“BioShock Infinite” has delivered. After five years of speculation and doubt surrounding the project, the game has surpassed the expectations set for it. Irrational Games, 2k games and creative director Ken Levine have given gamers an ambitious labor of love and thought that has brought the “BioShock” franchise out of the stagnation of limbo and into paradise. Gamers, in Ken Levine we trust.

With that said, the story of “BioShock Infinite” begins simply. Booker Dewitt has problems. An ex-Pinkerton agent with nothing left to hang onto has received a last chance to clear his debt. The task is stated in simple terms:  “Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt.”

However, this is no easy task. The girl, Elizabeth, is kept hidden away in a literal city in the sky, Columbia. Booker must get to Columbia and get Elizabeth to New York unharmed. Booker must also bypass the conflict between Comstock and the Vox Populi. The Vox’s leader, Daisy Fitzroy, aims to change the hierarchy of Columbia and will do anything to make sure Comstock falls.

The world of Columbia is bright and spacious for a city that’s floating in the air. The people of Columbia are set in their nationalistic, religious and racist ideals. They follow their leader, Zachary Comstock, with unwavering devotion even among the trouble that’s brewing with the Vox Populi. All over Columbia there are propaganda ads that let you know how the citizens are to feel about the Vox Populi among other racially charged messages.

Gameplay wise, “BioShock Infinite” delivers more of the same to players who are familiar with the franchise. The Vigors (super powers) are on Booker’s left while the guns are on his right. You switch between each or focus on one over the other depending on your playing style. You can upgrade both guns and Vigors through vending machines.

And while the Vigors are inventive and include some new twists on old favorites, such as electro bolt and incinerate, but are lacking in relation to the plot. In the first “BioShock,” the Plasmids (powers) were involved in Rapture’s evolving genetics race and the citizens purchased them to protect themselves during the war. In Columbia there is no real explanation as to why Vigors are needed by anyone. They’re more of a novelty to Columbians, with only the Vox or the Founders consuming them.

The gameplay of “BioShock Infinite” sets itself apart from its previous iterations through Elizabeth. She gives you anything that you need to assist you in the heat of combat. Too focused on fighting with a group of enemies that your Salts (a liquid that allows you to use Vigors) become dangerously low? Elizabeth will throw a bottle your way. Get yourself backed into a corner with low health? No problem, Elizabeth will throw you some health. She will even find you ammo for the gun you are currently employing.

Elizabeth’s powers are an asset to Booker as well from an offensive standpoint. She can bring objects through Tears (doors through time and space) whether they be a turret, cover or a weapon to aid in combat. With Elizabeth at your side, you are almost invincible.

Outside of combat, the game play is evident to a “BioShock” fan. Get ready to root through tons of desks, trashcans, crates, boxes, and corners. Elizabeth is vital to searching for items such as ammo, health, Salts and most importantly Voxophones (diaries of the citizens). Moreover, Elizabeth’s perk is that she can lock pick doors for you. She will point out lock picks in the environment as well as Voxophones. She will even give you money when she finds it, which is immensely helpful if you want to upgrade your weapons and Vigors.

The downside of Elizabeth scavenging with you is that she will point out objects in the environment which will glow briefly. If you do not look immediately, the glow will disappear and you will miss out on whatever she found. Also, you can only hold thirty lock picks at a time, but Elizabeth will still point them out to you even though you cannot pick up anymore.

In Part 2, we will delve more into the gameplay and the atmosphere of “Bioshock Infinite.”

Image credit: Bioshockinfinity.com

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“BioShock,” since its debut in 2007, has been a franchise that is just gorgeous to look at as well as to play. Six years ago, gamers were introduced to the underwater city of Rapture, which was isolated from society and stuck in the 1950s. Every detail that went into the environment, from water leaking into just about every room, retro vending machines and the posters that hinted at the city’s technology and culture, drew the player in and made them feel trapped in Rapture.

The people behind the “BioShock” franchise have done it again with their new game “BioShock Infinite.” The artwork reflects certain design choices within the game and grants the player with a new atmosphere to become lost in: the floating city of Columbia. The Art of BioShock Infinite published by Dark Horse, grants an in-depth look into the evolution of the design, style and characters within “BioShock Infinite,” with a forward by the Creative Director of Irrational Games, Ken Levine, with commentary by Julian Murdoch and Dorian Hart.

The art book gives an adequate amount of attention to every aspect of the development process without overwhelming the reader with technical terms. Certain enemies that are seen in the finished game have different appearances, textures, appendages or just were scraped all together while core concepts were kept. What is truly beautiful and telling is the artwork of Columbia itself. Vast open spaces with towering buildings give the viewer a sense of the city while the darkness and degradation of the environment give an uneasy vibe, as if there is something going on behind the scenes.

