ghz) and an Nvidia 680 in ultra detail. The graphics are very good - better than the console versions. However, they're not better than the console versions by the same margin as we've seen in Crysis 3 or (to a slightly lesser extent) Tomb Raider. With those games, it felt like the PC version had been developed to a level that was in-line with what we should expect from the PS4 and the 360-successor. The PC version here is more halfway-house-ish.

Slight digression on Crysis 3; I was discussing it with a colleague at work who does all of his gaming on the 360. He was really disappointed with the game, largely because of its campaign length. I came to it's defense "But look at the technology, this is next-gen stuff, so it's no surprise that other elements of the game got a bit squeezed, just as happened with the likes of the original Gears of War early in this cycle". His response "What technology? It looks just like Crysis 2."

A day or two later, I got to see the 360 version running on a demonstration machine in my local Game.

"Oh, so he wasn't even playing the same game as me."

Re:I've been playing it since yesterday.

[JMJimmy]

I've listened to every vox and am well versed in the subject matter, while I haven't finished the game, because it didn't start well I don't care what happens to anyone.

In 1 it felt like you were dropped into the middle of a world and were trying to figure out what was going on/how to survive. It engaged you from the beginning. Infinite strings you along with a bunch of boring fights that have no meaning, introduces and drops topics like crazy, and forces you to look at the ground 90% of the time.

Re:the truth... apk

[Charliemopps]

yes, and stop posting beneath shit you don't want to see... the only reason I'm aware of the post is your 2 replies. I know I'm adding to the problem but Christ something needs to be said. STOP REPLYING TO SPAM and go set your visibility to exclude 0 posts.

There's another new Shock - more or less

[Jesus_666]

And if you're too much of a hipster to touch anything with "Bioshock" in the name, this is the perfect time to go to GOG, buy System Shock 2 and patch it with the latest SS2Tool. If you haven't played it for a while you might not know that half a year ago someone has actually produced a new version of the engine out of thin air, which seems to fix a lot of the crashing issues, adds compatibility with muticore systems, enables antialiasing, uses OpenAL to enable EAX-like effects etc.

With that and the SHMUP, SHTUP, Rebirth and Tacticool mods installed the game feels quite a bit more modern, even if there are a few blurry old textures left in the game. Plus, apparently it does't crash at the drop of a hat anymore. The only noticeable downside is that existing mod managers aren't supported; these days you dump all mod files in one of two override folders and manage them yourself. Perhaps someone will write a new one, though.

(Note: In case you want to patch the GOG release with SS2Tool 5.0: Delete the "gog.ico" file first; otherwise the SS2Tool installer will use compatibility code that isn't compatible with GOG's latest release. SS2Tool 5.1 is expected to fix this but hasn't been released yet. )

I am aware that this is somewhat off topic but seeing that until yesterday I had never heard about the engine update it might stand to reason that other Shock fans might be interested.