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Bioshock Infinite is a masterwork of both style and substance—its high-minded, dramatic storytelling not only challenges the intellect, but it does so in conjunction with action-driven gameplay and an atmospheric world both surreal and sublime in its beauty.  This is no trivial feat, especially considering the medium’s history; traditionally, games providing any semblance of an intelligent narrative have tended to do so at the expense of both action and thrills.

The adventure genre, for example, commonly dismisses action in favor of weaving storytelling within simple point-and-click-style parameters.  Even The Walking Dead, an adventure game lauded by both fanboys and critics alike, owes its narrative successes more through the use of puzzle-solving, quick time events, and the weighing of moral choices than anything resembling true player interaction with the enemy.

Adventure games such as The Secret of Monkey Island weren't exactly known for testing reflexes.

So Bioshock Infinite stands as an aberration, somehow providing a rich and engrossing tale despite its emphasis on combat.  But the key to this achievement isn’t any great secret, for Infinite is not so much a shooter as it is an action-RPG.

The role-playing game, of course, has itself been a bastion of creative storytelling since the genre’s inception.  Back when most players were saving princesses and gunning down aliens, the more discerning gamer was exploring digital worlds filled with almost limitless possibilities (comparatively speaking).  From Ultima and Wizardry to Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy, these games were among the first to demonstrate the potential of the medium—not only for the large amount of freedom they allowed, but for the endless twists and turns their stories could theoretically lead the player.  Indeed, some of gaming’s most memorable tales come from RPGs of both Western and Eastern distinctions, and the genre is still seen as the quintessential means to spinning a complex yarn.

The arrival of Bioshock Infinite, however, changed everything by telling a deep, multifaceted tale that made most RPG plots seem downright quaint by comparison.  But as already suggested, what is Infinite if not an action-RPG itself?  Or better, a reinvention of the actual (sub)genre?

Let’s look at the evidence:

--Infinite’s felled enemies leave behind money (silver eagles) which can then be exchanged for upgrades and supplies at various vending machines, providing a convenient alternative to the genre’s usual trappings of gold coins, shops and smitheries.   

--Like most RPGs, nearly any object can be searched for loot, from trashcans (not unlike the pots in most games) to the desks (chests) found in people’s homes.  Owners be damned. 

--The player can upgrade one of three core abilities at given times, from overall health (the equivalent to hit points) to increased vigor (magic point) usage.

--Packages containing articles of clothing (essentially armor) can be found and equipped to provide extra perks in combat.  Mirroring the loot drops seen in almost every action-RPG (thinkDiablo) ever created, these items are random and change with each playthrough.

--Innumerable non-player characters inhabit Infinite’s world, and many, like in most RPGs, have something to say.  But instead of interacting with each of these forgettable denizens directly, the player merely needs to approach their respective locations to “overhear” the conversations.

--Elizabeth is the player’s devoted ally and healer, offering “support spells” through the use of dimensional rifts, providing health packs and ammunition at opportune times, and even “resurrecting” the protagonist should he die.

--Locked safes (stand-ins for the iconic treasure chest) offer heaps of money and are usually tucked away in obscure places.

Going through people's things and taking their stuff is an RPG tradition.

In other words, by taking the strengths, and quirks, of the typical RPG and repurposing them for a first person shooter, Bioshock Infinite succeeds where so many other actioners have failed—to tell a tale worthy of a great, contemplative Hollywood film, from the mind-bending realities of Inception to the quantum conundrums of Looper.   Sure, other games have been borrowing from the RPG genre for years, but not even classics like Half-Life 2, Fallout 3, GTA 4, and the original Bioshock have inspired the level of deep discussion Infinite effortlessly elicits.

Bioshock Infinite is not just a great shooting or role-playing game, but also a great story that begs to be experienced, savored, and pondered.  Like the best works of art, the title will stand the test of time and serve as a shining example, like a light on a hill, of how to fuse entertainment with sophistication to create something that transcends both.

 

Thanks to www.zeldadungeon.net and www.bit-tech.net for the pics.