BioShock Infinite PC Games

Released on 26-Mar-2013

• Weird experiment for Bioshock on PlayStation Vita

  With the upcoming Bioshock Infinite, creator Ken Levine has shown he isn't afraid to completely change the setting and tone of the series in the search for more interesting sequels. In an interview with IGN, he's promised that the version planned for the new PlayStation Vita console will be even more distinct from the original underwater game than the aerial city of Infinite.

  think we always want to surprise people Levine told the gaming site. "If I'm just saying, 'Here's BioShock 1 on Vita'... you don't need us to do that. Somebody could make that happen if they wanted that to happen."

  So Bioshock Vita will be an all-new game, designed from the ground up for Sony's powerful new portable and Levine seems to relish the chance to try new things. or us, it's like, 'Hey, here's this weird experiment you want to do.' Experiments always carry risks, though...I'm fortunate that I get to do things that are risky, my team gets to do things that are risky.

  Bioshock Infinite launches its ambitious horror-adventure on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in early 2012. The PS3 version will support PlayStation Move controls. Bioshock Vita has yet to be given a release date.

• Bioshock Vita to offer something

  Bioshock Vita to offer something little different

  Ken Levine, creative mastermind behind the hugely successfully Bioshock games, has promised something different for those looking forward to the franchise's PlayStation Vita outing.

  As reported by Joystiq, Levine has outlined the plans for a title that's still very much in the early stages of development. While explaining that the Vita release would be an experimental release in the series, he also confirmed that the game wouldn't be a mere port of earlier Bioshock titles.

  That's not the current goal for what we're doing, he explained.

  I think for us, the idea we have is a really good expression on a platform like that. It's a different goal. And it has to sort of have its own voice in the franchise. If it just feels like a quieter voice in the franchise, I don't think that works.

  I'd rather do something that's an experiment and that's a little different. And is unique for the franchise.

  The developer has also yet to rule out the possibility of hiring an external team to bring something new to the table.

  otentially, potentially. To keep quality level...I wish I could say it was easy...it just tends to be more time-consuming. It's just hard to find the right partners or the right people to hire.

  As well as the Vita instalment of Bioshock, gamers can look forward to Bioshock Infinite, expected to release some time next year on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

• New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  Towards the end of last year, we saw veritable avalanche of amazing games roll over us, leaving us swamped but happy with top-notch titles such as Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Super Mario Land 3D, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Saints Row The Third and, oh, you get the idea.

  Surely that's more than enough new games to leave even the greediest gamer feeling stuffed and satisfied? Well, yes, but don't pretend you can't hear that little voice whispering in the back of your mind. What's next? it says.

  Here's the answer: our guide to the big games of 2012 that we can't wait to play.

  GTA V (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  The genre-busting open-world crime caper makes its long-awaited return, with an all-new tale set in the pseudo-L.A. of Los Santos. Details are limited to one cryptic trailer, but where Rockstar is concerned it's safe to set expectations high.
  

  Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Bioware brings its grand space opera to a cataclysmic finale, as the world-devouring Reapers declare open war on Earth. The game adds optional multiplayer modes, as well as Kinect voice features for Xbox 360.
  

  Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

  Who seriously thought that Halo 3 would be the last we saw of Master Chief? He's back for the start of a brand new trilogy, which will find the Spartan super soldier confronting his own destiny as well as an ancient evil poised to destroy the universe. No pressure then.
  

  Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Swapping the bottom of the ocean for the top of the world, this continuation of the smartest sci-fi shooter in recent memory casts you as a Pinkerton agent in 1912, trying to escape a dystopian city in the clouds. Expect gorgeous views and gruelling terror in equal measure.
  

  Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Return to Pandora for another round of co-operative role-playing mayhem. The game promises more dynamic quests which will alter the path of the story, as well as smarter enemies and more independent non-player characters. Bring it.
  

  Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  It's been five years since Agent 47 last graced our joypads in Blood Money, and his latest adventure will take full advantage of the updates in technology since. Expect to be able to set up more elaborate assassinations, as well some form of multiplayer.
  

  Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Rockstar's other big game for 2012 finds the dual-wielding anti-hero cop disgraced and working as a bodyguard in Brazil. Of course, it all kicks off when the family he's guarding are targeted by gangsters, and slow-motion shooty-diving is the only way to settle the score.
  

  The Last Guardian (PS3)

  The latest game from Ico and Shadow of the Colossus creator Fumito Ueda follows a young boy attempting to escape from a grim castle with some help from his friend, a giant griffin-creature called Trico. Action, puzzles and beautiful loveliness ensue.
  

  Tomb Raider (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  After drifting out of the spotlight, the first lady of gaming returns with this series reboot which follows a more vulnerable teenage Lara Croft, as she grows into the confident adventurer we all know and love.
  

  PlayStation Vita

  Sony's incredibly powerful handheld drops in February, bringing next-gen muscle to the portable gaming market. With 3G and Wifi-enabled models available - and boasting exclusive Uncharted, Wipeout and Call of Duty games - it's the console to watch in 2012.
  
  

• Bioshock Infinite to party like its 1999

  Bioshock Infinite to party like its 1999

  Gamers who like it tough will be clapping like seals at the news that Bioshock Infinite, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2007 smash hit, will be getting what developer Irrational Games has called 1999 Mode.

  That's the year Irrational's cult action-RPG System Shock 2 was released, a major influence on the original Bioshock. Now, players who want a more challenging experience will be able to play Bioshock Infinite as if it was designed back in those less forgiving times. Upgrade decisions will be irreversible, and it will be impossible to backtrack and work around the consequences of your actions.

  I'm an old school gamer, explained Irrational boss and Bioshock creator Ken Levine. We wanted to make sure we were taking into account the play styles of gamers like me. So we went straight to the horse's mouth by asking them, on our website, a series of questions about how they play our games. 94.6 percent of respondents indicated that upgrade choices enhanced their BioShock gameplay experience; however, 56.8 percent indicated that being required to make permanent decisions about their character would have made the game even better. In BioShock Infinite, gamers will have to sweat out the results of their actions. In addition, 1999 Mode will demand that players pick specialisations, and focus on them.

  BioShock Infinite swaps the undersea city of Rapture for Columbia, a floating city in the sky, but retains the same sharp political commentary and nerve-wracking horror feel. It's due for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC later this year.

