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Bioshock Infinite - All News

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Saturday - June 17, 2023
Tuesday - November 25, 2014
Thursday - February 06, 2014
Tuesday - January 14, 2014
Wednesday - November 13, 2013
Tuesday - November 05, 2013
Wednesday - October 09, 2013
Tuesday - October 08, 2013
Sunday - August 18, 2013
Monday - August 12, 2013
Sunday - August 04, 2013
Friday - August 02, 2013
Wednesday - July 31, 2013
Friday - July 05, 2013
Monday - April 15, 2013
Monday - November 21, 2011
Monday - November 14, 2011
Monday - November 22, 2010
Box Art

Saturday - June 17, 2023

Bioshock Infinite - Retrospective Review @ Mortismal Gaming

by Hiddenx, 09:09

Mortismal Gaming looks back at Bioshock Infinite:

BioShock Infinite - Review After 100%

Thanks Couchpotato!

Tuesday - November 25, 2014

Bioshock Infinite - Irrational Games Possibly not Dead After All?

by Hexprone, 05:23

Hey, maybe we get another Bioshock game! Or, maybe not. PC Gamer has the vague report below:

Reports of the demise of Irrational Games [developers of Bioshock] were apparently an exaggeration, as the studio has posted job listings for two positions, one of them being a senior programmer familiar with Unreal Engine 3 and 4. [...]

There is of course no indication as to what Irrational's next project will be, but the fact that there will be one at all is interesting in and of itself because of Levine's apparent farewell to the studio in February. "I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it," he said at the time.

Clearly, wild speculation is in order.

Source: PC Gamer

Thursday - February 06, 2014

Bioshock Infinite - Burial at Sea Episode Two

by Couchpotato, 00:38

Irrational Games announces  that BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode Two will be available for download on March 25th.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two

New York, NY – February 5, 2014 2K and Irrational Games announced today that BioShock® Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two*, the third add-on content pack for the award-winning BioShock Infinite, will be available for download worldwide on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC starting March 25.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two is built almost entirely from scratch by Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite. The narrative of this add-on content pack concludes the storyline of BioShock Infinite and Burial at Sea, as seen through the eyes of a new player character, Elizabeth, and features all-new stealth-oriented gameplay, as well as new weapons and modes.

“In Burial at Sea – Episode Two, we are delivering a story that involves nearly every major character from the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite,” said Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games. “It is a story that will give gamers a new perspective on the BioShock universe and conclude the story of BioShock Infinite and Burial at Sea.”

*BioShock Infinite is not included in this add-on content, but is required to play all of the included content.

Tuesday - January 14, 2014

Bioshock Infinite - Editorial @ Gamasutra

by Couchpotato, 05:21

Gamasutra has a new blog post about the opportunities lost for Bioshock Infinite.

One of the biggest problems with Bioshock Infinite is that the writers did not develop a thematically focused narrative. This moves beyond an editing issue and really gets to the heart of good design and writing. Strong narratives have a central, core concept. All other aspects of the narrative, from motifs to characters, should support that concept in order to give a structural unity to the story. In order to analyze Bioshock Infinite and its narrative, we have to consider: 

  1. American nationalism/patriotism
  2. Racism
  3. Quantum mechanics and the Many Worlds theory
  4. Social unrest and the underclass
  5. The corruption of power
  6.  Religion and religious fundamentalism

It is obvious that there is too much going on for a single narrative, even in a 16 hour game, to make coherent. However, add to that the fact that the main story is the personal history of Dewitt and Elizabeth and yes, you have narrative mayhem. Creating narrative driven games is difficult, and I fully realize the enormity of the undertaking, so the team of Bioshock Infinite deserves a lot of credit for even daring to include some of these issues in a major title. The criticism in this essay is undertaken in an effort to improve my understanding of game design and perhaps the field itself.

Wednesday - November 13, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Burial at Sea Launch Trailer

by Couchpotato, 03:48

2K Games released a new launch trailer for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode 1.

On the eve of Rapture's fall from grace, Elizabeth enlists Booker DeWitt's services in locating a lost girl. Who is this girl Sally, what does Booker know of her supposed fate, and what is Elizabeth's connection to this mysterious child? Find the answers to these questions and more in this new addition to BioShock Infinite, almost entirely from scratch by Irrational Games.


