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BioShock Infinite's Columbia, rebuilt in Minecraft
Of course somebody built BioShock Infinite's floating city of Columbia within Minecraft. Sights such as Battleship Bay and vistas of floating skyscrapers are all meticulously recreated in Mojang's sandbox, all available to peruse in one convenient photo album.
Rod Fergusson preps to leave Irrational Games
Rod Fergusson, former Director of Production at Epic Games, is soon to be the former VP of Development at BioShock Infinite developer Irrational Games, Polygon reports. Fergusson joined Irrational in August to help finish up work on BioShock Infinite, a game that shipped to widespread critical acclaim on March 26. Now he's in the process of leaving Irrational."I am very proud of the work that I did and of the team and what they were able to accomplish on Infinite," Fergusson says. "Now with the game shipped successfully, I've done what I set out to do here and now I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my life and career."When Fergusson joined Irrational, he followed a trail of major departures from the studio, including Art Director Nate Wells and Design Lead Jeff McGann. There's no word on what Fergusson's next move will be.
BioShock Infinite alternate covers available for printing
Irrational Games now has eight pieces of alternative cover art for BioShock Infinite available on its site. The bland original cover already comes with artistic opposition, which was chosen by 38 percent of participants in an online fan vote.Now, all the original designs up for the vote are available for printing, along with a few more custom designs, like the one we chose above. Covers are available in PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Irrational warns fans to follow the printing instructions and do a test run before wasting glossy paper. So many pretty covers to choose from.
BioShock Infinite clings to top spot in this week's UK Charts
Like Booker DeWitt on a skyrail, BioShock Infinite hangs high above the rest in this week's UK charts. Despite a 75 percent sales drop after its launch week, Irrational's clouds-based shooter is numero uno for two weeks in a row. Just below it is Tomb Raider, maintaining its own impressive grip on the UK top two; that's five weeks now it's not budged. Trion's shooter MMO Defiance marks its debut week by notching third place, and is the only new entry in the top 40. Gears of War: Judgment earns a third week appraisal of sixth, falling behind Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon in fifth. Meanwhile, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel and PGA Tour 14 endure second week drops to 15th and 17th respectively. After just three weeks, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is nowhere to be seen in the top 40, although there may be more here than meets the eye. After placing seventh in its debut week, MH3U plummeted to a surprising 37th last week. However, Nintendo of Europe chief Satoru Shibata took to Twitter late last week to apologize "for the current stock shortage" of the Wii U and 3DS game "due to high demand." Shibata said new stock will "hopefully be available" this coming week.
Super Joystiq Podcast 044 Live: Thief, BioShock Infinite [Update: Watch the replay]
Update: The live show is over, watch the replay above.Yep, just BioShock Infinite. That's the only thing we care about right now – even outside of the gaming world (we might have serious issues). But really, have you played this one yet? Xav de Matos gave it a perfect score in our review, calling it "one of the best told stories of this generation" and the "finest game crafted by Irrational Games." If you think that all sounds ridiculous, here's your chance to get the reasoning behind the praise, straight from the reviewer himself, and backed up by a gang of enthused Joystiq staffers.That's right – a gang. Don't mess with our BioShock Infinite, ya hear? Oh, you want more? Ludwig Kietzmann saw Thief. He'll tell you all about it!
BioShock Infinite: Siege of Columbia, the strategy board game
BioShock Infinite: Siege of Columbia tells the tale of Columbia from a fresh perspective: the tabletop.Plaidhat Games is working on the board game port version of BioShock Infinite, which features two warring factions from the game, the Vox Populi and Founders. Commanding "mobs of combatants," each team attempts to conquer the districts of Columbia, the city in the sky; the Founders wish to control it, while the Vox Populi intend to bring it crashing down.The video game's main characters, Booker and Elizabeth, play a role in the board game, forcing players to "reconsider their strategies as the two cut a path through the burning city."Siege of Columbia is available for pre-order now, at a discounted price of $60 from Plaidhat Games (normally $85). It's currently under construction and will ship in two to five months.