• BioShock Infinite to include challenging 1999 Mode

  Hardcore gamers will welcome news that the upcoming BioShock Infinite will include a new mode that brings a new level of old-school challenge to the experience.

  Dubbed 1999 Mode, the new difficulty setting has been incorporated based on fan feedback and harks back to a more punishing era of game design, in which player choices and tactics are more likely to have permanent consequences.

  Gamers will really need to think about any decisions they make for their characters in 1999 Mode, both in terms of narrative development and customisation specialisations, as they will not be able to reverse them later.

  The mode will also feature much more demanding weapon, power and health management elements, while respawning will be much less frequent, meaning players could be confronted with the dreaded Game Over screen if they are not careful enough.

  Irrational Games' creative director Ken Levine said: "I'm an old school gamer. We wanted to make sure we were taking into account the play styles of gamers like me."

  BioShock Infinite is due for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this year and is developed by the same team behind the multi-award-winning original BioShock.
  

  Published: 23/01/2012

• BioShock Infinite's 1999 Mode 'not for the faint-hearted'

  Gamers have been warned that BioShock Infinite's newly announced 1999 Mode should be avoided by all but the most hardcore of shooter enthusiasts.

  Ken Levine, creative director of developer Irrational Games, revealed to Kotaku that the hard-as-nails new mode is going to be hidden from the main menus via a code, because he does not want casual fans stumbling across it by accident.

  As the name suggests, 1999 Mode harks back to an older and more punishing game design philosophy, testing players with limited health and resources, more copious game over scenarios and an emphasis on permanent choices that cannot be erased.

  Mr Levine said the new difficulty setting will be tense and frustrating in a way that the average fan will "hate", but that hardcore enthusiasts will relish.

  "The average gamer stops playing when they fail. The hardcore gamer says 'That's it, I'm gonna show this game who's boss'," he explained.

  BioShock Infinite will hit Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this year and is one of the most anticipated titles of 2012, having already claimed numerous awards from gaming publications based on preview versions.

  Published: 24/01/2012

• October release date confirmed for BioShock Infinite

  BioShock fans will be clearing their schedules for October 2012 in anticipation of the launch of the eagerly awaited BioShock Infinite.

  2K Games and Irrational Games have confirmed an October 19th release date for the new Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC title, which has already been garlanded with numerous awards for its impressive pre-release showings at trade events.

  The new game transports players to a sci-fi influenced version of 1912 America, in which they must battle to escape from Columbia, a stunning but doomed city in the sky.

  Exploring immersive and huge environments, gamers will be able to use advanced weapons and engage in aerial combat on high-speed Sky-Lines, while bonding with female lead Elizabeth, who has unique powers and vulnerabilities of her own.

  The PlayStation 3 version of the game will also feature motion control support using the PlayStation Move accessory.

  Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games, said: "After BioShock, we had a vision for a follow up that dwarfed the original in scope and ambition. BioShock Infinite has been our sole focus for the last four years."

  Published: 02/03/2012

• Your choices will shape the story in Bioshock Infinite

  Bioshock creator Ken Levine has shed a tiny speck of light on the ways in which player decsions will impact the story of his long awaited follow-up Bioshock Infinite.

  Set in 1912, in the floating sky city of Columbia, you'll play as Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt. Tasked with rescuing a young woman, held prisoner for twelve years, you find yourself caught in between two rival factions - the Founders, who want to keep the city pure, and Vox Populi, a group of rebels. It's the interaction of these two groups, as civil war grips the city, where your input will be most keenly felt.

  "Here, [the player is] really coming in and they're the ones really getting the party started this time whether they intend to or not," Levine told Kotaku, insisting he wasn't aiming for the same level of flexible narrative as displayed by Bioware in games such as Mass Effect 3.

  "The world really erupts based upon them being there, not through anything they wanted to do, but as the nature of the situation. You get this feeling that you're sort of on this inevitable path to things just getting worse and worse and you're just trying to do the right thing. Not necessarily the heroic thing - you're just trying to get out of this city, protect your own skin. Everything you do has deadly consequences."

  Bioshock Infinite is due for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC this October.
  

• BioShock Infinite's story 'will change based on your actions'

  Gamers who play the forthcoming BioShock Infinite have been told to expect an experience in which their actions and choices have genuine consequences.

  Speaking to Kotaku, series director Ken Levine of Irrational Games said there will be a lot of cause-and-effect moments in the new Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC game, with players able to drastically influence the storyline though their approach.

  In BioShock Infinite, players take on the role of an agent sent to an idyllic city in the sky called Columbia in order to rescue a woman named Elizabeth, only to realise this apparent utopia is on the verge of destruction.

  In contrast to the original BioShock, which was set in the long-ruined underwater city of Rapture, BioShock Infinite's Columbia erupts into chaos as a direct result of the player's presence, thus raising the personal stakes to new levels.

  However, Mr Levine was tight-lipped about the exact nature of the choices players will face, saying: "It's so surprising when it happens, so I'd rather not explain. I'd rather people see it."

  BioShock Infinite will be released in October 2012 and has been in development for four years, with the PlayStation 3 edition offering motion control support via PlayStation Move.
  

  Published: 09/03/2012

• Bioshock creator not phased by competition with rival games

  Ken Levine, the creator of Bioshock and director of upcoming sequel Bioshock Infinite, has confessed that he's not worried about launching the long awaited follow-up in the busiest time of year for game releases.

  Bioshock Infinite arrives on October 19th, within a month of heavy hitters like Assassin's Creed 3, Medal of Honor: Warfighter and Halo 4, not to mention the yet-to-be-unveiled 2012 entries in the Call of Duty and Need for Speed franchises.

  "It's hard to categorise BioShock for people in their heads," Levine explained to Eurogamer. "It has its own vibe. It's a strange and different game. In the same way Portal didn't compete directly with anything. So you don't worry so much about, oh my god, we're competing directly with this, what are we going to do?"

  The sequel abandons the underwater 1960s world of Rapture and instead takes players to a flying city called Columbia in the 1920s. Despite the blockbuster competition, Levine is confident his game will be unique enough to stand out.
  
  "The negative is there are a lot of games competing for the dollar or pound of the gamer," he said. "But also there are a lot of people going into stores at that point, and a lot of people buying gifts. It's a yin and yang situation. If it's a great game I think it will do great. If it's not a great game, it won't do great. It's pretty simple with BioShock." "

  Bioshock Infinite, which should be a great game, is out on October 19th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

• BioShock Infinite 'will stand out from the pack'

  The makers of the forthcoming BioShock Infinite have expressed confidence that the game will be able to stand out from the rest of the pack when it launches this October.

