Road to Release: BioShock Infinite

Release Date: March 26, 2013 (Pre-order Now) 
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Irrational Games

Ken Levine and his team at Irrational Games are undoubtedly some of the brightest minds in the video game industry. A few years ago, the studio revolutionized game design and storytelling by creating an underwater dystopia known as Rapture, the chilling setting of the original BioShock. Instead of taking the easy route and milking that deep sea universe for all its worth, Irrational decided to spend the next five plus years working on a completely new game world, just as rich with detail and narrative intricacy. And so BioShock Infinite was born.

Set not in an underwater prison but rather a traveling city in the sky, BioShock Infinite not only provides a drastically different setting for players to explore, but also a whole new undercurrent of political and religious intrigue. In this way, both the game's landscape and inhabitants work in seamless conjunction to bring the sky-bound city of Columbia to life.

The original BioShock was praised for its incredible storytelling techniques due primarily to Levine's unparalleled writing skills. Twists and shocking revelations had gamers talking about the experience long after its launch, and BioShock Infinite promises to deliver that same jaw-dropping narrative experience. Putting players in control of Booker DeWitt, Irrational has made it clear that this time around the game's characters are just as important (if not more so) than the world they inhabit.

In an effort to wipe away his debt, DeWitt travels to Columbia to save a girl name Elizabeth who is being held captive in the sky. Naturally, there's a whole lot more to the story than what initially meets the eye, as the damsel in distress boasts some incredibly dangerous time-tearing powers. Oh, and did I mention she's being guarded by a giant two-winged creature known only as Songbird?

BioShock raised the bar for what interactive first-person stories can be, and Infinite aims to push it even higher. With a multi-layered world full of mystery and intrigue, a cast of characters you can't help but care for, and the promise of incredible plot twists, how can Irrational Games possibly fail?

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