Something about Ryan just felt... bad, to me. I didn't really hate Ryan as much as I did Comstock (in fact, given his backstory, you might be inclined to feel bad for him). Playing through the game, it definitely felt like I was just taking him down for the sake of taking him down.
Moreover... what are Ryan and Fontaine still doing in Rapture? Why... it's been years, so I'm sure I forgot, but were either of them actually doing anything other than antagonizing Jack? All the citizens of Rapture were more monster than man. So... I don't get it. Comstock, on the other hand, is clearly having a negative effect on the entirety of Columbia, not just non-whites. We also have a second antagonist in Fitzroy and the Vox. Two sides of the same coin, systematically destroying what was to be a "new Eden."
Well Ryan is in Rapture because he's a thoroughly broken man, and psychotic at this point. As you approach him he's ranting and raving about how his city is rising again. Fontaine and the others are still there because they're incapable of leaving, but Fontaine sticks around after Ryan is dead because he wants to loot the city and take his wealth to the surface. That's the whole, "taking the things you could never build" thing Ryan is always ranting against.
Comstock is driving his whole city into ruin yes, and I wanted to take him down, but after the vox started to go crazy it felt like I was wholly superfluous to that process. A unaimed mass of hatred was already coming for him. Even with the knowledge that my intervention prevented him from implanting Elizabeth and without me he would have succeeded, it felt like he was a man living on borrowed time. If I hadn't gone out to the zeppelin to kill him, it felt like the vox would have made quick work of him anyway.
I felt less like I wanted to bring down Comstock, and more like I wanted to bring down his whole city. Things like the society of ravens, soldiers field, finkton. It felt like institutions, and groups were the real villains in that game that I wanted to destroy. Comstock was just a figurehead to me, and that really took away from the power he had as a villain.
I'd have to go with Infinite (2 doesn't exist, it never happened and I shan't mention it again).
For one thing the actual gameplay felt better. The combat was tighter and more satisfying and, at least towards the end, more challenging. The Skyrails are surprisingly fun and useful, for such a relatively simple mechanic, they actually add quite a lot to the combat.
I also prefer the aesthetic of Infinite over Bioshock, obviously the game engine is much stronger, but leaving aside the better tech, Infinite just looks more awe inspiring, and the transformation is that much more poignant when it all goes to shit. Bioshock is already broken down when you get there (though it still does a very good job of showing you glimpses of it's peak period)
I like the story of Bioshock more. The theme is more appealing to me, the story feels tighter and more focused. Infinite's twist is nowhere near as impressive or effective as Bioshock's, and it's probably because of the nature of Infinite's theme. Multidimensionality gives you such a broad range of options that you can pretty much do anything, and it will inherently make sense and work. It was also much more predictable, I could see most of the plot twists coming from a mile away (except for the last one, but again... they could have virtually done ANYTHING, and it would make sense in the context).
But the characters... I'd have to give it to Infinite. Booker and Elisabeth are both very well written and acted, all the minor characters are well rounded and realistic. That's not to say that Bioshock had poor characters or writing, it's just taken to the next level in Infinite.
I like Infinite more. The settings of all the games are tied pretty much for me, but at the times I played the games I enjoyed playing Infinite a whole lot more than I enjoyed 1 and 2 game-play wise. I also felt more personally invested in the characters and story, probably because you are interacting with other characters up close instead of through the radio like in 1 and 2.
And I also have a huge affinity towards the kind of sci-fi story Infinite is, more so than the dystopian sci-fi of the original two.
Bioshock one had the better story, and setting (i cant credit two with it because its just more of the same but feels less rich)
Bioshock two had better mechanics and gunplay, weak story but good mechanics throughout. setting suffered as it just felt so inconsequential
Bioshock infinate kind of hits a very nice middle ground, i still think the gun play was better in 2, and infinite has some pacing problems at times, but i would probably say it just does enough to improve on the others to get the topspot for me.
I went ahead and picked the original over Infinite for a couple reasons.
First and foremost: nothing can compare to the epic confrontation between you and Ryan at the end of Bioshock. To this day that remains one of my favorite scenes in any game. The confrontation between you and Comstock in Infinite just can't compete (in my opinion), and you never really get to confront Lamb in BS2.
But beyond that the first game is THE ONLY ONE WITH AN ACTUAL MAIN BOSS FIGHT! Both BS2 and Infinite go with a "survive the horde" type final confrontation, and I was REALLY lookin' for a main boss in Infinite.
I can accept not getting to fight Comstock directly, but how about Song Bird? You never get to put that tweeting bastard in his place. I mean it was right there: big badass enemy that you've been teased with ever since you first find Elizabeth. Yet you never get to kick him in the nuts. They placate you by saying "Well now you get to summon him for the final battle!" Yeah, but thanks to the long cool-down and the nature of that fight, you can really only use him to destroy a few set pieces in the background to make progress towards the end of the fight. At least with Eleanor you could summon her to actually fight the guys trying to stomp your face in.
