AestheticGamer1Yesterday and today we have gotten some nice pre-E3 treats from the guys over at Irrational Games; a small but nice-looking set of new screens for the game, as well as countless previews over the interwebs about a demoing the developers did recently. We’ll suffice simply in providing what happened to the juiciest parts, though if you want full impressions of this preview, they’re all over the internet and google is your friend (but seriously, stick with us; we need hits so we can get invited to these previews so then we can give you extensive details about them).
The demo was played by a representative as he gave an early look at what is supposed to be the E3 demo in a couple of weeks. The game takes place in a hidden flying city in 1912. We follow the main character, Booker DeWitt, who seems to have a bit of a gambling debt he is paying off by taking on a duty of protecting a maiden in need and now trusty female sidekick, Elizabeth, to New York safely aboard the massive flying city, Columbia. Turns out Elizabeth has lived her life in a tower, locked away and guarded by a giant mechanical bird aptly named, “Songbird,” who looks something like this:
Apparently the relationship this Songbird has with Elizabeth is akin to a scared girl dealing with an abusive stalker ex-boyfriend. Charming, we’re sure. Turns out though she likes life better outside of a tower, and now the Songbird is out to claim her back as it’s own. More than a duty, it apparently has emotional investment in her and wants her back. According to creative director Ken Levine, at least.
The demo reportedly starts in a small shop where our heroes search around a bit and Elizabeth playfully takes an Abraham Lincoln mask and tries her best impersonation of, “Four score and seven years ago.” Things get dark quite literally as Songbird swoops in and casts a shadow on the shop. Elizabeth, cowering in fear under a table, witnesses Songbird peeking in an open window, judging she’s not there (blind as a bat, we say), and flying off. Booker promises her he will stop it, but Elizabeth is deathly sure that’s a false promise for the Songbird cannot be stopped. She asks him to instead promise her that he won’t let Songbird take her back to it’s tower. She leads Booker’s hand to her throat, signifying to kill her out of mercy if that happens. Seems like Songbird had quite a way with the ladies.
They head out and find a dying horse, which Elizabeth rushes to aid. Two things are introduced here, the first being moral choices. Booker see’s a dead horse, horses die, and that’s it to him. Elizabeth says it’s suffering, that she can save it. Booker in response pulls his gun on the creature and players choose to either shoot the horse or back off from doing it. The representative backs out from shooting, which leads to Elizabeth trying to save the horse with some mysterious powers she has. It seems this floating city also is house to strange peculiars known as, ‘Tears,’ and not what you cry, but rips in reality. Everyone can see them, but it seems only Elizabeth has the power to tamper with them. Except she apparently does not know how to control her powers properly. She insists she can save this horse though, and tries to use the tear to revive it. At first it seems to be working, until Elizabeth accidentally opens the tear to deep and can no longer control it, and they both are almost sucked into the 1980s. They see a world unlike their own, a world where there are things called movie theaters playing Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” playing distantly in the background, and police sirens coming louder and louder to the scene. The couple barely manage to avoid breaking the space-time continuum and get back to their own time, and avoiding a train back in 1912 that nearly flattens them. Confused by the event, Elizabeth sobs and admits to not being able to control her powers. To learn more about her powers and aid her in using them, they are seeking out a man named Z.M. Comstock, who they believe can help and they are headed to meet.
There’s war in Columbia. Comstock’s own followers are divided into factions, known as, “The Founders,” and the, “Vox Populi;” opposing forces who are are battling to overcome the other for currently mysterious reasons. We see some of this on their road down to Comstock’s manor, including beatings and fights, but our heroes don’t get involved until witnessing an upcoming execution for an innocent Postman, and players are prompted to intrude on the matter or keep walking. The representative chooses to intrude, and soon a battle breaks out with a mob witnessing the event. They pull out firearms and begin to fire, Booker quickly taking cover. Elizabeth notes several tears in the battleground, and the player can choose to open one for either ammo, a turret to use on their enemies, a cache of weapons, or a member of the opposing faction to use to distract them. Elizabeth also seems to be able to handle herself fine, including but not limited to special powers and kicking guys in the balls. The developers wanted to make sure the game wouldn’t be an extended escort mission for players. Soon Booker attaches to a Sky-Line, a series of rails through the city people can connect to that allow them to travel quickly, and battle sky-born enemies with firearms as he rides the Sky-Line and switches rails. Booker also uses the Sky-Line to infiltrate a nearby air-support zeppelin (giant blimp), goes inside and destroys the core to make it crash in a mass of fire.
When the dust clears and things seem to be calming though, the Songbird shows up and makes easy work of Booker. He is tossed and crashes through a nearby roof, but the Songbird isn’t done with him yet. It comes to finish the job until Elizabeth runs in the way between them, begging the Songbird to spare him and she made a mistake in leaving and would like to return to the tower. Basically bargaining to save someone else, the Songbird accepts and snatches her up and flies away. Booker, not one to sit things out and a gambler at heart, takes chase by Sky-Line to catch up. And the demo ends.
We’ll bring you more on Bioshock Infinite as it comes (likely more at E3, which is June 7th-June 9th), but until then check out the screens below (click to enlarge):
