As fans of BioShock know, Levine & Co. tend to put a great emphasis on story – particularly that of the political bent. The original explored Objectivism: Ayn Rand’s belief in psychopathy as virtue laissez-faire capitalism, a celebration of rational self-interest, ambition unrestrained by government regulations, and the abolition of altruism. Yet as with any power structure, there is a complex array of factors – individual motivation, competing interests, corruption, abuse, etc. – that can cause things to go terribly, terribly awry.

Infinite follows suit, presenting a similar premise, while bringing with it a few notable differences. Traditionalism replaces dynamism; religious zeal replaces Ryan’s (presumed) atheism; and the purity of belief in the Founding Fathers’s vision eclipses Objectivism’s tendency toward irreverence: that individuals should find their vision unrestrained by the opinions of others.

With Infinite finally getting closer to release, the kids at Irrational Games have been working on a series of “documentary” videos, revolving around Columbia – Infinite‘s equivalent of Rapture. The first was a simple introduction to how Columbia came to be; the recently released follow-up explores Songbird – the winged terror, stalking the spacious sky above our fruited plain – and what purpose it might serve. Both of the videos can be found after the jump! In the meantime, the sudden juxtaposition of narration and creepy synthesizers has inspired yours truly to embark on an “Unsolved Mysteries” bender that can only end in many Red Bulls, a weekend cut short, and naturally, the sudden appearance of a beard.

Part 1:

Part 2:

About Jesse Gmitro

(Writer) Jesse Gmitro is the self-proclaimed "resident ally/lady-fancier" of gaygamer.net -- a position he has held since 2011 - and a shameless fanboy of Metal Gear, pre-Homecoming Silent Hill, and Final Fantasy. He plays drums in a local post-rock band called "Between Two Skies," and is currently working on a black comedy novella, "The Madcap Laughs." He currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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