Episode 24 - Bioshock Infinite

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 24:

Bioshock Infinite

After a wait that seemed at times to be interminable, Bioshock Infinite is finally here, and we at The Joy of Gaming Podcast (Rich, Tim and Jordan) could not be more excited. But is it a worthy spiritual successor to the original Bioshock? The possibilities are infinite as we explore the game in depth on this very spirited episode.

Before we get to the main event, however, we discuss the games we’ve been playing that were not directed by Ken Levine, including Tomb Raider, League of Legends, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, The Witcher 2, BattleBlock Theater, and Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm. Then it’s on to news, where we discuss the demise of Lucasarts as a game developer, Microsoft’s potential “always-online” next gen strategy, and much more.  Rich and Tim also get down and dirty, arguing over the merits of Valve Software’s recent gaming output (or lack thereof). And then…we look to the sky.

Whether you agree with Rich that the first Bioshock was a gaming masterpiece, or with Tim and Jordan that it was great (but a bit overrated), you cannot argue that the game has had a monumental impact on gaming as a whole. Bioshock took gamers on a journey to the strange and beautiful underwater city of Rapture – a world inhabited by Little Sisters, Big Daddies, deranged genetic splicers, and the misguided humans who created it all. It was an experience that set new high watermarks in the areas of story, tone, characters, environment and originality in gaming, and it transported gamers to a place that few ever wanted to leave.

About three years ago, series creative director Ken Levine and the team at Irrational Games in Boston announced a spiritual successor to the game, called Bioshock Infinite, and the countdown to potential gaming nirvana began. Well, the time has finally come, and Bioshock Infinite has been released to a great deal of fanfare and universally positive reviews from gaming publications. But does the game live up to its predecessor? In fact, is it possible for any game to live up to the legacy of the original Bioshock?

We have all finished Bioshock Infinite, and we each have some strong answers to these questions. We talk about every facet of the experience, from Elizabeth’s tear mechanic and the Songbird, to the skylines that hover above Columbia’s streets, to the characters, voxophones, boss battles, vigors, gear, and weapons that serve as the core of the gaming experience. We even throw caution to the wind and talk full story spoilers for the last 30 minutes of the podcast, so if you haven’t finished the game yet, listen up to that point and save the finale until after you have.

Join us, as we take a foreign and fantastic journey into the sky - to the heart of human ambition and disappointment. This… is the Joy of Gaming!