‘Bioshock Infinite’ is a Storytelling Masterpiece

By: Sam Miller, Contributing Writer

Released on March 25 for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC, “Bioshock Infinite” is the third installment in Irrational Games’ acclaimed “Bioshock” series.  Unlike the previous two games, “Infinite” does not take place in the sub-aquatic dystopia of Rapture, but rather in the flying city of Columbia approximately fifty years before the events of the first two games.  Playing as a U.S. Cavalry vet-turned-gun-for-hire Booker DeWitt, the player is given the task by DeWitt’s debtors to infiltrate Columbia and rescue a girl named Elizabeth.  Along the way, DeWitt will learn Columbia’s true nature and some frightening revelations of his own past.  This game has been critically acclaimed across the board, praised as Game of the Year only three months into the year.  The question remains, does it live up to its hype? 

Story

Going in, little is known about Columbia, but exploration will slowly unravel the Eden that it claims to be.  The city is lorded over by Zachary Hale Comstock, a prophet who claims to have been visited by an Archangel and given the city.  Every citizen of the city is a member of Comstock’s flock and is promised eternal happiness in the fields of the Lord.

However, it is far from perfect.  Anyone without white skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, or who doesn’t worship the Founding Fathers, is subjugated and abused.  The social injustices of Columbia are handled beautifully, revealed in personal diary entries (audio recordings called Voxophones) of the disenfranchised people.  This gives a real subtlety to the problem instead of outright revealing it.  The realization that the city isn’t quite right is a growing feeling of unease in the player’s gut that greatly enhances the immersion factor of the game.

The characters are incredibly well-fleshed out and gripping.  Learning about DeWitt’s tortured past, which is tastefully hinted at and revealed through flashbacks and snippets of conversation, is a big part of the narrative. Even dying gives more hints about who DeWitt is, though it is not recommended to suicide into a Handyman for story scraps. 

Elizabeth is one of the characters with the most growth in the story.  At the beginning she is just a target, but when she teams up with DeWitt, the player learns more about her and watches her grow from a naive girl to a wise, powerful woman.  Even Comstock is shown to be more than just a mad Prophet as the tangled web of his past is unraveled.  “Infinite” is a story-telling masterpiece in and of itself, but it is also a game, and needs to be judged as much by gameplay as it is by story.

Gameplay

The gameplay of “Infinite” is a huge departure from “Bioshock,” and sometimes not in a good way.  The original “Bioshock” was a survival horror game, emphasizing stealth and ending fights before they started.  “Infinite” is much more of a first person shooter, with DeWitt fighting in a full on war.  The never-ending combat is actually somewhat tedious and subtracts from enjoying the story in some ways.  It’s hard to appreciate a tender moment between DeWitt and Elizabeth when there is a bloody shoot-out for the next five minutes. 

The Vigors may be one of the biggest sins of the gameplay.  They simply aren’t interesting like the Plasmids were, since most of them do the same thing with different particle effects.  Also unlike previous “Bioshock” games, the player can only carry two weapons at once, though taking weapons from slain enemies is encouraged.  However, much like the Vigors, the weapons are woefully under diversified.  Most players will find two weapons they are good with and never change them.

That being said, there are some elements of the gameplay that are really enjoyable.  For one, Elizabeth is, to use the words of Dan Bull from his Bioshock Infinite Rap, “the damn best wingman to ever don a dress.”  There is no need to protect her in combat. In fact, she will even assist DeWitt by supplying ammo, health, Salts, and shifting the battlefield. 

There are a number of rails to ride on called Sky-Lines scattered throughout the city.  The Sky-Hook found early on can be used to melee fight enemies and attach to the lines.  Riding the lines in combat is immensely fun, especially leaping and striking down an unsuspecting foe at high velocity. 

The best part of the gameplay by far is the exploration.  Columbia is simply beautiful and seeing every inch of it is rewarding in and of itself.  Finding the Voxophones and other story elements is icing on the cake.

Conclusion

“Bioshock Infinite” is an experience.  Exploring Columbia and learning about the world is intensely gripping.  The characters are entertaining, sympathetic, and marvelously written.  The voice acting, with a few minor exceptions, is top notch and the environments are fun to run around in.  The gameplay feels lackluster when compared to the experience of the story, like a sketch next to a painting, but it is still fun.  Overall, “Bioshock Infinite” is a stellar story and an enjoyable gameplay experience.  And a word to the wise, avoid spoilers of the ending like the plague, you need to experience it for yourself.

