Celebrating an artistic masterpiece of interactive media

Hundreds, if not thousands of great games have come out in the past fifteen years, but one that will always fall at the top of that list is BioShock, the classic FPS game set in the underwater city of Rapture. While to many it feels like the game didn't come out all that long ago, BioShock was actually released August 21, 2007 �exactly fifteen years ago from this past Sunday?, and we're?? celebrating the anniversary.

The whole BioShock series got a remaster and rerelease as a collection back in 2016, and when I replayed the games on my PS4, I was shocked at how well they've aged. Sure, the graphics got a welcome update, but the game's design, story, and characters ha??ve aged like fine wine. Its iconography, from the Big Daddies to the Splicer masks, has pervaded both gaming culture, and pop culture at large, as symbols of some incredible storytelling.

BioShock has a legacy that will live on? in gaming history, particularly because of its story and setting in the world of Rapture. Its mechanics are a ton of fun and still feel punchy and satisfying to play, but it did??n't revolutionize the FPS genre because of its gunplay or magic. What people remember, and really love, is the game's aesthetic and dedication to building a rich setting and story.

It's one of the titles gamers point t?o as an ?example of the amazing art that games can be, especially when it comes to storytelling. I mean, it's a critique of Ayn Rand's philosophical ideas of Objectivism �regardless of how well it actually engages with those ideas, I can't think of many other games that have even wagered to try.

BioShock was also at the forefront of games criticism as it was emerging as a discipline. It particularly began the conversation of the notorious idea of ludonarrative dissonance, coined by developer Clint Hocking in a blog post discussing the game. The phrase refers to a game's mechanics not being in line with a game's story, and while it's mostly fallen out of favor in conversat??ions about game narrative, it was an important step towards players taking a game's mechanics, themes, message, aesthetics, and overall story into consideration in a more serious way.

BioShock was the center of this discussion because of how some of its mechanics engage with the idea of morality, but I think in a larger sense, it's because the game was willing to present players with thought-provoking ideas that were also relevant in the world of literary criticism, philosophy, and so on. Without BioShock, I doubt the world of games criticism would be as robust as it is today??.

Not to mention it's just really well-written. Every character, from Atlas to Tenenbaum to Ryan, gives us a whole new perspective on Rapture, how it came to be this way, and what that means for the people that helped build it. Don't even get me started on how incredible the whole section with Sander Cohen is, with all its dramatic flair and e??erie set pieces.

And I mean come on �Ryan's monologue after the twist at the end is nothing short of Shakespearean. BioShock also popularized the use of audio diaries as a form of storytelling in games, and few other titles have managed t?o use the mechanic as effectively as the game that originated them.

When it comes to artistic vision, there are few other games that have the focus that BioShock does. Every detail is in place, and while that final boss fight ??is a glaring flaw that I can't overlook, otherwise it's a pretty perfect game that deserves every bit of praise it's gotten over the years.

Happy 15th anniversary, BioShock, and thank you for absolutely crushing it as one of the best games ever made. Here's hoping tha??t Irrational's comeback as Ghost Story Games can live up to the hype of its most beloved series.

And as for?? you, if you've never played it, what are you doing? Go and play it?? right now!

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This freaky old Big Daddy concept art is making the rounds, and the face cannot be unseen

If I went through the r?est of my life without ever seeing a Big Daddy's face underneath its suit, that would've been A-okay �but fate had an??other idea.

Courtesy of a late-night tweet from Andy Kelly, there's this fresh-to-me hell: a glimpse of BioShock's main squeeze without the cool suit masking its face. I ??cannot turn away.

//twitter.c??om/ultrabrilliant/status/1412321944867909632

It'??s pretty wild to me that I've somehow never come across this art before.

It's a simple "Big Daddy without a helmet" search away �one of many pieces of concept art that will pop up for BioShock �and I guess I just never bothered looking. That said, some questions are probably best left unanswered, and officially, it's clear that the game's creators would rather leave the canon look of the Big Daddy's face up to our imagination?s.

It's hard to differentiat??e their bodies and their suits considering that Protector Program candidates' "skin and organs were grafted and integrated into ??their suit, to become one functional unit." The stuff you learn in-game, forget about, and get reexposed to years later on wikis, I swear. No one ever said Rapture was a kind place.

Apologies for opening such a fles?hy can of worms here. We're in this mess together.

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Sometimes At-less isn't At-more

Ken Levine has gone on record several times stating that he didn't like the way the climactic fight in BioShock turned out. Here's an example from as far back as 2011. This is not a ne?w development.

But Levine willingly ate crow again, while roping in the Jewish holiday of Yom K?ippur. That's funny enough to revisit.

Today is the Jewish day of atonement, it seems. So I'm here to apologize for the naked Atlas boss battle at the end of BioShock. pic.twitter.com/UeaEWV717Q

— Ken Levine (@levine) September 19, 2018

BioShock's Atlas battle might not be one of the greats, but it's certainly on the list of most memorable final fights against a naked boss. It's behind Dante's Inferno's dong-swingin' Lucifer, thou??gh.?? That dude's haulin' around a hammer.

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'Ain't life in Rapture grand?'

