I did the same and found out it was optimal, you can buff the wrench until you're oneshotting the weaklings. And fontaine doesn't know what to do about some fucker with a wrench.
Ted Cruz "I'd like to share a few excerpts from one of my favorite books, 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand." --- "Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam I Am, I do not like green eggs and ham." 10/10 cackled out loud
This was definitely worth the wait Well done, mate There are so many people out there who shit on games to get rage clicks or just because people enjoy negativity, but the criticism in this video comes from a place of love. That's such an unbelievably nice change of pace.
I've always told myself and everyone who was willing to listen that Bioshock Infinite is a great game, but is not truly Bioshock. However, I could never quite express the reasons as to why that was except "the atmosphere looks different". Thank you for making a better argument about it than I ever could. I now will surely win all discussions I have with myself about this game.
Very disappointing how Infinite's political commentary was so watered down and displaced with some weird father daughter fantasy and awful non sensical quantum physics bullshit.
Survival horror as a little sister...I want that so bad now I may weep openly. So man of todays problems can be traced to marketing having too much of say in developing products as opposed to just advertising them.
Poor marketing people are just doing their jobs, the blame is the ballooning budgets and companies pushing expensive hardware. Why the hell your thoughtful political satire needs perfect water reflections or thermodynamic horse balls?
Theory: Would a better alternative to "Making You Feel Bad" for harvesting Little Sisters instead be to make Jack slowly turn into a Splicer each time he harvests one? Like, the interface get's blurrier and it get's more difficult to use the more intelligence-based abilities like hacking and cameras?
No. The ludonarrative theme is "Do what is best for you, even if at the expense of others". Instead, each time you save a little sister it should spike up the difficulty. It shouldn't give you a big Adam reward for helping the little sisters. In fact, you should get 0 Adam for helping the little sisters. The game should stomp your balls for helping the little sisters. The game should drive you to rationalize being a depraved child murderer to make things just ever so slightly easier. To help yourself, even if at the expense of others.
@@asthmeresivolisk3129 Wasn't the entire arc about Ryan having that attitude and how it ruined his little paradise? Wouldn't it be the narrative's goal to be: "Being selfish is bad"?
@@thebighurt2495 Yes, yes it was... in layman's terms. Essentially the message was twofold. The meta narrative (formed around the gameplay itself) is that you're a slave to the game's objectives and to a larger extent Frank Fontaine. The ludonarrative however tried to marry your desire to survive at all costs in this hellish landscape with the game mechanics supporting the opposing ideologies of altruism and objectavism. The key word here is tried. The game shouldn't make you feel bad for killing the little sisters because of 2 reasons. 1. Any sane and decent person would find it obvious that killing a child is pure evil. So making you feel bad for doing so is unnecessary. 2. In order to hammer in the destructive effects of objectavism the game should PUSH you to compromise your morals to achieve your goals, without making you feel like a monster in the moment. Video games give players the unique opportunity to experience a story in a more personal and active fashion. You are the pilot behind the scenes in a game and YOU make the decisions. By making the choice to spare the little sisters exponentially more burdensome for your character or would reveal "who you are in the dark". If you transformed over the course of the game the message would feel more like you were being hit over the head with an anvil, obviously killing children is wrong, you don't have to make my metaphorical transformation into a monster that blatant. Instead it is far more effective for a player to be pt in the position where they justify and rationalize their child killing tendencies with the concept of "the ends justify the means" so that at the end of the game, when their victory is hollow because killing little sisters makes you a physical god and nothing in the game challenges you anymore... then you can reflect on the monster you've become. Was all that bloodshed necessary? Did you really think what you did was okay? At that point you'd pick up the game again and trudge through the experience anew, with a new goal. To save the kids, even if it makes the game insanely difficult. You would experience the themes of the game first hand, the power of a megalomaniac thirsty for power and objectivist to the core. And that of an altruist who silently suffers to save something seemingly "insignificant" to the "big man". That's why I say make the game crush you for making the right choice. Because doing the right thing is obvious, but it's also not easy.
@@asthmeresivolisk3129 I don't get why people think the theme is "Do what interests you" instead of "Because some rich fucks don't have limits, you don't have a choice". If anything, the difficulty should spike up and you should harvest the girls not for your own benefit, but to complete the mission you're obligated to complete.
Bioshock 1 flashed me when I first played it and it still does after playing it for the 500th time! Just an artistic masterpiece. So immersive, goddamn.
IMO bioshock infinite is a bunch of poor decisions executed so well that that you only realize they were poor when you stop and look back at it all, but not while it's in motion with you in the middle.
@Hung Low I really like infinite, i replayed it 4 times. The main reason (atleast i think why) why so many people including me like the game is because it doesn't really give the player time to think. you don't ask questions because you are to distracted by things happening around you, like setpieces, reality hopping and many combat encounters. And yes I enjoyed it because it didn't get semmy for me, but the people who can see past all the distractions will see a very messy gameplot with some glarring plot-holes. The poor things are hidden really well because of all the "smoke and mirrors" serounding it.
I can't stress how good this whole video is. That last quote from jordan thomas is an incredible highlight of what problem with the industry as a whole, and likely one of the reasons Infinite ended up the way it did. Because its not about being interesting. Not about telling a story. Not about feeling good to play. Its about being "Big". About trying to be something that already exists in the medium. Different is bad, be like the others so we can share in their success. I think the ending of Infinite isn't just saying "yeah its a game, and also its bioshock". Its a warning. One that can be seen in the quote by Jordan Thomas. Bioshock 2 was supposed to be an atmospheric horror game, but that wasn't enough. Bioshock needed its Lighthouse. Its Big daddy. Its City. Its Man. Its hero. The end of Infinite wants to break this cycle. It is begging the world to let them do something else. Make Bioshock like youve never seen it. It doesnt need a lighthouse, or its city. It doesnt need ryan, or comstock. But people see bioshock as a formula, and those are its ingredients. As bioshock infinite ends, as you're drown by endless possibilities that are all ultimately the same, a song plays. The circle is unbroken. Bioshock wants to break that circle. It wants out. But in the end, they couldnt do it. Tied down by executives and time constraints and creative limitations, they tried to do the only thing they could still do. Kill it. If they cant break the circle by changing the format, they can always kill their own game. But it didn't work. It was moved to a new studio. and the circle remains unbroken.
I can't believe I watched an over hour long youtube video on a subject I have very little interest in (video games in general) and specifically about a game that I literally have no knowledge of. Your insight and commentary was that entertaining.
@@DJPeachCobbler Mr. Cobbler, Or is DJ a title like Dr.? Thank your for your reply. I can imagine you eventually branching off as a narrator, as in audio books or even live public address events. If our paths ever cross I will recommend you for such narrations. I wish you a peachy day sir.
@@DJPeachCobbler I feel if you came from a place of passion for the game your insight would've been better. Take a look at my comment on vita chambers. I love your videos, especially since they open me up to new ideas and perspectives. I may not always agree but I still watch to see what your take is.
I heard "Is a man not entitled to his little girls?" had to be used because the Catholic Church was using the term "Is a man not entitled to his little boys?"
The saddest aspect about Bioshock Infinite is the knowledge that the thing you care about most being direct a result of your greatest failure. And in the blind attempt to correct that failure, you unknowingly sacrifice that with which you care about most. Elizabeth in Bioshock infinite only exists as a direct result of the action made by both Booker DeWitt and Zachary Comstock. With out these characters/events, Elizabeth doesn't exist. So when you see the ending where Booker is being drowned, it is also the drowning of Elizabeth. Because even in the world where Booker wakes up and finds Anna in her cradle, there is no Comstock. Which means there is no debt, which means the events that create Elizabeth never happen. There by, Elizabeth doesn't exist. The correction of a mistake at the cost of a life robbed of it's innocence.
