This is a very delayed review, and probably not going to interest anyone, so more for my own ego's sake than anything else. That being said, I'll remain spoiler free if you've wandered across this review somehow and haven't played it (you should, its excellent!). Bioshock Infinite takes us from the submerged, suffocating horror of Rapture to the strident, soaring world of Colombia, high above the clouds. The atmosphere and tone is very different, but atmosphere and tone is still very much present in this world. Bioshock is dragged out of the shadows and put into the light. It works, it's a captivating fantasy world which I really enjoyed with its own hooks, but on some level its not "Bioshock" as I immediately associate it with the claustrophobic, maniacal terrors of Rapture. That's not a bad thing courtesy of its magnificent storytelling. There's a good selection of powers and weapons to choose from with a variety of playstyles to select as you please. Having the DLC made the early game feel a little too forgiving however, as you receive a substantial volume of additional resources. The highest difficulty levels present a decent challenge, you have to be moderately conservative with your ammunition and vigors. At no point did I hit a brick wall in my achievement runs of the story, a test but beatable. There is also a challenge mode over several maps, and this is a challenge! Some of the wave missions are pretty demanding and precise, and if you mess them up, you have to start the entire map again and get back to that wave. Be prepared to invest some time if you get the completionist itch.

The games strongest component is its storytelling. It's exceptional. Unlike the blank canvas of our Rapture denizens, Booker and Elizabeth are defined characters with distinct personalties, behaviours and voices. They interact heavily with the world around them, and most importantly with each other. There was a really poignant moment where I wandered into a room after a firefight, and found a guitar. Elizabeth began singing as Booker strummed. Spontaneous and incredibly touching. I normally skip such pseudo cutscenes if possible, but I found myself just sitting back and listening. That's good storytelling.They tangibly develop as characters over the course of the game, and you feels its earned and justified. Nothing is more rewarding as a player than when you yell YES! or WHAT! while playing, because you've developed a connection to the characters. There are also the classic Bioshock plot twists. Prepare to dive into the rabbit hole in this one, it gets pretty wild with some clever nods. I loved it. The game also possesses the most wonderfully bittersweet ending, which is worthy of a mention in itself. It makes your second playthrough almost as interesting as your first, as you look for the telltale signs of the set up. And oh boy is it a set up.

So the question that rises: is it better than the original Bioshock? Well, in my opinion yes, but for a specific reason. As visceral as the atmosphere and plot twist of Rapture is, the strength of the narration and characterisation in Infinite carries it above it's previous entries, with twists to match those of the first game. It goes on my all time favourites list, and my 100% completion list.

'There's always a lighthouse, a man, a city'

This is a very delayed review, and probably not going to interest anyone, so more for my own ego's sake than anything else. That being said, I'll remain spoiler free if you've wandered across this review somehow and haven't played it (you should, its excellent!). Bioshock Infinite takes us from the submerged, suffocating horror of Rapture to the strident, soaring world of Colombia, high above the clouds. The atmosphere and tone is very different, but atmosphere and tone is still very much present in this world. Bioshock is dragged out of the shadows and put into the light. It works, it's a captivating fantasy world which I really enjoyed with its own hooks, but on some level its not "Bioshock" as I immediately associate it with the claustrophobic, maniacal terrors of Rapture. That's not a bad thing courtesy of its magnificent storytelling. There's a good selection of powers and weapons to choose from with a variety of playstyles to select as you please. Having the DLC made the early game feel a little too forgiving however, as you receive a substantial volume of additional resources. The highest difficulty levels present a decent challenge, you have to be moderately conservative with your ammunition and vigors. At no point did I hit a brick wall in my achievement runs of the story, a test but beatable. There is also a challenge mode over several maps, and this is a challenge! Some of the wave missions are pretty demanding and precise, and if you mess them up, you have to start the entire map again and get back to that wave. Be prepared to invest some time if you get the completionist itch. The games strongest component is its storytelling. It's exceptional. Unlike the blank canvas of our Rapture denizens, Booker and Elizabeth are defined characters with distinct personalties, behaviours and voices. They interact heavily with the world around them, and most importantly with each other. There was a really poignant moment where I wandered into a room after a firefight, and found a guitar. Elizabeth began singing as Booker strummed. Spontaneous and incredibly touching. I normally skip such pseudo cutscenes if possible, but I found myself just sitting back and listening. That's good storytelling.They tangibly develop as characters over the course of the game, and you feels its earned and justified. Nothing is more rewarding as a player than when you yell YES! or WHAT! while playing, because you've developed a connection to the characters. There are also the classic Bioshock plot twists. Prepare to dive into the rabbit hole in this one, it gets pretty wild with some clever nods. I loved it. The game also possesses the most wonderfully bittersweet ending, which is worthy of a mention in itself. It makes your second playthrough almost as interesting as your first, as you look for the telltale signs of the set up. And oh boy is it a set up. So the question that rises: is it better than the original Bioshock? Well, in my opinion yes, but for a specific reason. As visceral as the atmosphere and plot twist of Rapture is, the strength of the narration and characterisation in Infinite carries it above it's previous entries, with twists to match those of the first game. It goes on my all time favourites list, and my 100% completion list. 'There's always a lighthouse, a man, a city'