"No Gods or Kings. Only man." The banner that hung in the atrium of the bathysphere terminus where BioShock's protagonist began his adventure was the first thing to grab my attention and pull me into that world. I first played BioShock as a high school freshman back in 2007. For a teenager who thought he was smarter than everyone and had just started reading George Orwell and Ayn Rand, BioShock was the perfect storm of a game for my younger self.&n?bsp;

It also served as my introduction to the PC-style shooter. Up until college, the bulk of my gaming was on a console, so games like Deus Ex and System Shock were foreign to me. While BioShock's impact on console shooters is undeniable, I couldn't help but wonder if its themes of exceptionalism and the story of Ryan's utopia f??ree of government control would resonate with me the same after eleven years. ?;

Before we go any further, I should mention that I'll be freely talking about the major plot points of BioShock in this article. Though I have to imagine that if you clicked on this and you're still reading, you've probably played the decade-old game by now. Just the same, spoilers ahead and all that. 

Arguably, BioShock's most lasting impact was bringing RPG elements to the console shooter. Up until its release, console shooters used a pretty set formula. They tended to function like the original Call of Duty games: follow a linear path, mowing down enemies along your way, and watch narrative beats play out without any ?deep sense of customization. 

BioShock's most exciting feature to me was using the genetic currency Adam to build a character loadout of ??both passive and active abilities in a first-person shooter. This made it easy to lean into your personal combat style of choice. If you just wanted to focus on bolstering your stealth and wrench-swinging prowess, that was a totally functional strategy. I was always more of a shotgun and telekinesis kind of guy.

While the base foundation for BioShock's gameplay is still great in 2018, its combat in practice feels less impressive than I remember. There's only a handful of enemies to speak ??of: multiple Splicers types ??like the explosive Nitro Splicer or the gun-wielding Leadhead, Big Daddies, and security turrets and bots. Their attack types vary more than enough, but in the late game, all the designers did to increase combat difficulty was bump up enemy health. It's more annoying than challenging. Even the intimidating Big Daddies become less of a threat once you find the right combination of abilities and weapons to brute force them in a few quick seconds.

Ryan's extreme capitalist society extends to the gameplay. In a city where you have to pay to use the toilet, it's no surprise that you can buy your way past most obstacles -- including hacking security turrets. Paying to bypass the hacking mini-game may seem like a stupid move at first, but boy does it get old fast. Thank goodness BioShock 2 replaced it with a much faster h??acking mechanic. 

I was sure BioShock would still feel sound even if a bit dated, but the real reason I decided to replay the classic was to see how its major themes and story beats resonated w?ith me eleven years later. The basic setup sees our silent protagonist crashing at the hidden entrance to Rapture, an underwater city free of government and s?ocietal laws. One where scientists would not be constrained by morals, where the actions of business moguls like the city's founder, Andrew Ryan, wouldn't be questioned.

The biggest flaw with the city should be apparent to anyone who's ever read a science fiction novel about one of these fallen utopias. When you invite only the best and the brightest, you need somebody to do the crap jobs. To quote BioShock villain Frank Fontaine, "Somebod??y's gotta s?crub the toilets."

It isn't long before the city goes to the dogs. It's the discovery of Adam, the genetic material found in a ty?pe of sea slug that can be used to rewrite genetic code. By putting the slugs in small girls called Little Sisters, they turn into living Adam factories. Splicing lets Rapture's citizens hurl lightning bolts or throw fireballs, but doing it for so long seems to h??ave driven them all insane. 

Looking at it now, Adam being found in sea slugs actually seems like the strangest conceit of BioShock. It's purely weird science that just comes off as strange. Personally, I think simply explaining the discovery of Adam as some non-specific sci??????????????????????????entific breakthrough might have played better. Plus, I might not have to live with the imagery of ripping a colossal sea slug out of a little girl. 

The 1960s setting is filled with that post-war vibe of American Exceptionalism. This look is still being used today, but back in 2007, we had seen a whole lot less of that in games. Fallout wasn't exactly the triple-A behemoth it has since become, so the idea?? of an insane person dressed like a 1950s businessman swinging a lead pi??pe at you seemed a lot more unique. 

Rapture is full of stories to tell, the most significant being the struggle betw??een Ryan and Atlas/Fontaine. For most of the game, you're led to believe the head of Fontaine Futuristics is long dead, that he like many other characters is one you'll only hear about in audio logs to give you some insight into what Rapture was like before everything went to hell. Then c??omes that famous twist.

You learn that you haven't been in control of your actions all along. Atlas, the charming Irishman who has been your only ally in all of this is, in fact, Frank Fontaine. He's been secretly contro?lling you from the s??tart using the trigger phrase "Would you Kindly."

The player cha??racter is actually the illegitimate son of Andrew Ryan, sent to the surface by Fontaine and company to serve as a failsafe should they need a trump card against Ryan. This serves as an easier explanation for how you've been able to use the bathyspheres to travel around the city as well as revive yourself at Rapture's vita chambers. Earlier on it's stated that anyone in Ryan's "genetic ballpark" would be able to use such devices, but being his flesh and blood makes that a little easier to swallow. 