I just want to say, Bioshock 1's wrench is heavily underrated, I finished the game on max difficulty using mostly the wrench, weapons were reserved for bosses and daddies. With the right perks one can almost 1 or 2 shot all other mobs in the game using only wrench.
yeah i playd on hard and you only need the strenght perk with the lighting and healing on hacking (with the adam for healing for infine supply of that adam you waste on hacking every robot you see) even when i used plentifully the guns in bioshock i could drop them for the extra challenge with no regret (i was actually using them because i had so much ammo because the little flying bots chipped down the health of the enemies)
If you haven't already, check out System Shock 2. Irrational games helped make it alongside Looking Glass studios (who they used to work for, before splitting to make their own studio), and it is very VERY much the life blood of BioShock 1, wrench included. I ran through that entire game beating the shit out of mutants and robots with a metal stick and some stim packs. Plus a mean lady spits on you the entire game if you're into that sort of thing.
Ya know. This was the first game i played completely by myself when gamefly was a new thing. I was 8. And this game had a dramatic effect on me as a person. For many others it was farcry 3. For me it was this game. Ive replayed this game for years because i loved showing the passion of what this game is to people. DJ Peach Cobbler is a youtuber i just found. And i completely respect. In my eyes he couldn't have said what i thought of this game better if i sat down and thought about it for a month. He has my utter respect for how he went about reviewing this series. And more than deserves a like and subscribe. At the very least from me. For paying the game that defined my morals as a person, the proper respect it deserves. Thank you.
I think what Bioshock said in the end is pretty clear. It is and was meant to be (especially with addition of Burial at Sea) a game about personal redemption, repaying debt, and everyone's capability of both good and evil. But the rest of it - fascism, religion and political commentary is pretty much fluff that may be was meant to be something more but ended up as a decoration. And at the end of the day it is a great story of redemption and personal choices. And a very fun game.
Yeah I think this one was one thing he missed when talking about the ending of Infinite. Always a man/city/lighthouse isn’t said to tie the game to the franchise but to show how the tools of backdrop themes of objectivity or fascism are used to tell the universal story of how we choose to get through life. How do we deal with loss? Do we force the world around us to control and reshape our lives no matter who we step on? Do we deal with our own suffering by making others suffer? What are we willing to sacrifice to numb our realities? There’s always someone disillusioned with life wanting to control it or someone who led a life of loss, there’s always a means to suppress or redirect that disillusionment or loss with great works, addiction or structured belief, and there’s always a point or light of examination either shined on by others or at the end of our lives where we have to judge whether our actions were worth it. These are the definitive themes Bioshock in its end explored. A universal theme of the struggle of life.
Welp... I found your channel because UA-cam with his mind-reading powers suggested me your Far Cry 3 video right when I was near finishing it for the first time, and I really liked it what you said, you helped me analize deeper what I thought at the beginning was just "A repetitive gameplay", and when I saw that you were talking about one of my favorite game franchises, I knew I had to watch it ASAP... I nearly cried with the ending. Thank you for your videos, your critiques and everything, because I really needed something like that. I've been feeling really bad about games in general, I couldn't just enjoy them anymore for some reason, and your videos helped me remember why I love videogames in the first place. It's really cool to see somebody that cares about the story/plot of a game, and really wants the industry to become better. Your videos just inspired me, and you have a new subscriber. P.S: Sorry for any mistakes that I made, I'm very emotional right now and English is not my first language.
I think Bioshock: Infinite is riddled with meaningless choices not to critique the gaming industry or the lack of freedom the player has, but to emphasise the overarching idea that everything that Booker did has happened, is happening, and will happen again with a predetermined ending; rendering anything he attempts to do ultimately futile. The quote "There's always a lighthouse, there's always a man, and there's always a city" represents the most essential driver of Bioshock's narrative. The meaninglessness of your actions only emphasises your powerlessness to break the continuum, and it's why you have to die at the end to truly liberate yourself and Elizabeth. Just my interpretation though! I love your videos and I love how they can provoke these discussions. Keep up the incredible work!!
This entire video basically cements my love for NieR: Automatas ludonarrative harmony and even more, its E ending Because that game did what bioshock did right, and fixed what went wrong. Absolutely perfect
Im not sure that applies to that game. 2b litteraly gets off murder and combat for 9s was tedious until he becomes bloodthirsty. Edit: oh sorry i missread
There's a certain irony to a property that criticizes free market capitalism getting stripped of all meaning by corporate executives, trying to milk the franchise.
There's a menu option to outright disable Vita-Chambers in Bioshock 1 and 2. That's my recommended way to play the game, especially on hard. It's not difficult to stockpile resources on hard if you don't mind a bit of save scumming now and then, and have a solid build that lets you efficiently kill enemies.
I'm glad someone said this a year ago. Im listening to this now and I was scratching my head on why he would have so much trouble with hard mode. Maybe its because I enjoy harder then fuck games but I was able to run through survivor difficulty with no vita chambers on bioshock 1 rather easily. If you are able to use the environment and plan your attack with grenade traps or even just running backward using the corners to train a big daddy you can do it consistently. Even rosie variants have a set shooting speed you can time dodging and shooting back. Bioshock infinite's ghost mama fight can suck my nads though. I wasn't able to beat it on 1999 mode and no buying resupply in one run because the ghosts don't drop ammo and I was running out of it constantly making me die over and over without progress. It was only after I gave in and bought some ammo that she randomly died as I walked into the arena. Still salty about that.
Seriously, when he was complaining about respawns and difficulty I was just thinking, keep the difficulty up, turn off vita chambers, and use manual saves. Those 3 simple things would literally solve like half of his complaints about bio shock 1.
NEVER DISABLE IN REMASTERED VERSIONS! after a while your save file will get randomly corrupted, and your last autosave will begin from hours earlier (looking at you arcadia).
Many people don't get the fact it takes a deep appreciation for an art form to do deep dive critiques. Thank you for being so well thought through with your ideas.
Man, I love it when you look back at games, dissect them, and encourage us to look deeper into games and think critically about them. Bravo! This is only the second retrospective I've seen of yours, but I think I now understand the kind of effort you put into these and so I can't wait to watch more!
This is such a well-written, well-edited, insightful, and hilarious gem! You're like Joseph Anderson's funnier cousin. I hope your channel blows up! On a Bioshock note: have you tried playing hard mode with Vita Chambers disabled? It makes the combat feel a lot more tactical and can be quite fun. Also, gotta say I was a bit disappointed you don't hate Infinite as much as I do 😅
Thanks! I love Joseph Anderson, that means a lot. When you play with vita-chambers disabled, does it kick you back to the last save? I can't believe I just didn't try that, I guess I didn't look at the settings much, I must've glossed over it.
@@DJPeachCobbler Yes, your only option on death is to reload a save. Technically it's possible to slip into save scumming, but I try to only save before Big Daddy fights and after major battles. Would recommend it if you ever do a replay!
@Hung Low infinite plays this trick with their story that makes you think ur a genuis for understanding it when in reality its extremly bullshit and contrived. Also the game brings up racism and then blue balls you by both doing nothing with it and not saying anything of worth.
Beautifully crafted video. A tough pill to swallow as Bioshock is my favorite game ever made and I am very attached to the series since my childhood. But this video managed to confirm all the gripes I had with the series and open my eyes to them even more. There were some things I didn't agree with but everything else was spot on.
You seem to be one of the few people on this platform that doesn't give a shit about the opinionated standards on how to do things, and you try to tell something with Love and with Clarity but without hesitation and fear. I love that. Never lose that quality. You are putting a good standard on critiques as a whole for doing so.
Here's me, an average Turkish person that is about to sleep, but then i hear the joke at 23:21 it made me laugh and takes all the sleep away. Now im crying, why do i exist? Why is Shrek green?
This man giving me goosebumps. Like holy hell your ability to make a cohesive narrative over multiple games picking apart and analyzing pieces I didn't even think of is amazing. It brings a whole new view and light to an amazing series of games.
I just gotta say, I found this channel two days ago and have binged almost all your videos. Keep up the good work and I hope your channel continues to grow.
I'm only around 15 min in so far and I was surprised to hear you complain about the difficulty. I'm generally not a fan of playing on their harder/hardest difficulties but Bioshock 1 on Survivor with vita-chambers turned off (arguably easier with vita-chambers off imo) was an experience I thought was actually pretty fun with really tough early period that generally levels out over time and becomes very manageable with the exception of the final part of the game. It really forces you to explore everything which I liked a lot. Anyways, I am enjoying the video. Solid stuff.
didn't even know you could turn them off. what happens when you die? just spawn at the beginning of a load zone? or does it have more of a checkpoint system
Only just discovered your channel but by damn is it amazing! Settling back to listen to an hour of this has been a true joy! Thank you so much for putting all the effort into making it not only really funny but also really engaging!
