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Ken Levine hints at new first-person sci-fi adventure
BioShock creator Ken Levine recently let slip on Twitter that he's working on a new game, and that he'd be happy to answer questions. Levine offers no solid details on the project, but we do learn a few basics. According to Levine, the game is set in an original universe and he's currently leaning toward a first-person perspective for players. This plot is sci-fi ("or sci-fi-ish," as Levine describes it), and the scope of the game will be "large-ish," but will rely heavily on story and gameplay elements that can be repeatedly recombined with one another in interesting ways - a design principle Levine dubs "narrative Legos." Those expecting further details soon are likely to be disappointed. Levine claims his team has no intention of showing the game at this year's E3 conference, and the game has only barely begun development. "Stuff in engine. Very rudimentary gameplay. Concept art. Passion system in code. A working board game to demonstrate passions," Levine offers when asked how development of the game is progressing. However, there is progress on one front: After nearly a year, Levine believes he is close to coming up with a name for the small studio he formed after laying off over 90 percent of the employees at Irrational Games. [Image: Wikimedia]
Ex-Irrational devs' The Black Glove falls well short of funding
Day for Night Games, an offshoot studio formed in the wake of Irrational's layoffs, failed to crowdfund first-person adventure The Black Glove. In terms of how far short the game was of its goal, it's a case of not gloving one hand, let alone two. After a month of campaigning, The Black Glove amassed $216,517 of its $550,000 target, which equates to less than half. Despite the setback, Creative Director Joe Fielder vowed to "fight like hell" to keep the game alive. Day for Night, largely headed by former BioShock devs, is talking to publishers who've reached out in recent weeks. Fielder added the studio is also exploring other ideas.
BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition available today
BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition is available today on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms for $40. This version includes the core skyhook swinging adventure, along with all the game's add-on content. Yup, even the Burial at Sea adventures. Although publisher 2K previously mentioned a PC version, that does not seem to be the case anymore. No biggie, since the game and all of its content will be like $5 during the upcoming holiday Steam sale. We've listed all the content for BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition after the break.
BioShock Infinite: Complete confirmed for Nov. 4, mostly
BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition is due out on November 4 for Xbox 360 and PS3, Take-Two's second quarter 2015 financial report confirms, but there's no mention of a PC launch date. Previously, 2K said BioShock Infinite: Complete Edition would be out for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC "later this year." We've reached out to 2K for clarification on the PC release. Retailer listings for BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition say the bundle features all of the game's DLC packs, including the Clash in the Clouds arena combat mode, and prices it at $40. [Image: Take-Two]
BioShock Infinite: Complete Edition listings point to Nov. release [update]
Update: A 2K spokesperson confirmed to IGN that BioShock Infinite Complete Edition is on the way. The spokeperson said, "We can confirm that the BioShock Infinite Complete Edition is coming to Xbox 360, PS3, and PC later this year, and we will be sharing more information about it very soon." BioShock Infinite may rise again in a new Complete Edition, going by listings on GameStop and Amazon Canada. Both retailers have the re-packaged edition of Irrational's game for Xbox 360 and PS3, priced $40 (US & CND) and due for release on November 4. 2K has not announced any new versions of BioShock Infinite, so we've reached out to the publisher for clarification. The box art on GameStop says the Complete Edition "includes all add-on packs." Also, the product details list the base game plus the Clash in the Clouds arena combat mode, the pair of Burial at Sea episodes, the Columbia's Finest gear and upgrades pack, and the similar Early Bird Special add-on pack which came with the season pass.