The reveal that you're not in control of your actions leads to the most impactful scene in your journey. Control is stripped away from the player as Ryan uses your trigger phrase to force you to kill him. More specifically, you violently bludgeon him to death with a golf club. Through all of this, you watch Ryan almost rooting for you to overcome your programming and prove you're a man and not a slave. Most disappointingly, the remaining few hours of gameplay after Ryan's death are the least memorable parts of BioShock. With the help of the remorseful Dr. Tenenbaum, one of the scientists behind the creation of Little Sisters,? you move to square off against Fontaine. Unfortunately, Fontaine lacks the restraint of Ryan. He comes off m?ore like a "tie them to the railroad tracks" style comic-book villain. 

The big twist of BioShock still seems impactful all these years later, but certain in-game decisions feel at odds with the idea of entirely being a slave to Fontaine the whole time. For starters, if the player character has no real choice in his actions, then why are you given the option of harves?ting or saving little sisters? It's only a gripe, but you would think Fontaine would merely have you kill the poor girls to yield the most Adam. It's a small decision put in your hands, but it gives you the illusion of choice. Harvesting too many of the girls also gets you th?e "bad" ending -- a horribly out-of-place sequence where you return to the surface and take over the world using your newfound powers from splicing. 

Though BioShock's plot is definitely still entertaining as hell, we only see a power struggle between Rapture's two biggest power-hungry jerks. I find myself craving a story set before the fall of the city. We get a taste of this in BioShock Infinite's Burial at Sea DLC, but I wouldn'?t expect much more at this point. 

For that reason, I find the smaller tales told through in-game audio diaries to be the more exciting narrative bits in BioShock. Each section of the city?? you enter focuses on a handful of characters and the horrors they were forced to face in Rapture. A woman who had plastic surgery botched by th??e insane Dr. Steinman, or a family who lost their daughter only to discover her transformed into a Little Sister. Moments like these stand out.

Fort Frolic, in particular, is my absolute favorite section. The insane artist Sander Cohen traps you in this area of the city, briefly cutting you off from? Ryan and Atlas to run a few murderous errands for him. Before you leave, Cohen descends the stairs to greet you, at which point you can choose to gun him down in cold blood or be on your merry way. He's one of the few named characters who isn't stuck behind some door or wall preventing you from directly interacting with them. Keeping him alive even gives you the chance to re-encounter him later in the game. 

My journey through Ryan's utopia was an interesting one. BioShock is still one of my favorite games of all time even if age has made it less impressive. Without this first step, it's hard to imagine we would've gotten games like Dishonored that take so clearly from BioShock's template. I don't believe we've seen the last of this series even if BioShock Infinite isn't looked ba??ck on quite as fondly as the original. Let's hope we can get another?? Rapture story soon, because it certainly feels like we're overdue one. 

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Consider my System Shocked

Irrational Games is dead. Well, not really. Earlier this year, the studio known for titles like BioShock and System Shock 2 rebranded itself as Ghost Story Games, the final step in a shift away from its triple-A pedigree towards a tight-knit indie studio. During this process, founder Ken Levine laid off all but 15 employees at Irrational Games in order to pursue the desire to be, "a small tea??m making games for the core gaming audience." It's a tough burden to bear, and tough?er still when all your studio ha??s to its name is a talented staff and a mission statement.

Today, we've finally got an inkling of what Ghost Story Games is up to. According to a job listing by the studio, Ghost Story is looking for an experienced Level Builder to craft and create levels for their, "immersive, story-driven video games." The listing states that the upcoming game will be built in Unreal?? Engine 4, and that applicants must have, "deep knowledge of and experience with development of FPS/Action/RPG/Strategy/Immersive Si??m titles." 

This comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with Irrational Games or Ken Levine. After the release of BioShock Infinite, Levine stated that he no longer desired to work in triple-A games, and wanted to shift the focus to small-scale projects that don't r?equire a lot of capital to create.

Given Levine's history at Looking Glass Studios, working on titles like Thief: The Dark Project, and his penchant for semi open-world immersive sims with titles like BioShock and System Shock 2, it's n??o wonder that Levine and Co. want to return to such an interesting gen?re of games. I only hope the sacrifices the studio made along the way were worth it.

Gh??ost Stor?y Games, formerly Irrational Games, is making an immersive sim [PC Gamer]

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Founded by 12 former Irrational devs

In 2014, the studio behind acclaimed games like System Shock 2, SWAT 4, and BioShock shed the majority of its staff in a massive restructure. "I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it," co-founder Ken Levine said at the time. "To meet the challenge ahead, I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more direct relationship with g??amers."

Years later, it's still unclear what exactly this small?? group of developers is working on under Take-Two Interactive, but the studio once known as Irrational now has a new name: Ghost Story.

"Ghost Story was founded by twelve former Irrational Games developers and our mission is simple: to create immersive, story-driven games for people who love games that ask something of them," reads a welcome post. "While we believe our new games will have strong appeal to fans of BioShock, our ??new focus allows us to craft experiences where the gameplay is as challenging as the stories."