I was going to be very pissed off if Peach Cobbler ignored the fact that the MC was being controlled the whole time, and that Atlas wasn't really ... real.
While I don't fully agree with you on everything you said in the video, this is genuinely one of the best video essays on UA-cam. It made me think about this franchise in a way I hadn't even considered before. All I can say is, keep up the good work pie man.
If I had to pick a lesson about something, it would be that we can't just forget the past. Booker being reborn into comstock after all those atrocities he commited just ked to more of the same atrocities. If we forget the past, we are condemned to repeat it. Always a city, always a man, always a lighthouse.
They aimed for the stars. I think the result of these games is amazing, even for their flaws. I wish more developers would actually push boundaries like this.
Man I really lost it at the "IRS" thing I have *not* laughed at a UA-cam video joke that hard this was a first. I also really love your sense of humor man it's legendary.
I love bioshock. It's one of my all time favorite series to play. I remember being in awe at the setting of the original and the idea behind it all. Really stuck with my. I really enjoyed Infinite as well. The book that was written as a prequel to the original is really good. Haven't finished reading it yet
Not really. There is a body count and if you go above it everyone is a well developed character, if you go below it, everyone is happy fun land people where the only person who is evil is a cartoon villain.
@@damobeck1 yeah it’s more like a test to see if you don’t want to have fun and use the plethora of cool spells and weapons to kill these copy/paste guards and soldiers who will attack on sight and are nameless and play no role in the story besides obstacles. Dishonored is an action game with tacky stealth and shit “morality” system. Drop mic 🎤
that's not really what "ludonarrative dissonance" is about, though - harmony isn't about having choice, it's having the gameplay and story support each other. LISA deliberately undermines many of the choices you make, but it works since it goes to show you that you don't always have very much control over the sort of person you want to be.
@@damobeck1 Dishonored also counts if you rob people and shops, if you're alerting enemies and civillians, if you use rats (or bloodflies) and I think that's more than just body count. It counts in, but not only that.
@@luisfuentes3846 I really liked the stealth aspect personally, one of the best stealth systems in any game. Other than that, you're right about the game as a whole.
When your main antagonist is an atlas shrugged reference with their name being a phonetic anagram of 'Ayn Rand', you know you're in for one HELL of a shitpost. I love bioshock so much! Good work on this video. I really enjoy your stuff
Firstly, thank you for the actual good criticism. I played the games a couple of years ago and they were an incredible experience. And I did saw reactions claiming there were big problems with the games or they were pretentious and such, so I avoided critical reviews (especially if they seemed on the "let's tear it down" side) because the stories and characters, even with flaws, made me fall in love with them. I'm relatively new to this sort of games. I started with Skyrim and it blew my mind. Storywise, it wasn't very memorable, but the experience and the potential were there, and so I started playing other games. And i found Bioshock. Maybe it was the novelty of it all, but the impact it left on me was unexpected. The games are not perfect and you tackled the flaws really well. And i was scared I guess that all that magic and story will get muddled if i let myselft criticise them. Its good to give good criticism and be aware of mistakes or flaws. But as you said, a good game makes you feel something, and all of the Bioshock games did, quite profoundly. When I saw in your video old Jack's hand being held by his family, or the ending of Infinite or hearing Elizabeth's theme I felt the emotion building up and I had to hold my tears back. So the feeling are still there and I am grateful that I got to experience them.
Cobbler, you’re a writer. A damn good one at that. Your channel is hands down my favorite channel on UA-cam (I found you 5 days ago!) besides maybe Dunkey, but he’s just a goofball. You, you’re an artist, a god of thought, understanding, and writing. You analyzed Bioshock and why it’s so meaningful with its impact like how teachers have been analyzing every detail of Shakespeare stories for centuries. You’ve inspired me by showing me that you do what I love to do. Take a lot of time to understand something to the point where you create something out of nothing, Bioshock’s Beautiful Failure, and that’s what made me enjoy your art.
I know you probably aren't reading comments over half a year after its release, but I would like to throw my hat into the ring and share what I personally think Infinite is about and how It's gameplay can, in a certain point of view, support the story To me, the over the top nature of Booker's backstory is in an of itself satire. Satire on the edgy nature of game protagonists. And the whole "There is always a lighthouse etc" is a reference to shooter games in general Most all have the same base story beats and mechanics. You are some special character, be it a special forces operator or a mythical being. You go to exotic locations and fight crazy enemies that are just as over the top as your character. Guns are all pretty much fitting the archetype of "Sniper, Pistol, Rifle etc". Those are constants Variables are the gimmicks. Leaning, ordering a squad, fighting on a different planet, fighting in a sunken city. The thing to me that makes me view Booker as a unique character is that, for all his flaws as a character, he tells a compelling message. All other shooter games, the protagonist shoots or stabs or strangles the bad guy and goes home. But no matter how hard Booker fought, he only made things worse for both him and his daughter. So by the end its Booker accepting that he cannot win and simply to die that truly he beats the game. He stops perpetuating the violence that ruled his life, and goes out relatively peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. To end the cycle. To end the cycle of repetitive games with nothing to say The DLC, Burial at Sea however hits an important note. No one event will end that cycle. These games will always be made, so long as there is demand. But hey, I'm no professional critic. We are all allowed to have different opinions
I played through bioshock without the vita chambers (i didn't really know that's even how they worked) Instead I just made saves and when I was about to die went to my save, since this is what I usually do. I found the game very fun to play and the combat very enjoyable thanks to this. Perhaps others could try this, they too might enjoy it.
It’s funny because MATN said Fallout 4 has perfect ludonarrative harmony because of the scavenger aspect and the mechanics that come with it, but fails to realize that it kills the aspect of role playing when 1/3 of the game is settlement building and scavenging
A video I truly truly like and value. I don't have much to say except this. Always loved your channel and loved Bioshock so just commenting to show my support both to you and for algorithm.
this might be my favorite youtube video ever, since it has been released i have watched it 10 times and every time i take away something diffrent to think about
I'd love to! They're just a huge time commitment, which is a problem since this isn't my job. But I'm sure I'll do another when I have an idea worth suffering over
I honestly love these videos, I only started watching your channel today and I won't lie, I've lost track of how many videos I've watched so far. I honestly think it's criminal that this video has just a hundred more views than my "How to install" Video I made 7 months ago. I mean these all just fucking drip with effort... no not the sweat kind. Keep up the good work man, these videos are fucking 10\10 IGN.
Failure or not it was one of my favorite games as a kid, I loved the artwork and the story. I grew up with it and it may not be the strongest story game but it does hold a special place in my heart.
You will simply just never see this. But I want you to know. This beautiful critique made me cry. It perfectly sums together everything I love and hate about Bioshock and Infinite- the games are both so good, but both fail. Some of the most impactful games I’ve ever played. Thank you. God I need to play these games again. And skip 2 again because I’ve never played it, and I’m not too interested. Sure it’s good, from what I’ve heard, but there is no way in hell it could ever make me feel the same as infinite and Bioshock made me feel.
@@DJPeachCobbler I had just watched it coming off of your “review of Ubisoft”, which also got under my skin as well Been seeing your videos in my recommended for forever, and I’m so mad that I’ve never given you a shot. You’re a brilliant content creator, sir
To fix Bioshocks difficulty problem, I found it the most enjoyable when I would disable the vita chambers and rely off the save mechanic like it was Skyrim, saving before a fight incase I died. That way I was still scrounging for supplies and had the difficulty without the diminishing return that death gives with the vita chambers. Of course the farther I got in the game the stronger i became and the easier the game got, but that just comes with the natural progression. Though there were still areas that I found difficult to get past. The only problem that this can cause is if you try to save scum for better results from fights, but that's how any game with a save mechanic is and the best way to avoid it is defendant on your own willpower I guess. Regardless, turn off vita chambers = better game experience. Edit: The save feature may be only on the remastered version of the game, idk. That was the version I played.
the choice of saving or harvesting little sisters can be made way more relevant if you choose not to attack any big daddies and try to get through the game with little power.
