BioShock Infinite has gotten one of the strongest critical receptions in years, including a thumbs-up from our own review. But if for some reason you're still bummed about the lack of multiplayer, you could always get the upcoming board game to toy around in Columbia with your friends that way.
The long-awaited (and well-reviewed) BioShock Infinite is finally out today. You might be tempted to jump right in to one of the game's three default difficulty settings, but if you crave a classic challenge you can enable it with a little wink-and-nod at a classic gaming reference.
It's common practice for AAA games to offer a variety of retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses. The upcoming BioShock Infinite is no different. What makes Irrational Games' upcoming title so unique is how different each retailer's offering is.
Steam takes the most novel approach, with a tiered system that promises more bonuses based on the quantity of pre-orders. Already, players have unlocked the first tier of reward: the original BioShock, which can be gifted if you already own it. Later tiers include exclusive Team Fortress 2 items and, ultimately, a free copy of XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
BioShock Infinite will get at least three add-on packs post-launch, and a Season Pass to snag each of the announced packs on the cheap. The packs promise new stories, characters, abilities, and weapons as you explore Columbia.
The original BioShock wasted no time confronting you with bunny-mask wearing psychopaths to dispatch in the crumbled dystopia of Rapture. BioShock Infinite seems to be taking a different tack, letting you explore the flying city of Columbia in a more peaceful setting for a while.
BioShock Infinite was pushed from February to March 26, but you can still start to get a taste of the story next month. BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt is a prequel novel from Irrational writer Joe fielder and creative director Ken Levine, and it will be available on February 12th for $2.99.
The name BioShock Infinite had us scratching our heads upon announcement, but it might just be the most appropriate title for the game. The more series creator Ken Levine talks about it, the more it seems to be about everything. It carries some religious themes along with its other big ideas, but Levine says some of those were "highly altered" after he took some time to talk with religious members of the studio.
Read more: 'I'm not going to change anything to get your approval' »
The original BioShock earned critical and fan praise for a host of reasons, including its haunting score. Rapture's underwater dystopia had plenty of licensed old-timey music, but dramatic moments were punctuated by an instrumental score from composer Garry Schyman. So good news, music fans. Irrational creative director Ken Levine has revealed that Schyman has returned to pen the score for the upcoming BioShock Infinite.
Read more: 'Very much guided by the same aesthetic principles' »
After the first BioShock and now with BioShock Infinite, it's clear that creator Ken Levine is interested in exploring political themes. By setting itself at the turn of the century, Infinite is primed to tackle issues of race, immigration, and the idea of American exceptionalism. As the old saying goes, everyone is a critic, so Levine says the game has gotten criticism from people from all over the political spectrum.
After the BioShock Infinite box art (above) received a notably tepid reception from the gaming community, series creator Ken Levine chipped in with a very frank and honest explanation. Essentially: This cover isn't for you, Mr. Informed Gamer, it's for the frat houses because the game needs to sell. But he promised that the company would release downloadable covers that players could print out on their own. Now, it's actually doing one better.
BioShock Infinite's multiplayer mode has become a casualty of the game development process. But to hear Irrational head Ken Levine describe it, the mode was always a risky "experiment" that serves as an example of how the developer iterates and tosses concepts that don't work or can't be finished.
BioShock Vita's fate has been cast in doubt. Irrational had put the game in a holding pattern to finish BioShock Infinite, which is now coming out on March 26. Series creative director Ken Levine says whether or not the game is made is currently out of his hands.
PlayStation Plus is taking a dive tomorrow, with the addition of BioShock 2 to the Instant Game Collection. The full game will be free for Plus subscribers tomorrow, which should serve as ample excuse to pick up the excellent "Minerva's Den" downloadable content, if you haven't played it yet.
As potentially cool as it could be to use the BioShock's assortment of crazy powers in a deathmatch, BioShock 2's attempt at multiplayer was largely ignored. BioShock Infinite creator Ken Levine has confirmed the game has no multiplayer, debunking a long-running rumor.
Take-Two Interactive has filed a trademark for Links, presumably to resurrect the golf series it purchased from Microsoft back in 2004.
Links was a rather prolific golf series by Access Software which began life in 1990. The last game in the series came in 2003, when Links 2003 released on the original Xbox. The franchise has been dormant since.
"Starcraft, but it's expensive and a beast to get into for new players."
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