On a job listing for a senior designer position??, there's a call for:

• Experience? supporting environmental storytelling thr??ough design.
• Intuitive understanding of how FPS games work and why people play them.
• Previous experience working on levels, combat encounters, and missions/quests in FPS titles (scripting and design).
• Strong content design skills, including experience with RPG systems.
• Unreal Engine 4 experience.
• Can easily break down core level design elements and use them when creating combat and traversal sections of a level.
• Experience in semi-open (e.g. Borderlands, Shadow of Mordor) or open world games.

That certainly sounds like something Levi?ne would want to create.

Ghost Story Games [Official site]

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Whoa, they actually did it!

The folks at GOG.com have once again worked their magic to make a classic PC game more easily accessible. As of today, Irrational Games' tactical squad shooter SWAT 4 is now available from the digital distributor for $10, and it even comes with the Stetchkov Syndicate expansion packed in.

For the die-hard fan who's already seen it all and gone back for more, GOG.com held a Q&A with developers Paul Hellquist and Bill Gardner. Asked about the game's sustained appeal more than a decade after release, Hellquist attributed it to the fact you play as a "civilian police officer protecting your city, not a soldier overseas or killing everything that moves," and the environmental storytelling, which left "lasting impressions with fans, like the cultist compound with graves in the basement, or the split-level ran??ch with the old lady whose son is a serial killer keepi?ng women in the septic tank."

I hope Rainbow Six Siege players give SWAT 4 a real chance.

SWAT 4: Gold Edition [GOG.com]

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Seems promising

Backward compatibility on Xbox One often turns out to be the best way to experience 360 titles. Any form of screen tearing is removed and framerates tend to be more consistent throughout. There are definitely some notable exceptions to that (Halo: Reach required a patch before running?? correctly), but the improv?ed playability in most titles is a nice bonus for anyone with older discs laying around.

Since the BioShock trilogy was made available through backward compatibility this week, naturally tests were ??going to be run to see how much better the performance wo??uld be over the original hardware.

I honestly forgot that BioShock on 360 had the ability to uncap the framerate, but I played the?? game back in 2010 and haven't touched a console version of the series since. I don't remember being too irritated with the 30 FPS lock, but it looks like anyone playing this on Xbox One should expect to see a fairly consistent experience with the uncapped option.

BioShock 2 does??n't fare nearly as well in Digital Foundry's testing, but locking the framerate to 30 isn't the worst thing in the world. For that matter, at least the art direction isn't altered. T??he sound quality is also a lot higher than in the remastered collection, not to mention you can still experience the multiplayer (though do you really want to?).

While BioShock Infinite wasn't tes??ted, I think it is safe to assume that the game is a lot more consistent on Xbox One than it ever was on 360. Even if that version looks dramatically worse than the remaster, not having t?o double dip just to replay a game on newer hardware is a huge boon. I'm fine with lesser quality if the experience is smooth.

BioShock 1/2 Xbox One Back-Compat: 60fps Gameplay? [YouTube]

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Especially if you own the games on Steam already

2K has clarified the upgrade process for BioShock: The Collection?? on PC ahead of next week's launch. In short, if you already own the games on Steam, this is ??what you can expect to get for free:

• BioShock ➜ BioShock remastered including the unlockable video series, Director's Commentary: Imagining BioShock
• BioShock 2 ➜ BioShock 2 remastered
• BioShock 2: Minerva's Den ➜ BioShock 2: Minerva's Den remastered

As a quick reminder, BioShock Infinite is present in The Collection, but that game was deemed new enough to not warrant its own remastered re-release on PC, so it isn't a part of this upgrade process.

For most players, scoring the enhanced versions of BioShock, BioShock 2, and Minerva's Den won't require any extra e?ffort. If you own any of these titles through Steam, you'll see new "remastered" versions of them listed separately in your library beginning September 15, 2016 at 3:00pm Pacific. After that point, you're free to install the upgraded games or continue playing the originals.

Folks who own BioShock outside of Steam, however, will need to put in a little more work to claim their free remaster. Essentially, you're just verifying that you did, at one point or another, pay for the game. If you own a physical copy without a CD key, you can send your Steam profile and proof of purchase in a support ticket to 2K. For non-Steam copies of BioShock 2, you'll need to find the Games for Windows Live key that came with your physical or digital purchase, and then redeem that on Steam.

See? Not too bad at all. 2K also shared th??e system specs f??or the remasters today.

Minimum Specs:

• OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64-bit. Platform Update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Processor: Intel E6750 Core 2 Duo 2.66 GHz / AMD Athlon X2 2.7 GHZ
• Memory: 4 GB
• Hard Drive: BioShock 25GB; BioShock 2 25GB; BioShock Infinite 20GB; Total for all three games 70GB
• Video Card: DirectX11 Compatible, AMD Radeon HD 7770 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Device
• Other Requirements: Software installations required including DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 & 2012 Redistributable Package.

Recommended Specs:

• OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64-bit. Platform Update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Processor: 3GHz Quad-Core
• Memory: 8 GB
• Hard Drive: BioShock 25GB; BioShock 2 25GB; BioShock Infinite 30GB; Total for all three games 80GB
• Video Card: 2GB ATI Radeon HD 7970, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 or better
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Device

BioShock: The Collection PC Upgrades [Steam]

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Your memory is fading, your muscles will fail you, and soon you will become dust

Two years ago, we saw the glory of original BioShock assets dropped into Unreal Engine 4. Now UK-based 3D artist Ross Littlejohn has g?one ahead and recreated a scene from everyone's favorite underwater city fro??m scratch.