The ending is really moving to me. The tragedy of something that could have been that we will never have. If you love these games.... imagine ... what if they got their way
Agree 1000% percent my dude. As someone who bought the novel just to exist in Rapture for a little bit longer I can’t help but think about what could have been. Literally got chills when he talks about the concept of part 2 and that’s from someone who genuinely enjoyed the version released. It could have been so much more!
Descent is the highest form of patriotism, oftentimes, the harshest critics are the biggest fans, criticizing a piece because they know it can be better, because they WANT it to be better. You truly love this franchise and it shows.
All three Bioshock games are great, some of the best in gaming. And aside from some flaws hear and there are all amazing and have fun have fun gameplay with great stories. It isn’t a legacy of failure it’s a legacy of success Also 2 is amazing and worth playing
It's difficult to imagine the pages of History honoring the memory and legacy of this channel. They probably won't. But I want you to know, they should. You're doing great work here. Keep going.
I had no idea about the original concept for Bioshock 2, I would have loved a survival horror from the perspective of a Little Sister, and now I feel legit angry and sad that that wasn't actualized.
It would have been too scary because you'd be powerless against splicers. It'd be a glorified cutscene where a Big Daddy that you don't control either succeeds or fails in protecting you. The Bioshock games always want to give you some power in your own right, for every second of the game. Otherwise, it becomes a pure horror. And Ken had this weird idea that the splicers should be capable of arousing some sympathy, however small, for them. I never had sympathy, in practice, for unhinged addict murderers. But there'd be even less sympathy for splicers when seeing them through the eyes of Little Sisters. But main reason - too scary and yet not scary enough for those who want scares as the choice of whether the player, as a Little Sister, lives wouldn't be chosen by their own actions.
Listened to this essay again. God, that ending gets me every time. Still haven’t replayed the games, but I will. There’s many games that I’ve played, and I can’t name them all. But Bioshock- that’s a name that will stick with me forever. Thanks for taking me on this journey again, Cobbler.
Well system shock is getting remade along side system shock 3 development Oh and you didn't ask but here's my ranking of the shock series 1.system shock 2 2.bioshock 2 3.bioshock 4.??? 5.a literal shit 6.bioshock infinite
Oof tbh I consider Bioshock to be the top, and played a bit of System shock 2 for this video, but decided against including it. To be honest, serious RPG mechanics generally turn me off. It's by no means a dealbreaker, but does make it a bit harder to get into. Regardless, I DO enjoy Infinite. I think it was flawed on a foundational level, though.
@@DJPeachCobbler the game itself is decent but i hated the ridiculous hype it got before release kinda like fallout 4.not to mention the cringy fanbase that keeps spreading their erotic fanfiction and r34 same thing that happened with a favorite of mine nier automata .remember the guy who publicly said on Twitter that he lost most of cum because of 2B lmao
@@Nomad-bl4yw so you rate a game as "terrible" because of: 1) pre release expectations that reflect nothing about the actual product 2) fan fic porn ...It's hard to wrap my brain around the stupidity of this thought process
Dude even tho I'm like 10 months late to this video I want you to know your absolutely right, I have a burning passion for the bioshock games just because of the atmosphere alone. Hell I'd even call em some of my favorite shooters. I just love the gun play and plasmids, and hell I still remember wrench damage booster tonics and lighting plasmid was a fun tactic. But that's besides the point. I love them games dude thank you for talking about this. Whenever you read this I hope you have a great day :D
I love channels like these that give amazing video game critique with very funny moments interspliced in between. Keep it up my man, we love yo shittttttttt.
Tho it is a breathtakingly beautiful theme park ride, Bioshock Infinite fails even more on the same fronts as Bioshock did. It almost seems the devs finally capitulated.
" Is a man not entitled to tell the IRS to get *FUCKED!?* "
Best line in the video
Bioshock 1 in a nutshell
Best line of TRUTH.
I'm trying to find that joke but I can't seem to, can anyone put a timestamp?
@@TheLegenda-ug9jc 40:45
@@Wolfy420 Thanks
"why did you hire me"
you know things are grim for a game when the director says this line
Just outright depressing man, really hits me right in the mood
"A knife with a weirdly long handle" So a slightly smaller spear?
I had a hard time deciding between the two, and decided on the goofier sounding one
Its a good joke none the less
It’s a really short 2 handed sword
Pocket spear
@@StrawberryShmello a two handed knife, if you will
"Bioshock is pretty goddamn atmospheric, considering it so far underwater"
So, you could say it's... "bathyspheric".
Get out
That's 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽
Take my upvote...wait wrong platform, TAKE THIS LIKE and let the door hit you on the ass when you get out
V e r y g o o d
Given that "Bathysphere" is based on the Greek "Bathys" meaning Deep and "Sphere" meaning Sphere, you did very well.
I played, and beat, the game as a mere angry man with a wrench. Never underestimate anger fuelled melee murder.
I see you are a connoisseur of GLORIOUS SUPERIOR MELEE COMBAT as well. Big E likes.
@@sars910 Of course I’m a fan, what do you think I am? A Tau? They can’t even melee!
I did the same and found out it was optimal, you can buff the wrench until you're oneshotting the weaklings. And fontaine doesn't know what to do about some fucker with a wrench.
@@lordwoods3111 To build giant-ass robots and NOT have them carry giant-ass chainswords ? The Tau are disgraceful.
@@sars910 They do have weird laser swords, not chain swords, but still swords.
Ted Cruz "I'd like to share a few excerpts from one of my favorite books, 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand."
---
"Do you like green eggs and ham?
I do not like them, Sam I Am, I do not like green eggs and ham."
10/10 cackled out loud
To quote one of my favorite characters, Baku from FF9.
"Bwaaaahahahahaha!" - thank you.
Same haha
This was definitely worth the wait
Well done, mate
There are so many people out there who shit on games to get rage clicks or just because people enjoy negativity, but the criticism in this video comes from a place of love. That's such an unbelievably nice change of pace.
@WeAre Atlas
What a comment
I've always told myself and everyone who was willing to listen that Bioshock Infinite is a great game, but is not truly Bioshock. However, I could never quite express the reasons as to why that was except "the atmosphere looks different". Thank you for making a better argument about it than I ever could. I now will surely win all discussions I have with myself about this game.
It's a bioshock game, but it's the shell of a bioshock game, like what a picture on a wall is to whats in the picture.
Very disappointing how Infinite's political commentary was so watered down and displaced with some weird father daughter fantasy and awful non sensical quantum physics bullshit.
@@Jack-pc9spthats what happens when your game is that long in development, you meander and lose your original idea that sparked eveything
Survival horror as a little sister...I want that so bad now I may weep openly. So man of todays problems can be traced to marketing having too much of say in developing products as opposed to just advertising them.
Yeah every game in a franchise doesn't have to be the same genre
Poor marketing people are just doing their jobs, the blame is the ballooning budgets and companies pushing expensive hardware. Why the hell your thoughtful political satire needs perfect water reflections or thermodynamic horse balls?
Theory: Would a better alternative to "Making You Feel Bad" for harvesting Little Sisters instead be to make Jack slowly turn into a Splicer each time he harvests one? Like, the interface get's blurrier and it get's more difficult to use the more intelligence-based abilities like hacking and cameras?
No. The ludonarrative theme is "Do what is best for you, even if at the expense of others".
Instead, each time you save a little sister it should spike up the difficulty. It shouldn't give you a big Adam reward for helping the little sisters. In fact, you should get 0 Adam for helping the little sisters. The game should stomp your balls for helping the little sisters. The game should drive you to rationalize being a depraved child murderer to make things just ever so slightly easier. To help yourself, even if at the expense of others.
@@asthmeresivolisk3129 Wasn't the entire arc about Ryan having that attitude and how it ruined his little paradise? Wouldn't it be the narrative's goal to be: "Being selfish is bad"?
