Dork Shelf » BioShock

Bioshock Infinite E3 Demo

Jonathan Ore — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 04:00:15 +0000

Irrational Games’ Bioshock Infinite, the spiritual-but-maybe-not-really sequel to 2007′s Bioshock, won multiple Best of E3 awards last month. However the demo that was shown to attendees was held under embargo, meaning gamers had very little idea just what the fuss was about. Now the entire 15-minute demonstration has been posted to the public, and…well, maybe all those journalists and bloggers were right.

Click here to view the embedded video.

…so. There’s a whole lot going on here. Columbia is populated by various factions, including the Vox Populi, who make things terribly uncomfortable for Booker DeWitt and the super-powered Elizabeth. While characters are seen acting amongst the setting without immediately jumping on the player, when they do things get more crowded and threatening than most encounters in the first two Bioshocks ever did. The “tears” are probably the most intruiging part of the demo, appearing in one instance as a variety of options Elizabeth can help you with during a firefight, and a baffling multi-verse tease in another. Comic book nerds like us are surely speculating the hell out of that moment.

We also get to see how much vertigo we’ll experience while flying along the skylines, and some insight into the relationship between Elizabeth, Booker and the steampunk predator called the Songbird in ways that surprise even at this early stage. If this wasn’t on your radar before, it probably is now.

Bioshock Infinite is scheduled for release in 2012. For some more insight from Irrational head Ken Levine, check out the extended interview with Geoff Keighley on the Gametrailers website, and this interview with Kieron Gillen on RockPaperShotgun.

BioShock Infinite Trailer

Will Perkins — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:49:09 +0000

Ken Levine and Irrational Games have been busy these past few years. While 2K Marin was hard at work on BioShock 2, the team that made the original game were quietly working on a game of their own: BioShock Infinite.

Click here to view the embedded video.

So as you can see it’s not your Big Daddy’s BioShock. “Skyoshock”, as Tycho from Penny Arcade dubbed it, would be more apt. Just as the previous games were inspired by works of literature, BioShock Infinite seems to have been heavily influenced by Thomas Pynchon’s 2006 novel Against the Day; a genre bending turn of the century tale of anarchy and airships. Pynchon’s decade spanning novel also doubles as a biting critique of capitalism and jingoism.

The game seems to tread on similar territory, being set on the fictional sky city of Columbia in the late 19th century. The city is meant to be the literal embodiment of American patriotism and cultural imperialism, which could obviously make for an interesting backdrop. How Levine and company tackle these prescient themes remains to be seen, but if the original BioShock is any indicator, chances are it is going to be pretty compelling.

BioShock Infinite is set for a 2012 release.

Podcast 4: Cat’s in the Bag

Dork Shelf — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:07:37 +0000

In this fourth podcast, Jeff tells us about the super important summer event that’s been keeping him busy (is it X-Men Origins: Wolverine?), Will explains how Fallout is like Metal Gear, and Lucas drinks from the precious “I ♥ Jim” mug. The dorks talk about new TV shows, bemoan the shallow ethnic diversity in superhero troupes, and debate the state of computer gaming. Prepare to be informed, amused, and offended.

Download: Dork Shelf Podcast 4 (54 MB, MP3, 78:50)
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Listen:

Programme:

0:00 — “Vision of Art (feat. Company Flow)” by DJ Krush
7:00 — On movie ratings
17:00 — The Pirate Bay trial and piracy
28:00 — EA, and the dorks do Frank Caliendo doing John Madden
34:30 — [Unknown Song] by The Meters
40:00 — The Flash is so white
51:30 — Will on the state of PC gaming
74:00 — Xbox Live’s attitude toward women
78:00 — “Bad Luck Blues” by DJ Nu-Mark & Pomo

Discussed:

Gaming Forum Creates Criterion Collection Video Game Box Art

Will Perkins — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:43:12 +0000

The crazy kids over at the NeoGAF.com started a bit of a photoshop meme earlier this month: What would video game box art look like if it were done in the style of Criterion Collection DVD covers? Criterion Collection films are known for their striking cover designs; a fact that the folks over at NeoGAF took to heart, because some of the results are brilliant. Take this amazing BioShock cover from The GAF Collection for example.

The GAF Collection @ NeoGAF.com

See some of the highlights after the jump.

Thanks to usernameguy for the compilation.
Click to see full-size.

BioShock 2: First Gameplay Footage

Will Perkins — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:58:59 +0000

Gametrailers.com has posted an exclusive first look at gameplay footage from BioShock 2. BioShock 2 is the sequel to 2K Games brilliant BioShock which hit consoles and PC in 2007. BioShock 2 sees the player return the underwater city of Rapture, but this time you aren’t alone. Soviet troops have stormed the undersea dystopia and are fighting the inhabitants of Rapture; as well as you, in an attempt to gain control of the genetic splicing technology, giving the USSR the upper hand in the Cold War. BioShock 2 hits the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC later this year.

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams Teaser Site Launched

Dork Shelf — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:17:56 +0000

A new teaser site for BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams, There’s Something in the Sea, has been making the rounds online. It features a few documents concerning the kidnapping of a little girl by a red-eyed monster. The site follows a teaser trailer that came on the disc of BioShock for the PlayStation 3.

Sea of Dreams is the first of what could be five sequels to 2007′s BioShock. The expectations of fans and of 2K, the game’s publisher, are quite high. BioShock is one of the most highly-rated PC and Xbox 360 games of recent years. It was praised for its immersive environments and intelligent gameplay, and was a commercial success. BioShock 2 is not being developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia, who created the first BioShock, but by 2K Marin, a new studio seeded with staff from 2K Boston.

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams is to be released for Windows, XBox 360, and PlayStation 3 in late 2009. Developer IG Fun is working on a version of BioShock for mobile devices that is also to be released later this year.

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams teaser: There’s Something in the Sea