Remember the medical pavilion? Well, Littlejohn certainly did. He crafted all of the assets in the video below aside from the plants and art (posters, the Circus of Values clown) for his final year project. Of course, it looks incredible, but my mind insists that BioShock always looked like this (my brain said the same thing about the Ratchet and Clank pseudo-remake that just came out). The original screenshots on the game's Wiki page are just more proof that memory is falli??ble, and that I should probably start tattooing reminders on my body. 

Wait, why does my left calf say "Resident Evil 6 is really bad, d??on't play the re-release"? Must have been past Zack looking out for now Zack. Thanks, past Zack.

Anyway, check out Littlejohn's other work on his site. Good stuff. I wish I was talented.

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2K still ain't saying nothing though

The ESRB is the latest ratings body to provide details on the as-yet unannounced BioShock Collection compilation. 

The American ratings board describes the release as a “collection of three first-person shooters in which players assume the role of characters uncovering the mysteries behind the dystopian societies of Rapture and Columbia” and stated that its headed for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One (thanks, gematsu.com).

This comes in a long line of leaks and hints about the release. Publisher 2K, however, is keeping tight-lipped, stating that it does not respond to rumours or ?speculation. 

 I don’t think three separate ratings board across the world detailing the release amounts to “rumour” anymore but who cares, I can play BioShock again soon - WOOT!  

HAPPY FRIDAY! <3

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OMG I HOPE SO

A remaster of the BioShock trilogy?? may be coming to current-gen consoles as early as this November.

It's all rumours and conjecture at present -- and 2K is saying nothing -- but South African retailer Ra??ru? shared details over the weekend... only to pull the page back down again a little while later.

Google is not the friend of accidental leaks, however -- you can still see it listed here in Google Cache. A release date had been pencilled in for November 27, 2015. 

I AM EXCITED. You?

BioShock Collection coming to PS4 &??? Xbox One in November, retail leak says [VideoGamer]

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Bluff Witch Project

As the Kickstarter campaign for Perception celebrates hitting $100K, the development team behind the upcoming horror game has released a new "found footage" trailer?? video.

The video -- which will feel familiar in a Blair Witch Project-esque kind of way -- is a faux documentary a??ccounting the urban legend of Echo Bluff i??n Gloucester, MA.

The five-minute video interviews locals around the town, and then accounts for the last known whereabouts of journalist student Leigh J??ennings before she mysteriously disappeared.

The first-person horror adventure places you in the shoes of visually-impaired Cassie, who uses echo-location to navigate her environment via "unique, hide-and-seek gameplay" in a story that occurs across many eras??.

At the time of writing, Perception’s Kickstarter has just breached $100,000. There’s two weeks left to raise the additional $20,000 the team wants to secure. For more details -- including a fantastic selection of backer rewards -- head on over to the Kickstarter page. 

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Realising a vision

Deep End Games -- a new studio consisting of many ex-Irrational developers -- has announced a Kickstarter campaign for a brand new horror game called Perception.

The first-person horror adventure places you in the shoes of visually-impaired Cassie, who uses echo-location to navigate her environment ??via "unique, hide-and-seek gameplay" in a story that occurs across many eras.

"After months of research se??eking the house from her nightmares, Cassie discov??ers an abandoned mansion in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the Estate at Echo Bluff," reads the description. "Once there, Cassie finds that Echo Bluff is worse than she dreamed. A ghastly Presence has tormented its inhabitants over generations, and it now hunts Cassie. She must solve the estate’s mysteries or become one of its victims."

The game -- curre?ntl??y only confirmed for Steam -- is initially seeking $150k and slated for a 2016 release.

"So far, we've been self-funding the project out of pocket," says the appeal. "But we need your help to see Perception through to completion. While?? we've already made great progress building much of the core experience, we still have a way to go t??o realize our vision."

I don't know about you, but a new horror from Bioshock's greatest designers/developers...? WORDS CANNOT CONVEY MY EXCITEMENT. I'm particularly intrigued by the how Cassie's disability will inform the gameplay. Not many people know this, but I'm a qualified Braille tutor (no, really, I'm not even lying). That's why I know they typo'd the "Story" header on the Kickstarter page an????d accidentally repeated the mistake on the "Budget" heading, too!

So, what do you think of Perception?

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So long, space minotaur

Steven told us about The Black Glove, a surreal first-person game from former Irrational (BioShock) developers, a couple of times. That was several months ago. The Kickstarter didn't make it. Determined, the team at Day for Night Games has since s??ought publisher support at the Game Developers Conference and PAX East. The stars didn't align, though. Not this time.

"We garnered some interest, but didn't find the perfect glass slipper we were looking for and, understandably, began to lose key people to full-time work elsewhere," wrote studio co-fo?under Joe Fielder. Understandably, the project is now on hold. "We've invested thousands of hours and considerable thought and emotion into the project, so it's hard to step away, but it's not forever."

It sounds like folks are keeping themselves busy, at least. Follow the announcement post to keep tabs on 'em. Fielder says they "intend to return to The Black Glove when [they] can do it right."

