I've been putting off writing this journal entry, as I am still very conflicted with this game. On the one hand it is a work of genius that puts other games to shame. On the other hand it is fairly heavy handed and has an ending that I cannot wrap my head around, but more on that later.
First and foremost to this game is Elizabeth. She will go down as one of the most memorable video game characters of all time. Her AI and design is something to be studied like the Mona Lisa.
There was a moment when I chased after her like she was leading me somewhere, only to find she was simply reacting to my movements.
Next is the city of Columbia itself and not only does it stand toe to toe with Rapture, it feels more alive do to the ability the developers give you of seeing this wondrous city fall into disarray. It is a fully realized world, but it is only delivered to you on the terms of the designers.
There is a constant tug of war between the developers wanting you to play the game or simply experience the game. For instance there is a sequence after you get into a firefight early on where your weapon is inexplicably holstered without your choice. Not once did I feel the need to shoot any of the people in this sequence, but losing the choice to do so was jarring to me.
In addition to that tug of war is the other constant of "explore/fight" tactics used. There will be moments where you can look around and take in every little detail, which you should do, which then lead to all out battles that seem to never end. Gone is the tactic of Bioshock where you may be facing just one or two enemies every couple of hallways, instead you are "locked" in an area until you kill everyone and are only then able to move on.
Then there is the "Infinite" of "Bioshock Infinite". You go through "tears" into other dimensions and continue your adventure, but you leave behind all sense of progress each time it happens. The thinking is well that world is gone, so I guess we'll just push forward. It lost me the moment it happened and every jump after made my interest waiver more and more.
Then in the end you are left with a 30 minute interactive movie where it is all laid out for you. What does it all mean? You are a different version of the antagonist and the father of an Elizabeth. Not the Elizabeth you are currently with, an alternate version of Elizabeth in whatever universe you were pulled out of... Yikes, don't think about it too hard. What it all boils down to is in a universe of infinite possibilities you could be akin to Hitler in one of them, and therefore must die. In that same logic every person is capable of becoming a monster who will destroy the world and should be killed.
The game had me sold in the first 5 hours that it was the best thing ever. The next 5 hours made me waiver a little bit with the final 5 I was simply trying to bring the whole thing to an end. It was one of the biggest emotional battles I have had with something. It felt like LOST, and I love and hate LOST! I will play it again, because maybe in an alternate universe I loved the game without all of these reservations...
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