Tuesday - November 05, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Interview @ NowGamer

by Couchpotato, 00:32

NowGamer interviews Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Producer Don Roy to talk about why Irrational decided to return to Rapture.

Why did you decide to go back to Rapture? Was that in any way a response to the positive feedback going back to Rapture in Infinite or was that something you already had in mind?

We definitely didn’t have it in mind. The feedback was great. It really stemmed out of two things – when we finished Infinite and we decided we were going to do the DLC and putting all of our chips into it, two things came up when the idea of Rapture came along. 

The first was, 'can we take the learnings of Infinite and how we built those worlds and how we created living characters walking around in a setting that felt real and bring it back and show Rapture in its heyday, before it fell' – which we knew was going to be a challenge, but that was exciting. 

The other was, ‘is there a compelling narrative story that can stand on its own that connects the two worlds’? We figured both those out and wanted to take on those challenges, so that’s how we ended up in Rapture. 

You mentioned taking some of the stuff you did with Infinite in terms of building worlds. It feels like there is a mix of the two in Burial at Sea in that the first half feels like Infinite, showing you the world, and the second half feels more like the original Bioshock that we know, so is that the case, that you’re trying to take something from Infinite and the original Bioshock?

Yeah, I think it was really compelling to us to take the idea of town centre in Infinite and show that level of life and activity in rapture proper, so that people could see what it looked like before the fall and see people living their lives and what the idealized Andrew Ryan world looked like. 

Because in Bioshock 1 you have his PSAs [personal service announcements] and you have the messaging and you see the branding, but you don’t get to see the people actually living there. We had the ability now and we had lessons learned that we could actually build it out and show people what it looked like when people were living that lifestyle.

Wednesday - October 09, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Burial at Sea First 5 Minutes

by Couchpotato, 00:47

Irrational Games has released a new video showing off the first five minutes of it's next DLC Burial at Sea for Bioshock Infinite.

Watch the first 5 minutes of BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode One. Come back to Rapture in a story that finds Booker and Elizabeth on the eve of the underwater city's fall from grace. Get a taste of Rapture in its full glory, almost entirely built from scratch in the BioShock Infinite engine.

Tuesday - October 08, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Interview @ Eurogamer

by Couchpotato, 00:08

Eurogamer has posted a new interview with Creative Director Ken Levine about rebuilding Rapture in the upcoming DLC for Bioshock Infinite.

Andrew Ryan chose to build the impossible, but it was Ken Levine who decided to rebuild it. He chose Rapture. Again. A city where the artist would not fear the polygon count; where the programmer would not be bound by primitive Unreal shaders, Where great ambition would not be constrained by the limited expectations of DLC! With the sweat of Irrational's brow, Rapture is reborn as it was always meant to be - an objectivist utopia without equal, with a little film noir spice sprinkled on the top for good measure.

"Noir's always been an influence in BioShock, so we decided, f**k it, let's just go whole hog," Levine told me, mid-way through playing what's likely to be our penultimate trip to Rapture - the first episode of Burial At Sea, in which Booker's private detective agency gets relocated to the bottom of the Atlantic, a femme fatale version of Elizabeth discovers a new love of elegantly held cigarettes, and the connection between Rapture and Columbia is explored. "During Infinite, people asked if there'd be Rapture Easter Eggs, and that was a difficult question to answer. Not exactly, but that scene was a smack in the face that made you understand the whole universe."

Returning to Rapture with Infinite level technology is a tempting proposition, though definitely a risky one. After all, one of BioShock 2's biggest struggles was convincing players who thought Rapture was done and dusted, especially with Infinite's announcement being exciting primarily for offering somewhere brand new to explore. For Levine though, the narrative potential makes taking one more trip worth the risk - its altered perspective making for a very different story, and a natural continuation of Infinite's unbroken circle. "I think BioShock is the story of Rapture, and Infinite the story of Elizabeth and Booker set against Columbia," he explains. "Here, it's them set against Rapture."

Sunday - August 18, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Elizabeth Prototype Interview

by Couchpotato, 00:06

IGN has a new video interview talking about the Elizabeth prototype, and why she wasn't used in the released game.

Irrational discusses the original, mute "Gibson Girl" design of Elizabeth and why she didn't end up in BioShock Infinite.

Monday - August 12, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Interview @ Gamespot

by Couchpotato, 00:31

Gamespot interviews Irrational Games Lead Level Designer Forrest Dowling.