  Ken Levine, series creator and creative director of developer Irrational Games, told Eurogamer that he is not concerned about the prospect of his game going up against other huge October releases like Medal of Honor Warfighter and Assassin's Creed III.

  He said this is because BioShock Infinite is a one-of-a-kind title that is unlike anything available, voicing optimism that the hotly-anticipated game will be able to succeed on its own merits.

  "It's hard to categorise BioShock for people in their heads. It has its own vibe. It's a strange and different game," Mr Levine explained.

  BioShock Infinite is coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC and sees players escaping from Columbia, an idyllic but doomed utopian city in the sky, with a fragile yet supernaturally powerful young woman called Elizabeth in tow.

  Gamers will engage in high-flying Sky-Line battles and harness dozens of powers and abilities, while forming a bond with their AI partner and experiencing a story with lasting consequences.
  

  Published: 15/03/2012

• Bioshock Infinite will be a talkative game

  Anyone worried that Bioshock Infinite would dial down the varied character interactions of the acclaimed original in favour of more traditional action can breathe a sigh of relief. Creator Ken Levine has revealed that just one level of Bioshock Infinite can have as much as four times the dialogue as the entire original game.

  That doesn't mean you'll be stopping for a chat with your enemies any time soon, but the decision to have Infinite's hero, Booker DeWitt, accompanied by a young woman called Elizabeth has meant that the sheer range of in-game conversations has increased by neccesity.

  "When I first came up with these characters Booker and Elizabeth talking to each other and interacting with their world, I didn't consider how much writing that was going to be," Levine explained in an interview with Eurogamer. "Just one level of BioShock Infinite writing and the amount of character interaction we have is probably three or four times as much writing as in all of BioShock 1.

  The dialogue will all be woven into active gameplay as well, thanks to Levine's dislike for non-interactive cutscenes.

  "You come up with certain rules," he explains. "Like, if there's ever a moment where the player is locked to the ground, there must be some context. We don't just lock a player's feet to the ground. There has to be a reason why they can't move - they're using a machine or something. You fight against the suspension of disbelief as soon as you lock a player in place or start moving him along without the player controlling it."

  Bioshock Infinite continues the award-winning series from October 19th on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

• BioShock Infinite 'will contain far more storytelling than original'

  The forthcoming BioShock Infinite will vastly exceed the original BioShock in terms of the amount of dialogue and storytelling it contains.

  Chatting with Eurogamer, Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine said a single level of Infinite contains "probably three or four times as much writing" as the entire first game.

  Mr Levine said this is due to the central relationship between protagonist Booker DeWitt and female companion Elizabeth, whose interactions with the game world and each other form the heart of the storyline.

  However, despite the abundance of dialogue, the designer said he will not stray from his principle of conveying the entire story through interactive, immersive gameplay, rather than static cutscenes and non-controllable setpieces.

  "It can get overwhelming. But on the other hand it's a world that I absolutely love to write," Mr Levine said.

  BioShock Infinite comes to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in October 2012 and is shaping up to be one of the year's most eagerly awaited games.

  Published: 20/03/2012

• The Games We're Excited About!

  
  

  There are lots and lots of great games heading your way in the next few months, and here at gamestation HQ we're as excited as you lot are to give them a go.

  So, we went round the digital team with a prodding stick to find out just what games the team here are really itching to play...

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  I am looking forward to LEGO Batman 2. My brother and I worked our way through the original LEGO Batman with a considered method of "shoot everything in the room first, think about the situation later" and it was amazing. It's also the only game where if you die you can still enjoy seeing Robin explode which I did on many occasions as Player 2. I can't wait to see what LEGO Batman 2 has in store!

  
  

  

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, Max Payne 3.

  After playing through 1 and 2 - which gripped me to the very end - I cannot honestly wait for 3.

  Max Payne's method of storytelling is awesome. The comic book cut scenes are stylish and effective, and are not afraid to poke fun at other, outrageous works of fiction (as well as itself). The noir style and twists and turns throughout provide a flourish of love which even the most dedicated of storytellers fail to keep up with. The ingredients are simple, but it's a recipe which works.

  The gameplay might not necessarily be innovative, but it will be intuitive. It might not change the way we think about games, but I know it's going to be a game through and through; fun, accessible and welcoming to noobs and veterans alike. Max Payne 3 is going to rock. Add online multiplayer to the mix, and I can safely say that I'm looking forward to blasting my way into June!

  (My second choice would be Aliens: Colonial Marines, but that's almost too far away to get excited about yet!)

  Kate - Affiliate Assassin

  Bioshock Infinite - Because of the amazing animation and design of the game. Oh, and Limbo 2 - if/when it comes!

  

  Jamie - Builder of Digital Dreamscapes

  I am looking forward to...

  Grand Theft Auto V: Obviously no one really knows exactly when this game is coming out but I cant wait! Seriously excited about a new GTA! Although I hope it is all of San Andreas and not just Los Santos.

  Madden 13: I always get Madden, and it was pretty much the game that made me buy my first proper games console (the SEGA Mega Drive). I'm particularly looking forward to this year's one as I'm hoping they have taken more of the good stuff out of NCAA12... and also because I can't wait for Madden on the PS Vita.

  Retro City Rampage: This is an indie game that just looks AMAZING! Kind of like a funny GTA but all totally 80s styled. It's gonna be on Xbox LIVE and PSN and I like the fact it looks like you might be able to get this digitally to play on your PS Vita too; it seems like the kind of game you could just lose hours in messing about!

  

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Halo 4. Why? Because it's the best freaking game there is! I'm a massive Halo fan and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment. And really looking forward to seeing Master Chief again. And now we know the release date i know what week to book off work!

  
  

  Aaron - Social Butterfly

  I almost squealed for joy when Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced (Okay, I actually did squeal...). The original Luigi's Mansion was the first game I got on launch day with my Gamecube. It was ALL about Luigi, sucking up ghosts with his Poltergust 3000. The sequel has me itching to play, it will have multiple mansions, a new Poltergust, new ghosts, new story AND it will all be in beautiful 3D. The Nintendo savvy amongst us will know that Nintendo originally planned to release Luigi's Mansion in 3D on the Gamecube but decided the 3D panel was ahead of its time!

