<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
BioShock	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Irrational	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
2K	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Infinite	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
platforms	O
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
controls	O
Booker	O
Dewitt	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
fighting	O
enemies	O
and	O
scavenging	O
supplies	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
computer-controlled	B-Application
Elizabeth	O
provides	O
assistance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
2007	O
release	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
Irrational	O
Games	O
and	O
creative	O
director	O
Ken	O
Levine	O
were	O
initially	O
uninterested	O
in	O
creating	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
later	O
renegotiated	O
with	O
2K	O
to	O
produce	O
another	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
relationship	O
between	O
Booker	O
and	O
Elizabeth	O
became	O
central	O
to	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
team	O
working	O
to	O
make	O
Elizabeth	O
feel	O
like	O
a	O
real	O
character	O
rather	O
than	O
a	O
computer-controlled	B-Application
sidekick	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
supported	O
post-launch	O
with	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
including	O
the	O
story	O
expansion	O
Burial	B-Application
at	I-Application
Sea	I-Application
,	O
which	O
links	O
Infinites	O
story	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
,	O
with	O
praise	O
particularly	O
directed	O
at	O
its	O
story	O
,	O
setting	O
,	O
visual	O
design	O
,	O
and	O
art	O
direction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
often	O
regarded	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
video	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
,	O
and	O
of	O
the	O
seventh	B-Application
generation	I-Application
of	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Infinite	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
as	O
part	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
1912	O
and	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
floating	O
steampunk	O
city-state	O
in	O
the	O
sky	O
called	O
"	O
Columbia	O
"	O
,	O
named	O
for	O
the	O
female	O
personification	O
of	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Comstock	O
transforms	O
the	O
city	O
into	O
a	O
theocratic	B-Application
police	O
state	O
,	O
with	O
Comstock	O
worshipped	O
as	O
a	O
prophet	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Founding	O
Fathers	O
of	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
venerated	O
as	O
religious	O
icons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
with	O
role-playing	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Infinite	O
adapts	O
the	O
gameplay	O
formula	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
with	O
weapons	O
,	O
powers	O
,	O
and	O
upgrades	O
often	O
functioning	O
similar	O
as	O
those	O
in	O
the	O
earlier	O
game	O
,	O
albeit	O
named	O
differently	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vigors	O
require	O
Salt	O
,	O
the	O
equivalent	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
points	I-Application
,	O
to	O
power	O
the	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Booker	O
is	O
aided	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
by	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
a	O
computer-controlled	B-Application
non-player	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developer	O
Irrational	O
Games	O
(	O
then	O
2K	O
Boston	O
)	O
and	O
publisher	O
2K	O
Games	O
released	O
BioShock	B-Application
in	O
2007	O
to	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
acclaim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Exhausted	O
from	O
shipping	O
BioShock	B-Application
and	O
wary	O
of	O
repeating	O
themselves	O
by	O
returning	O
to	O
the	O
same	O
property	O
,	O
staff	O
and	O
studio	O
head	O
and	O
creative	O
director	O
Ken	O
Levine	O
were	O
uninterested	O
in	O
immediately	O
returning	O
to	O
another	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
contract	O
renewal	O
negotiations	O
in	O
the	O
middle	O
of	O
2008	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
Levine	O
had	O
reportedly	O
lost	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
XCOM	O
project	O
and	O
wanted	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
BioShock	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Levine	O
's	O
lack	O
of	O
interest	O
was	O
matched	O
by	O
disappointment	O
within	O
the	O
studio	O
's	O
ranks	O
that	O
another	O
company	O
was	O
making	O
the	O
next	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
not	O
Irrational	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
2K	O
Marin	O
continued	O
working	O
on	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Irrational	O
's	O
Australia	O
office	O
(	O
later	O
2K	O