A man chooses which looks better: BioShock on 360 or iOS
BioShock is coming to your iOS device - well, if "your iOS device" is an iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, iPad 4, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, or iPhone 5 - but if you're wondering just how well the city of Rapture translates from the big screen to the small, you might want to check out the above video from AppSpy. Comparing an Xbox 360 version of Irrational's underwater tale of genetic modifications and science gone wrong with footage of the iOS version, AppSpy illustrates the visual differences between the two and notices that, despite the power behind some of Apple's latest devices, the visual downgrade is a noticeable one. Lighting, particle effects and atmospheric effects like fog are the things most obviously missing, but textures appear a bit less crisp on iOS as well. Still, there's time for these things to change, so who knows what the final product will look like. In the end, it'll be your choice which system to go with. [Image: 2K Games]
BioShock port syncs Rapture to your iPad and iPhone
Get it? PORT? [Umm, no, the pun is on "sync." But that's still terrible. - Ed.] Oh. Anyway, Rapture is an ambitious city wrapped in the ocean but undone by the arrogance of its haughty, genetically naughty citizens. The stunning setting of Irrational's 2007 game, BioShock, along with its moody opening, zap-and-whack combat and notorious plot, is being ported to iOS devices by 2K China – the same team that handled the portable version of Firaxis' tense strategy game, XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
Xbox 360 deals: BioShock Infinite, Modern Warfare 3
Today is the final day of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Ultimate Games Sale, and it's going out with a bang, a burst of speed and an "Ode to Joy." First, the bang: BioShock Infinite is 67 percent off ($9.89 / £6.59 / €9.89) today on Xbox Live, joined by Modern Warfare 3 at 60 percent off ($19.99 / £19.99 / €27.99) and Painkiller Hell and Damnation at 80 percent off ($5.99 / £4.99 / €5.99). Two racing games are discounted through Xbox Live today: NASCAR 14 and Split Second. Eutechnyx's NASCAR 14 is 58 percent off ($20.99) and Split Second is 75 percent off ($4.99 / £2.99 / €3.74). The best way for the Xbox 360 Ultimate Games Sale to close is with an Ode to Joy provided by Peggle 2, the lone discounted XBLA game in today's sale. PopCap's popular peg-destroying game is half-off today ($11.99 / £9.99 / €9.99). Remember, the final day's sales are joined by other ongoing deals, which also expire at the end of the day. [Image: 2K Games]
In a parallel universe, BioShock Vita is a tactics game that's real
Ken Levine stoked laments for what could have been when he took to Twitter last night to discuss the now-fabled BioShock Vita game. When asked what he had in mind for his pet project that never got off the ground, the Irrational Games president said, "I was thinking a Final Fantasy Tactics-style thing set in a pre-fall Rapture." Well, damn.
Fox News defends Columbia with BioShock Infinite-style logo
Usually we'd leave the media commentary to Jon Stewart, but The Daily Show is on summer vacation this week, so here we go – Fox News used a logo for its "Defending the Homeland" segment that looks eerily similar to the name plate for BioShock Infinite, right down to the stars. The joke, of course, lies in the fact that BioShock Infinite and its overly patriotic imagery is a play on supremacists with money, power and religious zeal building a pristine city in the clouds that ends up feeding on ignorance and hate – a kind of story that Fox News would report with smiles on their faces and Pilgrim Rocket tickets in their hands. BioShock creator Ken Levine addressed the logo on Facebook and Twitter, first saying, "Glad to help, Fox. Glad to help." He responded to a copyright question with a simple, "It's irony." Besides, filing a copyright claim against Fox would begin a long, tedious legal battle, and really, who needs the justice system? See a side-by-side logo comparison below. [Image: News Corp]
Ex-Irrational devs form new studio, reveal 'The Black Glove'
