Game Review: Bioshock Infinite

      A Breathtaking Experience. Is all that can be said for Irrational Games' and Ken Levine's Bioshock Infinite; story, visuals, combat and characters are all blended so perfectly, it should not come as a surprise if  this Masterpiece takes the Game of the Year Award.

 

   
     "Bring us the girl, wipe away the debt." is what disgraced ex-Pinkerton agent and former war hero Booker DeWitt is told when accepting a job to rescue a mysterious young woman named Elizabeth from the floating city of Columbia. Upon first exploring the City in the Sky, Booker learns that it is in a current state of Civil War between the rich, white supremacists and the multi-racial working class. He also finds it's citizens hold high praise to a religious leader and self-proclaimed "Prophet" named Father Comstock, who predicts the arrival of the "False Shepard" that the bears the letters "AD" on their hand, which Booker has. Elizabeth, who has been locked in a tower for most of her life, possesses the ability to open "Tears", which are essentially doors to another universe or time period. With their own personal reasons; Booker and Elizabeth help each other escape Columbia from those who want to use Elizabeth's power for various reasons, while uncovering the dark secrets of the city and themselves, in a plot much bigger than anyone can imagine...

     The gameplay is pretty much that of  first-person shooter with role-playing elements but with its own uniqueness. Players have access to the usual handguns, rifles and shotguns that can be upgraded. "Vigors" are Infinite's version of Bioshock 1 & 2's "Plasmids", which give the player special abilities such as: Sending a flock of crows to attack an enemy or briefly incapacitating enemies in midair. As fun as it is, there are some downsides to "Vigors"; Salts are required to power the abilities and there is a maximum of 2 out of the total 8 "Vigors" that players can equip. Players can ride the "Skyline", Columbia's rail transport system, during combat and use the  "Skyhook"  for melee strikes and executions. Easily the most important part of gameplay is Elizabeth; during Combat she will hide from attackers and restock players with health, ammo and salt by calling Booker's name and tossing supplies to him. The most important part is Elizabeth's ability to open "Tears" during combat, where she can materialize cover, turrets, health kits, ammo stocks and allies to the players aid.

      The game is so polished and so perfectly crafted with stunning visuals, fun combat, amazing characters and a story so vast and thought out, it more than well makes up for the several delays gamers had to go through for this astounding experience. The revolutionary AI and story behind Elizabeth gives a companion that not only needs no hand holding but is also a vital part to gameplay and by delving farther into the plot, players should not be surprised if they find themselves doing everything they can to protect and to care for Elizabeth. Blurring the line between religion and politics and exploring themes such as racial equality, social class, alternate realities and the price of freedom are all part of a marvelous, thought-provoking story-line with an ending that will be sure to shock and dumbfound those playing it.

     Bioshock Infinite is such a masterpiece that it would be shame for people to overlook this as a simple shooter and possibly miss out on one of the most ambitious, groundbreaking games of the decade. The sky is the limit so "Would You Kindly" pick up this game...

Game Review: Tomb Raider

     "A Survivor is born." That is the tagline for Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix's well executed re-imagining of one of video games' most iconic heroines of all time; providing gamers with a compelling plot, a beautifully rendered open-world environment and an easy to follow gameplay system.

     Tomb Raider is a complete reboot of the franchise and therefore the previous installments are not considered canon to this reboot's universe. The game follows a young, naive and fresh out of college Lara Croft as she attempts to make her "mark" on the world of exploration and archaeology. On her first expedition aboard the Endurance, Lara and her fellow crew are in search of the ancient Japanese kingdom of Yamatai when their vessel is struck by a storm and ultimately shipwrecked on the island. Stranded, alone and inexperienced; Lara must find a way home, rescue her friends and learn to survive from the elements, the savage wildlife and the mysterious, hostile inhabitants of the island.

     The initial gameplay is a mix of exploration, platforming and combat implemented with a system to upgrade Lara's skills and abilities in Survival, Hunting and Brawling. Lara's arsenal which consists of a bow, a climbing axe, a shotgun, an assault rifle and a pistol can also be upgraded to help her in combat and exploration. Traversing the open world island of Yamatai is so fleshed out that it requires players to be quick on their feet, utilizing all of Lara's tools and abilities, otherwise she could be plunging to her death by sharp rocks in rough waters, just to name at least one brutal death sequence. Also for those players who absolutely despise "Quick-Time Events", it should be noted that there is a fair amount of that throughout the game however most of those sequences are in the opening chapters while the rest are merely for combat and platforming purposes such as counter killing.


     The game is so beautifully rendered; with the peaking sunlight through a coastal forest or the ominous sight of a shipwrecked cove, players should not be surprised if they find themselves enjoying the scenery and taking screenshots. The set pieces provide some very impressive awe-inspiring moments that, without a doubt, rival another certain game franchise about an adventurer, that is well known for it's wonderful set pieces. The story, while can be predictable, is so engaging  that it's hard for players to put their controllers down for those 12-15 hours worth of gameplay, offering many twists, turns and character development rounded off with excellent portrayals by the voice and motion capture actors, especially Camilla Luddington (Californication, Grey's Anatomy) who is the new voice of Miss Croft.

     Tomb Raider is a fresh, new start for the long time video game franchise, breaking down the character of Lara Croft into a vulnerable, naive and a realistic young woman who, while perfectly proportioned unlike her other incarnations, is still very sexy in her own right. Older fans of the original series might feel alienated due to the lack of over the top gymnastics and the grittiness, brutality and realism of the story but it should be noted that this is merely the start for Lara and there is no doubt we will eventually see her become the heroine we know and love, albeit with several differences in order to fit this new reboot. Watch out Nathan Drake, Lara Croft is back...