Australia	O
)	O
continued	O
work	O
on	O
XCOM	O
,	O
the	O
main	O
Irrational	O
team	O
would	O
draw	O
up	O
concepts	O
for	O
the	O
next	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Concept	O
work	O
on	O
Infinite	O
began	O
in	O
February	O
2008	O
;	O
2K	O
granted	O
Irrational	O
a	O
great	O
degree	O
of	O
creative	O
and	O
financial	O
freedom	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
next	O
game	O
;	O
Irrational	O
considered	O
several	O
settings	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
reusing	O
Rapture	O
or	O
setting	O
the	O
story	O
in	O
the	O
Renaissance	B-Application
period	O
,	O
before	O
deciding	O
on	O
the	O
floating	O
city	O
of	O
Columbia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
mode	O
,	O
Border	O
Control	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
tower	B-Application
defense	I-Application
game	I-Application
intended	O
to	O
be	O
set	O
within	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
notable	O
missing	O
person	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
BioShock	B-Application
team	O
was	O
Jon	O
Chey	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
with	O
Levine	O
since	O
their	O
days	O
at	O
Looking	O
Glass	O
Studios	O
in	O
the	O
1990s	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
headed	O
the	O
Australian	O
branch	O
of	O
Irrational	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
demo	O
was	O
highly	O
praised	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
not	O
an	O
indicator	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
current	O
state	O
;	O
the	O
demo	O
was	O
carefully	O
rehearsed	O
and	O
encounters	O
heavily	O
scripted	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
(	O
AI	O
)	O
was	O
not	O
in	O
a	O
functional	O
state.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx1	O
The	O
game	O
was	O
still	O
undergoing	O
a	O
troubled	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jordan	O
Thomas	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
BioShock	B-Application
level	O
designer	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
creative	O
director	O
for	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
was	O
hired	O
in	O
January	O
2012	O
to	O
get	O
the	O
project	O
back	O
on	O
track	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
2K	O
Marin	O
assisted	O
in	O
building	O
out	O
the	O
architecture	O
and	O
details	O
of	O
Columbia	O
,	O
given	O
the	O
much	O
larger	O
scope	O
of	O
the	O
levels	O
than	O
previous	O
BioShock	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
BioShocks	B-Application
Jack	O
and	O
BioShock	B-Application
2s	I-Application
Subject	O
Delta	O
,	O
both	O
of	O
whom	O
are	O
silent	O
protagonists	O
,	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinites	I-Application
protagonist	O
,	O
Booker	O
,	O
was	O
given	O
his	O
own	O
voice	O
and	O
identity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
approach	O
to	O
Elizabeth	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
character	O
Alyx	O
Vance	O
from	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
well	O
as	O
Monkey	O
and	O
Trip	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
Enslaved	B-Application
:	I-Application
Odyssey	I-Application
to	I-Application
the	I-Application
West	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
the	O
time	O
period	O
's	O
advances	O
in	O
understanding	O
DNA	O
shaped	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
of	O
gene	O
modifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Levine	O
promised	O
that	O
the	O
ending	O
of	O
Infinite	O
was	O
"	O
like	O
nothing	O
you	O
've	O
experienced	O
in	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
before	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
wanted	O
to	O
avoid	O
the	O
issue	O
from	O
BioShock	B-Application
in	O
which	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
death	O
of	O
Andrew	O
Ryan	O
before	O
the	O
last	O
third	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
story	O
lost	O
its	O
momentum	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
had	O
to	O
revolutionize	O
their	O
previous	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
realize	O
Columbia	O
,	O
including	O
both	O
indoor	O
and	O
outdoor	O
settings	O
that	O
take	O
place	O
thousands	O
of	O
feet	O
above	O
the	O
ground	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
modified	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
2.5	O
used	O
for	O
BioShock	B-Application
was	O
inadequate	O
for	O
their	O
vision	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
,	O
they	O
used	O
Unreal	B-Operating_System
Engine	I-Operating_System
3	O
,	O
modifying	O
it	O
with	O
their	O
own	O
lighting	O
engine	O
and	O
means	O
to	O
simulate	O
the	O
movement	O
and	O
buoyancy	O
of	O
the	O
buildings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
noticed	O
that	O
in	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
one	O
players	O
equipped	O
specific	O
plasmids	O
and	O
weapons	O
,	O
they	O