Overall, the game deserves a solid 9/10.

Gamer Girl: Top Picks for the Summer

By: Vanessa Valerie Giedosh, Staff Writer

With summer break just around the corner, it’s time to think about what games to play.  Fun in the sun is great until we get a bad sunburn and have to take it easy for a while.  So, to keep the boredom at bay and keep us entertained, here are the Gamer Girl’s top picks for newly released games to play this summer.

“BioShock Infinite”

This is a first-person shooter developed for PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox 360 that is sure to entice gamers. Although the story doesn't connect with the previous “BioShock” games, it’s still just as awesome and contains most of the same gameplay aspects.  This time, gamers will play Booker, a private investigator with a troubled past.  His job is to go to civil war-torn Columbia, a floating city in the sky, and retrieve a girl known as Elizabeth.  The girl has been held against her will in the city for years for reasons that will become clear as the game unfolds.

“Dead Space 3”

This is a third-person shooter that continues the “Dead Space” series with Isaac Clarke leading the way.  Developed for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, the game now features co-op for gamers to play with friends.  This time, the plot takes Clark to a frozen planet in search of what he believes to be the origin of the Marker’s signal.  He hopes to find it and destroy it once and for all, but not before he has to fight endless alien creatures and mutated undead humans.

 “Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen”

Recently released this past Tuesday, “Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen” is a re-release of the original game that now contains lots of new content.  Gamers will be able to play as their past characters and continue where they left off.  The additional content consists of new enemies, quests, locations, character customization, weapons, and armor.  The new quests await gamers’ Arisen on the cursed island, Bitterblack. “Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen” was developed for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and is only single player.

“Tomb Raider”

Ever wonder how Laura Croft got started with all her tomb raiding adventures?  Then it’s time to find out in “Tomb Raider,” a reboot of the series that goes back to the origins of Miss Croft.  This action-adventure game was developed for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and is the first to allow multi-player options.  “Tomb Raider” takes place on the island of Yamatai where Laura must fight to stay alive and save her friends.  Not only will she be taking on the environment, but also a crazy group of cultists. 

BU Dance Ensemble Excels

By: Rae Meade, Arts and Entertainment Editor

Full of passion and charisma, the Bloomsburg Dance Ensemble lit up the stage and kicked off last weekend with their energetic showcase, “Dance the Night Away Because Nothing Else Matters!”

From enthusiastic hip-hop numbers to inspiring modern numbers, the Ensemble gave the audience a taste of all their diverse talents. They included a mix of today’s latest hits with some older classics, such as a Michael Jackson medley, to show their ability to move to all different genres and ages of music.

Starting off with an acrobatic number to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It Started,” the BU dancers stirred the excitement of the audience, who was anxiously anticipating the show to start as soon as the curtain began to open.

Though the dancers were skilled in all genres, their strength was in their African and modern numbers. Their first African dance performance, choreographed by Christina Davis and co-teacher Samantha Morton, was to a remix of “The Circle of Life,” which began with the same slower tempo of the original song, building its way up to an unexpected, upbeat performance that evoked cheering from the audience, making it a crowd favorite.

In contrast, the Ensemble’s modern numbers were both graceful and yet equally as powerful as their more upbeat numbers. The use of props in the modern dances worked particularly well, such as the use of flowers in the performance entitled “To Build a Home.” The passing along and the dropping of the flowers by the dancers was simple, yet evoked a poignant sense of loss. The number was choreographed by senior Caitlyn Connolly.

Though the choreography was a pleasure to watch in every number, the most intricate and advanced choreography was in a hip-hop number called “Devastating Stereo,” another dance choreographed by Christina Davis. Every step fit perfectly with the beat and style of the music, allowing for the dancers to put a lot of attitude into the performance.

A sexy, playful number that the audience most likely won’t forget was the country number, choreographed by Katrina Conrad. The dancers donned cowboy boots, short jean shorts, and tied flannel shirts while they performed a flirtatious number to a medley of popular country songs, including Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.”

In addition to the dancing, the costume choices were another fun aspect of the show. Some were basic with just a hint of flair, such as a leotard with a men’s white button down shirt, just enough to enhance the tone of the number, but not take away from the dancing. Others fit the flashiness of the dance well, such as the black fringe crop tops and red leggings for a flavorful Latin number. There were also some unexpected costume choices to shake things up, such as the brightly colored sequined tops for an Irish step number.