The main characters of “BioShock Infinite,” Elizabeth and Booker, have gone through their iterations as well, until just the right look portrayed the characters correctly. Elizabeth in particular has a multitude of pages dedicated to her facial features and attire, which gives the viewer an appreciation for her polished final design.

Artist Robb Waters hints upon the difficult relationship Elizabeth has with the Songbird in one single image. Elizabeth stands next to the immense creature with one hand placed on it, as if petting the creature with a look of sadness on her face. The Songbird’s evolution is quite interesting to see. From early sketches that resemble that of a “Big Daddy with wings” the artists transformed the Songbird into a different creature altogether. The Songbird gives off an avian vibe with a mechanical tick that is both fascinating and terrifying. Is it truly a bird? Is it purely mechanical? This is something the player will have to find out within the game.

The only qualm is in the design of the main protagonist, Booker Dewitt. In his early iterations, Booker’s facial features had character. One example of this was that the bridge of his nose looked swollen, giving the rest of his face a fighter kind of look. However, in his polished design he appears to be a mix of Nathan Drake (“Uncharted”) and a younger looking Joel (“The Last of Us”). The commentary points to a necessary “everyman” look. The game industry is obsessed with the attractive white male in his thirties with a little scruff on his face, but it is becoming old hat. Would a less attractive leading male have been too much in a first person game which, according to Ken Levine, only shows Booker’s face in a reflection?

The art book makes up for this setback by giving an intriguing look at the game’s powers, which the player obtains by consuming Vigors. Vigors are given their very own chapter which sheds light onto the numerous designs of the bottles as well as the physical transformation of Columbia’s citizens that become addicted to them.  Their bodies are grotesquely affected as a result.

Propaganda art work is a staple within the “BioShock” franchise. Posters littered around the city give the player insight concerning the social and cultural goings on around the city and that time period. The chapter on the propaganda of Columbia is reminiscent of the propaganda from the nineteenth century. They portray an America worried about foreigners deluding the American standard and values.

At the same time, propaganda posters for the civil war between The Founders and the Vox Populi add to the tension within the city. The leader of the Vox, Daisy Fitzroy, also has her own designs, as the artist strove to create a compelling leader for the revolution.

Last, one of the most interesting aspects of Columbia is the Sky-Hook. Sky-Hooks are the method of transportation between the floating sections of Columbia. They resemble roller coasters, except a character hangs by one arm. The design of the Sky-Hook is highly intricate, which gives a sense that they would actually exist. Irrational Games has produced some for the eager collector to own. As if the Sky-Hook was not innovative in itself, it can also be used in combat. There are several exciting renderings of the Sky-Hook maiming enemies.

Throughout The Art of BioShock Infinite the viewer is treated to a behind the scenes look at how concepts and designs are drawn up and evolve within the game design process. Many concepts do not make the cut, but the ones that do are the polished and truly unique ideas that make the finished game worth experiencing. This is an art book not only for the discerning collector, but a must buy for any fan of the “BioShock” franchise.

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“BioShock Infinite” is set in 1912 at the height of American exceptionalism. Booker Dewitt is sent to the city in the sky, Columbia, with the mission of retrieving a woman named Elizabeth from captivity amidst a civil war between two factions: the Vox Populi and the Founders.

Developer Irrational Games (the original team behind the first BioShock released in 2007) has been slowly, painstakingly slowly, building BioShock Infinite since 2010. Three years of “content in progress” videos, concept art, gameplay videos and most recently released the actual first five minutes of the game. Ken Levine, co-founder of Irrational Games, has been resolute in Irrational’s development of Infinite even as some employees left Irrational in the middle of Infinite’s development.

Despite setbacks, fans were still excited, that is until Levine discussed the target audience for BioShock Infinite. Apparently, Levine and his team intended the game to appeal to gamers who are fans of games like the “Call of Duty” franchise. Levine has interviewed these fans in an effort to understand what makes them play certain games over others. It is understandable that Irrational Games would want a demographic that is as lucrative as the young male demographic since they buy the same types of games over and over again. However, this means some things about the game will be tailored to that demographic; such as the protagonist, Booker Dewitt, being the only featured character on the box art. This is questionable because there are two main characters: Booker and Elizabeth. Irrational made an attempt to remedy this by having fans vote on a reversible cover.

In classic “BioShock” style, the player is aided by supernatural powers. These powers are gained by ingesting “Vigors” and grant the player control over elements such as electricity or even crows. Dewitt’s partner, Elizabeth, comes with her own power which only she has control over: the ability to summon objects through space and time to assist the player in combat situations. She brings objects called “Tears,” which can be determined from their gray, fragmented appearance over objects nearby. For example the player may come under heavy fire and may want Elizabeth to bring a cover into the space from another reality. She can do so only if a “Tear” allows her to. In addition, Elizabeth’s abilities cannot be overused as they require a cool down period, causing the player to think about every “Tear” they use.