could	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
without	O
having	O
to	O
alter	O
their	O
loadout	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
vertical	O
and	O
open-air	O
spaces	O
of	O
Columbia	O
provide	O
more	O
opportunity	O
to	O
include	O
various	O
types	O
of	O
combat	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
close-ranged	O
limits	O
of	O
Rapture	O
within	O
the	O
first	O
BioShock	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
used	O
the	O
AI	O
routines	O
of	O
the	O
roving	O
Big	O
Daddy	O
and	O
Little	O
Sister	O
characters	O
from	O
BioShock	B-Application
as	O
a	O
starting	O
point	O
for	O
improving	O
Elizabeth	O
,	O
giving	O
her	O
the	O
tendency	O
to	O
look	O
and	O
move	O
around	O
like	O
a	O
real	O
person	O
instead	O
of	O
a	O
robotic	O
non-player	O
character	O
that	O
either	O
fought	O
the	O
player	O
or	O
did	O
nothing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
score	O
for	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Garry	O
Schyman	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
contributed	O
the	O
scores	O
for	O
BioShock	B-Application
and	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
the	O
differences	O
from	O
previous	O
BioShock	B-Application
games	O
—	O
a	O
different	O
time	O
period	O
and	O
focus	O
on	O
characters	O
—	O
Schyman	O
opted	O
for	O
a	O
fresh	O
approach	O
to	O
the	O
score	O
for	O
Infinite	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Choosing	O
the	O
licensed	O
music	O
for	O
Infinite	O
was	O
more	O
challenging	O
than	O
BioShock	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
was	O
accompanied	O
by	O
various	O
tie-in	O
merchandise	O
,	O
including	O
replicas	O
and	O
figurines	O
,	O
a	O
board	O
game	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
called	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Siege	O
of	O
Columbia	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
prequel	O
novella	O
,	O
Bioshock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
:	O
Mind	O
in	O
Revolt.BioShock	O
Infinite	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
platforms	O
on	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aspyr	O
later	O
published	O
and	O
ported	O
Infinite	O
to	O
the	O
MacOS	B-Application
platform	O
on	O
August	O
29	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
major	O
pieces	O
of	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
were	O
released	O
by	O
Irrational	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
piece	O
is	O
Burial	B-Application
at	I-Application
Sea	I-Application
,	O
a	O
story-based	O
expansion	O
set	O
in	O
Rapture	O
that	O
links	O
Infinites	O
story	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
BioShock	B-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Complete	O
Edition	O
,	O
bundling	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
with	O
Clash	O
in	O
the	O
Clouds	O
and	O
Burial	B-Application
at	I-Application
Sea	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
4	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Linux	B-Application
port	O
was	O
announced	O
on	O
December	O
6	O
,	O
2014.BioShock	O
Infinite	O
along	O
with	O
Burial	B-Application
At	I-Application
Sea	I-Application
was	O
remastered	O
and	O
released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
as	O
part	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
in	O
September	O
2016	O
;	O
the	O
Windows	O
version	O
of	O
Infinite	O
,	O
at	O
this	O
time	O
,	O
was	O
considered	O
already	O
at	O
par	O
with	O
the	O
console	O
version	O
and	O
did	O
not	O
receive	O
any	O
additional	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
standalone	O
version	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
(	O
including	O
Burial	B-Application
at	I-Application
Sea	I-Application
)	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
The	O
Collection	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
on	O
May	O
29	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
3	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
Bioshock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
along	O
with	O
its	O
predecessors	O
was	O
updated	O
with	O
the	O
"	O
Quality	O
of	O
Life	O
Update	O
"	O
which	O
added	O
a	O
launcher	O
developed	O
by	O
2K	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
update	O
was	O
met	O
with	O
heavy	O
criticism	O
from	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
it	O
broke	O
compatibility	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
and	O
Steam	B-Device
Deck	I-Device
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
the	O
best-selling	O
game	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
's	O
digital	O
Top	O
10	O
PC	O
Charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
the	O
top-selling	O
console	O
game	O
for	O
March	O
2013	O
,	O
with	O
more	O
than	O
878,000	O
units	O
sold	O
;	O
these	O
figures	O
do	O
not	O
include	O
digital	O
sales	O
such	O
as	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