BioShock Infinite goes sky-high in this week's UK charts
It's infinitesimally surprising BioShock Infinite debuts at #1 in the UK charts, but more unexpected is that it's the country's second biggest launch of the year, despite being the biggest in the franchise's history with 9000 more sales than BioShock 2. The 2013 crown, however, still belongs to Tomb Raider. Crystal Dynamics' reboot makes it four weeks now in the UK top two - albeit helped by a 45 percent sales boost on the back of price promotions.Gears of War: Judgment, last week's number one, slips back to third. Below it, three other new releases join BioShock Infinite in the top ten to close what's been a busy March. 3DS exclusive Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon takes fifth spot, while Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 come in sixth and eighth respectively.Outside the top ten, the Wii U release of Lego City Undercover debuts at 12th, while Sly Cooper: Thieves of Time, which arrived for Vita and PS3 in Europe on March 27, is 31st.
PSN Tuesday: BioShock Infinite, Terraria, Machinarium
BioShock Infinite is the marquee Day 1 Digital release on PS3 today, even allowing Plus users to download it and play a timed trial for free. Other new games on the PSN include Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, Tiger Woods 14, and previously retail-exclusive game Tales of Graces F.In terms of (sort of) smaller games, PS3 also sees the release of Terraria and WRC FIA World Rally Championship, a very long title that we believe refers to cars. Other assorted PS3 items of interest include Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle for PS2 Classics, and a bundle of Sega's recent fighting game re-releases for $10. And on Vita: Machinarium!
Joystiq Plays BioShock Infinite [We'll return to Columbia!]
Update: Due to technical issues, we're going to reschedule this stream. Apologies!Allow us to destroy your productivity with a live streaming session of BioShock Infinite on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Over the next hour we'll focus on the action, rather than the story – we wouldn't want to spoil a large element of what we praised in our review.Watch the stream after the break and ask any questions you may have in the comments. Those spewing spoilers will have to contend with the fury of Songbird.
BioShock Infinite costumes coming to various LittleBigPlanets
It just wouldn't be the release of an ultra-hyped AAA game without some adorable little Sackboy cross-promotion costumes, so obviously BioShock Infinite outfits will be heading to LittleBigPlanet 2, LittleBigPlanet Karting and LittleBigPlanet Vita tomorrow.As seen above, the pack includes Infinite's heroes Elizabeth and Booker, as well as a few of the game's less savory characters. Each costume is priced $1.99, while the party of five comes in at $5.99.
Must See HDTV (March 25th - 31st)
The second weekend of the NCAA Basketball tournament takes place this week with the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, but hoops fans will also want to keep an eye on the streaking Miami Heat. Meanwhile, some sci fi / fantasy favorites are highlights thanks to their seasonal return or departure this week, but we'd also give new series like BBC America's Orphan Black a chance in between sessions of Bioshock: Infinite. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. Doctor Who Doctor Who is back, now featuring actress Jenna-Louise Coleman as companion Clara Oswald for the next half season. There's a preview trailer embedded after the break, and the BBC has a rundown of the first four episodes right here. (March 30th, BBC America, 8PM) The Walking Dead This season of everyone's favorite zombie series is finally ready to wrap up with what we expect will be an epic showdown between the prison residents and Woodbury. Last season's finale certainly met our expectations in terms of action, we'll see if it can repeat or even top that effort this time around. (March 31st, AMC, 9PM) Game of Thrones Winter is... still coming. Game of Thrones is back for season three and there is an appropriate amount of backstabbing, intrigue, violence and dragons to go around. By now we know what to expect from the lands of Westeros, if you need to be filled in check after the break for a recap of the last two seasons. (March 31st, HBO, 9PM)
Unlock BioShock Infinite's '1999 Mode' early with the Konami code
When BioShock Infinite launches on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 tomorrow, players can choose to unlock the game's difficult '1999 Mode' early by using a modern variation of the classic Konami code.By default, Infinite only has three available difficulty settings: Easy, medium and hard, with the 1999 Mode – which tunes Irrational's latest game to a difficulty best suited for those looking for a classic shooter experience akin to System Shock 2's campaign – hidden away until the game is complete. If players decide they want an immediate challenge, using the Konami code will allow them to unlock it at any point. On PC (with keyboardmouse): Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, (Cancel key), (Confirm key) On Xbox: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A On PS3: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, O, XFor more on BioShock Infinite make sure to read the Joystiq review, which called the next installment in the franchise "one of the best told stories of this generation."
