Bioshock Infinite: 10 Reasons It's Game Of The Year

One of the most anticipated video games of the year, BioShock Infinite, finally hits stores early next week, and the early consensus seems to be that Irrational Games' latest is without question the best in the franchise. Ironing out the few annoyances that plagued the previous games and adopting a vibrant new setting that keeps things fresh, Infinite keeps true to the BioShock name with its absorbing storytelling and thrilling action, while also evolving sufficiently so that players don't feel like they're paying for the same experience. If BioShock 2 proved a slight disappointment - largely due to Irrational Games' lack of involvement - this has been remedied for the best, and hopefully not last, entry into the series. It's a competitive year for gaming with the next-gen race gearing up, but here are 10 reasons why Bioshock Infinite just might be the game of the year...

10. If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

Though Infinite might look starkly different from the previous games in the series, it doesn't play all that differently, and that's unquestionably a good thing. The core mechanics of the BioShock games are superbly refined and require little tweaking; the core facets of the gameplay, such as the Plasmids for instance, the power-ups that will provide with you abilities such as telekinesis return albeit with a shiny new name - Vigors. The effects are practically the same, and the game makes it clear enough that they are basically one and the same, such that veterans won't find themselves confused by the change. Even if some refinements have been made, they are almost exclusively for the better, yet the core gameplay hasn't been "casualised" or toned down, as is sadly the case with far too many sequels these days.
 
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Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.