sales	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
debuted	O
as	O
the	O
number	O
one	O
selling	O
PC	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
best-selling	O
game	O
on	O
all	O
available	O
formats	O
,	O
topping	O
the	O
UK	O
PC	O
Retail	O
Sales	O
and	O
the	O
UK	O
All	O
Formats	O
video	O
games	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
opening	O
week	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
,	O
its	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
ranked	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
ranked	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
9	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
Individual	O
Formats	O
video	O
games	O
charts	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
64	O
percent	O
of	O
its	O
sales	O
being	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
31	O
percent	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
5	B-Application
percent	O
on	O
PC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
April	O
2	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
currently	O
the	O
second	O
biggest	O
launch	O
of	O
2013	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
after	O
Tomb	B-Application
Raider	I-Application
,	O
and	O
is	O
the	O
biggest	O
UK	O
game	O
launch	O
in	O
the	O
BioShock	B-Application
franchise	O
's	O
history	O
with	O
approximately	O
9000	O
more	O
sales	O
than	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
second	O
week	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
,	O
despite	O
a	O
75	O
percent	O
drop	O
in	O
sales	O
,	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
maintained	O
its	O
lead	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
All	O
Formats	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
the	O
third-highest	O
rated	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
2013	O
across	O
all	O
platforms	O
on	O
the	O
site	O
,	O
behind	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
V	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Last	I-Application
of	I-Application
Us	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Consensus	O
among	O
several	O
critics	O
was	O
that	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
seventh	B-Application
generation	I-Application
era	I-Application
of	O
video	B-Application
game	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
,	O
with	O
IGN	O
's	O
Ryan	O
McCaffery	O
praising	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
brilliant	O
shooter	O
that	O
nudges	O
the	O
entire	O
genre	O
forward	O
with	O
innovations	O
in	O
both	O
storytelling	O
and	O
gameplay.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Identifying	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
masterpiece	O
that	O
will	O
be	O
discussed	O
for	O
years	O
to	O
come	O
"	O
,	O
Joel	O
Gregory	O
of	O
PlayStation	O
Official	O
Magazine	O
concluded	O
that	O
Infinite	O
was	O
the	O
latest	O
game	O
to	O
join	O
the	O
hallowed	O
ranks	O
of	O
Half-Life	B-Application
,	O
Deus	B-Application
Ex	I-Application
and	O
BioShock	B-Application
as	O
"	O
the	O
apotheosis	O
of	O
the	O
narrative-driven	O
shooter.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
critics	O
favorably	O
compared	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
to	O
the	O
original	O
BioShock	B-Application
,	O
with	O
some	O
even	O
believing	O
that	O
Infinite	O
had	O
surpassed	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Entertainment	O
Weeklys	O
Darren	O
Franich	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
if	O
BioShock	B-Application
was	O
The	B-Application
Godfather	I-Application
,	O
then	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
is	O
Apocalypse	O
Now	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
Adam	O
Kovic	O
of	O
Machinima.com	O
calling	O
them	O
"	O
two	O
similar-yet-separate	O
games	O
that	O
can	O
co-exist	O
and	O
remain	O
equal	O
in	O
quality.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
critics	O
,	O
including	O
Adam	O
Sessler	O
of	O
Rev3Games	O
,	O
also	O
praised	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinites	I-Application
storytelling	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
its	O
ability	O
to	O
finesse	O
player	O
agency	O
and	O
interaction	O
resulted	O
in	O
a	O
narrative	O
that	O
could	O
only	O
work	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
generally	O
agreed	O
that	O
Infinites	O
ending	O
was	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	O
original	O
BioShocks	B-Application
,	O
with	O
Gregory	O
explaining	O
that	O
,	O
unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Infinite	O
never	O
lost	O
momentum	O
after	O
revealing	O
its	O
twist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
particularly	O
acclaimed	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Columbia	O
as	O
the	O
setting	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
Arthur	O
Gies	O
of	O
Polygon	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinites	I-Application
greatest	O