Metareview: BioShock Infinite
It's a good day for the team at BioShock Infinite developer Irrational Games, with the game receiving nearly universal praise. Our review couldn't help gushing either, saying Infinite is "undoubtedly the finest game crafted by Irrational Games" and "one of the best told stories of this generation. It simply cannot be missed." Eurogamer (100/100): "BioShock Infinite doesn't blur the lines between your reality and the game's to quite the same extent as its predecessor, but it's a more complete and polished story, and that's the thing you'll remember. " Game Informer (100/100): "Infinite is more than a new setting, story, and characters; those elements are seamlessly integrated with complex themes, a mysterious plot, and entertaining combat to create an amazing experience from beginning to end." PC Gamer (91/100): "Elizabeth herself is nice. I liked her. If you were hoping for something more – perhaps even the fabled Strong Female Character™ – you might be disappointed. When you're together, she's relegated to the role of caddy, limited to passing you a new weapon when you run out of ammo, and only ever using her own abilities when you command her to." Edge (90/100): "Sadly, as the combat opens up, the story begins to slowly unravel. There's no golf club moment, no singular twist around which the tale turns. Instead, Infinite provides a series of revelations that have you replaying earlier sections with a more enlightened, inquisitive eye." VideoGamer (80/100): "It is fascinating, and also boring. It is important, yet forgettable. Its world is enticing and unappealing. It attempts to move things forward, yet is in places stuck in the past. For a game that has the potential to open the franchise up to a multitude of different ideas and interpretations, BioShock Infinite can feel curiously limited."
BioShock Infinite review: Of lions, lambs and liars
BioShock Infinite weaves a complicated and intricate plot around ever-changing variables. Not only is it an evolving story that sees protagonist Booker DeWitt and the mysterious Elizabeth grow closer, but Irrational's latest deals with the hubris of a society built above the clouds, its ideals inflated with so much of the same hot air that propels it above the world below.Though it touches on topics revolving around racism, religion, rebellion and revenge, these themes take a backseat to BioShock Infinite's primary topic: Love. Whether it be a society in love with its own patented brand of American Exceptionalism, a leader in love with his own self-appointed immortal image, or a pair of people that come together to care for one another, BioShock Infinite is a love story.And it's an easy story to fall in love with.%Gallery-183702%
BioShock Infinite soars onto Mac this summer
BioShock Infinite is heading to Mac this summer, courtesy of Mac publisher extraordinaire Aspyr. It's due out for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on March 26 (Yes, the March 26 that's less than a week away. Deep breaths.).For those Mac gamers not opposed to cheesy Facebook marketing tactics, you can enter to win a free copy of Infinite here, by signing up for things you may or may not ever have actual use for again.
BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth is the sum of many women
As creative director Ken Levine discussed in his recent BAFTA talk, the Elizabeth character is much of what BioShock Infinite is built around. Levine, wearing a BioShock hoodie over a BioShock t-shirt, introduces in this video the women whose work created her.On that note, one tidbit from BAFTA was Levine describing how he, to paraphrase his own words, had to act like a douchebag to voice actress Courtnee Draper to help her reach the right low for an emotional line. We wish we had such good excuses for our douchebaggery.
BioShock Infinite's TV ad on the internets
Here's the full minute version of the BioShock Infinite commercial you should start seeing on TV in the coming weeks in 30- and 15-second versions. Hmmm, wonder if we'll get the full thing on Hulu?
Watch Ken Levine talk about BioShock Infinite at BAFTA
Irrational Games posted the recent BAFTA evening with BioShock creator Ken Levine this weekend for your viewership. The 105-minute video sees the Irrational co-founder cover everything from the nearly-here Infinite to his self-described lucky break into the industry.The first half is Levine's talk, in which he opens by discussing how Irrational Games came to be before focusing on how the studio's vision brought it to Infinite and the character of Elizabeth, who Levine says is the third BioShock game's Big Daddy. The second half, from the 41 minute mark onwards, is a Q&A session touching on several subjects, including how Levine "killed" the BioShock movie and why he "compromised" on Infinite's box art.
BioShock Infinite indoctrinates us with 'False Shepherd' trailer
If you've done a solid job of avoiding BioShock Infinite details up to this point then keep on trucking. We're still waiting to see if jumping sky-lines in the final game will cause us to scream in panic like every time we see it in one of these trailers.
BioShock Infinite soundtrack has a hymn sung by its two leads
Irrational Games has dropped the details on the full BioShock Infinite soundtrack, which will be included in both the Premium and Songbird editions of the game. Series composer Garry Schyman returns to score the game. His work is also joined by some appropriate period music, including the Irish jig "Saddle the Pony," and the Scott Joplin ragtime tune, "Solace."The soundtrack also features the hymn "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," including a version sung by Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who play Booker Dewitt and Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite (as seen in the video above).
