My impressions of the first Bioshock definitely alter my perception of how great first person shooter games can be. The story of the first one was engaging and so much fun. Although the first two games were set in Rapture, a dark and scary under sea metropolis, this latest installment in the Bioshock franchise takes us to the bright, high skies city of Columbia.

Are story begins with Booker Dewitt, a man who works at a government agency, who is on his way to Columbia to retrieve a young woman named Elizabeth for an unknown group to repay a debt. A nameless couple accompanies him, but they are referred to in the captions as Gentleman and Madame. They are explained further in the game. Gentleman and Madame take him to a lighthouse to enter Columbia, similar to the first game where instead of going up in the sky you were sent under the sea. As you walk up, you see an abandoned light house with scattered papers and dead man with a message saying “do not fail us”, which is supposedly a message for Booker.

Once at the top of the lighthouse, Booker finds a chair and some sort of capsule that shoots him up into Columbia. He arrives at Columbia’s open gates to what looks like a church, although this church’s so-called prophet is named Robert Comstock who also founded Columbia. After being almost drowned to death by the priest, Booker is told he cannot enter the city with out being baptized. Booker then wakes up and goes onward to complete his mission. At first, everything is simple. The police aren’t trying to kill you, and you have a chance to fully enjoy the scenery without being disturbed. This all changes depending on whether or not you choose to throw a baseball at an interracial couple for sport, (keep in mind his game is set in 1912) which is only one out of many of this towns sick secrets. One of the cops then sees a marking on your hand that symbolizes the false prophet, which, in this case, is Booker.

Now, Mr. Dewitt must fight his way to the statue building to get Elizabeth and take her back to New York. When he gets there, he sees that, for a long time, she has been under watch by Comstock and his scientist because of her unique ability to open “infinite” worlds. Once he arrives where they are holding her, she attacks Booker out of misunderstanding his purpose of being in her “home.” Booker then promises her freedom, and, like most stories involving a shut in person curious about the outside world, she leaves with him, but not without adversity.

A mechanical flying robot named Song Bird tries to keep Elizabeth inside. The two escape this ravenous bird and begin their journey. While Booker is set to take Elizabeth to New York, she wants to go to Paris. This leads to a conflict between the two for a first, but is fixed quickly.

I could go all day about how amazing this game is. The world that Irrational Game Studio has created is beautiful, the story is epic and engaging and the characters feel real and you are attached to them instantly. Unlike most sidekick characters in games that usually get in the way, Elizabeth isn’t. She is helpful by creating rifts that bring in equipment needed to heal or fight off enemies. She is also programmed to sometimes walk in front of you rather then beside you, which, in one way, I find humorous because it shows that the character being locked away is curious and anxious to see the world. The graphics are indeed next generation, as well as the combat system, which takes a while to grasp, but once you get the hang of it, it is awesome. This game will definitely keep you having an adrenaline rush from beginning to end.