How has it been for you to switch to combat-focused design?

Dowling: Refreshing! I think that one of the reasons why a lot of people like the job of level designer is that you have so many different responsibilities at different times. That is definitely true at a place like Irrational, where sometimes it's the level designer's responsibility to properly tease a narrative over time, and sometimes it's just to make kick-ass combat. So much of the time I spent on BioShock Infinite was making sure voice-over lines trigger at the right time, or when a piece of freight passes over, it's just the best moment. Being able to step back and say "Now my job is to see if it's fun to fight three firemen and a handy man" is different, but also rewarding in a different way.

One of the greatest discussions around BioShock Infinite is the connection between combat and narrative. Was there ever a moment when someone at the studio felt apprehensive about focusing too much on combat? Is it a given, for a game that people want to see more of, that this is a natural way to do that?

Dowling: I wouldn't say it's given as a game, but BioShock is a game that people play for a couple different reasons. Some people are really interested in the story, some are really interested in the gameplay, and some are in between. As a gamer, I tend to be of that ilk. And you know, Clash in the Clouds, we knew it wasn't going to be for 100 percent of the people out there. It was going to be for people who are really into the gameplay experience, and that's what they wanted more of.

I think I went into it with open eyes. I'm certainly aware of all the conversations that are going on around it, but at the same time, I also saw that there were a lot of people who reacted very positively to the combat and the gameplay and the simplest stuff, like 1999 mode. I thought that there would be a sizable group of our fans who would really be into this sort of experience. Ultimately, it's up to them to let me know if I was right or not.

Sunday - August 04, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - OS X ReleaseThis Month

by Couchpotato, 00:22

For those of you who use a Mac for gaming Bioshock Infinite will be released for OS X on August 29th.

The Mac version of Bioshock Infinite will be available through the Mac App Store, Aspyr's own GameAgent, and Steam. The Steam version offers Steam Play support, meaning that if you buy it on PC, you'll have the Mac version free of charge and vice versa. Meanwhile, ordering through GameAgent will get you the Columbia's Finest DLC and a coupon for 20 percent off the $59.99 list price.

Friday - August 02, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Interview @ Polygon

by Couchpotato, 00:16

Polygon interviews Ken Levine on forced baptisms, meaningful violence, and "The End" of Bioshock Infinite.

This is a story about the ending of BioShock Infinite, about the reaction people had to that and other moments in the game, about Levine's reaction to those reactions. It is laden with spoilers, be warned.

We're sitting in a hotel suite in Boston to, in theory, discuss the coming of new content to BioShock Infinite. But before we get onto that I can't help but ask Levine about the game's ending. That's all it takes to soak up my entire time with him discussing what it all means.

"We got some criticism about it being opaque, and my feeling is I'd much rather err on the side of giving people something to debate about in their head or with their friends, instead of saying, ‘No, no. This happened, that happened, that happened,'" Levine says of the ending. "That's why I haven't been out there telling people who ask me all the time —‘Is this his 122 time through the world?' and ‘What is this?' and ‘Is that Songbird in BioShock 1?' — I don't want to answer any of those questions because, frankly, I don't think it's very interesting for me to answer those questions. I'd rather have people figure it out themselves."

Wednesday - July 31, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - DLC's and Interview

by Couchpotato, 01:09

Bioshock Infinite had three DLC announcements today. Those that have a season pass will get them free, and the rest of you will have to pay the usual $5-15.

First up is Bioshock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds.

It's an arena style series of challenges pitting Booker against Columbia's worst men and monsters. With 60 "Blue ribbon challenges", dedicated players who beat them all will gain access to "The Columbian Archeological Society", a form of in-game museum full of new voxophones and statues to admire. Online leaderboards are also included to pit yourself against infinite Bookers.

Next we have a two part DLC called Burial at Sea.

It's a two part story-based adventure taking place in Rapture. Named Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea, once again focuses on an older Elizabeth and Booker as they explore the underwater city of Rapture before the fall of Andrew Ryan.

And lastly Ken Levine is interviewed by Gametrailers.

Friday - July 05, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Expansion to Be Announced Late-July

by Couchpotato, 02:30

Irrational Games has confirmed on IGN that an announcement for new BioShock Infninite DLC will be made sometime in late July. There is supposed be three pieces of downloadable expansions to the game as part of its Season Pass.

Irrational Games has confirmed to IGN that new BioShock Infinite downloadable content will be revealed in late July.

