We knew that Irrational was working on a new game, and we knew that it would be announced this week, but the debut of BioShock: Infinite, due out at the end of 2012, still caught us by surprise.
BioShock: Infinite is a prequel to the games in Rapture. Set in the floating city of Columbia in 1912, the graphical focus seems to be on the early days of American expansionism. You play as a Booker DeWitt, a disgraced Pinkerton Detective Agency agent, and you are hired by a mysterious benefactor that is aware of the floating city of Columbia, to find and rescue a woman named Elizabeth, who was abducted as a girl.
From the official website, www.whatisicarus.com, the synopsis reads:
BioShock Infinite is a first-person shooter currently in development at Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock (which sold over 4 million units worldwide). Set in 1912, BioShock Infinite introduces an entirely new narrative and gameplay experience that lifts players out of the familiar confines of Rapture and rockets them to Columbia, an immense city in the sky.
Former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt has been sent to rescue Elizabeth, a young woman imprisoned in Columbia since childhood. Booker develops a relationship with Elizabeth, augmenting his abilities with hers so the pair may escape from a city that is literally falling from the sky. DeWitt must learn to fight foes in high-speed Sky-Line battles, engage in combat both indoors and amongst the clouds, and harness the power of dozens of new weapons and abilities.
Check out the trailer below and prepare to begin two solid years of speculation and scrutiny until the release of BioShock: Infinite.
