I liked the art design but didn't like much else in this game.
The art design of Columbia is great! Completely different from Bioshock 1 & 2 but it's very unique and holds up over a decade later. That's probably the only aspect of this game I really liked without complaints.
The gameplay is nothing like the previous Bioshock games, it can be described as an arena shooter in the same vein as Doom Eternal in terms of its combat, where It emphasizes movement and long distance combat in an enclosed space. I think it can be good on paper, but the elements that make up the combat drag down the whole system.
Combat feels like it doesn't take advantage of the new vigor system enough due to arenas being HUGE now. Medium and long range combat is much safer and reliable than getting up close with vigors and close range weapons like the shotgun or crank gun. Even when indoors it feels like you really don't have any defensive options besides cover until you get Return to Sender, which you only get in the 2nd half of the game. Build variety could've been really cool to encourage but since you're limited to only two weapons it's a huge risk to take something like the shotgun over the carbine.
While Bioshock 1 and Infinite have completely different designs, in 1 you had flexibility in what you specialize in; you could focus on shock + melee, or misdirect enemies with enrage or target dummy, etc, and there were enough weapon upgrade stations to drastically improve weapons you enjoy using. Infinite lets you upgrade weapons and vigors using a universal currency, which could've worked best in a game that prioritized resource management, which Infinite is definitely not. You end up with less opportunities for upgrades to both vigors and weapons unless you solely focus on one category. Gear in Infinite is a great example of the problems with simplifying the tonic system 1 had. It's harder to justify running a niche gear modifier when you only have 4 slots compared to the 18 you got in 1.
Skyhooks would seem like a good addition since they let you enhance your mobility and give you a new way to attack enemies, but how they function and their quirks really drag them down. Shooting while riding a skyline feels unviable since you just jerked around when you aren't at a full stop, though it was fun doing quick attacks using the volley gun or the RPG. Quick use of the skylines or freighthooks feels impossible since the camera will try to center(?) before you can freelook, which makes doing quick traversal or skyline strikes a pain.
The tear system is kinda cool but it feels like it doesn't add that much to the combat, since the most you can hope for is some cover or a new weapon when ammo runs low. Spawning companions is interesting since they have a more meaningful change to combat, taking some of the pressure off temporarily. Overall it doesn't do much to make combat more dynamic.
When you do use vigors it feels like their uses overlap, since crows, shock, and bucking bronco are all just different ways of damaging and stunning enemies. Patriots and handymen show how limiting the vigor system is since the only two vigors worth using on them is possession or shock jockey.
The enemies you have to fight with this combat system don't do it many favors as well. Enemy variety is pretty lacking, with only really 3 types of basic enemies you'll be fighting for most the game, and 2 of those you'll only see very rarely. Patriots are a pushover since you can just spam shock jockey and get behind them, handymen are similar since if you don't shock stun them you'll have to deal with the screenshake they induce that makes it impossible to aim (Why is there no option to disable combat screenshake?).
Generally I just didn't like the combat, it's elements either didn't mesh well together or made combat feel bad.
Story is just alright, it's a multiverse story before they became popular so it's not impossible to understand but they don't do the best job at explaining the rules of this world. Nothing remarkable really.
I wouldn't recommend this game unless you REALLY liked Bioshock 1 & 2 and are OK with it being a completely different take on the Bioshock design, flaws and all.
The art design of Columbia is great! Completely different from Bioshock 1 & 2 but it's very unique and holds up over a decade later. That's probably the only aspect of this game I really liked without complaints.
The gameplay is nothing like the previous Bioshock games, it can be described as an arena shooter in the same vein as Doom Eternal in terms of its combat, where It emphasizes movement and long distance combat in an enclosed space. I think it can be good on paper, but the elements that make up the combat drag down the whole system.
Combat feels like it doesn't take advantage of the new vigor system enough due to arenas being HUGE now. Medium and long range combat is much safer and reliable than getting up close with vigors and close range weapons like the shotgun or crank gun. Even when indoors it feels like you really don't have any defensive options besides cover until you get Return to Sender, which you only get in the 2nd half of the game. Build variety could've been really cool to encourage but since you're limited to only two weapons it's a huge risk to take something like the shotgun over the carbine.
While Bioshock 1 and Infinite have completely different designs, in 1 you had flexibility in what you specialize in; you could focus on shock + melee, or misdirect enemies with enrage or target dummy, etc, and there were enough weapon upgrade stations to drastically improve weapons you enjoy using. Infinite lets you upgrade weapons and vigors using a universal currency, which could've worked best in a game that prioritized resource management, which Infinite is definitely not. You end up with less opportunities for upgrades to both vigors and weapons unless you solely focus on one category. Gear in Infinite is a great example of the problems with simplifying the tonic system 1 had. It's harder to justify running a niche gear modifier when you only have 4 slots compared to the 18 you got in 1.
Skyhooks would seem like a good addition since they let you enhance your mobility and give you a new way to attack enemies, but how they function and their quirks really drag them down. Shooting while riding a skyline feels unviable since you just jerked around when you aren't at a full stop, though it was fun doing quick attacks using the volley gun or the RPG. Quick use of the skylines or freighthooks feels impossible since the camera will try to center(?) before you can freelook, which makes doing quick traversal or skyline strikes a pain.
The tear system is kinda cool but it feels like it doesn't add that much to the combat, since the most you can hope for is some cover or a new weapon when ammo runs low. Spawning companions is interesting since they have a more meaningful change to combat, taking some of the pressure off temporarily. Overall it doesn't do much to make combat more dynamic.
When you do use vigors it feels like their uses overlap, since crows, shock, and bucking bronco are all just different ways of damaging and stunning enemies. Patriots and handymen show how limiting the vigor system is since the only two vigors worth using on them is possession or shock jockey.
The enemies you have to fight with this combat system don't do it many favors as well. Enemy variety is pretty lacking, with only really 3 types of basic enemies you'll be fighting for most the game, and 2 of those you'll only see very rarely. Patriots are a pushover since you can just spam shock jockey and get behind them, handymen are similar since if you don't shock stun them you'll have to deal with the screenshake they induce that makes it impossible to aim (Why is there no option to disable combat screenshake?).
Generally I just didn't like the combat, it's elements either didn't mesh well together or made combat feel bad.
Story is just alright, it's a multiverse story before they became popular so it's not impossible to understand but they don't do the best job at explaining the rules of this world. Nothing remarkable really.
I wouldn't recommend this game unless you REALLY liked Bioshock 1 & 2 and are OK with it being a completely different take on the Bioshock design, flaws and all.
2 Comments
@Antoniabaka thanks for the comment, I agree that the atmosphere and just taking in the environments in this game is great, it's impressive how well the game holds up over a decade after release. I might replay the game as well to better appreciate the art design without the stress of combat. I took a look at the art book for Infinite and it's really interesting, very much worth checking out.
Antoniabaka
3 months ago