  Who ya gonna call? Ghostb-- No, no wait, let's just get the Green hat-wearing Italian plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom instead. No danger of crossing the streams.

  

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  I'm actually really looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw. I'm a big Buffy fan, so the concept of a blonde cheerleader fighting supernatural beasties is one that very much appeals to me. It just looks like it's gonna be oodles of OTT fun. Plus, y'know, the boyfriend's head just kicking around. What's not to like?

  As a stark contrast, I'm also a bit excited by Spec Ops: The Line. I don't usually get on with shooters, but having seen the trailer with the bodies-on-poles imagery, plus the obvious Heart of Darkness influence and the sense of "killing people may actually affect you", I really want to try this one out. I mean, who isn't at least intrigued by what appears to be an anti-war third-person shooter?

  

  James - Captain Category

  Diablo III.

   

   

  Because I've been waiting twelve years for it!

  
  

  So there we have it. These are the games we want to play - what about you? What forthcoming titles have got you so pant-wettingly excited to pre-order and play?

• The Games We're Excited About!

  
  

  There are lots and lots of great games heading your way in the next few months, and here at GAME HQ we're as excited as you lot are to give them a go.

  So, we went round the digital team with a prodding stick to find out just what games the team here are really itching to play...

  

  Ali - Queen of the Internet

  I am looking forward to LEGO Batman 2. My brother and I worked our way through the original LEGO Batman with a considered method of "shoot everything in the room first, think about the situation later" and it was amazing. It's also the only game where if you die you can still enjoy seeing Robin explode which I did on many occasions as Player 2. I can't wait to see what LEGO Batman 2 has in store!

  
  

  

  Louis - Merchandising Meddler

  Definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, Max Payne 3.

  After playing through 1 and 2 - which gripped me to the very end - I cannot honestly wait for 3.

  Max Payne's method of storytelling is awesome. The comic book cut scenes are stylish and effective, and are not afraid to poke fun at other, outrageous works of fiction (as well as itself). The noir style and twists and turns throughout provide a flourish of love which even the most dedicated of storytellers fail to keep up with. The ingredients are simple, but it's a recipe which works.

  The gameplay might not necessarily be innovative, but it will be intuitive. It might not change the way we think about games, but I know it's going to be a game through and through; fun, accessible and welcoming to noobs and veterans alike. Max Payne 3 is going to rock. Add online multiplayer to the mix, and I can safely say that I'm looking forward to blasting my way into June!

  (My second choice would be Aliens: Colonial Marines, but that's almost too far away to get excited about yet!)

  Kate - Affiliate Assassin

  Bioshock Infinite - Because of the amazing animation and design of the game. Oh, and Limbo 2 - if/when it comes!

  

  Jamie - Builder of Digital Dreamscapes

  I am looking forward to...

  Grand Theft Auto V: Obviously no one really knows exactly when this game is coming out but I cant wait! Seriously excited about a new GTA! Although I hope it is all of San Andreas and not just Los Santos.

  Madden 13: I always get Madden, and it was pretty much the game that made me buy my first proper games console (the SEGA Mega Drive). I'm particularly looking forward to this year's one as I'm hoping they have taken more of the good stuff out of NCAA12.

  Retro City Rampage: This is an indie game that just looks AMAZING! Kind of like a funny GTA but all totally 80s styled. It's gonna be on Xbox LIVE and PSN and I like the fact it looks like you might be able to get this digitally to play on your PS Vita too; it seems like the kind of game you could just lose hours in messing about!

  

  Carl - Design Doodler

  Halo 4. Why? Because it's the best freaking game there is! I'm a massive Halo fan and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment. And really looking forward to seeing Master Chief again. And now we know the release date I know what week to book off work!

  
  

  Aaron - Social Butterfly

  I almost squealed for joy when Luigi's Mansion 2 was announced (Okay, I actually did squeal...). The original Luigi's Mansion was the first game I got on launch day with my Gamecube. It was ALL about Luigi, sucking up ghosts with his Poltergust 3000. The sequel has me itching to play, it will have multiple mansions, a new Poltergust, new ghosts, new story AND it will all be in beautiful 3D. The Nintendo savvy amongst us will know that Nintendo originally planned to release Luigi's Mansion in 3D on the Gamecube but decided the 3D panel was ahead of its time!

  Who ya gonna call? Ghostb-- No, no wait, let's just get the Green hat-wearing Italian plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom instead. No danger of crossing the streams.

  

  Damien - Good Word Writing Man

  I'm actually really looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw. I'm a big Buffy fan, so the concept of a blonde cheerleader fighting supernatural beasties is one that very much appeals to me. It just looks like it's gonna be oodles of OTT fun. Plus, y'know, the boyfriend's head just kicking around. What's not to like?

  As a stark contrast, I'm also a bit excited by Spec Ops: The Line. I don't usually get on with shooters, but having seen the trailer with the bodies-on-poles imagery, plus the obvious Heart of Darkness influence and the sense of "killing people may actually affect you", I really want to try this one out. I mean, who isn't at least intrigued by what appears to be an anti-war third-person shooter?

  

  James - Captain Category

  Diablo III.

   

   

  Because I've been waiting twelve years for it!

  
  

  So there we have it. These are the games we want to play - what about you? What forthcoming titles have got you so pant-wettingly excited to pre-order and play?

  Published: 17/04/2012

• New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  
  

  New Year Revolutions: The games of 2012 that we want to play now

  Towards the end of last year, we saw veritable avalanche of amazing games roll over us, leaving us swamped but happy with top-notch titles such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Super Mario Land 3D, Assassin's Creed Revelations, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Saints Row The Third and, oh, you get the idea.

  Surely that's more than enough new games to leave even the greediest gamer feeling stuffed and satisfied? Well, yes, but don't pretend you can't hear that little voice whispering in the back of your mind. What's next? it says.

  Here's the answer: our guide to the big games of 2012 that we can't wait to play.

  

  GTA V

  The genre-busting open-world crime caper makes its long-awaited return, with an all-new tale set in the pseudo-L.A. of Los Santos. Details are limited to one cryptic trailer, but where Rockstar is concerned it's safe to set expectations high.

  
  

  

  Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Bioware brings its grand space opera to a cataclysmic finale, as the world-devouring Reapers declare open war on Earth. The game adds optional multiplayer modes, as well as Kinect voice features for Xbox 360.

