It’s been over 6 weeks since the last morsel of delicious Bioshock Infinite info, with Irrational having temporarily stopped the drip-feed in order to focus making the game the best it can possibly be. Early this morning, after a much-awaited countdown, the Beasts of America trailer was finally released, showing some absolutely mouth-watering gameplay, all of which is in-engine.
We thought we’d dissect the trailer second by second, to help digest such a hearty meal.
0:19 – So begins the trailer, once the branding dies down we are sat in a rowing boat in the middle of a choppy ocean, with a lighthouse in the background. Gee, I wonder what that reminds us all of? Okay, it’s aesthetically miles apart from the opening sequence of the original Bioshock but it’s clearly a deliberate nod back to Jack’s first steps into Rapture.
0:21 – In front of us are two other people in the boat, one rowing facing towards us, face obscured by what seems to be a female facing away. Who could this be? Another Pinkerton agent, perhaps?
0:21 – Through a character’s eyes, we see a box inscribed with ‘Property of Booker DeWitt’. We are presumably Booker at this point and again this box is obviously a nod back to Bioshock.
0:23 – In the box is a rather sexy looking pistol, like a chunky luger. Beside the gun are several pictures and what might be a Skyhook, with a birdcage inscription. Two more pictures are lining the case, one an advert for ‘Monument Island’ depicting an angelic figure, the second a girl in a white dress, perhaps a young Elizabeth.
0:24 – A voice over states ‘bring us the girl and wipe away the debt’, alluding to Booker’s task of rescuing Elizabeth. It seems Booker is quoting his task, referring to himself in the third person.
0:28 – A stunning opening vista from within Columbia, with a rather sexy depth of field and delicious colour palette.
0:29 – A golden sign says ‘Welcome to Momument Island’, the same advert as in Booker’s case. In the background is a huge golden statue of the angelic figure.
0:30 – Booker says ‘the details illude me now. But the details wouldn’t change a goddamn thing’. This suggests Booker may’ve been in Columbia for a good while at this point, or at least some major events to render beforehand insignificant.
0:31 – We see Battleship Bay, a beachy family resort with huge cannons in the background.
0:33 – Next up is the Aerodrome and a Hotel named Soldiers Field, with a very prominent promenade (or boardwalk for y’all Americans) in the foreground.
0:34 – A live demonstration by Bettermen’s Autobodies of “The Handyman”, advertised as allowing the user to “live pain free everymore”, “a modern miracle” and “one simple procedure”. The Handyman himself obscures the bottom of the advertisement, but it seems its purpose is to act as a means of movement for the less bodily abled, accentuated by the ‘before’ and ‘after’ depictions of a hospitalised man becoming mobile again.
0:35 – A mechanical, electric horsey followed by the interior of an ice cream parlour.
0:37 – We see a crowd of men and women all dressed in long white robes. Is this some sort of cult or following? Its members appear to be bowing or at least praying before Booker. Is he their God or leader?
0:39 – Elizabeth appears for the first time, wearing different clothes to the ones we’ve seen before, very much more like a late-Victorian schoolgirl than previously.
0:45 – Is this a new, fire-based enemy? Looks to be soaking up a lot of damage. Looks like a pressure-cooker, gas-powered Big Daddy. This doesn’t appear to be a Handyman, Motorised Patriot, Boys of Silence or a Siren.
0:52 – Skyhook can be used as gruesome weapon, seems like it may only allow contextual kills.
0:54 – Plasm- I mean Vigors look even cooler than before, depicting much more detailed and malformed effects on Booker’s hands.
0:57 – Jumping from the Skyhook seems to facilitate powerful takedowns.
1:02 – Environmental hook objects seem to exist throughout Columbia, so Skyhooks can be used beyond just skyline.
1:05 – Is that Vox populi gunship?
1:08 – The Murder of Crows vigor in action, seems to be rather powerful.
1:10 – A Handyman in action, far more mobile than Big Daddy, packs an electrical punch too.
1:14 – The fire-based vigor is truly vile, but also brilliant. That’s flesh burned to the bone. Perhaps vigors can be dual-wielded?
1:15 – Another new enemy, seemingly crow-based and carrying a coffin on its back. Looks quite like an executioner.
1:17 – Is this the Songbird helping Booker?
1:18 – This silhouetted Boys of Silence looks utterly terrifying and powerful to boot.