What Is Icarus? Bioshock Infinite Revealed

I want to start by saying "Good fucking job" to Irrational Games. Good fucking job, Irrational Games. In this day of hacked accounts, lost information, and leaked info, Irrational has managed to keep a game they've been working on for three years behind closed doors. Impressive. Infinite's viral site, www.whatisicarus.com, was well-handled to build the hype to today's reveal. What started as a dot on a black background, slowly became an animated infinity logo, and at 1:45pm Eastern today, became the game's reveal trailer. 

But enough about closed doors and hype machines. Let's discuss the meat of this thing, Bioshock Infinite. The slickly crafted trailer did it's duty in planting thoughts of the Bioshock series in my mind right from the start. My heart sank a bit as I realized all of Irrational's work was put into just another Bioshock title. Do I really want to go back to Rapture? No, I don't. We're teased with a familiar looking boot and robotic arm; a Big Daddy if I've ever seen one. I wanted something new, why won't you give me something new?! The Large Papa (Ken Levine has confirmed that is not a Big Daddy) flings the trailer's first person viewpoint out of a closed window.. And into a free fall.. In cloud specked blue sky, populated by airships, flying cities, and American flags. Did not see that coming at all. 

In essence, this is just another installment in the Bioshock series. The dystopian city, fallen from it's once heralded grace, the enhancing of human physiology through (what appear to be) plasmids, monstrous enforcers lethally protecting the city. These are all familiar traits of a game we know too well. However, Irrational feels as if Bioshock Infinite is a creature entirely independent of previous Bioshock games. I guess we won't know until we play it. 

For now, I'm cautiously optimistic. I like the Bioshock series, even though I was hoping Project Icarus would be a new IP, I'm not disappointed with the direction Irrational has taken things. I don't know if what we've heard of the story and gameplay thus far has done much to distance itself for it's predecessors, but however Bioshock Infinite may turn out, Irrational has done well to lasso us in. No point in tuning out now.

For a detailed rundown of Irrational Games' reveal event (to which my requests for a formal invitation were ignored) check out Joystiq's preview.