  
  

  

  Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

  Who seriously thought that Halo 3 would be the last we saw of Master Chief? He's back for the start of a brand new trilogy, which will find the Spartan super soldier confronting his own destiny as well as an ancient evil poised to destroy the universe. No pressure then.

  
  

  

  Bioshock Infinite (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Swapping the bottom of the ocean for the top of the world, this continuation of the smartest sci-fi shooter in recent memory casts you as a Pinkerton agent in 1912, trying to escape a dystopian city in the clouds. Expect gorgeous views and gruelling terror in equal measure.

  
  

  

  Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Return to Pandora for another round of co-operative role-playing mayhem. The game promises more dynamic quests which will alter the path of the story, as well as smarter enemies and more independent non-player characters. Bring it.

  
  

  

  Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  It's been five years since Agent 47 last graced our joypads in Blood Money, and his latest adventure will take full advantage of the updates in technology since. Expect to be able to set up more elaborate assassinations, as well some form of multiplayer.

  
  

  

  Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  Rockstar's other big game for 2012 finds the dual-wielding anti-hero cop disgraced and working as a bodyguard in Brazil. Of course, it all kicks off when the family he's guarding are targeted by gangsters, and slow-motion shooty-diving is the only way to settle the score.

  
  

  

  Tomb Raider (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

  After drifting out of the spotlight, the first lady of gaming returns with this series reboot which follows a more vulnerable teenage Lara Croft, as she grows into the confident adventurer we all know and love.

  
  

  

  PlayStation Vita

  Sony's incredibly powerful handheld drops in February, bringing next-gen muscle to the portable gaming market. With 3G and Wifi-enabled models available - and boasting exclusive Uncharted, Wipeout and Call of Duty games - it's the console to watch in 2012.

  Published: 19/01/2012

• Bioshock Infinite special editions detailed

  The February release date for the long awaited and much anticipated Bioshock Infinite grows ever nearer, and we've now got details of two special editions for fans who want to really soak in the atmosphere of this stunning looking horror adventure.

  Revealed by Bioshock creator Ken Levine on the Irrational Games blog, the Ultimate Songbird edition is the one for the real hardcore fans. Taking centre stage is a nine-and-a-half inch statue of the Songbird, a frankly terrifying looking winged enemy that puts the diving suit wearing Big Daddy in the shade. The box will also contain a linen-bound 64-page artbook, a 25mm Handyman figurine, a propaganda poster lithograph, 3" Murder of Crows bottle keychain and a digital soundtrack.

  You'll also unlock three exclusive power-ups for use in the game. Bull Rush makes your melee attacks more powerful, Extra! Extra! gives you cash whenever you find an audio log, while Betrayer makes enemies explode into flame. Xbox 360 gamers also get Booker and Elizabeth avatar costumes, with PC and PlayStation 3 owners getting desktop and dashboard themes.

  All of this material, apart from the Songbird statue, is also available in the Special Edition. Both versions will be available for preorder in the UK at the start of next week. Expect them to disappear fast!

  Published: 19/10/2012

• No multiplayer in Bioshock Infinite

  There'll be no multiplayer modes in the upcoming Bioshock Infinite, creator Ken Levine has confirmed.

  As recently as August, Levine's studio, Irrational Games, was working on at least two competitive modes for the game. One was a miniature tower defence game set inside a worn out old arcade machine, the other was a co-operative mode which allowed four players to tackle the campaign levels together. "As I've always said we are experimenting with things," Levine said at the time, "and only if they are good enough will we put them in the game."

  It now seems like those ideas didn't meet the required standard. Responding to a fan on Twitter, who asked about online play, Levine simply replied: "No multi".

  The critically acclaimed first Bioshock game, which Levine also directed, was a single player only affair and certainly didn't suffer for its lack of deathmatches. Bioshock 2, which Levine wasn't involved with, introduced multiplayer to the series.

  Bioshock Infinite swaps the undersea city of Rapture for a floating community in the clouds, and switches the 1960s setting of the original for 1912. You'll play as a former Pinkerton agent searching for a missing woman aboard the flying city of Columbia. One of the game's stated aims is to make blue skies and open spaces as terrifying as the dank claustrophobic atmosphere of the first game.

  Bioshock Infinite is out next February for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
  

  Published: 26/11/2012

• Cosplay fan becomes the official face of Bioshock Infinite

  
  

  Irrational Games, the developer behind the upcoming Bioshock Infinite, has taken the unusual step of hiring a cosplaying fan to be the official face of the game. Anna Moleva of Moscow has dressed up as many videogame characters for her DeviantArt page, where she posts as "Ormeli", but her turn as Bioshock Infinite's Elizabeth caught the eye of series creator Ken Levine.

  "Her uncanny portrayal of Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite really brought her to our attention," he posted on the studio's website. "We were so amazed by her dedication and her resemblance to Elizabeth that we decided to ask her if she'd like to be involved in helping bring Elizabeth to life in our box, our key art and our upcoming television ad."

  Anna makes her debut as Elizabeth on the box art for the game, and will also make appearances in character at various gaming events.

  "As soon as I saw her, I knew I HAD to do it!" Anna said in an interview posted on Irrational's blog. "I love the first two parts of BioShock, so ever since Infinite was announced I followed the promotion campaign. Then when Liz's appearance was finalized - and I saw what I think is a remarkable resemblance between us - I as a cosplayer couldn't just ignore it."
  

  Published: 03/12/2012

• Bioshock Infinite slips from February to March

  Bioshock Infinite, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2007 game of the year, has had its release date bumped back by one month, creator Ken Levine has announced. The decision was made following the arrival of former Gears of War franchise manager Rod Fergusson at Bioshock developer Irrational Games.

  "When Rod Fergusson came on board we looked at the game," Levine said at a preview event this week. "He was there for about a month and he said, 'look, I've been looking at the schedule and looking at the game and frankly you could really benefit from another three or four more weeks for polish and bug fixing.' We talked about it. I knew I'd probably get beat up in the press a little bit about it. But at the end of the day, if it's going to make a better game we're going to do it."

  Bioshock Infinite is set in 1912 and casts players as former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt. He's investigating a flying city called Columbia, where a young woman has been reported missing. The connection between this game and the 2007 original is more thematic than plot based, and Levine has said he considers Infinite to be a new franchise rather than a continuation of the old.