Irrational may have drastically cut its staff to focus on narrative-driven games, but some of those that were laid off have their own ideas for a narrative experience. Enter Day For Night Games, a new studio founded by ex-Irrational developers, many of whom worked on BioShock Infinite. Their first game is called The Black Glove, and the team plans to launch a Kickstarter to fund its development sometime in July. In The Black Glove, players use time travel to influence and affect the lives of a filmmaker, an artist and a musical act. The game takes place inside of a special theatre called The Equinox, which according to Day For Night, could exist in the past, present or future. Or it might not exist at all. So if nothing else, it sounds like the BioShock series' legacy of creating mind-explosions is intact. Much like what we were told to expect from Irrational's upcoming efforts, The Black Glove will be focused on story. In an interview with Polygon, studio member Joe Fielder said that the game will merge its fiction directly with gameplay, and is inspired by games like The Stanley Parable and Gone Home. "Even a wrong turn, even misinterpreting a hint or just experimenting could produce interesting results," he said. [Image: Day For Night Games]
Steam's Daily Deal offers System Shock 2 at half price
If your life is painfully lacking in malevolent AI and angry, telekinetic monkeys, today is your lucky day: Steam is currently offering survival horror classic System Shock 2 at a 50 percent discount. Co-developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios, and designed by BioShock maestro Ken Levine, System Shock 2 drops players into the dark corridors of a faster than light spaceship where a routine rescue operation has gone horribly wrong. Armed with scavenged weaponry and a handful of special powers, players must battle the twisted denizens of deep space, all the while being mocked by SHODAN, a once helpful AI that has started to lose her virtual marbles. Despite being a "Daily Deal," System Shock 2 will remain at its current $5 price point until Monday, April 21 at 10AM PT. Would-be players need not worry about system compatibility, as Steam offers System Shock 2 in PC, Mac and Linux flavors. [Image: Night Dive Studios]
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Listen to full songs from BioShock: Infinite's Burial at Sea DLC
Bioshock Infinite regularly played with the idea of splicing together different decades, resulting in cool hybrids like a floating city of classic American architecture, and alternate-dimension takes of classic songs. The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" served as a dose of waveform-delivered culture shock in our initial moments with Columbia, translating the melody into a quartet group performance. Infinite's Burial At Sea DLC plays with music creation as well, but the efforts highlighted in this post from Irrational are less about covers and more about original takes. Community Manager "IG.J" posted three full songs from Burial At Sea Episodes One and Two, providing the story of how each song came to be and which musical styles the songs drew influence from. Among the selections is a promotional jingle for the Old Man Winter plasmid, pitching the substance's necessity like an old-time radio ad would. You can listen to the full takes of each song in Irrational's post, or you can allow Infinite's cover of Fortunate Son to transport you back to the war-torn streets of Columbia. [Image: Irrational Games]
BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode Two review: Forget Paris
This is a review of downloadable content for BioShock Infinite. As such, it may contain spoilers for the main campaign or "Burial at Sea Episode One". In some alternate universe, in some different timeline, BioShock Infinite's "Burial at Sea" was never split into two parts. I say "parts," and not "halves," because Episode One was, at best, a lackluster introduction. Its return to Andrew Ryan's submerged metropolis of Rapture was disappointing, its promise of noir intrigue petered out too quickly, and all we were left with was slightly different combat and a ham-fisted twist ending that was barely deserving of the term. It's a shame, then, that the BioShock Infinite creators in our universe chose to serve up Burial at Sea as two complementary products, because Episode Two is much stronger. Had Burial at Sea been released as one cohesive whole, the mediocre opening hours we know as Episode One might have been forgiven. As it stands (in this reality), "Burial at Sea Episode Two" is longer, it delivers a better story with more emotional drive, and its combat feels fresher. Even its obligatory shock ending feels more in line with BioShock's pedigree.