Moreover, the actual gameplay is akin to a free for all, all out chaos with enemies shooting, tears being ripped open by Elizabeth, Dewitt being hurled from skyline to skyline while using his “Vigors” and guns to aid him. Such a dynamic combat system is overwhelming to watch and take in. However, when one has the controller in their hands they could become lost in the combat and feel more immersed in Dewitt’s role as the one who needs to protect Elizabeth and escape the madness that Columbia has become. The tag team dynamic that Elizabeth and Dewitt share can only give the player more choices on how to handle a particular fight, which in the end is a positive and intriguing aspect of the gameplay.

Another interesting aspect of “BioShock Infinite” is the “1999 mode” which is much more than a hardest difficulty setting. The player will need to plan out every single choice they make in order to survive. Ken Levine states on the BioShock Infinite website that “1999 Mode will demand that players pick specializations, and focus on them.” This mode promises to frustrate gamers, but in a good way. Levine advises to save often in result.

In the meantime, players who pre-ordered any version of “BioShock Infinite” can play the online flash puzzle game “Industrial Revolution.” In the game you are a worker in a factory and it is your choice whether you want to support the Vox Populi or the Founders. In line with BioShock heritage, the choice the player makes effects the story. The player is also able to unlock money and powers that they can use in “Infinite” when it is released.

Irrational has also jumped on the special edition bandwagon in which players have a choice of two editions: “Premium Edition”($79.99 USD) or the “Ultimate Songbird Edition”($149.99 USD). Both editions come with unlockables, an artbook, keychain, handyman figurine, avatars and themes for the Xbox 360 or PS3. The only major difference is the “Ultimate Songbird Edition” comes with a statue of the Songbird, the monster that holds Elizabeth captive. The player has a choice to make here as well:  is a statue worth the price of $149.99? According to Ken Levine, it is. Moreover, in addition to all of these goodies, on January 22, 2013, Irrational announced an e-book, “BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt,” will be free for gamers that pre-ordered with Amazon.com. The prequel covers the lead up to the events in “Infinite” and delves deeper into the conflict between the Vox Populi and the Founders.

“BioShock Infinite” will finally be released on March 26, 2013. As one of the most highly anticipated games in the New Year, one can only hope Levine has not let fans down. As Levine said in an interview with Adam Sessler, “Columbia is the memory of America that people think existed that never really quite existed.” Just from viewing trailers from the game, Levine and Irrational have definitely brought to life a highly concentrated version of American idealism from long ago.

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Last Friday, three U.S. Secret Service agents resigned over the sex scandal in Colombia, as the result of a boozed-filled party with prostitutes in Cartagena prior to President Obama’s visit on April 14 to attend the Summit of the Americas.

The agents’ party came to light when Dania Suarez, a 24-year-old single mother, made a disturbance after one of the agents refused to pay her the agreed amount of $800 to spend a night with him. After the local police and hotel security were brought in, the fuss finally got back to the Secret Service superiors. There was supposedly 20 prostitutes at the party and authorities are probing whether some of them were underage girls.

Nine out of 12 agents allegedly involved have resigned or are going to be forced out, while three of them were cleared of serious misconduct. The U.S. military is also investigating the other 12 servicemen who were in Columbia helping the agents. The White House did an investigation to determine if any of its personnel were engaged in the notorious incident, but announced Monday that there was no evidence that proves these employees were involved.

“There was no indication that any member of the White House advance team engaged in any improper conduct or behavior,” said Press Secretary Jay Carney. The White House clearly wants to keep the scandal at arm’s length since Carney insisted the White House Communication Agency, despite its name, is not a member of White House staff. He said, “They are not chosen by the White House staff. These are military personnel staffed by the military.”

Representative Peter King, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, posed the question of whether federal money was used and if agents had weapons and classified materials in the rooms in which they brought the prostitutes.  He said, “whether any of those foreign nationals (prostitutes) had access to any information that could have compromised the U.S. President or that could make an enemy force aware of the practices and procedures of the Secret Service.” King also wanted to find out whether the incident was part of a pattern. “Was it an aberration- something that happens once every 1,000 times – or something that is condoned?”

The embarrassing incident has drawn the attention of lawmakers onto the security and the work of the elite protection agency. The authorities also argued that this kind of incident might not happen if there were more women in the Secret Service Agency, where females make up only about 11 percent of agents and uniformed officers. This is considerably lower than the 19 percent of female special agents in the FBI.