  Bioshock Infinite will now launch on March 26th, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

  Published: 07/12/2012

• Bioshock Infinite action figures revealed

  Major action figure producer NECA Toys has announced it will be releasing a series of figures based on the upcoming Bioshock Infinite. The toyline will launch in January with two toys - one of Elizabeth, the psychic AI companion who accompanies the player as they explore the airborne city of Columbia, and one of an enemy type known as the Boys of Silence. Dressed in twee Victorian-style clothing and a sealed brass helmet with two enormous trumpets emerging from each side, he's one of the strangest - and most eerie - things you're ever likely to see.

  The toys arrive in advance of the game which is due in March, giving you several months to make up your own Bioshock Infinite adventures on your bedroom floor with all the "pew pew" sound effects you can muster.

  NECA is no stranger to turning games into toys. The company has also produced detailed plastic playthings based on Portal, Gears of War, Borderlands, Castlevania, Dead Space and many more.

  Bioshock Infinite launches on March 26th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
  

  Published: 20/12/2012

• BioShock Infinite - Preview

  
  

  

  When BioShock Infinite was announced back in 2010 there was a lot of confusion over just what exactly it was. It had the name "BioShock" in the title, but the series trademark underwater city, imposing steampunk divers and mutant little girls were nowhere to be seen. It was unclear if Infinite was even going to take place in the same universe as previous BioShock games or if it were a standalone title that simply bore its moniker as a brand, a la Final Fantasy.

  Having played the first three hours of BioShock Infinite, its connection to Irrational's acclaimed series remains a mystery, but one doesn't need to search far to see its predecessors' inspirations. You'll still scrounge around for supplies in first-person, ingest tonics for super powers, and scavenge for audio diaries. The game even begins with the player adrift at sea, where a lighthouse acts as a beacon towards a dreamlike metropolis where America's goals and xenophobic fears are heightened as the elite movers and shakers of the world have secluded themselves in a twisted fantasy land.

  A Whole New World

  This time you're invited to explore the floating city of Columbia in 1912. Once heralded by the United States as a symbol of its power, it's since been disavowed after some recent unpleasantness regarding China's Boxer Rebellion. It's now run by religious fundamentalists at war with rioting workers. You play as Booker Dewitt, an ex-Pinkerton agent threatened by an unseen enemy into retrieving a mysterious girl named Elizabeth who's locked in a colossal angel-shaped tower.

  

  While the Dixieland setting may be the most obvious difference from earlier BioShocks, the enhancements extend beyond a mere palette swap. For starters, this is the first BioShock game where your character speaks. More importantly, he has someone to speak to after the first couple of hours when he meets up with Elizabeth. Despite not appearing on the game's cover, Elizabeth might be the heart and soul of the game. She's sweet, funny, excitable and even a little scary, for she has the bizarre ability to open rifts into other planes of existence when she sees spectral "tears" in the fabric of reality. For example, at one point she transforms everything around her into a modern day city street where a French version of "Revenge of the Jedi" is headlining a cinema.

  Friendship is Magic

  This strangeness manifests itself in combat, too, where you can point to ghostly projections of turrets, ammo crates, health pick-ups, and grapple points for her to summon into existence. You can only have one tear open at a time, but you can switch between them at will. This makes the environments more flexible, and the combat scenarios more exciting. When she's not altering the environment, Elizabeth can take care of herself. She'll fend off foes and even retrieve useful items for you.

  There are a couple of other key factors that make Infinite's combat more dynamic than its predecessors. The biggest change is in the skylines - there are metal rails running through the city that you can slide around on via a magnetic hook. Zipping along these at breakneck speed provides a distinct roller-coaster experience, while also offering ample opportunities for evasion. Another change since the previous BioShock games is that you can only hold two weapons at a time. This may limit your immediate assault options, but it also intensifies the firefights when you have to scramble around looking for new armaments.

  

  Just Like Old Times

  These additions go a long way toward enhancing the shoot-outs, which is good because your abilities feel overly familiar. You now shoot crows instead of wasps, but the stunning effect is similar, and spraying fire, zapping electricity, and turning enemies against each other will likewise instil a sense of deja vu. There are a few new powers demonstrated in a very brief late-game demo where you can warp across the room, yank enemies towards you or blow them away, but it's unclear when these new abilities are introduced, and the opening hours are largely limited to the series' pre-existing stable of powers.

  Based on this early section, BioShock Infinite feels like what you'd expect from a BioShock game, but unlike BioShock 2's return to Rapture, Infinite doesn't seem like a retread. It's brighter, bolder, and has more personality and warmth to go along with the socio-political commentary the series is known for. BioShock Infinite may be a little too recognisable at times, but its new world and fresh faces are still as darkly enchanting as Rapture was back in 2007.
  

  Published: 04/01/2013

• New Year Revolutions: The Top Games We're Looking Forward To In 2013

  
  

  

  Even though the excess of New Year is still fresh in our aching heads, this week sees the release of the first must-have blockbuster of 2013. Capcom's revamped and rebooted Devil May Cry has wowed critics and won over fans with its slick combat and slinky visuals, but that's just the start of what promises to be a spectacular year in gaming. Here are five games that we can't wait to play in the months ahead.
  

  

  Crysis 3

  Out: February 22nd
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: Because the Crysis series has always been the benchmark for the modern shooter in terms of lush visuals, and developer Crytek is promising to pull out all the stops for this trilogy-closing entry. You'll take control of nano-suited anti-hero Prophet as he returns to a New York enclosed in biodomes which have allowed tropical jungles to sprout on the familiar streets of the Big Apple.

  Using your high tech bow, and the various cool abilities that your armour provides, you'll sneak and slay your way through stunning open environments. Quite apart from the in-game thrills on offer, when most of the big shooters cluster around the pre-Christmas rush there's also something rather fantastic about a AAA shooter bold enough to stake its claim in the quieter early months of the year, where nothing can distract us from its groovy gameplay.
  

  

  Tomb Raider

  Out: March 5th
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: You really have to ask? It's the return of Lara Croft, arguably the greatest modern video game character, absent from our joypads for far too long, and often stuck in average or poor quality sequels before that. After inheriting the series from defunct UK studio Core Design, developer Crystal Dynamics finally gets to divert from a 1990s template and reboot Tomb Raider in its own style.

  The result is an action adventure that has more in common with the cinematic rush of Uncharted than the block-shoving puzzles and somersaulting tiger-shooting of old. There'll be multiplayer for the first time in a Tomb Raider game, and there's also the story to consider – one that's written by Rhianna Pratchett, and follows a much younger Lara as she learns to become the confident hero we already know, having been stranded on an island controlled by brutal pirates. Action and drama, with a gaming icon? What's not to love?
  