A Message From Day For Night Games [Day for Night Games]

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At least play the opening sequence

March is already half over (have you filed your taxes yet?), which means more free Xbox games.

With an active Xbox Live Gold membership, you can now download BioShock Infinite for free on Xbox 360. Love it or hate it, there's no denying the game's heavenly opener. Every once in a while I'll get the urge to see the ascension to Columbia again on YouTube. "Halleluiah."

Rayman Legends is the one and only free Xbox One title this month, but it's so good I don't even mind. That and the recently-released Ori and the Blind Forest make for a blissful combination.

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Smaller scale, player-created main character

After BioShock Infinite, developer Irrational effectively closed down. About 70 folks lost their jobs while studio head Ken Levine formed a smaller team focused on highly-replayable narrative-driven games. Recently, t??he process has been likened to Lego blocks, where pieces ca?n be combined in different ways rather than entirely new assets and things needing to be built. Keep costs down. 

Levine took to Twitter with an open Q&A, "As an FYI, I?? am working on a game. Happy to answer twitter questions on it. Trying to do? open dev."

The game, which will likely be in first-person, is set in "a new universe, not set in any existing," and the team is aiming for, "a game with replayable narrative that can be added IN to like a [Civilization] expansion pack, vs. say a Burial at Sea." It's divided more into "chapters" than a three-a??ct plot, and won't be in the vein of Telltale's ?work. 

It's in development for PC, set in a sci-fi or "sci-fi ish" world with a player-created main characters. "[I] think small open worldish (but not necessarily outdoors) rpg with quest structure c??omin??g from passion system."

And we won't see it at this E3. "That's not the wa?y we want to share it with peop??le," Levine said.

Ken Levine [Twitter]

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Who wants to work with Ken?

In February, Ken Levine (bio)shocked the gaming world by announcing that Irrational Games was shutting down. Well, sort of. The plan ??????????????????????????was to lay off the majority of the staff, and continue forward as a small group dedicated to creating narrative-driven games.

Ten months after the reveal that 70-some employees would be let go, Irrational's expanding again, but only ever so slightly. The studio recently posted a listing for two new positions -- IT manager and senior programmer??????????????????????????. The programmer opening asks for experience in Unreal 3 and 4, suggesting that Irrational has its sights? set on its next project.

Whatever Irrational's next endeavor is, it's likely that it won't be related to BioShock. Levine said in the past that the property is in the hands of Take-Two, and that the studio will focus on replayable narrative. In his February post, Levine said "If we're lucky, we'll build something half as memorable as BioShock." Well, then let's hope ??that Irrational's "lucky."

Careers at Irrational [Irrational Games via CVG]

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From BioShock and BioShock Infinite devs

Look, it's an Ace Ventura reference is what I'm doing, okay? It makes sense. Don't hassle me. As much sense as every other "[game] [verbs] [onto]" headline. "Cagney and Lacey Golf tees off on Wii"? Step the heck off.  

Anyways, previously writ up The Black Glove is trying to st??imulate its Kickstarter campaign with ?a new trailer, which features a cool monster, and an announcement for a PS4 release, which is a, uh, monster cool feature. Damn I'm good.

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An 'eerie, surrealistic, first-person game'

The Black Glove. Huh, I'm into this weird thing. It's obviously reminiscent of BioShock, but the whole manipulating artists to change things sort of brings to mind this year's Ether One. Could turn out neat. Good job some putting tons of emphasis on saying "gameplay," too, to distance themselves from comparisons to another exploratory first-person game from ex Irrational developers. Wink wink.

The black glove itself is pretty awesome, too. I like things that make holes in things even though on the other side there's not a ?hole in the thing. Even if you have to play videogames and vanquish space minotaurs to get it.

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Key words here are 'would have been'

An installment in the BioShock series for the PlayStation Vita may be one of Ken Levine's only wishes for the franchise that will go unfulfilled. Levine's longing for one of his signature games on the handheld device is well-documented, and he's taken to Twitter to elaborate on the concept he had in mind.

According to Levine, the BioShock title on Vita that he wanted to make would have been "a Final Fantasy Tactics style thing set in pre-fall Rapture." He clarified in another tweet that the Tactics bit refe??rred to combat style in that he envisioned a tu?rn-based game.

But, it's all wishful thinking because no one's exactly expecting that the supposed project will ever turn out. In the tweet that sparked the conversation, Levine commented "2K and Sony couldn't put a deal together when I last checked. They seemed way more optimistic about this back in 2011." I guess when you'??re at the bottom of the sea, all you can do is hold your breath.

@IGLevine [Twitter]

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What's the phrase about shutting up and taking money

It's been about four months since we first got the news that Irrational Games would be shutting down, and as some expected, some former staff have regrouped in a new studio called Day for Night Games. The studio boasts some bigger names from Irrational too, such as Joe Fielder, who wrote the Burial at Sea DLC, and artist Robb Water??s, whose credits include the ??designs of Andrew Ryan, Sander Cohen, and the splicers.