@@thebighurt2495 Yes, yes it was... in layman's terms. Essentially the message was twofold. The meta narrative (formed around the gameplay itself) is that you're a slave to the game's objectives and to a larger extent Frank Fontaine. The ludonarrative however tried to marry your desire to survive at all costs in this hellish landscape with the game mechanics supporting the opposing ideologies of altruism and objectavism. The key word here is tried. The game shouldn't make you feel bad for killing the little sisters because of 2 reasons.
1. Any sane and decent person would find it obvious that killing a child is pure evil. So making you feel bad for doing so is unnecessary.
2. In order to hammer in the destructive effects of objectavism the game should PUSH you to compromise your morals to achieve your goals, without making you feel like a monster in the moment.
Video games give players the unique opportunity to experience a story in a more personal and active fashion. You are the pilot behind the scenes in a game and YOU make the decisions. By making the choice to spare the little sisters exponentially more burdensome for your character or would reveal "who you are in the dark". If you transformed over the course of the game the message would feel more like you were being hit over the head with an anvil, obviously killing children is wrong, you don't have to make my metaphorical transformation into a monster that blatant. Instead it is far more effective for a player to be pt in the position where they justify and rationalize their child killing tendencies with the concept of "the ends justify the means" so that at the end of the game, when their victory is hollow because killing little sisters makes you a physical god and nothing in the game challenges you anymore... then you can reflect on the monster you've become. Was all that bloodshed necessary? Did you really think what you did was okay? At that point you'd pick up the game again and trudge through the experience anew, with a new goal. To save the kids, even if it makes the game insanely difficult. You would experience the themes of the game first hand, the power of a megalomaniac thirsty for power and objectivist to the core. And that of an altruist who silently suffers to save something seemingly "insignificant" to the "big man".
That's why I say make the game crush you for making the right choice. Because doing the right thing is obvious, but it's also not easy.
They wanted Jack to become slowly insane, yet left it to a thought.
@@asthmeresivolisk3129 I don't get why people think the theme is "Do what interests you" instead of "Because some rich fucks don't have limits, you don't have a choice". If anything, the difficulty should spike up and you should harvest the girls not for your own benefit, but to complete the mission you're obligated to complete.
Andrew Ryan is the true gatekeeping, gaslighting girlboss
It’s hard to disagree with his assessment...
Andrew:Gatekeep
Atlas:Gaslight
Tenanbomb(How the fuck do you spell her name?):girlboss
@@aghitsaplane4262 the triple threats
Joe
Joe mammoth
Bioshock 1 flashed me when I first played it and it still does after playing it for the 500th time!
Just an artistic masterpiece. So immersive, goddamn.
IMO bioshock infinite is a bunch of poor decisions executed so well that that you only realize they were poor when you stop and look back at it all, but not while it's in motion with you in the middle.
The coherent but interesting mess that is bioshock infinite.
Its just a great game but not a great bioshock game
@Hung Low I really like infinite, i replayed it 4 times.
The main reason (atleast i think why) why so many people including me like the game is because it doesn't really give the player time to think. you don't ask questions because you are to distracted by things happening around you, like setpieces, reality hopping and many combat encounters. And yes I enjoyed it because it didn't get semmy for me, but the people who can see past all the distractions will see a very messy gameplot with some glarring plot-holes. The poor things are hidden really well because of all the "smoke and mirrors" serounding it.
@@fungusamongus9686 I played all the Bioshock games since I bought the collection recently, Infinite honestly had the best story and gameplay.
@@prinzdenax but it is the most quotable?
I can't stress how good this whole video is. That last quote from jordan thomas is an incredible highlight of what problem with the industry as a whole, and likely one of the reasons Infinite ended up the way it did. Because its not about being interesting. Not about telling a story. Not about feeling good to play. Its about being "Big". About trying to be something that already exists in the medium. Different is bad, be like the others so we can share in their success.
I think the ending of Infinite isn't just saying "yeah its a game, and also its bioshock". Its a warning. One that can be seen in the quote by Jordan Thomas. Bioshock 2 was supposed to be an atmospheric horror game, but that wasn't enough. Bioshock needed its Lighthouse. Its Big daddy. Its City. Its Man. Its hero. The end of Infinite wants to break this cycle. It is begging the world to let them do something else. Make Bioshock like youve never seen it. It doesnt need a lighthouse, or its city. It doesnt need ryan, or comstock. But people see bioshock as a formula, and those are its ingredients. As bioshock infinite ends, as you're drown by endless possibilities that are all ultimately the same, a song plays. The circle is unbroken. Bioshock wants to break that circle. It wants out. But in the end, they couldnt do it. Tied down by executives and time constraints and creative limitations, they tried to do the only thing they could still do. Kill it. If they cant break the circle by changing the format, they can always kill their own game. But it didn't work. It was moved to a new studio.
and the circle remains unbroken.
Wow...that is an interesting take. I think that's the mark of a great story. It gives each player/reader the ability to come to their own conclusions.
That's just stupid
I can't believe I watched an over hour long youtube video on a subject I have very little interest in (video games in general) and specifically about a game that I literally have no knowledge of. Your insight and commentary was that entertaining.
Thank you, stranger. This one was real difficult to make, but I think is my best work. Especially that Shrek bit, it had many layers
@@DJPeachCobbler Mr. Cobbler,
Or is DJ a title like Dr.? Thank your for your reply. I can imagine you eventually branching off as a narrator, as in audio books or even live public address events. If our paths ever cross I will recommend you for such narrations. I wish you a peachy day sir.
@@DJPeachCobbler I feel if you came from a place of passion for the game your insight would've been better. Take a look at my comment on vita chambers. I love your videos, especially since they open me up to new ideas and perspectives. I may not always agree but I still watch to see what your take is.
I heard "Is a man not entitled to his little girls?" had to be used because the Catholic Church was using the term "Is a man not entitled to his little boys?"
"No" said the mod from discord, " they belong to us all"
"No" said the FBI, "they must be protected from you sick fucks"
@Spec I mean, I would hope so you know?
@@malogor2127 "I rejected those answers. I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose...
The Orphanage."
@@guilhermefloresfeitosaguer4543
- Batman (when selecting his Robins)
The saddest aspect about Bioshock Infinite is the knowledge that the thing you care about most being direct a result of your greatest failure. And in the blind attempt to correct that failure, you unknowingly sacrifice that with which you care about most. Elizabeth in Bioshock infinite only exists as a direct result of the action made by both Booker DeWitt and Zachary Comstock. With out these characters/events, Elizabeth doesn't exist. So when you see the ending where Booker is being drowned, it is also the drowning of Elizabeth. Because even in the world where Booker wakes up and finds Anna in her cradle, there is no Comstock. Which means there is no debt, which means the events that create Elizabeth never happen. There by, Elizabeth doesn't exist. The correction of a mistake at the cost of a life robbed of it's innocence.
except who cares, cause burial at sea.
yep I was gonna say lol burial at sea ruins this
the whole timeline shit is so poorly thought out and has huge cop outs it’s dissapointing
@@yhavinmiles "Here, have some more Salts" - Elizabeth
That was oddly poetic
I just want to say, Bioshock 1's wrench is heavily underrated, I finished the game on max difficulty using mostly the wrench, weapons were reserved for bosses and daddies. With the right perks one can almost 1 or 2 shot all other mobs in the game using only wrench.
yeah i playd on hard and you only need the strenght perk with the lighting and healing on hacking (with the adam for healing for infine supply of that adam you waste on hacking every robot you see) even when i used plentifully the guns in bioshock i could drop them for the extra challenge with no regret (i was actually using them because i had so much ammo because the little flying bots chipped down the health of the enemies)
If you haven't already, check out System Shock 2. Irrational games helped make it alongside Looking Glass studios (who they used to work for, before splitting to make their own studio), and it is very VERY much the life blood of BioShock 1, wrench included. I ran through that entire game beating the shit out of mutants and robots with a metal stick and some stim packs. Plus a mean lady spits on you the entire game if you're into that sort of thing.