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan provided detailed responses to 50 questions by Peter King relating to the embarrassing case, the tarnished image of the Secret Service and a possible security breach. In an interview with CNN Tuesday night, Peter King said that Sullivan revealed that three of the agents involved refused to do the polygraph test. These agents were the first people who were forced to leave after the scandal disclosed.

Wednesday morning, King said that no security breach arose from the secret agents in relation to the Colombian hookers. “We know that it appears that no material was obtained by any of the prostitutes, nothing is missing, all the BlackBerrys are accounted for, there was no president’s schedule available. It does not appear that any of the 12 women had any involvement other than prostitution.”

However, he supposed this incident opposed the principles of the Secret Service and that this is an opportunity for the Secret Service to fix the mistake and do everything that they can to make sure that this will never happen again. 

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Jack White has often been referred to as one of the most talented musicians of the last decade. In 2011, the White Stripes, the rock band composed of Jack and Meg White, broke up. The band rose to prominence during the 2000s and continue to be recognized through and associated worldwide with their biggest hit “Seven Nation Army.”

After the band disbanded, Jack White’s musical future was unclear. He collaborated with different kind of musicians such as Dead Weather, Tom Jones, The Raconteurs, and Insane Clown Posse, with whom White explored new and very particular ways of approaching music.

Now, the Detroit-born artist is returning to the music scene as a complete musician, announcing the release of his first solo album ‘Blunderbuss’, due on April 23-24. The record will be produced by White’s self-owned record label Third Man Records in collaboration with Columbia.

Jack White declared that ‘Blunderbuss’ is “an album I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

The first single from the album, ‘Love Interruption’, was released on the 30th of January and is now available for streaming on Jack White’s website and for purchasing on the main digital music platforms. The single will also be released as a 7-inch vinyl edition on the 7th of February; it will contain ‘Love Interruption’ and the non-album track B-side ‘Machine Gun Silhouette’. The vinyl edition of the single is already available for pre-order on White’s website.

The critically acclaimed artist will surprise the audience with this very particular track as the introduction of the new album. Love Interruption is a gentle track built on keyboard and acoustic guitar; it taps into folk and country, giving the impression that White chose to walk a path for his solo career that differs from the powerful rock that has previously characterized the artist.

The lyrics are quite dark, with White saying he wants love to “stick a knife inside me, and twist it all around” and “change my friends to enemies and show me how it’s all my fault.” This dark feeling, though, is then smoothed by what seems to be a raise of self consciousness and a positive attitude of self preservation with the chorus “I won’t let love disrupt, corrupt, or interrupt me anymore.”

As if the bulk and talent of Jack White’s achievements so far was not enough to awake the interest of most music lovers, this single has given the audience an additional reason to raise their expectations for the upcoming album release.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikekatzif/

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The U.S. Conference of Mayors and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company announced the recipients of the 2012 ‘GRO1000’ Gardens and Green Spaces Grant Awards Program. The grants, which focus on improving our nation’s cities through the development of community gardens and green spaces, were announced at The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 80th Winter Meeting in Washington, DC.

This year’s winning cities are:

• Baltimore – Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
• Columbia, SC – Mayor Steven Benjamin
• Cleveland – Mayor Frank Jackson
• Corpus Christi, Texas – Mayor Joe Adame
• San Francisco – Mayor Edwin Lee

“Over the last several years, The Conference has pushed for cities to develop community gardens to enhance the health and quality of life in our neighborhoods,” said Conference President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “This new Grant Awards Program shines an important spotlight on mayoral efforts to support innovative gardens and green spaces.”

Through a new partnership with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro, more cities across the nation will be able to enjoy the benefits of gardens and green spaces. The partnership awards grants to cities for the creation of innovative public gardens and green spaces and recognizes mayoral stewardship in the development of urban greenscapes.

“The importance that a garden can have in a community is irrefutable,” said ScottsMiracle-Gro CEO Jim Hagedorn. “We were inspired by the innovative ways that mayors across America are using gardens and green spaces to improve their cities. From fostering urban revitalization to developing edible gardens for its citizens, the winners of these grants truly demonstrate the power that gardens can have in a community.

“We are proud to provide support for these efforts and look forward to helping each of these cities bring their projects to life.”

The winning cities were selected by a panel of former mayors and national garden experts from a pool of more than 80 applicants. Grants, in the amount of $25,000 from ScottsMiracle-Gro, were awarded to five cities.

“Mayors understand that gardens and green spaces are important to the quality of life for their residents, and the Conference of Mayors, in partnership with ScottsMiracle-Gro, is pleased to be able to provide grants to help them expand green spaces in their cities,” said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director.

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