Then there's the fact that I still say - according to my admittedly weak grasp of quantum mechanics - I don't think Elizabeth's "plan" to ultimately kill Comstock would work. The way I understand it, the only way to ensure that Comstock never exists in any possible world/universe, you'd have to get every Booker to unanimmously agree to sacrifice themselves before Comstock is "born". But with again from my understanding of the quantum mechanics we're presented with that can't be done. So long as there's a choice, a parallel universe is created where the opposite of that choice is taken. The choice to sacrifice yourself is countered by the choice to NOT sacrifice yourself. As such, there will always be a universe in which Booker refuses the sacrifice, just as there's countless universes in which Booker refused the baptism as well as countless universes in which Booker accepts the baptism and becomes Comstock.
Infinite was fantastic, don't get me wrong. The new setting was fresh and vibrant, I loved that the main character actually had a voice and personality (and I love his personality for that matter...he is a bad man, not the knight in shining armor that Elizabeth sees him as at the beginning), and one of my favorite things was that it takes place in a living, breathing city BEFORE all hell breaks loose, unlike in Rapture where the shit has already hit the fan preeeetty hard long before you arrive.
That's not to say that BS2 doesn't hold a special place for me. The story is more simplistic than in the first game or Infinite, but I really like it. It really gives you a look into the mind of a Big Daddy without really saying it does. At least for me, I found myself wondering "Is Delta doing this because he was programmed to and it's all he knows? Or does he genuiney care for Eleanor?" and I think the game gives you the opportunity to really come to your own conclusion on that matter. Are you just a big murdering man in a suit? Or is there still a semblence of your humanity in there? Personally I always found it most rewarding to spare the plot people you're given a chance to kill at the end of the chapters...because it proves you're not some big dumb monster. You just want your "daughter" back, the old black lounge singer lady even says - if you spare her - "Monsters aren't capable of mercy...that's the action of a thinkin' man." or something like that. You get a chance to show the world that you are indeed more than a monster. And depending on the decisions that you make, the ending to BS2 can be quite a bit of a tearjerker when compared to the all-out mind-fuck of Infinite's ending.
I think BS2 gets too little credit for it's story, I've always guessed the main reason for that was that it was set in Rapture again and so the mystique of the setting wasn't as strong as it was in the first game. Also, when you get right down to it, BS: Infinite is basically a retelling of BS2's story (and Elizabeth basiclaly tells you as much during the ending to Infinite) just with different actors. Hell, I almost voted for BS2 which would have actually place Infinite at the bottom of my list.
Really, though, they're all fantastic games in my book, and I've found them all to be amongst my favorite gaming experiences on in this generation.
Never played 2, but both Bioshock 1 and Infinite had enough differences to distinguish themselves from each other that I can't say which exactly is better.
The first Bioshock was more player-involved with it's story, from it's inclusion of moral choice and a little more freedom. The players put yourself in the main character's shoes, and it works very well when the big twist comes along. While your character does have a name and a backstory, everything seems directed at the player themselves rather than the character. The story strength lies in the setting and the characters who inhabited it. It's more the story of Rapture than the story of Jack.
Bioshock Infinite is far more character driven than player driven. You control an actual character rather than a blank slate to project yourself onto, and everything in the story is dependent on that, as to why the lack of any sort of moral choice, as the choices that appear in the game compliments Booker's character rather than being good or bad. You're basically playing a character who has already been there, done that, and now has to deal with those choices, which is one of the game's themes and plays into the ending of the game. This is Booker's and Elizabeth's story, which is where the strength of the story lies.
Both cities are different, both visually and in atmosphere. Rapture is dark, dank, and in ruin, as you're exploring a city that has fallen, and as the game goes you're learning more and more about its downfall. The first Bioshock had a more tense, horror vibe than Infinite. Colombia is bright, shiny, and still very much thriving, and as the game goes on you're basically witnessing its downfall. However, I found Infinite has a better sense of wonderment than Bioshock 1. I found myself marveling at even the smallest details of Colombia, more so than Rapture, and I was indeed entranced by Rapture.
Gameplay-wise, Bioshock 1 had a bit more freedom, and you had the sense that you were growing stronger as the game progress, although some might say too strong, as your character was basically a machine carrying a huge arsenal of fully upgraded weapons and powers. Infinite is a bit more balance to go with a much more human protagonist. You are limited to only two weapons at a time, and the powers were a tad toned down. It helps make the game more of a challenge. I'm almost thankful that you don't fight Songbird, because in reality, he would tear you the fuck apart. However, you don't feel as empowered as in the first game, but I thought that worked to Infinite's advantage as it wasn't trying to be the first game and sort of did it's own thing.
Both games have their own advantages. The first Bioshock was one of my favorite games, but I actually like Infinite a little better. I guess I just prefer a character driven story rather than a player driven one, and I'm just more entranced by Colombia than Rapture.
I liked BioShock, severely disliked Infinite, and have yet to get very far into the second installment. It's a Jordan Thomas game, though, so I expect it will probably pan out very nicely.
Moreover... what are Ryan and Fontaine still doing in Rapture? Why... it's been years, so I'm sure I forgot, but were either of them actually doing anything other than antagonizing Jack?
Actually the revolution had just happened before you arrive by a few months. There's decorations for a 1959 new year's eve party and the Game itself takes place in 1960.
Don't know why so many people have problems with the Bioshock Series dates.
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