@@Bentbirehell yea
Ya know. This was the first game i played completely by myself when gamefly was a new thing. I was 8. And this game had a dramatic effect on me as a person. For many others it was farcry 3. For me it was this game. Ive replayed this game for years because i loved showing the passion of what this game is to people. DJ Peach Cobbler is a youtuber i just found. And i completely respect. In my eyes he couldn't have said what i thought of this game better if i sat down and thought about it for a month. He has my utter respect for how he went about reviewing this series. And more than deserves a like and subscribe. At the very least from me. For paying the game that defined my morals as a person, the proper respect it deserves. Thank you.
I also played this game as like an 11-12 year old and I feel the exact opposite lmao. 10/10 game
@@bongslayer8339 Is a good game but damn his critics make so much sense.
I agree
Isn't gamefly still a thing. I saw an ad for it somewhat recently online.
I will paraphrase , but as the 16th rule of the internet says: sometimes, if you fail in an epic way, it might become a winning failure .
holy SSSHHHHHHIT an hour long good job my gamer
"A Legacy of Beautiful Failures" it's a good way to describe all my relationships so far
Damn good luck man.
Ted cruz with beard is like a totally different person, emotionally, mentally and politically.
LMFAO 😂
Punished Cruz a politician outcast by his party
@@burtbiggum499 politics has changed, it's a serious of proxy protests ruled by emotions forgotten later.
@@mrnobody6447 id tagged soy boys using id tagged Twitter accounts
Why are we here? Just to clap?
I think what Bioshock said in the end is pretty clear. It is and was meant to be (especially with addition of Burial at Sea) a game about personal redemption, repaying debt, and everyone's capability of both good and evil. But the rest of it - fascism, religion and political commentary is pretty much fluff that may be was meant to be something more but ended up as a decoration. And at the end of the day it is a great story of redemption and personal choices. And a very fun game.
Don't forget about being a dad. In bioshock you learn to be a dad, in 2 you have to prove you can be a dad, and in infinite bad dads go for a swim
Yeah I think this one was one thing he missed when talking about the ending of Infinite. Always a man/city/lighthouse isn’t said to tie the game to the franchise but to show how the tools of backdrop themes of objectivity or fascism are used to tell the universal story of how we choose to get through life. How do we deal with loss? Do we force the world around us to control and reshape our lives no matter who we step on? Do we deal with our own suffering by making others suffer? What are we willing to sacrifice to numb our realities? There’s always someone disillusioned with life wanting to control it or someone who led a life of loss, there’s always a means to suppress or redirect that disillusionment or loss with great works, addiction or structured belief, and there’s always a point or light of examination either shined on by others or at the end of our lives where we have to judge whether our actions were worth it. These are the definitive themes Bioshock in its end explored. A universal theme of the struggle of life.
Welp... I found your channel because UA-cam with his mind-reading powers suggested me your Far Cry 3 video right when I was near finishing it for the first time, and I really liked it what you said, you helped me analize deeper what I thought at the beginning was just "A repetitive gameplay", and when I saw that you were talking about one of my favorite game franchises, I knew I had to watch it ASAP... I nearly cried with the ending. Thank you for your videos, your critiques and everything, because I really needed something like that. I've been feeling really bad about games in general, I couldn't just enjoy them anymore for some reason, and your videos helped me remember why I love videogames in the first place. It's really cool to see somebody that cares about the story/plot of a game, and really wants the industry to become better. Your videos just inspired me, and you have a new subscriber.
P.S: Sorry for any mistakes that I made, I'm very emotional right now and English is not my first language.
I recently found your channel and i just want to say that i truly appreciate how much heart you put into your videos. They are great and worthwhile.
I think Bioshock: Infinite is riddled with meaningless choices not to critique the gaming industry or the lack of freedom the player has, but to emphasise the overarching idea that everything that Booker did has happened, is happening, and will happen again with a predetermined ending; rendering anything he attempts to do ultimately futile.
The quote "There's always a lighthouse, there's always a man, and there's always a city" represents the most essential driver of Bioshock's narrative.
The meaninglessness of your actions only emphasises your powerlessness to break the continuum, and it's why you have to die at the end to truly liberate yourself and Elizabeth.
Just my interpretation though! I love your videos and I love how they can provoke these discussions. Keep up the incredible work!!
This entire video basically cements my love for NieR: Automatas ludonarrative harmony and even more, its E ending
Because that game did what bioshock did right, and fixed what went wrong. Absolutely perfect
Im not sure that applies to that game. 2b litteraly gets off murder and combat for 9s was tedious until he becomes bloodthirsty.
Edit: oh sorry i missread
There's a certain irony to a property that criticizes free market capitalism getting stripped of all meaning by corporate executives, trying to milk the franchise.
This is such a great retrospective, keep up the amazing content!
There's a menu option to outright disable Vita-Chambers in Bioshock 1 and 2. That's my recommended way to play the game, especially on hard. It's not difficult to stockpile resources on hard if you don't mind a bit of save scumming now and then, and have a solid build that lets you efficiently kill enemies.
I'm glad someone said this a year ago. Im listening to this now and I was scratching my head on why he would have so much trouble with hard mode.
Maybe its because I enjoy harder then fuck games but I was able to run through survivor difficulty with no vita chambers on bioshock 1 rather easily. If you are able to use the environment and plan your attack with grenade traps or even just running backward using the corners to train a big daddy you can do it consistently. Even rosie variants have a set shooting speed you can time dodging and shooting back.
Bioshock infinite's ghost mama fight can suck my nads though. I wasn't able to beat it on 1999 mode and no buying resupply in one run because the ghosts don't drop ammo and I was running out of it constantly making me die over and over without progress. It was only after I gave in and bought some ammo that she randomly died as I walked into the arena. Still salty about that.
Seriously, when he was complaining about respawns and difficulty I was just thinking, keep the difficulty up, turn off vita chambers, and use manual saves. Those 3 simple things would literally solve like half of his complaints about bio shock 1.
NEVER DISABLE IN REMASTERED VERSIONS!
after a while your save file will get randomly corrupted, and your last autosave will begin from hours earlier (looking at you arcadia).
Or you know what, dont play those shtty remastered version. I only did that because I got Bioshock games for free
Many people don't get the fact it takes a deep appreciation for an art form to do deep dive critiques. Thank you for being so well thought through with your ideas.
Facts Man!
“Is a man not entitled to his little girls”
Dj peach cobbler
Very nice quote
I am absolutely baffled that all the Videos on your Channel have constantly increased in Quality.
Keep it up DJ !
Man, I love it when you look back at games, dissect them, and encourage us to look deeper into games and think critically about them. Bravo! This is only the second retrospective I've seen of yours, but I think I now understand the kind of effort you put into these and so I can't wait to watch more!
This is such a well-written, well-edited, insightful, and hilarious gem! You're like Joseph Anderson's funnier cousin. I hope your channel blows up!
On a Bioshock note: have you tried playing hard mode with Vita Chambers disabled? It makes the combat feel a lot more tactical and can be quite fun. Also, gotta say I was a bit disappointed you don't hate Infinite as much as I do 😅
Thanks! I love Joseph Anderson, that means a lot.
When you play with vita-chambers disabled, does it kick you back to the last save? I can't believe I just didn't try that, I guess I didn't look at the settings much, I must've glossed over it.
@@DJPeachCobbler Yes, your only option on death is to reload a save. Technically it's possible to slip into save scumming, but I try to only save before Big Daddy fights and after major battles. Would recommend it if you ever do a replay!
@Hung Low Infinite is the worst game of the series it’s undebatable
@Hung Low infinite plays this trick with their story that makes you think ur a genuis for understanding it when in reality its extremly bullshit and contrived. Also the game brings up racism and then blue balls you by both doing nothing with it and not saying anything of worth.
@@sad0me213 nah I think thats your opinion
Beautifully crafted video. A tough pill to swallow as Bioshock is my favorite game ever made and I am very attached to the series since my childhood. But this video managed to confirm all the gripes I had with the series and open my eyes to them even more. There were some things I didn't agree with but everything else was spot on.
You seem to be one of the few people on this platform that doesn't give a shit about the opinionated standards on how to do things, and you try to tell something with Love and with Clarity but without hesitation and fear.
