I remember playing Infinite with the expectation from former entries that my choices would impact the game-play. Only once I played the ending, I came to understand the point that you are making. On a more philosophical note: the whole idea of freedom of choice, even outside videogames, is very complex.
This was absolutely incredible. Never before have I seen such an in-depth and riveting piece on choice in video games. Great job. Excellent article! I loved the article and your thoughts on Bioshock and choice. The comparisons you mentioned of Colombia and Rapture were things I never thought of.
This conclusion leads me to believe that the appeal of choice is more attractive than actually having it. You writing about bioshock in this way makes me want to write a video game so badly! Nice comparative analysis between the two Bioshock Games! I think it will never be possible for a game to give players every conceivable option and include every consequence thereafter while still keeping the ability to be called a video game.
You can play the game in many different ways and there are many functions of the game that you do not have to interact with unless, you want to, even in relation to the story.
But I relished in the freedom Bethesda provided, in letting me choose. I think there are games out today that give players the opportunity to make choices with consequences. Fantastic piece! I never really thought much about the illusion of choice in game, but this has definitely made me think.
The illusion to Orwell and Rand was also something I never connected the dots about. Nice article, the insights on the games are profound and well-developed! Everything is therefore not pre-determined.
Quite an interesting read! I had never looked at the Bioshock series through this lens before, but it makes so much sense. In my opinion, Infinite satirizes game endings the same way Bioshock the first one does to choice. Like you so eloquently said, Bioshock foregrounds the fact that we never truly have any choice in the game— despite our impressions of them.
The choice I made in Bioshock Infinity which they ask me to chose between cage or bird I never understood what effect does it have in the story..! This is something a professor of mine and myself have been playing with for quite some time.
The illusion of choice is clearly the largest player in the Bioshock series, and as such it is used as both a motivator and a demotivator. I think that to make a truly choice-based game will be impossible, at least with our current technology. The narrative will still be the same for the most part. All the major parts still exist.
Even in something like Infamous, no matter if we choose the good or bad side, we will always fight Kessler at the end, learn of our past, and then start Infamous 2 being chased by the Beast down to New Marais. We all love the thought of being able to choose everything in a game, but right now, the illusionof choice we currently have, whether used to the best of its abilities, or having it turned on its head, is where we currently stand.
Good article, solid research, and a well versed conclusion. What a fascinating way to look at choice in video games. Indeed Bioshock changed the way we look at choice once in with its initial release, and then again with Infinite. Even with massive sand-box games like Elder Scrolls it makes me wonder how much choice a player really has.
Reading this got me thinking about text-based adventure games. They supposedly offer a lot of choice, admittedly constrained by a few commands, but those commands can apply to any word the player pairs with them. But really, even something as simple as language prevents real choice in these games. The inability to pair a command with anything more than a basic object. For instance, in real life, you can take an action in a very specific manner with a motivation behind it and in a certain context.
The text-based games may let you take that action, but the rest of it is lost because only that verb can be typed into the computer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Prove you are human, type c a t s in singular form below:. Bioshock and the Illusion of Choice in Gaming Choice in video games is not a new concept.
The player must choose between harvesting or rescuing the Little Sister. A propaganda poster of Atlas Fontaine as seen in Rapture. A statue of Andrew Ryan and the founding principle of Rapture, as seen in the lighthouse. He expresses his philosophy for life in Rapture in a pre-recorded speech delivered to new arrivals: Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?
Elizabeth explains the concept of the lighthouse to Booker. Elizabeth says goodbye to Songbird upon their arrival in Rapture. Would You Kindly?
Works Cited Bioshock. Irrational Games, Video game. Bioshock: Infinite. Mayhew, R. Lexington Books, What do you think? Leave a comment. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. Bioshock BioShock Infinite choice linear gameplay nonlinear gameplay. Posted on Nov 8, by. Christina Airola. MFA dropout. Wielder of B.
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Nov 16, Reply. Nov 18, Reply. Nov 19, Reply. Nov 20, Reply. Nov 24, Reply. Nov 25, Reply. All that being said, there is a moment at the very final minutes of the game where Booker sees Elizabeth, only to suddenly exclaim that it isn't her. Looking closer reveals she's not wearing the pendant you picked out, presumably making her an Elizabeth from another universe.
It's a bit of a mind-bending answer, but should clear things up after a couple of days to process it. If you want something more straightforward in the meantime, why not check here to see how to crack all the Vox Populi ciphers and codes?
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Global Achievements. Though the game, especially at the first half of the game, you are sometimes forced to choose between two options. For example, will you throw the ball at the couple or the announcer, choose the cage or the bird for Elisabeth, shoot Slate or not, pull the gun at the ticket sales and so on. But will these choices affect the game or history in any way, like the choices do in BS1 and BS2?
Or are it completely unimportant? Because I am about to play the game for the second time, and I intentional choose the opposite choice than I did first time, just to see that if have an effect I am about half finish in my second game.
And I don't notice any.
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