The only negative aspect of the show was the quality of the musical tracks. Most of the songs were remixed poorly to create the medleys, and mostly ended up sounding like chunks of songs abruptly cut off to lead into another song. Often, the songs sounded muffled and were a little rough to listen to, distracting from the Ensemble’s amazing talent.

Besides this small aspect, the BU Dance Ensemble put on a terrific show, brightening everyone’s night and sending students off to enjoy their weekend on a high note. The talent was immense and the joy that the dancers exhibited was contagious to the audience, who enthusiastically called the names out of friends in the ensemble in between numbers. “Dance the Night Away Like Nothing Else Matters” accomplished what the title of the show calls for, and the audience was swept away for a few hours as the dedicated performers shared their love of dance.

April 18, 2013

‘42’ is a Grand Slam for Moviegoers

Gamer Girl: Defiance is Anything but Daring

BU Players’ ‘The Underpants’ Exposes the Truth Behind Marriage

BU Players’ ‘The Underpants’ Exposes the Truth Behind Marriage

By: Keara Hozella, Arts and Entertainment Assistant Editor

Once the audience is greeted by a recording that states, “Guten tag, please turn off the electric cuckoo clocks in your pants- or underpants,” they’ll know that it’s going to be an out-of-the-ordinary show. These words of welcome mark the opening act of the play “The Underpants,” which has a few surprises to shake up conventional societal roles. The play is performed by the talented Bloomsburg University Players.

Comedian Steve Martin’s adaptation exposes the façade of a seemingly boring German couple, the Maskes. Theo (Donovan Krebs) and Louise (Elizabeth Potter) have been married for almost a year, and have only consummated their marriage once on their wedding night, due to their married duties. Theo Maske is not interested in having children, since they cannot afford to. Theo obliviously works his seven-hour desk job as a bureaucrat while his wife tends to the house, makes sure dinner is on the table promptly, the clock is wound tightly, and the floors are spotless. Louise longs for something more than her gruff husband and dull housework, and spends much of her time daydreaming. During one of these reveries, the unthinkable occurs. Louise’s underpants are accidentally put on display for the entire world, and then dazzlingly fall to her feet, with the whole town in attendance because of the King’s parade that Friday.

This accident ruffles the prim and proper Theo, who has a sexist view of the world and of his wife. He expects her to do her duties and nothing more, as evidenced by the lack of affection in their union. He rushes home to reprimand Louise, and to voice his ideas about the worst possible consequences of her actions. He worries about being fired from his stable job, and warns of famine, poverty, and disease. Theo tells Louise, “do not underestimate the power of underpants,” showing his conservative side for the umpteenth time within a five-minute span.

Theo’s embarrassment is exacerbated by a flood of visitors who are interested in the Maskes’ room for rent, and also, possibly seeing Louise’s beautiful undergarments (and underside) in person. Louise agrees to let a wordsmith and sweet-talker, Versati (Kellyanne Klause), rent the room. Meanwhile, her husband gives his word to Cohen (Gabriella Russo), “with a ‘K,’” as he clarifies, so as not to alert the supremely patriotic and German Theo to his Jewish origins. Let’s just say that both men aren’t competing for just an apartment.

As the play goes on, Louise confides in her friend, and resident nosy neighbor, Gertrude (Jaryn Wilcox), who offers to aid her in her pursuits.  Without spoiling the plot, one instance of praise that Gertrude utters after Louise’s lessons is, “Deception, lying, trickery- my little girl is grown up.” Gertrude is an extremely helpful friend who even uses her sewing skills to provide Louise with all kinds of sexy underpants. Gertrude’s kindness can be attributed to her actual nice personality, but also to her ulterior motive of living vicariously through the much younger Louise. As we later learn, Gertrude may not need to live out her fantasies through her friend after all.

The interwoven storyline of multiple and possible relationships, along with the fortunate accident of Louise’s fallen underpants, are as Cohen “with a ‘K’” explains it, “all caught in a simple event of circumstance.” The play’s web of romance, expectations, and fate culminate in a visit from the King himself, which has Theo, and another possible boarder, a decrepit scientist named Klinglehoff (Casey Gerhart) , so stunned they can barely speak.

“The Underpants” is a hilarious play with thought-provoking commentary on gender stereotypes, the ideal of romance, and social mores. In order to fill in the missing pieces of the plot, go see it at the Alvina Krause Theater on Wednesday, April 17, or on April 18, 19, and 20 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a show on Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m.