Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination to be appreciated primarily for beauty or emotional power. Typically, when one thinks of traditional art forms, paintings and sculptures are the first things to come to mind. However, over time, other mediums have been accepted under the art umbrella. Music, literature, and photography have, over time, been lumped into the art category and, most recently, movies and television have joined the ranks. Now, in the 21stcentury, we have a new medium that is just as large and impactful as those previously mentioned: video games.
Compared to the other forms of art mentioned, video games are most like movies and television. They combine elements of other art forms to create a new type of art. The difference between video games and movies and television, though, is how they are consumed. The participatory nature of video games allows consumers to take a more active role in the way they interact with this particular art form. After all, they are games, but they sometimes are much more. In this piece, I examined a specific game whose artistic qualities reach this higher plain. Today’s game is Bioshock Infinite.
WELCOME TO COLUMBIA
Set in 1912, Bioshock Infinite begins when the main character, Booker DeWitt, is tasked to find and rescue a woman named Elizabeth in order to wipe away his gambling debts. He is brought to a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean where he finds a bathysphere like contraption inside. Instead of taking him underwater, however, it catapults him into the sky to the hidden sky city of Columbia. It is here that Booker must search for and rescue Elizabeth.
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN?
Bioshock Infinite does a lot of similar things compared to the original Bioshock. Just like the original, Bioshock Infinite has great level design, exciting combat, and a compelling narrative. It also has profound ideas throughout the game, similar to the ones that made the original so impactful though it doesn’t simply recycle all the old ideas. Both Columbia and Rapture are scientific marvels and their construction makes sense in the game worlds. While Rapture is more believable in a realistic sense, Columbia has its own unique personality. It is not how the two cities, and therefore two games are similar, but how they are different which warrants this discussion.
THERE IS ALWAYS A LIGHTHOUSE
In this “Video Games ARE Art” article series, there was one where I discussed an entire series in one piece. While I love all of the Dark Souls games and believe each has their own distinctive feel, I didn’t feel they were distinctive enough to warrant their own articles each. Even I, a huge fan who respects the nuances of what makes each of the three games unique, recognize that overall it’s the same gameplay experience.
That is not the case when it comes to Bioshock Infinite in relation to Bioshock. The experience is drastically different between the two games and it is because of what they choose to focus on. In Bioshock, it was all about the deep ideas that created Rapture’s atmosphere. Character, meanwhile, took a backseat. In Bioshock Infinite, the reverse is true.
The characters drive Bioshock Infinite, in particular the relationship between Booker and Elizabeth. They have depth, emotion, and are expertly performed by voice actors Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper. The supporting characters are strong and memorable in their own right, but so were the ones in the original. Meanwhile Jack, the main character from the first game, is a blank slate and has no personality except when it comes to his choices with the little sisters, a choice entirely up to the player. In short, the main character of the original Bioshock is a blank slate. In Bioshock Infinite, you are with two distinct personalities in Booker and Elizabeth. You are emotionally invested from the start and that investment only grows as the game progresses.
There are other key differences as well. While Rapture was a hellish, underwater cityscape, Columbia is a heavenly, sky city with a thriving and pleasant community. The people are warm and accepting of you when you first arrive, the exact opposite of Rapture. In fact, the first half hour of Bioshock Infinite has no combat at all until the drawing and then you’re reminded that this is indeed a Bioshock game. Also, where Rapture was based in the power of mankind, Columbia is based in the power of god. Science does play a heavy role in both cities, but with different effects on the community. The respective leaders are very different as well even though both are self-serving tyrants. Zachary Comstock really plays into his role as a prophet leader, a stark contrast to the businessman Andrew Ryan.
There are many more subtle differences as well that I won’t list here. They are pronounced enough in Bioshock Infinite to truly give a different gaming experience compared to the original. It is much more emotional and dramatic, relying on its characters rather than it’s ideas. For this, and all the reasons mentioned above, I submit that Bioshock Infinite IS Art.