I love that. Never lose that quality. You are putting a good standard on critiques as a whole for doing so.
Here's me, an average Turkish person that is about to sleep, but then i hear the joke at 23:21 it made me laugh and takes all the sleep away. Now im crying, why do i exist? Why is Shrek green?
He is proud Greek is why
This man giving me goosebumps. Like holy hell your ability to make a cohesive narrative over multiple games picking apart and analyzing pieces I didn't even think of is amazing. It brings a whole new view and light to an amazing series of games.
I just gotta say, I found this channel two days ago and have binged almost all your videos. Keep up the good work and I hope your channel continues to grow.
I'm only around 15 min in so far and I was surprised to hear you complain about the difficulty. I'm generally not a fan of playing on their harder/hardest difficulties but Bioshock 1 on Survivor with vita-chambers turned off (arguably easier with vita-chambers off imo) was an experience I thought was actually pretty fun with really tough early period that generally levels out over time and becomes very manageable with the exception of the final part of the game. It really forces you to explore everything which I liked a lot. Anyways, I am enjoying the video. Solid stuff.
Well, Vita-Chambers off is the answer
didn't even know you could turn them off. what happens when you die? just spawn at the beginning of a load zone? or does it have more of a checkpoint system
@@quinnmarchese6313 reload from your save, like in any other game
@@quinnmarchese6313 Been a bit since I've played the game but IIRC you just load at your last saved game.
Omg didn't expect to hear sunshine from A&E. Love the vid! Top notch content, recently subscribed, thx
Honestly I would love that little sister perspective
Only just discovered your channel but by damn is it amazing! Settling back to listen to an hour of this has been a true joy! Thank you so much for putting all the effort into making it not only really funny but also really engaging!
I was going to be very pissed off if Peach Cobbler ignored the fact that the MC was being controlled the whole time, and that Atlas wasn't really ... real.
That's literally the game. How could he ignore that.
“I’m the CFO” is now my favourite delivery of anything ever.
While I don't fully agree with you on everything you said in the video, this is genuinely one of the best video essays on UA-cam. It made me think about this franchise in a way I hadn't even considered before. All I can say is, keep up the good work pie man.
If I had to pick a lesson about something, it would be that we can't just forget the past. Booker being reborn into comstock after all those atrocities he commited just ked to more of the same atrocities. If we forget the past, we are condemned to repeat it. Always a city, always a man, always a lighthouse.
Instantly subbed, this essay was superb. One of the most well crafted critiques I've seen and heard. Congrats.
They aimed for the stars. I think the result of these games is amazing, even for their flaws. I wish more developers would actually push boundaries like this.
Man I really lost it at the "IRS" thing I have *not* laughed at a UA-cam video joke that hard this was a first. I also really love your sense of humor man it's legendary.
I love bioshock. It's one of my all time favorite series to play. I remember being in awe at the setting of the original and the idea behind it all. Really stuck with my. I really enjoyed Infinite as well. The book that was written as a prequel to the original is really good. Haven't finished reading it yet
Dishonored does a great job in making the gameplay HEAVILY affect the story
Not really.
There is a body count and if you go above it everyone is a well developed character, if you go below it, everyone is happy fun land people where the only person who is evil is a cartoon villain.
@@damobeck1 yeah it’s more like a test to see if you don’t want to have fun and use the plethora of cool spells and weapons to kill these copy/paste guards and soldiers who will attack on sight and are nameless and play no role in the story besides obstacles. Dishonored is an action game with tacky stealth and shit “morality” system. Drop mic 🎤
that's not really what "ludonarrative dissonance" is about, though - harmony isn't about having choice, it's having the gameplay and story support each other. LISA deliberately undermines many of the choices you make, but it works since it goes to show you that you don't always have very much control over the sort of person you want to be.
@@damobeck1 Dishonored also counts if you rob people and shops, if you're alerting enemies and civillians, if you use rats (or bloodflies) and I think that's more than just body count. It counts in, but not only that.
@@luisfuentes3846 I really liked the stealth aspect personally, one of the best stealth systems in any game. Other than that, you're right about the game as a whole.
We grew up in the Golden Age of games. Yet we had no idea, till it had come and gone.
"Aim for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars"
When your main antagonist is an atlas shrugged reference with their name being a phonetic anagram of 'Ayn Rand', you know you're in for one HELL of a shitpost.
I love bioshock so much!
Good work on this video. I really enjoy your stuff
Firstly, thank you for the actual good criticism. I played the games a couple of years ago and they were an incredible experience. And I did saw reactions claiming there were big problems with the games or they were pretentious and such, so I avoided critical reviews (especially if they seemed on the "let's tear it down" side) because the stories and characters, even with flaws, made me fall in love with them. I'm relatively new to this sort of games. I started with Skyrim and it blew my mind. Storywise, it wasn't very memorable, but the experience and the potential were there, and so I started playing other games. And i found Bioshock. Maybe it was the novelty of it all, but the impact it left on me was unexpected. The games are not perfect and you tackled the flaws really well. And i was scared I guess that all that magic and story will get muddled if i let myselft criticise them. Its good to give good criticism and be aware of mistakes or flaws. But as you said, a good game makes you feel something, and all of the Bioshock games did, quite profoundly. When I saw in your video old Jack's hand being held by his family, or the ending of Infinite or hearing Elizabeth's theme I felt the emotion building up and I had to hold my tears back. So the feeling are still there and I am grateful that I got to experience them.
I would also say that I also avoided the reviews on games I really like.
Cobbler, you’re a writer. A damn good one at that. Your channel is hands down my favorite channel on UA-cam (I found you 5 days ago!) besides maybe Dunkey, but he’s just a goofball. You, you’re an artist, a god of thought, understanding, and writing. You analyzed Bioshock and why it’s so meaningful with its impact like how teachers have been analyzing every detail of Shakespeare stories for centuries. You’ve inspired me by showing me that you do what I love to do. Take a lot of time to understand something to the point where you create something out of nothing, Bioshock’s Beautiful Failure, and that’s what made me enjoy your art.
I know you probably aren't reading comments over half a year after its release, but I would like to throw my hat into the ring and share what I personally think Infinite is about and how It's gameplay can, in a certain point of view, support the story
To me, the over the top nature of Booker's backstory is in an of itself satire. Satire on the edgy nature of game protagonists. And the whole "There is always a lighthouse etc" is a reference to shooter games in general
Most all have the same base story beats and mechanics. You are some special character, be it a special forces operator or a mythical being. You go to exotic locations and fight crazy enemies that are just as over the top as your character. Guns are all pretty much fitting the archetype of "Sniper, Pistol, Rifle etc". Those are constants
Variables are the gimmicks. Leaning, ordering a squad, fighting on a different planet, fighting in a sunken city.
The thing to me that makes me view Booker as a unique character is that, for all his flaws as a character, he tells a compelling message. All other shooter games, the protagonist shoots or stabs or strangles the bad guy and goes home. But no matter how hard Booker fought, he only made things worse for both him and his daughter. So by the end its Booker accepting that he cannot win and simply to die that truly he beats the game. He stops perpetuating the violence that ruled his life, and goes out relatively peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. To end the cycle. To end the cycle of repetitive games with nothing to say
The DLC, Burial at Sea however hits an important note. No one event will end that cycle. These games will always be made, so long as there is demand.
But hey, I'm no professional critic. We are all allowed to have different opinions
Ive never watched an hour long video before and have it feel like 15minutes. Absolutely love your content!!
I played through bioshock without the vita chambers (i didn't really know that's even how they worked) Instead I just made saves and when I was about to die went to my save, since this is what I usually do. I found the game very fun to play and the combat very enjoyable thanks to this. Perhaps others could try this, they too might enjoy it.
I don’t know if it was just me but this video is just so powerful
It’s funny because MATN said Fallout 4 has perfect ludonarrative harmony because of the scavenger aspect and the mechanics that come with it, but fails to realize that it kills the aspect of role playing when 1/3 of the game is settlement building and scavenging
@Nagger I’ll never forget in fallout 3, he said Megaton has food because a couple of mole rats that spawn outside 😂😂
@Nagger 😂 stop you’re killing me 😂oh and don’t forget Fallout 3 is better than New Vegas
A video I truly truly like and value. I don't have much to say except this. Always loved your channel and loved Bioshock so just commenting to show my support both to you and for algorithm.