Exiting Irrational team shares its 'proudest' BioShock Infinite moments
Irrational Games, as we knew it, is closing its doors. As its final goodbye, the dev has released a short video featuring former employees discussing its "proudest moments" working on the studio's final project, BioShock Infinite, and the game's final DLC chapter. [Image: Irrational Games]
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Irrational Games Career Day attended by 57 studios
New details about the downsizing of Irrational Games, as reported by Game Informer, reveal that 70 Irrational employees and five contract workers were let go during the studio's recent round of layoffs. The report states that Irrational's self-hosted recruitment day to find work for its excess talent was attended by 57 studios. A tweet from Irrational co-founder Ken Levine listed Gearbox, Turtle Rock Studios, BioWare and Retro Studios among the recruitment day's patrons. Sony Santa Monica's Aaron Kaufman responded to Levine's tweet to note that the God of War series developer would also be in attendance, a studio which recently suffered its own layoffs and canceled a new IP. Levine's initial announcement revealed that Irrational would be cut to a team of 15. The associated layoffs spawned an initiative on social media to find new work for Irrational's employees, an effort that preceded Irrational's recruiting day. As for the Bioshock series itself, Levine's announcement regarding the layoffs added that series publisher 2K Games will be "handling the reins" of the universe while Levine focuses on replayable, narrative-driven experiences. [Image: 2K Games]
No murder, mo problems in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Ep. 2's '1998 mode'
BioShock Infinite's next DLC offering, Burial at Sea - Episode 2, encourages players to step out of their comfort zone and rely solely on non-lethal tactics in 1998 mode. Avoiding mass murder in a BioShock game? That's just ... weird. Irrational Games says 1998 mode was borne from the testing phase where developers were self-imposing non-lethal playthroughs; the titular date is a callback to the original Thief game (nice timing!) and places "a focus on balance and stealth mechanics," says Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games. Burial at Sea - Episode 2 launches on March 25. Irrational Games was severely downsized last week and Ken Levine, its current creative director, announced he was forming a new outfit within publisher Take-Two Interactive. Support from the gaming community at large quickly followed, in both the form of the "#IrrationalJobs" hashtag on Twitter and local Boston studio Fire Hose Games, which has offered free desk space for any affected developers looking to go the indie route. [Image: Irrational Games]
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Joystiq Weekly: Irrational Games, co-op Pokemon and a Doom beta
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Between the new Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Tony Hawk's involvement in a new game and talk of a Doom beta, this week feels like a list of lost events from the '90s. Not that we're complaining, of course - the days of platforming in mine carts, feeding arcade machines quarters and hogging family computers from siblings were pretty wonderful times. They were simpler, too - just 151 Pokemon to keep track of, with full games and expansions instead of publishers scattering in-game content to retailers and adding season passes to everything or-- Well, it didn't take us long to trip into the "back in my day" style of reminiscing. We'll excuse ourselves for a stint of warning kids passing by to stay off our lawns, but we've left you a recap of the biggest events from this week after the break. Er ... this week being in 2014, not the '90s.
Fire Hose offers free desk space to Boston devs looking to go indie
Fire Hose Games, the Slam Bolt Scrappers and Go Home Dinosaurs developer from Cambridge, MA, is offering free desk space to developers looking to make the indie transition. The hospitality was spurred by recent layoffs in the Boston area, most notably the Irrational Games shutdown yesterday. So here's the deal, as laid out in Fire Hose's blog post: Accepted developers will get a desk, chair and can potentially use any spare equipment laying around the office. Access to the office will be available during posted office hours and Fire Hose will seek no financial compensation for the kindness. Interested parties need simply fire off an email to freedesks [at] firehosegames [dot] com to get started. Fire Hose is currently in the process of setting up an indie game seed fund, but adds in its blog post that this free desk space agreement in no way guarantees a spot in the incubator program. [Image: Fire Hose Games]
'Irrational Jobs' career outreach forms in the wake of BioShock dev layoffs
Immediately following todays' announcement that Irrational Games is winding down to just 15 employees, the hashtag "#IrrationalJobs" sprung up on Twitter to assist developers in finding new jobs. A similar, immediate outreach happened in the wake of 38 Studios' closure in May 2012. While the hashtag is currently in its infancy, it's accompanied by a link to a Google Doc full of opportunities for the studio's exiting developers. As Irrational Games Co-Founder Ken Levine noted in today's announcement, third-party developers and publishers should email chris.bigelow@2k.com directly with any interest in interviewing the departing employees. With any luck, the social media outreach, Irrational Games-hosted recruiting day and third-party developer interest will provide the BioShock developer's outgoing staff with enough opportunities to make their transitions seamless. [Image: Irrational Games]
