Back around the time of the first BioShock, we predicted that the sequel would be set way up in the air. Well, we were wrong for BioShock 2, but it turns out if you wait long enough (five years) everything happens.
The gloss of the world has faded a little since the release of Dishonored, but this latest peek at the game has reminded us of what our hero, Pinkerton detective Booker DeWitt, and the woman he's been sent to rescue, Elizabeth, must accomplish: escape from a heavily-armed flying city called Columbia, which is in the middle of a civil war between the nationalist Founders led by Zachary Hale Comstock and the anarchist Vox Populi led by Daisy Fitzroy.
The travel system is just as spectacular, and decidedly handy when you're under fire. In many of the areas of the game, travel rails link the individual airships and floating city blocks, allowing Booker and his enemies to zip around the city at high speeds during combat. The Sky-Hooks which allow this also lend themselves to brutal finishing moves, somewhat reminiscent of the Lancer in Gears of War.
The residents of Columbia are surprisingly agile, as are four of the tougher mini-bosses: the iconic melee tank Handyman, the ghostly ally-resurrecting Siren, the human alarms known as The Boys of Silence, and the (deep breath) robot-tour-guide-dressed-as-George-Washington-with-a-minigun Motorized Patriot. They all pale, however, before the might of the city's alpha predator - the Songbird, Elizabeth's personal protector for the last 12 years. At one point the flying giant destroys an airship carrying Booker and Elizabeth, sending them tumbling back to the city.
It's still not clear who is building all these devices, or indeed who really created this city, but the results are fantastic to behold. Moreover, this time it feels like a persistent, lived environment, with townsfolk going about their daily business whilst Booker walks by - they fight (or flee) only if he attacks. Neutrals and hostiles don't appear to be sectioned off from one another, which means there's a risk of collateral damage if you're careless. We accidentally shot an unarmed home-owner during our hands-on, after breaking into his apartments to escape a mob.
By Hilary Goldstein with additions from Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
6 comments so far...
benwhitmore on 27 Jan '13 said:
i hope it plays as good as it looks
CherryDragon on 27 Jan '13 said:
It looks amazing! Never played a bioshock before but the things i read, images and gameplay footages i seen makes me want it so bad. Do you think i can play the the first quickly before it comes out? worth trying i think.
Drainwater on 28 Jan '13 said:
You've got almost 2 months. That should be plenty of time playing a few hours a week or something. They're a nice dose of something different. Well the first one is, I missed out on the second one and haven't found time to get and play it to my regret
.
CunningSmile on 28 Jan '13 said:
With a bit of effort you can get through the first in about 8-9 hours, and it will be amongst the best 8-9 hours of game story you will come across! However bear in mind that it's now a fairly old game, so forgive it any creaking graphics etc. (I personally think it still looks amazing, but i've met people who disagree)
The second is about the same length, but by a different studio from Bioshock 1 and Infinite so isn't quite as good...which isn't the same as saying it's not good, just that it had very big shoes to fill. And the Minerva's Den DLC is fantastic.
You should be able to get them for under a tenner each so well worth scrapping together your pennies young Cherry.
Mendes on 28 Jan '13 said:
I can second all that, though I've not played the DLC. Also graphics wise, I think conceptually they are as good as they get, the sounds design is also top notch, plus tight AI means at the price you can now get them you shouldn't think twice. And yes the first, despite the ending, is better than second, but both are still amazing.
Therefore... Would you kindly go out and purchase them...
Mendes on 28 Jan '13 said:
As for Infinite, I guarantee the game will be quality but it hasn't captured my attention for some reason... I'm not sure why, though maybe for the same reason that is meantioned in this article, we are now living in a post Dishonored world, certainly in some ways the graphics are reminiscent of those seen in Dishonored, which also has the stealth / powers / guns combination of gameplay as well as an innovative way of getting around.
All that said I'm willing to give it a fair crack of the whip following a handful of good reviews.