‘BioShock Infinite’ Is A Massive Success With Critics

When 2K Games first announced BioShock Infinite several years ago, it was met with an equal amount of excitement and, for the lack of a better word, confusion.

The name BioShock brings to mind the underwater utopia gone wrong from the first two games (that’s Rapture, if your memory is as rusty as mine), but the debut trailer showed that the game was not, in fact, going to take place in the sea – or even on land.

Instead, the game is set in a city in the sky, and it takes place several decades before the events of the BioShock games we know and love. It was a bold move to tackle a wildly different setting with the BioShock name still attached, but Irrational already proved with the original BioShock that it can crank out fresh material, and that it isn’t afraid to.

The question on everyone’s minds now is a fairly obvious one: can Irrational do it again? Can the team create vast, overwhelmingly atmospheric environments and solid, interesting combat all tied together by a story that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to insult your intelligence? Maybe even one that makes you think, even if only a little?

Now that BioShock Infinite is just one day from release worldwide, the review embargo has been lifted and the internet is being flooded with reviews from a variety of outlets, which means we have the answers to all of those questions.

Below you can find a selection of reviews ordered from highest to lowest but, as you’ll see from the scores, you should probably just skip reading the full reviews and throw all of your money at the game right now.

At last, here are the reviews:

Game Informer – 10/10 (Read full review)

“Infinite is more than a new setting, story, and characters; those elements are seamlessly integrated with complex themes, a mysterious plot, and entertaining combat to create an amazing experience from beginning to end.”

Polygon – 10/10 (Read full review)

“It’s hard to know if Infinite will prove to be another major point of artistic discussion and development of the medium the way that BioShock was. But in every way, BioShock Infinite lives up to the promise of its legacy, and it looks poised to establish a new one.”

IGN – 9.4/10 (Read full review)

“Going in, I had to question whether Infinite could live up to the BioShock name after having discarded its signature world of Rapture, with its Big Daddies and Little Sisters and warring philosophies, and starting from scratch. On the way out, I’m forced to seriously question which is the better game.”

PC Gamer – 91/100 (Read full review)

“In a sense, that beauty [referencing “awkward” scenes from the game, namely the ending] makes it even more of a shame that the writing doesn’t manage to put all this spectacular work to better use. But it also means that these moments end up being emotional anyway. It’s like a surreal arthouse movie where nothing really makes sense, but where each scene is strangely compelling nonetheless.

“It’s a weird note to end on, after a game that’s so magnificent in so many other ways. But it doesn’t change the conclusion: BioShock Infinite is something extraordinary, and no one should miss it.”

That does it for the review roundup. By all accounts, BioShock Infinite just might be one of the best games of this generation, and a fitting send-off as we prepare ourselves for the next generation of consoles.

Once you’ve picked up the game for yourself – don’t worry, the wait is almost over – let us know what you think of it in the comments section below.