  

  Bioshock Infinite

  Out: March 26th
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: Because how often do you see a sequel so gleefully tear up everything from its predecessors? Bioshock Infinite may share the name of the 2007 smash hit, but virtually everything else is different. The gloomy and desolate undersea city of Rapture is replaced with Columbia, a steampunk city in the clouds. Dark is replaced with light. Water replaced with air.

  Can a game still be claustrophobic and scary in such bright, open environments? If anyone can pull it off, it's Ken Levine, the Bioshock creator who returns to the series after sitting out Bioshock 2. And it's not as if he hasn't had the time to perfect the game – Infinite's release date has slipped back more than once, but rather than a sign of trouble, it shows that Levine won't let this complex moral fable go until it's just right, even to the point of removing features – such as multiplayer – which weren't working to his required standard. When so many games tend to favour a kitchen sink approach, that sort of polish and focus demands to be rewarded.
  

  

  The Last of Us

  Out: May 17th
  Platforms: PlayStation 3

  Why So Excited?: It's Naughty Dog, one of a handful of big studios that effortlessly combine compelling core gameplay, brilliantly realised characters and staggering cinematic sweep. What happens when a developer with that pedigree tackles the survival horror genre? That's what we can't wait to find out. The Last of Us was sprung on the gaming public just over a year ago, and it immediately became a “must see” title.

  Set after a virulent plague wipes out most of humanity, it follows a grizzled survivor called Joel and Ellie, a young girl who he has taken under his wing, as they struggle to stay alive in the ruins of modern society, where brutal gangs and bloodthirsty maniacs lurk in the rubble. Unapologetically violent and with a gruelling storyline that explores the characters as much as the haunting landscape, The Last of Us brings us one step closer to gaming that packs as much punch as a big-name movie.
  

  

  Grand Theft Auto V

  Out: Spring
  Platforms: PlayStation 3

  Why So Excited?: If you have to ask, you must have been on Mars for the last decade. A new Grand Theft Auto game is a guaranteed event, not least because Rockstar doesn't turn these sequels out unless there's a good reason to do so. No annual updates for this series, so the news that players will be returning to the hot sticky streets of Los Santos for the first time since 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is enough to put us on the edge of our seat.

  Ever the tease, Rockstar has released only a few trailers and handfuls of screenshots, but it's enough to whet the whistle. With stunning graphics, bringing the city to life in never-before-seen detail, the big selling point is that this time around we'll be controlling three characters as they navigate the underbelly of modern urban life. Swapping between them at will, and combining their skills for missions, this could well be the evolutionary kick in the pants that the free-roaming crime genre needs. Would you expect anything else from the maestros that created the genre in the first place?
  

  Published: 17/01/2013

• Bioshock Infinite 'highly altered' by religious conversations

  Bioshock creator Ken Levine has revealed that he changed one of the characters in the upcoming Bioshock Infinite following conversations with religious co-workers who were reportedly "upset" by some of the game's themes.

  Levine told Official PlayStation Magazine: "What I said to them was, 'I'm not going to change anything to get your approval, but I think I understand what you're saying and I think I can do something that's going to make the story better, based on what you said. So I did that, and I'm grateful for them bringing in their perspective. The last thing I wanted to do was change something because it offends somebody, but the thing they pointed out was making it a lesser story."

  Levine also points out that this doesn't mean that Bioshock Infinite will be a game about religion, although he expects fans to keep guessing. "I think people first saw it and thought it was a game about the tea party in America," he says. "Then they saw it as a game about the labourer movement. Now people are going to think it's a game about religion. It's about patriotism, it's about all those things but I think we keep larger meanings a little closer to our vest."

  We'll find out what thorny social subtexts the game tackles when it launches in March for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
  

  Published: 21/01/2013

• Is Bioshock Infinite a musical?

  We've learned to take nothing for granted where mercurial game designer Ken Levine is concerned, but the news that the imminent Bioshock Infinite features a song performed by its two lead voice actors is still a surprise.

  Actors Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who play Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth in the game, have recorded a version of the 1935 folk standard Will The Circle Be Unbroken for the game's soundtrack. The song was in turn based on a 1907 hymn.

  What does it all mean? Levine has made no secret of the fact that the game tackles religious themes in a controversial manner. The song features the line "There's a better home awaiting, in the sky, Lord, in the sky". This ties in rather ironically with the game's storyline, which finds Pinkerton agent DeWitt despatched to the flying city of Columbia to track down Elizabeth. Once there, he finds an idealistic society on the brink of civil war. Levine has promised that the ending will be "like nothing you've actually experienced in a video game before".

  The full soundtrack will be included in the game's Premium and Ultimate Songbird editions, along with other bonus goodies.

  Bioshock Infinite is out on March 26th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

  Published: 08/03/2013

• Why the Bioshock movie never happened

  With Bioshock Infinite arriving in just a few weeks, creator Ken Levine has been hitting the interview trail. It was during a talk at BAFTA that he explained that the long gestating Bioshock movie has definitely been killed off, and that it was his decision to drop the axe.

  The choice came in the aftermath of the Watchmen movie, Warner Bros' expensive adults-only graphic novel adaptation that flopped at the box office. That made Universal wary of spending a similar amount on what was then planned to be a similarly bloody video game movie, with Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski at the helm.

  "The studio then got cold feet about making an R-rated $200 million film, and they said what if it was a $80 million film. Gore didn't want to make a $80 million film," Levine explained.

  Exit Gore Verbinksi, and enter Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, director of 28 Weeks Later. Levine, however, wasn't happy. "They brought another director in, and I didn't really see the match there - and 2K's one of these companies that puts a lot of creative trust in people. So they said if you want to kill it, kill it. And I killed it."

  "It was saying I don't need to compromise - how many times in life do you not need to compromise?" Levine, a former screenwriter himself, continued. "It comes along so rarely, but I had the world, the world existed and I didn't want to see it done in a way that I didn't think was right."

  Instead, Levine poured his focus into Bioshock Infinite, a sequel only loosely connected to the 2008 smash hit. Set in a floating sky city, rather than one under the sea, it tackles themes of civil unrest and religious extremism and promises to be a highlight of 2013.

  Bioshock Infinite is out for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC from March 26th.
  

