If the character and AI of Elizabeth failed, then the entire game would fail. This is not one big escort mission, and the game makes that VERY clear the moment you and Liz are free to roam about Battleship Bay, going as far to tell you in a tutorial-like manner that “Elizabeth can take care of herself.” Indeed, Liz is a big girl and not some stupid one-dimensional character that gets in the way constantly or hampers gameplay. Not since Half-Life 2 have I seen a game deliver such a compelling, emotion-driven story that actually makes you care what happens to your AI companion. Elizabeth, the city of Columbia (which could be described as a character itself) and the folks you meet along the way are what make Infinite resonate and deliver an emotional punch that makes you care about what happens throughout the entirety of the game. The girl, meaning the NPC Elizabeth who accompanies you through-out most of the 16-22 hour journey that is Infinite. Booker, the protagonist, cares not of the plight of the Irish, black or Asian citizens of Columbia but is there to simply perform one task: Get the girl and bring her to New York. I wont go more into the detail of what happens next since as I stated the game must truly be experienced as my simple words won’t do it justice but let’s just say the game puts you at the center of a city with racism, religious zealots and social collapse permeating the surface of this would-be utopia. Once you step out of your one-man express elevator to Columbia, you are further welcomed by the sound of men and women singing hymns in a sanctuary type of environment. Even non-gamers will appreciate the beauty this heavenly city portrays… at first. It is breathtaking and must be played to experience it. As your character, Booker DeWitt, glares out of the rockets window you see the city-line for nearly the entire city of Columbia and immediately, you are sucked in. When you begin your adventure into Columbia you are literally jettisoned into the heavens with a loudspeaker welcoming you by declaring “Hallelujah” in a haunting, angelic voice. FPS being the obvious choice since it immerses the player into the conditions of the game with ease. A little soon, I believe… but is Infinite worth that commendation?įirst and foremost, Infinite is a narrative, story-driven game set in the FPS format. No surprise then is Infinite already deemed “Game of the Year” worthy. Gameplay videos, screenshots, Ken Levine interviews, Q and A’s with talent from the dev team and absurd amounts of countless news stories chronicling the games development and post-production were readily consumed by the mass public. The hype machine surrounding Infinite started well over a year a go and hasn’t let up until the day the game was available for retail. I was not surprised to see nearly 25-30 gamers packed into my local GameStop to pick up their copy as well, since this game has been so greatly anticipated. I also attended the midnight launch of the game on March 26th, so I could delve into the sky-faring world of Columbia without hesitation. Having pre-ordered the “Premium Edition” of the game and receiving all the nice little pack-ins such as the art book, soundtrack, key chains etc it was well worth the extra $30 or so I would normally spend on a new release. The quintessential FPS that has a serious, mind-bending story to tell.
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