Their first title is The Black Glove, which casts you as a artist performing out of a theater called The Equinox, where you will use your powers to travel back through time in order to improve the quality of the work you've presented at the theater. There's a good amount of mind bending craziness, such as the theater, which is described as being able to exist in the past, present, and future. I just about got a headache the first time I sat down to discuss the ending of Bioshock: Infinite.

Speaking to Polygon, Fielder describes the ultimate goal is to, "satisfy the whims of the creator, ?the critic and the crowd. You're trying to improve the use of these creators' works in the present by changing their past." You will have to read character reactions too in order to figure out what you should change in the past, though that will not be the only method players will have to figure out what should be c?hanged. As you might expect, actions taking place in the past will affect the story.

Oddly enough, The Black Glove is being annou??nced before it's planned Kickstarter campaign, which wil??l be launching in July. You can expect to learn more when the Kickstarter launches with the customary concept video.

The Black Glove is coming from Bioshock?? vets at Day for Night games [Polygon]

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The end result is pretty good, all things considered

The original BioShock ran on (a heavily modified version of) Unreal Engine. That was almost seven years ago. What would the game look like running on the newest iteration, Unreal Engine 4? Someone had tha?t same thought and put in the effort to find an answer.

"I've been itching to play with UE4... So I decided to gather up some of the original BioShock asset??s and see how they'd look in a next-gen engine!" wrote creator noodlespagoodle (what a name). "Like and comment if you want to see more. I just might expand a whole level from it!"

I'd like to play BioShock again one day. Maybe it'll get re-released before t??hen. If nothing else, watch this video as an excuse ??to listen to "Beyond the Sea" just one more time.

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Irrational's swan song

BioShock Infinite had an interesting run, with player reception all over the board. Some loved it, some hated it, others reveled in its celebration of violence, some disapproved. It's probably going to be a long time before we get to debate the merits of another BioShock game again though, considering the fact that Irrational Games has di??ssolved, and is handing over the franchise to 2K.

So that leaves Burial at Sea Episode Two as Irrational's last hurrah, and I'm pleased to say it's a vast improvement upon the foundation that was built in Episode One.

_{[Be warned: there are m?inor spoilers involving&nbsp;Episode One below.]}

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode Two (PC [reviewed], PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Released: March 25, 2013
MSRP: $14.99 (included in Season Pass)

After a fantastic opening that links the worlds of BioShock and Infinite, this episode of Burial at Sea picks up right after the prior DLC, but this time we're in control of Elizabeth. Elizabeth will find herself drawn into both the world of Rapture and Columbia, as she interacts with a variety of characters from both franchise worlds. She'll have to do this by way of stealth, and without the use of her magical "tearing" ability (which is explained by way of the narrative). Just in case you need a quick refresher, a "Previously on BioShock" v??ideo is very helpful for those of you who forgot the gist of the first game. 

Simply put, the transition into Elizabeth not only works on a macro level, but the stealth ploy is actually fun, as well as unique. Instead of the same old "shoot everything" strategy typically employed by Jack and Booker before her, Elizabeth must instead rely on tools like sleeping darts and stealth knockouts to stand a chance. Irrational really took a chance with the switch to a lower-key approach, and it paid off. In a nutshell, Elizabeth's style is Thief??-like, which is a good franchise to draw inspirati??on from.

This dedication to stealth is seen through nearly every facet of her gameplay. When slinking around carpeted floors muffle her steps, and objects like broken glass or puddles can give her away. Through the use of a brand new Plasmid called the Peeping Tom, she can also see through walls and momentarily cloak herself, adding a new dimension to your approach should you wish to use it. I had a lot of fun coming up with new ways to utilize Elizabeth's style, and it felt like I was playing something utterly different -- wh??ich is an accomplishment for a DLC episode, in my mind.

Although she might have less health than Booker she is still very much a formidable hero with a variety of weapons at her disposal like Noisemaker Darts to distract sentries, and gas darts to put multiple foes t??o sleep -- plus, she still has a few standard guns like the handcannon and shotgun. Her only real weakness is the inability to take out enemies with melee attacks if she's seen, but a quick clo?ak or a few moments of going into hiding will fix that.

In addition to the uniquely improved gameplay, you'll also get a lot more big-picture story in Burial at Sea Episode Two. I'm talking tidbits fans really want to see, like more info on Big Daddies, Little Sisters, and a lot of the big personalities in the Bioshock universe. You'll also see a few appearances from the Lutece Twins, and characters you didn't necessarily get to hang out with in person in past games. If you were disappointed by the lack of new revelations presented in Episode One, you'll get them here.

Although the length of a game doesn't typically bother me, the fact of the matter is you're getting more bang for your buck with Episode Two, as the core story will last you around five hours. The environments as a whole are also much larger than Episode One, so it's?? really easy t?o get lost as you look for secrets and experiment with Elizabeth's newfound tactics.

Irrational also went above and beyond with the implementation of 1998 Mode -- a new difficulty level that challenges you to complete the entire DLC without killing a soul. I never thought the core game's 1999 setting really added anything significant as it was basically the exact same experience, but with even more emphasis on stealth, playing 1998 felt like a whole new game. It was so fun in fact that I was compelled to go back for a second playthrough of Episode Two immediately -- a feelin?g I didn't e??xperience with the first DLC.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode Two blows Episode One out of the water. It improves upon nearly every shortcoming of the first outing, and with all o??f the lore additions it's a must-play for fans of the series. It's worth picking up the Season Pass just to see this story through to the end.

