We have followed the Bioshock game since its release due to the homage it pays to Looking Glass Studios. Although not really linked the team that worked on the original Bioshock did have members from that development company. For those that do not know who Looking Glass is they were pioneers in the gaming world in much the same way that Valve is. They were one of the first companies to develop a game where the protagonist is constantly taunted by the enemy and also where the game can take different paths toward the final outcome (depending on your decisions in the game). Some of their titles are System Shock (and System Shock 2) Thief and more. All of these games were revolutionary when they hit the market and many of today’s games owe their style and flavor to Looking Glass.

Even Portal and Portal 2 have borrowed from Looking Glass with the ever present voice of GLaDOS mocking you through the game. In the original System Shock this part was played by SHODAN a super computer which has had its ethical constraints removed. During the game SHODAN constantly insults you (sound familiar?). Like we said there are many games that owe a lot to games from Looking Glass.

Bioshock Infinite, although a departure from the original storyline, still has many elements that were pioneered by Looking Glass. The plot line this time takes place in the early 20^th (1912?) century in an alternate reality America. Here you take the part of Booker Dewitt a former Pinkerton Agent who is sent to a cloud city called Columbia (still keeping the same basic flavor here) to rescue a girl named Elizabeth.

The game play is said to be more open and difficult due to some of the environments you are put into (including a sky rail system). You still have your psychokinetic powers, a bunch of weapons and a few nice surprises as you fight your way through Columbia which has fallen into its own civil war. Irrational Games has also hinted at a gaming mode very similar to System Shock where your decisions can actually make the game unwinnable which would force you to go back and restart the game from an earlier save so you can make different choices (this level of game play can be very frustrating, but incredibly fun).

We have a feeling that the delay will really be used to improve the game and allow its already grand scale to appear more fluid. With everything that Irrational Games is putting in to it, Bioshock Infinite could be the best homage paid to the ground breaking Looking Glass Studios yet. We will certainly be ready with our money at the end of February 2013.

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