BioShock Infinite. 8 games with brilliant ideas for narrative
Table of Contents
- Genre: dystopian action FPP
- Year: 2013
- Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XOne
- Developer: Irrational Games
Irrational Games had an intriguing approach to the storyline in BioShock Infinite (this is true for all installments of the series, but my jaw dropped especially low during this game, so let's focus on it). At first glance, we are dealing with a pop-culture cliché in which, as the errant knight Booker DeWitt, we come to the aid of Elizabeth, our damsel in distress.
This illusion is maintained almost throughout the entire game. At times, some elements don't quite fit into said trope, but after beating BioShock Infinite three times, I believe that it's nearly impossible to figure out the plot of the game ahead of time during your first playthrough.
When the game's ending finally approaches, it turns out that we were wrong the entire time, and the protagonist is also - in a sense - the main antagonist and the one behind it all. There is also the issue of multiple timelines, but in the end it's just another element that completely changes how you perceive the story of BioShock Infinite when you replay it, as opposed to your first playthrough.
This seemingly simple narrative trick - I'll even risk stating that a small part of the player base predicted the ending in advance, even if by accident (let us know if you managed to do it and what led you on the right track) - is still interesting, because it just works, thanks to which BioShock Infinite's overly old-school gameplay isn't as jarring, and turns the game into a cult classic.
LIVING WEAPON
An equally simple but effective trick was used by The Game Bakers in Furi. We play as a warrior who is trying to escape from prison. Why is that? We don't stop to think about it at first. We just follow the advice of a man disguised as a rabbit who is helping us escape, sometimes getting the impression that he will turn out to be the main villain. However, the truth is completely different, and once we've seen the climax of the story, we start viewing it differently on subsequent playthroughs. Not that it was an outstanding story - but the ending might still surprise you.