  Published: 13/03/2013

• BioShock Infinite - Review

  
  

  

  Shock Of The New

  One of the trends of this console generation is that shooters have become as disposable as sports games, quickly forgotten and discarded every Christmas in favour of an updated model. Not so BioShock. Irrational Games' thoughtful and haunting take on the genre dominated by Call of Duty has outlived most of its rivals in our memories thanks to an incredible setting, a fascinating and surprising story and, of course, great action. About the worst thing you can say about BioShock Infinite is that it only achieves the same things.

  This time the action takes place in Columbia, a city suspended in the sky by the same mixture of science fiction, magic and imagination that kept Rapture from collapsing under the weight of the Atlantic Ocean. You play Booker DeWitt, a mercenary of sorts who is sent into this unlikely setting to retrieve a girl called Elizabeth. "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt," you're told - a hint at your past but scarcely enough instruction to prepare you for the dozen or so hours of action that lie ahead of you when you wake up in the city.

  

  Columbia Pictures

  Initially, you're just mesmerised by the place you're in. It's a weird, romantic sort of religious paradise, a pleasant and very beautiful distortion of what America looked like under a clear blue sky in the early 1900s. You turn over every stone you find (well, you rifle through every bin) in order to learn more about your surroundings, listening to audio diaries and paying close attention to what people are saying and doing.

  It isn't long before all hell breaks loose and once it does you're quickly thrust into combat mode, getting to grips with fairly standard weaponry (pistol, shotgun, machine gun, etc) and magical abilities called vigors that bear more than a passing resemblance to BioShock's plasmids and let you do some of the same things - blasting people with fire and lightning - as well as a few new ones, like reflecting projectiles back at the enemies who fire them at you.

  The combat is less claustrophobic than BioShock's, and the presence of skylines - overhead rollercoasters that you hook onto with your melee weapon - means that combat is much more about dancing and flying away from your enemies and attacking them from middle or long distance than it is about clobbering them at close range. Initially it feels over-familiar, but once you grasp this distinction it's suitably invigorating.

  

  Elizabethan Drama

  It's the story that really sets BioShock Infinite apart from other shooters, however, as well as its own predecessor, and that's thanks to the person you spend much of the game accompanied by: Elizabeth, the girl you've been sent to retrieve. She's a fantastic piece of programming, if nothing else - never getting in your way, helping throughout the game and anticipating your actions - but of course she's much more than that; she's also a way for Booker to make sense of Columbia and the enemies he encounters, like the fundamentalist leader of this strange society, Zachary Comstock, and the local resistance fighters.

  The story they get wrapped up in is told at a fair old lick - through scenes you witness and take part in and information gleaned from diaries and other things you infer from your surroundings. It's done with a novelist or a screenwriter's grace and a magician's guile, and some of the tricks it pulls in the final few hours will leave you staring open-mouthed at the screen and desperate to jump online and talk it over with your friends. Like the original BioShock, this is a game you desperately don't want to spoil in advance.

  Afterwards you'll argue over whether it all hangs together - I think it does, but there's plenty to discuss - and you will inevitably want to go back and test your conclusions and assumptions. It's just one of those stories. But BioShock Infinite is not just a clever trick; it's also a wonderfully complete game that takes you soaring through breathtaking combat, head-spinning storytelling and another wonderfully memorable world, and delivers one of the most convincing companions ever seen in a game. It can never replace BioShock in our hearts, but it certainly deserves to bear the same name. A must-buy.

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good

  • Elizabeth is the most believable and affecting AI companion in years
  • Columbia's an incredible setting that sits comfortably alongside Rapture
  • The ending will leave your head spinning and you won't want it to stop

  The Bad:

  • Some of the weapons are a little unimaginative
  • Vigors aren't that different to plasmids
  • It lacks a knock-you-down "Would You Kindly?" moment, although it comes close.

  Published: 26/03/2013

• Review Round Up - Bioshock Infinite

  Following up the 2007 hit Bioshock was always going to be a challenge, even for a games developer as focussed and bold as Ken Levine's Irrational Games. That his team has waited almost six years to do so says everything you need to know about where Bioshock Infinite is coming from. Thankfully, the wait has been worth it, if the reaction of the gaming press is anything to go by.

  At the moment, Bioshock Infinite has a remarkable twenty reviews delivering 10/10 or 100% scores, with praise being almost unanimous across the spectrum.

  "Infinite is as lavish as it is cerebral, as difficult as it is accessible. It'll be many different things to many different people, and it will be discussed, dissected and deified for many years to come," reckons GamesTM. "Both a breathtaking achievement in videogame storytelling and a marquee example of a game that will stick with you long after you see everything it has to offer. Calling it simply a first-person shooter is practically an insult," declares The Escapist.

  "BioShock Infinite's big thoughts and complicated narrative don't obscure the brilliant action game that carries those messages through," adds Polygon. "BioShock Infinite is damn near perfect," says Destructoid, cutting to the chase rather neatly.

  Even the broadsheet Daily Telegraph is smitten, once again lavishing top marks and gushing that the game represents "a fabulous piece of storytelling, thick with foreshadowing to a gut-punch of a finale."

  We've also got our own review, and deem it "a wonderfully complete game" and that "the final few hours will leave you staring open-mouthed at the screen".

  Bioshock Infinite is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. You should probably buy it.

  Published: 26/03/2013

• How to unlock Bioshock Infinite's rock hard 1999 Mode

  Irrational Games made no secret of its bonus difficulty setting for the critically acclaimed Bioshock Infinite. 1999 Mode aims to take players back to a more hardcore era, with death forcing players back to the start of whichever section they're in, and taking most of their cash for good measure. It is, not coincidentally, the year when Bioshock's predecessor System Shock 2 was released.

  Bioshock creator Ken Levine even went so far as to say that the mode would have to be earned by beating the game, and certainly wouldn't be unlocked using a silly code at the menu screen.

  Like most things related to Bioshock, it turns out you shouldn't believe everything you're told. 1999 Mode can be unlocked using a silly code at the menu screen - the famous Konami Code, no less.

  That means pressing Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right and then B, A (or Circle, Cross on the PlayStation).

  Doing so will enable you to experience the dark secrets of the flying city of Columbia at their most devilishly tricky on your first playthrough rather than doing it twice. Although, since the game is so great and so packed with story detail, you'll probably want to do it again anyway.

  Bioshock Infinite is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

  Published: 27/03/2013

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