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Was BioShock Infinite good?

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Was BioShock Infinite good?

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich narratives of video games, I have come to appreciate the depth and complexity that Ken Levine brought to the table with his masterpiece, “BioShock Infinite.” However, having read this critique, I cannot help but feel a pang of disappointment and a deep sense of longing for what could have been.

In the ongoing debates about video games culture, some questions consistently resurface. For instance: Is every game with role-playing elements considered an RPG? Is it acceptable to bypass cutscenes? Preferences for subtitles or dubbed versions. Additionally, a peculiar question frequently arises in various online communities and occasionally on social media platforms: Was “BioShock Infinite” an excellent game?

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that the debate surrounding “Infinite” from 2013 often turns into lengthy discussions instead of simple yes or no answers. It’s intriguing how deeply people delve into the pros and cons of this game. With some background information and dedicated analysis, perhaps we can reach a clear-cut conclusion.

Was BioShock Infinite good?

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Irrational Games was behind the creation of BioShock Infinite, with Ken Levine leading as writer and creative director, much like he did for the first BioShock. The development process for the game took around five years, similar to its predecessor. 2K Games aided in the lengthy production by assigning the direct sequel, BioShock 2, to another studio, 2K Marin. It’s not clear from an outsider’s perspective just how much influence Levine held, but it’s evident that there’s something captivating about him that draws in many around him. Maybe he’s an excellent storyteller, or he inspires confidence. It could simply be his ability to complete projects and sell millions of copies of games under his creative leadership.

I’ll begin with Levine since many conversations regarding “Infinite” eventually circle back to him. He holds a near-monopoly on interpreting this game, given its complexity. “Infinite” follows the journey of a man named Booker DeWitt as he ventures to a colossal, floating metropolis called Columbia. This city is unique in its own right, shaped by a political religion that reveres American founding fathers; it’s a utopian society based on racial and ethnic stratification; it’s a marvel of technology. As Booker, we explore the city in search of Elizabeth to uncover all the peculiarities of Columbia.

Similar to the past BioShock installments, Infinite can be classified as a science fiction game. It pushes the boundaries of this genre even more than its predecessors through an intricate storyline featuring a multiverse and multiple versions of Booker and Elizabeth. The allure of science fiction shines through with the depiction of the levitating city of Columbia and Elizabeth’s ability to manipulate reality. However, this comes with a challenge: we must accept each action and explanation without question in order for the game’s rules and logic to appear consistent and respected.

Critics have identified “Infinite” as a disappointing representative of its time period. Towards the end of the game, an enlightened Elizabeth, brimming with abilities, shares that we inhabit a multiverse with certain fixed elements. She simplifies decades of video game production with her statement: “There’s always a lighthouse, a man, a city.” This encapsulates the fundamental concept of the Shockiverse. All our actions in these games can be likened to ripples on the universe’s surface, predictable and solvable like mathematical equations or children’s puzzles. The only viable option suggested by the game is to interrupt it all before it commences, and then we follow that route.

As a gamer, I found the game deeply impactful. It hit me right in the feels with its thought-provoking themes, leaving me pondering long after I’d turned off my console. But some critics, like Jade King, don’t seem to share my appreciation. They argue that the game tried too hard to appear mature and emotional, resulting in a disappointing experience that failed to clear even the most basic of hurdles.

The depth of the game is revealed through the dynamic between its ruling Founders faction and the rebellious Vox Populi, who are striving for freedom for Columbia’s suppressed racial and political groups. As a player, you find yourself caught in the middle, completing tasks for each side in turn. Eventually, you come to understand that neither group is capable of creating an ideal world on their own. This theme of placing the player as a mediator between extremes is prevalent in Levine’s past projects, as pointed out by Chris Franklin in a recent video. The player may feel drawn and compelled towards different paths, but ultimately finds themselves forced onto one. By assuming the role of a character straddling the fence, players are given the opportunity to critique any shortcomings they observe in the real world – as King put it, “gamers like to think they’re smart,” making us feel intellectually astute when we notice inconsistencies in the various viewpoints presented.

Was BioShock Infinite good?

Booker first encounters a world ruled by nationalistic Founders, creating a horrifying, racist dystopia for citizens and non-citizens alike. Later, he transitions to a realm dominated by the Vox Populi, resulting in an chaotic, violent landscape with mounting casualties and errors. Ana Marie Cox, among others, criticizes the game’s viewpoint as outdated “both sides” thinking, focusing on the extremes rather than the underlying ideas. The player serves as a mediator between these extremes, leading us to overlook the concerns each side aims to address. In Cox’s words, “the suffering before you is merely a backdrop for your personal growth.”