assets.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Columbia	O
was	O
praised	O
by	O
some	O
critics	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
 '	O
best	O
settings	O
,	O
with	O
Destructoid	O
's	O
Jim	O
Sterling	O
explaining	O
that	O
,	O
unlike	O
BioShock	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
Infinite	O
made	O
a	O
wise	O
decision	O
in	O
abandoning	O
Rapture	O
"	O
for	O
an	O
all	O
new	O
story	O
in	O
an	O
all	O
new	O
setting	O
,	O
introducing	O
us	O
to	O
the	O
cloud	O
city	O
of	O
Columbia.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
McCaffrey	O
explained	O
that	O
Elizabeth	O
's	O
presence	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
provided	O
motivation	O
and	O
emotional	O
depth	O
,	O
something	O
he	O
believed	O
the	O
original	O
BioShock	B-Application
lacked	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
called	O
Elizabeth	O
"	O
a	O
technical	O
triumph	O
,	O
the	O
most	O
human-seeming	O
AI	O
companion	O
since	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2s	I-Application
Alyx	O
Vance	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
Sullivan	O
stating	O
that	O
her	O
"	O
behavior	O
makes	O
you	O
forget	O
she	O
's	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
character.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Mikel	O
Reparaz	O
of	O
Official	O
Xbox	B-Device
Magazine	O
explained	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
evolving	O
interplay	O
between	O
 [ Elizabeth ] 	O
and	O
Booker	O
is	O
the	O
heart	O
and	O
soul	O
of	O
what	O
makes	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
such	O
an	O
involving	O
,	O
memorable	O
experience.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Francis	O
of	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
and	O
Hoggins	O
felt	O
that	O
Infinites	O
overall	O
combat	O
was	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	O
previous	O
BioShock	B-Application
games	O
largely	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
dynamism	O
of	O
the	O
expanded	O
environments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
Infinite	O
had	O
regressed	O
into	O
a	O
simple	O
shooter	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
role-playing	O
System	B-Application
Shock	I-Application
games	O
,	O
with	O
Newman	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
combat	O
feels	O
too	O
constrained	O
as	O
a	O
result.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
expressed	O
disappointment	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
limited	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
only	O
two	O
weapons	O
,	O
with	O
Reparaz	O
feeling	O
that	O
this	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
outlandish	O
upgrades	O
,	O
made	O
Infinites	O
"	O
less	O
inventive	O
"	O
combat	O
"	O
not	O
quite	O
up	O
to	O
BioShocks	B-Application
high	O
standards.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Cliff	O
Bleszinski	O
,	O
the	O
creative	O
lead	O
of	O
Gears	B-Device
of	I-Device
War	I-Device
,	O
a	O
series	O
Bleszinski	O
acknowledges	O
as	O
being	O
purposely	O
violent	O
,	O
agreed	O
with	O
these	O
sentiments	O
,	O
saying	O
he	O
"	O
felt	O
the	O
violence	O
actually	O
detracted	O
from	O
the	O
experience	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
believed	O
that	O
having	O
a	O
non-violent	O
option	O
would	O
go	O
against	O
everything	O
natural	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
and	O
"	O
those	O
asking	O
for	O
a	O
non-violent	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
are	O
asking	O
for	O
a	O
different	O
game	O
entirely.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
release	O
,	O
Infinite	O
won	O
the	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
award	O
from	O
multiple	O
publications	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
Associated	O
Press	O
,	O
CNN	B-Architecture
,	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
,	O
Entertainment	O
Weekly	O
,	O
Forbes	O
,	O
and	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
won	O
Best	O
Shooter	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
awards	O
from	O
several	O
publications	O
,	O
including	O
The	O
Escapist	O
,	O
Game	O
Informer	O
,	O
GameTrailers	O
,	O
Hardcore	O
Gamer	O
,	O
IGN	O
,	O
and	O
Official	O
Xbox	B-Device
Magazine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
's	O
theme	O
of	O
multiple	O
realities	O
in	O
particular	O
was	O
also	O
commented	O
as	O
drawing	O
parallels	O
with	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
previous	O
BioShock	B-Application
games	O
,	O
Infinite	O
only	O
had	O
a	O
single	O
ending	O
despite	O
the	O
in-game	O
morality	O
decisions	O
it	O
offered	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
has	O
led	O
some	O
to	O
identify	O
BioShock	B-Application
Infinite	I-Application
as	O
a	O
metagame	O
and	O
meta-commentary	O
on	O
the	O
whole	O
process	O
of	O
players	O
making	O
different	O
choices	O
in	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