I really need to find a copy of the “sweat on his brow meme version” lol
Hey man love you stuff been binging it hope you keep dropping amazing videos!
An hour long bioshock video?
What have I done to deserve such a gift?
this might be my favorite youtube video ever, since it has been released i have watched it 10 times and every time i take away something diffrent to think about
Please do more long videos like this, they are so entertaining
I'd love to! They're just a huge time commitment, which is a problem since this isn't my job. But I'm sure I'll do another when I have an idea worth suffering over
@@DJPeachCobbler well keep up the great work anyways, Todd appreciates it.
Really like your videos man, you spark curiosity and intrigue and provide interesting analyzation of these tropes
I honestly love these videos, I only started watching your channel today and I won't lie, I've lost track of how many videos I've watched so far. I honestly think it's criminal that this video has just a hundred more views than my "How to install" Video I made 7 months ago. I mean these all just fucking drip with effort... no not the sweat kind.
Keep up the good work man, these videos are fucking 10\10 IGN.
Dude, this is an hour long video and I've watched it three times. We need more of this man
Failure or not it was one of my favorite games as a kid, I loved the artwork and the story. I grew up with it and it may not be the strongest story game but it does hold a special place in my heart.
Facts Man. Is the same for him. Is not perfect but it was trying. I love the game too. I loved Bioshock 2.
You will simply just never see this.
But I want you to know.
This beautiful critique made me cry. It perfectly sums together everything I love and hate about Bioshock and Infinite- the games are both so good, but both fail. Some of the most impactful games I’ve ever played. Thank you.
God I need to play these games again. And skip 2 again because I’ve never played it, and I’m not too interested. Sure it’s good, from what I’ve heard, but there is no way in hell it could ever make me feel the same as infinite and Bioshock made me feel.
I saw, and thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed
@@DJPeachCobbler I had just watched it coming off of your “review of Ubisoft”, which also got under my skin as well
Been seeing your videos in my recommended for forever, and I’m so mad that I’ve never given you a shot. You’re a brilliant content creator, sir
To fix Bioshocks difficulty problem, I found it the most enjoyable when I would disable the vita chambers and rely off the save mechanic like it was Skyrim, saving before a fight incase I died. That way I was still scrounging for supplies and had the difficulty without the diminishing return that death gives with the vita chambers. Of course the farther I got in the game the stronger i became and the easier the game got, but that just comes with the natural progression. Though there were still areas that I found difficult to get past. The only problem that this can cause is if you try to save scum for better results from fights, but that's how any game with a save mechanic is and the best way to avoid it is defendant on your own willpower I guess. Regardless, turn off vita chambers = better game experience.
Edit: The save feature may be only on the remastered version of the game, idk. That was the version I played.
I can't believe this isn't in your cream of the croppler playlist!
the choice of saving or harvesting little sisters can be made way more relevant if you choose not to attack any big daddies and try to get through the game with little power.
i loved when andrew ryan said "youre still a SLAVE! youre still BIOSHOCKED!!!!" and then u kill him
and then I was SHOCKED at all of the BIO everywhere
The ending is really moving to me. The tragedy of something that could have been that we will never have.
If you love these games.... imagine ... what if they got their way
Agree 1000% percent my dude. As someone who bought the novel just to exist in Rapture for a little bit longer I can’t help but think about what could have been. Literally got chills when he talks about the concept of part 2 and that’s from someone who genuinely enjoyed the version released. It could have been so much more!
I discovered this guy's channel because of his videos on the bullshit story of the fall of the Azteca and im pretty sure I think I like this guy.
Holy shit. I didn't even realize I was here for an hour. I'm gonna go now...
Descent is the highest form of patriotism, oftentimes, the harshest critics are the biggest fans, criticizing a piece because they know it can be better, because they WANT it to be better. You truly love this franchise and it shows.
The far cry music is stuck in my brain now its here or I'm imagining it I can't tell
I could honestly listen to this man talk about ludonarrative dissonance for hours
How is this guy's channel so small? Quality Content
It is some of the best UA-cam content I've come across.
Because all channels start at 1? Literally every channel has its first subs...
Mint Chocolate Chip obviously.
And great video, looking forward for your future content
All three Bioshock games are great, some of the best in gaming.
And aside from some flaws hear and there are all amazing and have fun have fun gameplay with great stories.
It isn’t a legacy of failure it’s a legacy of success
Also 2 is amazing and worth playing
Did you watch the video?
56:13
It's difficult to imagine the pages of History honoring the memory and legacy of this channel. They probably won't. But I want you to know, they should. You're doing great work here. Keep going.
I had no idea about the original concept for Bioshock 2, I would have loved a survival horror from the perspective of a Little Sister, and now I feel legit angry and sad that that wasn't actualized.
It would have been too scary because you'd be powerless against splicers. It'd be a glorified cutscene where a Big Daddy that you don't control either succeeds or fails in protecting you. The Bioshock games always want to give you some power in your own right, for every second of the game. Otherwise, it becomes a pure horror. And Ken had this weird idea that the splicers should be capable of arousing some sympathy, however small, for them. I never had sympathy, in practice, for unhinged addict murderers. But there'd be even less sympathy for splicers when seeing them through the eyes of Little Sisters. But main reason - too scary and yet not scary enough for those who want scares as the choice of whether the player, as a Little Sister, lives wouldn't be chosen by their own actions.
As with many things, Bioshock's core message can be boiled down to "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY" with the bottom text up to your own interpretation.
Love the use of the Far Cry 5 menu music, great addition
Listened to this essay again. God, that ending gets me every time.
Still haven’t replayed the games, but I will. There’s many games that I’ve played, and I can’t name them all. But Bioshock- that’s a name that will stick with me forever. Thanks for taking me on this journey again, Cobbler.
Well system shock is getting remade along side system shock 3 development
Oh and you didn't ask but here's my ranking of the shock series
1.system shock 2
2.bioshock 2
3.bioshock
4.???
5.a literal shit
6.bioshock infinite
Oof tbh I consider Bioshock to be the top, and played a bit of System shock 2 for this video, but decided against including it. To be honest, serious RPG mechanics generally turn me off. It's by no means a dealbreaker, but does make it a bit harder to get into.
Regardless, I DO enjoy Infinite. I think it was flawed on a foundational level, though.
@@DJPeachCobbler the game itself is decent but i hated the ridiculous hype it got before release kinda like fallout 4.not to mention the cringy fanbase that keeps spreading their erotic fanfiction and r34 same thing that happened with a favorite of mine nier automata .remember the guy who publicly said on Twitter that he lost most of cum because of 2B lmao
You forgot Prey on the top of that list. Now take this knife and fight me to death.
@@Nomad-bl4yw so you rate a game as "terrible" because of:
1) pre release expectations that reflect nothing about the actual product
2) fan fic porn
...It's hard to wrap my brain around the stupidity of this thought process
@@MJGianesello Who cares about the actual game, right?
Watched the video to the end in two
sittings. Very well done on every point you made!
👏👏👏
Good work man. A month of work well spent. Can’t wait for what you have cooking next.
I'm glad you liked it! This thing was rough.
I'm thinking I should make something spooky for Halloween, but we'll see
Man watching this 1year later, I love your videos now cobbler, don't stop
Dude even tho I'm like 10 months late to this video I want you to know your absolutely right, I have a burning passion for the bioshock games just because of the atmosphere alone. Hell I'd even call em some of my favorite shooters. I just love the gun play and plasmids, and hell I still remember wrench damage booster tonics and lighting plasmid was a fun tactic. But that's besides the point. I love them games dude thank you for talking about this. Whenever you read this I hope you have a great day :D
I love channels like these that give amazing video game critique with very funny moments interspliced in between. Keep it up my man, we love yo shittttttttt.
Tho it is a breathtakingly beautiful theme park ride, Bioshock Infinite fails even more on the same fronts as Bioshock did.
It almost seems the devs finally capitulated.