If there is a difference between what “Infinite” aims for and what it ultimately delivers, it lies in the concessions it makes to the player. Levine, as the public face and advocate, is consistently articulate about the game’s aspirations and objectives, which can be discerned from interviews conducted over a decade ago. In an interview with Adam Serwer, Levine distanced himself from labeling the work “political,” instead opting for “historical.” He elaborated on the various references and movements that informed the game. The game’s heavier undertones concerning racial stratification and authoritarian warfare are evidently shaped by Levine’s exploration of, and contemplation upon, historical tendencies in America. As he conveyed to Evan Lahti following a discussion on America’s slave-owning Founding Fathers, “people were products of their time, and this is a game that portrays an era where, if we don’t incorporate those elements truthfully, it’s misleading, you understand?” Levine presents the game as a significant endeavor to engage with the violence of America’s past and present in some capacity.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that some aspects of this game have raised concerns for many players over the years. In one dimension, the leader of the rebellion, Daisy Fitzroy, who is a black woman, takes a dark turn and becomes a power-hungry killer. It’s disappointing to see how the game’s message of racial and class equality has been twisted into something so absurd that it feels like a satire. Even after all this time, it continues to provoke thought and debate among players.

In the perspective of 2024, it appears that one major issue with “Infinite”‘s view from nowhere is its concept of infinity. Regardless of your standpoint, “Infinite” presents ideas that could resonate with your perception of the world and others that may contradict it. This might be a commendable objective – art provides us with unique viewpoints on the world that we have yet to grasp, making it one way that creative output shapes us.

From my perspective as an avid fan, the ongoing debates about the merit of “Infinite” often revolve around one key point: the game fails to present a clear-cut perspective through a particular character, group, or ideology. Instead, it challenges us with the thought-provoking concept that numerous valid ways of living in the world exist. If we take any of these ways to their extreme, we risk excluding all others and creating problems. The “both sides” dilemmas in “Infinite” stem from the imagination-testing nature of the game’s multiverse. In essence, it offers a vast universe of diverse worlds, but when one world gains complete dominance, the balance is lost.

In simpler terms, we could express that the challenge or issue with “Infinite” – the aspect that makes it a controversial topic in game criticism – can be described as the use of allegory. Allegory is a type of metaphor where a story represents another idea or concept. Ken Levine has shown an affinity for open allegories as a means to convey ideas within narratives. In an interview with Yannick LeJacq in 2012, Levine referred to George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four” as influential political parables that can be applied to various structures throughout history. He admired Orwell for not explicitly stating the political message but instead providing the necessary pieces for readers to form their own conclusions – a method Levine aimed to employ in creating “Infinite”.

Animal Farm holds a significant position as the most widely read political allegory among English-speaking audiences, setting high standards for any subsequent work. However, understanding the impact and enduring legacy of Infinite Janson requires referencing Animal Farm. Animal Farm is a staple in middle and high school curricula due to its clear representation of authoritarianism by an anti-Soviet writer. The narrative offers no ambiguity, making it an effective tool for teaching about the pitfalls of power. In essence, Animal Farm serves as a straightforward allegory where symbols represent real-life issues, enabling readers to draw valuable lessons concerning power and control.

The origin of Infinite‘s fracture could be traced back to there. In the same interview, Levine expressed his apprehension towards certainty, stating “when someone is absolutely sure, I get very, very nervous.” This trait is commendable as we should all adapt and evolve with the times, recognizing that the human project is far from completed. However, Infinite‘s potential problem could be that Levine and his team blended their profound uncertainty about the world with a narrative approach heavily steeped in allegory, leaving little room for debate. In essence, Infinite does not introduce new realms but rather depicts closing worlds – ones influenced by history and politics – through intense ideological conflicts. The game culminates with a science fiction twist: A multiverse of Elizabeths annihilating a multiverse of Bookers to halt the chain reaction, thereby erasing various historical trajectories and concluding the game with an intriguing question mark regarding what could possibly replace the previous dystopian reality.

In 2016, Levine expressed a more optimistic view regarding the game “Infinite” during an interview with Chris Suellentrop. He pondered over its impact: “Most people are broken by oppression. But I could spin a tale about those who rise above it. However, based on my historical studies, such instances are quite uncommon.” Despite the game’s setting filled with multiversal powers, flying cities, and scientists of the unknown, Levine perceived history as an obstacle. In this world where reality is manipulated to fit our fantasies embodied as Booker DeWitt, Levine believed that the fundamental principles of allegory and human morality persist unaltered. For him, history serves only to constrain us. In the game’s representation, we can never truly be certain, nor can we make a definitive claim to righteousness or moral superiority. Such claims are merely a reflection of our egos, which can always be countered by an equal and opposite force.

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2024-07-18 16:19

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