BioShock Infinite Delayed: Gaming News
02 days
BioShock Infinite, the third game in the popular BioShock series, will not be released in October of this year as originally planned, Ken Levine (co-founder of Irrational Games, the company which develops the BioShock games) revealed on the game’s website yesterday. Instead, fans will have to wait until the new release date of February 26th, 2013.
BioShock Infinite from Irrational Games
The difficult decision to delay the game has been made, Levine says, to give the ‘talented team the time they need’ to make the game ‘even more extraordinary’. He goes on to reassure fans that the first BioShock game also faced a similar delay of several months, because there were final tweaks that the game’s team needed more time to develop. Since the majority of people seem to think that BioShock was a better game than BioShock 2, this might reassure fans that by putting up with the extra wait they will be rewarded with a game that matches up to the former rather than the latter.
The original BioShock game was based in part on Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, even including a character named Atlas. BioShock Infinite, while it won’t take part in the same underwater world as the first two BioShock games, will continue with this sort of philosophical, political edge. Infinite is to be set in a fictional, floating city called Columbia, which is supposed to have been representative at one stage of certain American ideals, and which the game sees being fought over by extremist political groups.
BioShock Infinite from Irrational Games
According to Levine, BioShock Infinite is going to be ‘a very big game’. As well as the new setting, it includes a new story separate from that told in the first two games, and a whole new cast of characters. One character that has been gaining a lot of press interest is the protagonist’s companion, Elizabeth, who has a special set of powers which can be used to help the player through the game.
BioShock Infinite from Irrational Games
The array of villains has also been garnering a lot of attention, with Irrational Games having released videos demonstrating some examples of these ‘Heavy Hitters’ on the game’s site. Each kind of villain is unique, representing a promise to fans that BioShock Infinite will be quite different from other games they might have played.
BioShock Infinite from Irrational Games
While Irrational Games shouldn’t be begrudged this time to perfect BioShock Infinite, it is disappointing that along with the changed release date comes the announcement that the game won’t be demoed at this year’s E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo, in Los Angeles). Instead, exactly what form Infinite will take will remain something of a mystery until its release early next year.
Game Review and Preview: The Walking Dead: Episode One – A New Day
05 days
The Walking Dead is an episodic release from Telltale Games (the creators of Sam & Max), the first episode of which was released on the 25th of April, with the remaining four due to follow over the summer of this year. It’s based on the comic book of the same name, which has also inspired a television series. The game has taken the story of the popular comic and combined it with the dramatic flavour of a television series and produced something highly entertaining.
As may be easily guessed from the name, The Walking Dead is about zombies. But this is nothing like other games centred around the undead, the Dead Risings and the Resident Evils. Sometimes you shoot zombies until their faces explode, sure, but that’s far from the main focus of the game; it’s much more about the story, the relationships between the characters, and making difficult choices.
The Walking Dead Episode One from Telltale Games
In fact, choice is the main ingredient of the experience this game provides. This first episode, in which the zombie epidemic is introduced but not explained, and in which you are steadily introduced to some of the main characters of the tale, has you being forced to make quick decisions almost instantly. Your character, Lee, starts the game in the back of a police car on his way to prison, being chatted to casually by the police offer behind the wheel about your potential innocence. You’re given no background information about Lee besides what you learn from the officer, and yet right from the start you have to decide whether to have him lose his temper, protest his innocence, or remain silent. You’re given a time limit, too, so you can’t just sit there mulling it over.
The Walking Dead Episode One from Telltale Games
This fast-paced choice mechanic is balanced against that which makes up the rest of the game, puzzle-solving. You want to get through that locked door? Well, you’ll have to find something with which to open it and a way to distract the zombies between you and your goal. It is this juxtaposition between the sneaking, hiding, puzzle-solving and the arguing, running, zombie-killing which keeps tension running high and makes the game so involving and exciting.
The Walking Dead Episode One from Telltale Games
If you like a good story and are intrigued by the principle of your actions within a game truly affecting the way that story plays out, you can pick up the first episode of The Walking Dead for 400 MS Points on Xbox Live for £3.99 on the PlayStation Store . If you want to play on PC or Mac, a season pass (containing all five episodes) is available for £20.99 on Steam.