The content will presumably mark the first expansion to be released as part of the BioShock Infinite season pass, which was available at launch and will include three pieces of DLC overall.

Last week, Irrational head Ken Levine said the studio is still working on the content, noting that they “have been since the game shipped.” Levine said “things are going well,” but asked fans to understand that “game development takes time.”

Thus far, the only additional content released for BioShock Infinite includes bonuses offered in the game’s special editions and as pre-order incentives. That content was bundled into the Columbia’s Finest pack last week and is available for $5 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

For more on BioShock Infinite, check out our wiki and be sure to check back to IGN in late July for the first details about DLC.

All I know is that I love announcements of announcements. Don't you?Cool

Monday - April 15, 2013

Bioshock Infinite - Combat Mechanics Regression

by Myrthos, 13:28

In his blog on Gamasutra Eric Schwarz explains why he feels that the combat of Bioshock Infinite is a step down from the previous Bioshock games.

One of the dangers in striving for "perfect balance" as BioShock Infinite does is that you can end up with a game that feels very flat and soulless.  Outside of the competitive multiplayer community, I'm of the opinion that balance is something which needs to be "good enough" but nothing more.  In trying to ensure every option is equally effective in most situations, BioShock Infinite runs into the unfortunate problem if no weapons being especially preferable to any others.

The two-weapon-max system is a tacit admission of this by Irrational Games - if you could carry all guns you would have virtually no weaknesses in combat, hence the limitation imposed on the player.  As there are no guns which are significantly better against certain enemies, or certain weapons which offer substantially different or interesting functionality, you end up sticking with the same guns throughout the whole game.  You've invested money into upgrading them, you can only carry two, and combat is only going to get harder as you go - so there is actually substantial disincentive to experiment.  And while there is a widely-held belief that two-weapon limits are more tactical, when you have so few enemy types and all guns are so effective in almost every situation, there's not much point to this limit.

The lack of interesting weapon upgrades and secondary capabilitie sis another big concern.  Customization of your guns in Infinite is nothing more than a slight boost in effectiveness, and while upgrades are limited by the money you have available, you really don't have to make significant choices about what weapons to upgrade since chances are you'll only be using a few weapons throughout the game anyway.  BioShock 2 had interesting capstone upgrades for its guns, like super-charging your Rivet Gun with bolts capable of setting enemies on fire.

 

Monday - November 21, 2011

Bioshock Infinite - Video Round-Up

by Skavenhorde, 17:44

We haven't posted much on Bioshock Infinite, but since Mass Effect 3 gets coverage here I might as well post some on Bioshock Infinite as well. Here is the gameplay trailer from E3. If this has been posted before, I apologize, but I could not find it anywhere here:

Two videos giving a behind-the-scenes look into the voice actors for Booker and Liz.

Behind Booker and Elizabeth Part One:

 

Behind Booker and Elizabeth Part Two:

Monday - November 14, 2011

Bioshock Infinite - More Enemies, More Weapon Range

by Aries100, 22:10

Gamespy has news about the combat in this game. According to Ken Levine there will be long-rage combat as well as more enemies. A quote:

BioShock Infinite is going to have much greater ranges and, potentially, far more enemies, so we're greatly increasing the spectrum of encounters that are possible, and that requires the player use a broader set of tools.

Source: GameSpy

Monday - November 22, 2010

Bioshock Infinite - No Lead Platform

by Skavenhorde, 14:47

Chris Kline posted at the Irrational Games Forums that they are doing simultaneous in-house development on the PS3, 360 and PC versions of the game. This was mostly to assuage PS3 owners' fears that it'll be a simple port:

 

We’re doing simultaneous in-house development on the PS3, 360, and PC versions of the game,” wrote Kline. “We all know that the PS3 is powerful but unique console with its own strengths and challenges. But compared to the PC, the Xbox 360 is challenging too. So instead of declaring a 'lead platform' and porting the game to the others, we’ve instead changed the game engine so that all platforms look (to a programmer) more like a PS3.

Source: Gamasutra

Information about

Bioshock Infinite

Developer: Irrational Games

SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Historical
Genre: Shooter-RPG
Combat: Real-time
Play-time: 10-20 hours
Voice-acting: Full

Regions & platforms
World
· Homepage
· Platform: PC
· Released: 2013-03-26
· Publisher: 2K Games