The BioShock Infinite game we never got

BioShock Infinite released back in 2013, but the game we got was not the game that Ken Levine wanted to deliver. This video interview overlaid from tradeshow demo footage showcases just how much the game changed.

[XXXL]

Sure wish we got this version instead

[Servbot41]

Truly we are in the worst timeline.

[Concertoine]

I feel the same way, back in 2013 i felt like the only one misled by these previews. I really feel like this game got a free pass in that sense, purely because it had a gimmicky plot twist that doesn't even follow the game's own rules.

[Kreisen]

Its almost like they spend years working on 1 game then just scratched everything and started over. They show huuge open areas, choices with actual consequences etc etc.

[oof46]

I remember being floored by this demo but also being a big skeptical. I wasn't sure they would be able to involve Elizabeth as much as they were planning and I guess they couldn't.

Still loved the story, as convoluted as it was.

[gangsta_red]

Convoluted is right. For no good reason either.

[playtimewilltell]

Are you serious? You make an article centered around a video and don't credit the video's creator? I'm going to assume (hope) you're young or completely new to internet content-creation and don't understand attribution etiquette, so let me enlighten you: when you use someone's work, for any purposes, you credit them; you fucking MENTION them, for god's sake—or if you're decent, both. Even if CrowbCat (<---------that's his name/handle, since you seemed to have missed it) gave you permission to use his work, you still should do him the courtesy of crediting him. He, like you and the website you write for, are trying to build an audience for their work. Yes, many readers are going to click on the "watch on Youtube" button, watch it there, and visit his channel. But A) many won't, and B) even if it was a guarantee that 100% of them would do this, it's still a standard show of respect to a creator to include their name, even if just as a small caption separate from the text body.

Unbelievable.

[Kallisti]

Yeah, I saw Crowbcat upload that vid to his channel recently but I've already seen that exact video years ago so he just ripped it from somewhere else too.

[playtimewilltell]

I hope you're sure that it's the exact same video, because otherwise you're making a pretty damning accusation. The only sources he lists in the video description are videos Irrational released on their official channel, which tells me that (unless he's taken someone else's video and presented it as his own, which having followed his content for a while I highly doubt) this is his video, comprised of quilted together edits of Irrational's officially released content. I'm not saying it's impossible, but the burden of evidence falls on you if you're going to accuse him of a charge like that.

Also, although I don't need to say this, my original point pertaining to Gamefans' accreditation (or lack of) stands as their is no indication at present that this video isn't his.

[Fist4achin]

I did enjoy Bioshock Infinite. Still one of the better games in a while and definitely one of the most creative as far as settings and level design.

[opinionated]

I disagree with a few things. The story wasn't convoluted, it was open ended so that the bioshock community could speculate and they did. There were many theories and arguments about paradoxes and such. Secondly, you say that Elizabeth opening tears that gave booker cover isn't in the game but that is simply false. Third, you say the demo gives the feeling of an open world but I don't see it. It looks open but it's really not, many parts of the game had you flying around rails like that. Bioshock 1 is the best because of the exploration but nothing in that demo says that infinite was going to be like that. It was scripted "on rails" events, just like the final game.

Sure some things were better in the demo. The return of the Jedi tear was reduced to a short scene with Elizabeth in the tower. The rail riding stuff looked better in the demo. Overall there wasn't much difference, not enough to warrant an accusation that Levine completely scrapped the game. The demo looked like a PS4 pro game, things were scaled back for obvious reasons. It's a 360 era game.

[TheProfessional]

Just because you're trying to trivialize the differences doesn't mean they aren't huge. No telekenis vigor, simplified skylines and skyline combat, tons of vox populai sequences and the entire sequence with Saltonstall were all removed. Infinite is a great game with lots of personality, atmosphere and a great story but the combat is simplistic and repetitive. The skylines and story are underdeveloped. Most importantly Elizabeth could work with you in combat and combine her tear powers with Vigors and that is COMPLETELY gone. Clearly sequences were cut. They even did lazy things like no visible changes to your weapons when you upgrade them and no weapon wheel. (both features that Bioshock 1 and 2 had)

Instead of doing the cheapest remaster possible someone could've spent some money and had Levine come back and add the weapon wheel and reinsert some of the cut sequences. So much good content is missing and it would've made the story better and the combat better. Such a shame.

[opinionated]

I'm not trivializing.. I said some things were scaled back or cut to function on 360 but no, the differences aren't huge.What telekinis vigor? You mean bucking bronco? It is in the game... simplified rail combat how? What did they do on the demo that you can't do in the real game? Yeah the combat wasn't as great as the first bioshock but it's not as bad as you make it out to be. My point is that there isn't a huge deviation from that demo. Yes most of that vox stuff was never seen but it's not that different from the final game. The skylines and story were fine. You're making the demo out to be something it wasn't, like a completely different game. You're walking around watching scripted events in both. Where did the demo combine vigors and tears? That one scene with bucking bronco and the rail carts? So it got cut, Elizabeth still uses tears in combat. okay where did it show visible weapon upgrades in that demo?

Look, This thread isn't comparing infinite to bioshock 1. You're arguing something completely different and I agree somewhat, I prefer 1 as well. This article is trying to say that that demo is nothing like the final game and that is flat out false. Yes some things were cut, yes some things were scaled back but the differences aren't "huge". I'm not trivializing, you're exaggerating.

Levine doesn't work for irrational anymore. It's not a money issue, he left to do his own thing and I can't wait for it personally. He gave a presentation on what he's working on and it sounds fantastic.