Bioshock Infinite Review - On Cloud Nine

From the second the game opens, with you, Booker DeWitt, a former agent with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, are sat on a boat rowing through murky waters late at night en route to a lighthouse. This opening scene had me invested already, the writing and the voice acting were both incredible, in the lighthouse, things didn't change. But it's not until you reach Columbia that Infinite's true grandeur can be observed.

Columbia is easily one of the most striking environments in gaming history, from your first steps, the gorgeousness of the architecture and art style will entrance you, if you are anything like me. I spent a good 20 minutes just walking around the first area after the rather violent baptism of Booker DeWitt, exploring for collectibles such as Silver Eagles, the games currency, and items to restore my health.

Gorgeous architecture is a common site in Columbia

The world of Infinite feels alive: the buildings float graciously through the sky and it is easy to get lost in time watching them. There are so many little great things to see and overhear, my favourite in the opening 40 minutes or so was the barbershop quartet singing God Only Knows. 

I meant to only play an hour or so before I wrote this review, but Bioshock Infinite has the power to suck you in, so I spent about 2 or 3 hours playing, forgetting about even writing this. It was hard to pull myself away.

Don't think that just because you play the main protagonist you are the focus of the story, oh no. Infinite is most definitely the Elizabeth show Featuring Booker DeWitt. Elizabeth, the Lamb, will be the best ally you could hope for, both keeping you alive and keeping your ammo levels topped up, and playing a much larger role in the story as it unfolds.

Elizabeth wants a high four and half.

The stand-out moment for me so far, is the first time you get to ride on the Sky Lines. I literally have no words for how amazing that was. There is a true sensation of speed but you never feel out of control, you can speed up, slow down, reverse and execute Sky Strikes, a devestating attack on opponents who are below you, think air assassinations in Assassin's Creed but more awesome.

Adam and Eve are gone - replaced by Salts, for use with the eight, I believe, Vigours, the new powers. My favourite Vigour so far is easily Murder of Crows. Not only is the name cool but so is the actual power, win/win all round. 

Bioshock Infinite isn't perfect, the textures are sometimes bland and the AI seems slightly... off somehow. But those two little faults I have found do not hamper my enjoyment of the game at all. Infinite is easily one of the best games I have played in recent years. 

I have four parting words for you all, Go buy Bioshock Infinite

Throwback Thursday: Metal Gear Solid

On September 3rd 1998, the gaming world was changed forever and as far as memory serves, sometime in 1999 my young life was also changed forever, when into my hands fell the original Metal Gear Solid.

At the time, my young mind really couldn't comprehend the awesomeness that was MGS, but now looking back, I can say that the original is in my top 5 games, ever. The order of the top 5 changes all the time, but MGS is a constant in that list.

Metal Gear Solid has a deep, involving (albeit slightly confusing) story with great characters and character development. We care about what happens to these characters.

Solid Snake, the protagonist, who according to character designer, Yoji Shinkawa, has a physique based on Jeanne Claude Van Damme and a face based on Christopher Walken, has to infiltrate Shadow Moses island to thwart the threat of a walking nuclear weapon - Metal Gear REX, which is being manned by the twin brother of Solid Snake, Liquid Snake. The full arsenal of which will be unleashed if Liquid and his group aren't given the remains of legendary super soldier, Big Boss. That's a brief summary of the plot.

Metal Gear Solid features some of the best boss fights I can recall in any video game, but the best, and the one I always remember most vividly is the Psycho Mantis boss fight. Which actually holds the record for the most innovative use of a video game controller (in the 2008 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.) I won't go into too much details about it because I am sure you have all played it, but if you haven't, It's something that you have to experience and telling you about it really won't do it any justice.

Going back to characters - the character design in this game is incredible. Not only is Snake an amazing character but the game is full of them. Overflowing with them even, from the Alaskan shaman, Vulcan Raven to Revolver Ocelot, whose weapon of choice as you may have guessed from the name is a revolver, a Colt Single Action Army to be precise. Every member of FOXHOUND is a glorious foray into how to design a well rounded character. But my favourite character from Metal Gear Solid is Grey Fox - a cybernetically enhanced ninja, who is neither friend nor foe to Snake but opposes FOXHOUND. There is just something about how badass he is that makes him a stand out character for me.