The post Review: BioShock Infini?te: Burial at Sea Episode Two appeared first on Destructoid.

Highway robbery at sea

Here's a thing you can buy if you have too much money on your hands and don't want to give it to those in need: this limited run Noir Elizabeth BioShock Infinite statue is available for pre-order.

It's $250, but only 400 were produced, so you'd be losing money if you don't buy it, you see. For some reason, Ken Levine wrote his name all over 50 of them, which you would think they'd then sell at a discount since they've been all marked up, but those 50 are actually being sold for $500. Crazy. I'm ?going to start writing my name on things before I sell them if it double my return.

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I'm getting a little veklempt

In this reflective look back at the soon-to-be released final DLC for BioShock Infinite, members of the team at Irrational Games talk about the elements of the experience they are most individually proud of. There are also little snippets of gameplay cut throughout that give glimpses of the stea?lth gameplay Elizabeth will favor, environments, concept art, and other neat stuff.

Knowing that this is well and truly the end of Irrational, this video feels like a bittersweet farewell for some, the pride at accomplishments colored by the awareness of their finality. I really hope ??they're going out on a high note here.

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Get your stealth on

One of the biggest and most widely-held criticisms of BioShock Infinite had to do with all the violence. Many thought that it did a disservice to the narrative by being too over-the-top. Irrational aims to make amends of sorts with a new mode for BioShock Infinte: Burial at Sea -- Episode Two.

Dubbed 1998 Mode, a take on the game's "hardcore" 1999 Mode, it tasks the player with only using non-lethal tools. Creative Director Ken Levine said "In Burial at Sea – Episode Two, we put a focus on balance and stealth mechanics. As we were developing this new style of gameplay, we started to see people self-impose non-lethal playthroughs. Given the fan reception of 1999 Mode, we thought it would be cool to give them another way to play Burial at Sea that challenged their mastery of stealth tools."

If nothing else, this announcement basically outs the ??fact that the DLC will have some new tools to fiddle around with. But, it's always fun when developers give players the option to play their content with constraints that change the entire experience. 

Announcing 1998 Mode [Irrational Games]

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DTOID News is wearing a dumb scarf

Hey everybody, I’m back from Japan! And here’s your quasi-timely news update for the first two thirds of this week. Irrational Games closed, pre-ordering Wolfenstein: The New Order gets you a beta for the new and technically unannounced DOOM game. Square Enix has trademarked “Shinra Company,” there’s a possibility of new Final Fantasy games on PC in the future, and in the meantime, Final Fantasies VII, VIII, and XIV are currently on sale.

Level 5 is getting me all hot and bothered by teasing a western release of Yokai Watch, which is selling like adorable ghostcakes in Japan. PC and PS4 owners will get Zombie Studios’ Daylight in April, and next month sees the release of Towerfall Ascension, the expa?nded versio?n of the former Ouya exclusive.

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It'd be rude to burn down the building, Milton

In the wake of the unfortunate news of Irrational Games shutting down, many of the studio's staff are bound to be left unemployed. While many will surely go on to work for other companies, some will likely take a shot at beginning an independent venture. Rock Band Blitz co-developer Fire Hose Games wants ?to help alleviate ??the stress of this transition.

Fire Hose announced via its website that it's offering free desk space for any recently laid off developers, including ex-Irrational employees, that are going indie. No strings attached -- just a place for them to go an?d do their work. Fire Hose is in the process of setting up an indie seed fund to support local game development, and while that's not ready to be launched quite yet, it figured it could spare some room for artists in need.

While it always sucks to see a studio close, it's always nice to see the outpouring of support from others in the?? ind?ustry to try to help the affected land on their feet. Cool moves, Fire Hose. Cool moves.

We're giving free desk space to recent??ly laid off developers who are going indie! [Fire Hose Games]

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Levine forming smaller team focused on highly-replayable narrative-driven games

"I am winding down Irrational Games as you know it," wrote co-founder Ken Levine in a post that comes as an utter shock. "I'll be starting a smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavor ? at Take-Two. That is going to mean parting ways with all but about?? fifteen members of the Irrational team."

Continuing, he said "Seventeen years is a long time to do any job, even the best one ... While I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together, my passion has turned to making a different kind of game than we’ve done before. To meet the challenge ahead, I need to refocus my energy on a smaller team with a flatter structure and a more d??irect relationship with gamers."

Although a "classical startup model" was considered, Levine and what's left of Irrational will stay with publisher Take-Two for this venture. Their goal? "To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable. To foster the most direct relationship with our fans possible, we will focus exclusively on content delivered digitally." The future of BioShock is now in 2K's hands.

"There's no great way to lay people off, and our first concern is to make sure that the people who are leaving have as much support as we can give them during this transition," explained Levine. "Other Take-Two studios will be on hand to discuss opportunities within the company, and we'll be hosting a recruiting day where we’l?l be giving third-party studios and publishers a chance to hold interviews with departing Irrational staff." Bittersweet news of the freakin' month.

A Message From Ken Levine [Irrational Games]

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