I won't say anything about the ending(s) because you have all played MGS and if you haven't then, as with the Psycho Mantis boss fight, talking about it won't do it any justice. So if you haven't played Metal Gear Solid, go do it. Now, stop reading this, and go play Metal Gear Solid!

MGS:V - No David Hayter?

image from 1up.com
David Hayter as Snake.

The Phantom Pain is officially Metal Gear Solid 5. How shocked are you? Not shocked at all? Good.

As a long term fan of the stealth action game and loving David Hayter's voice work as Solid Snake in every Metal Gear Solid game to date. His voice just fits Snake so well it is hard to imagine anyone else filling the vocal shoes.

It also appears that Hayter wasn't even asked to be the voice of Snake in MGS:V going by his Twitter feed.

Now, there is another argument that you could make and that is Hayter wasn't asked because it was mutually assumed that he would feature in the game, in some way. Kojima is known for misdirection and theatrics when releasing games, and it seems like he has pulled out all the stops with Metal Gear Solid 5, lest we forget "The Phantom Pain" and "Joakim Mogren / Moby Dick Studios"

This could be the end of Hayter's reign as Snake, but I, for one, truly hope it isn't.

Facebook and Exciting News

First things first, we now have an official Facebook Page so check that out, like us and leave comments and feedback, we cant wait to hear from you. 

Also and this is quite a big deal (to me at least) we have officially breached 1000 page views. Thank you to everyone who has dropped by for a little read. We promise to not slow down now and we will only be bringing you loads more glorious content, I have a couple pieces I'm looking forward to getting out, I believe Sean is the exact same and I can't speak for our new boy, Alex, but I'm sure he is chomping at the bit as well.

So again, thank you all. It means a lot to all of us here that you are reading what we are writing.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Coming to iOS

  

I think the title pretty much says it all in this case to be honest, news out of PAX East confirms that the fantastic strategy and alien blasting game by Firaxis and 2K, XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be coming to iOS devices in the Summer.

The video below, from Jake Solomon, who is the lead designer on XCOM, which I found earlier tonight, makes me really optimistic for how this can turn out. 

Wasn't that amazing? Look how pretty! Also, it is the FULL game, not a streamlined version, not a companion app, the FULL XCOM experience that you have had the chance to play on consoles and PCs alike. 

If you haven't had the chance and don't already own this game, and would like it on your iDevice, Summer time should be a hoot for you.

A Couple of Things

Thing the first - A massive thank you to everyone who has read, shared, commented and been involved with getting Fair Play up to 800 page views so far, you are all amazing people. That includes Sean and myself by the way.

Thing the second - Another thank you to Sean who has basically kept the site going recently, by posting content and sharing our articles while I have been so far in my own head that I couldn't get out.

So basically, in conclusion - Readers, sharers, that one comment-er we have so far, thank you all and hopefully our next 800 page views are more interesting for you all.

New Star Wars Battlefront?

Did you love Star Wars Battlefront? I know I did, I played it with my brother quite a lot, I loved it. So when I heard there may be a new one coming at some point, my face nearly cracked with the size of my smile.

Then I read more into it, and as always, there was a caveat - Battlefront 3 will only be released if a game that is nothing like Battlefront sells well. The game in question is Star Wars: First Assault.

First Assault is said to be a downloadable 8 vs 8 shooter, one team plays as the rebels, the other as the empire. Sounds good right? Yes, I thought so too.

First Assault its self sounds pretty good, but I've seen screenshots and it just looks like a generic, bland, FPS. Which is a bad thing! One of the main things I loved about Battlefront is how much I felt like I was in the Star Wars universe, the screenshots look like they could be any interchangeable modern FPS.

Call of Duty: Clone Wars anyone?

Let's just hope that between now, and the prospective Spring release of First Assault, and if that does well the hopeful release of Battlefront 3 - things change.