14 DAY TRIAL // Ken Levine, the leader of development at Irrational Games, is not actively trying to touch controversial topics with his upcoming BioShock Infinite video game but he is not afraid to talk about racist and political conflicts, as long as it makes the game world richer.
In a video for Joystiq, the developer states, “For my own personal tastes, I’m not afraid of any topic or I wouldn’t walk away from any topic because it was controversial. And I wouldn’t run towards any topic because it was controversial. There’s a story I want to tell.”
The opening hours of BioShock Infinite, which were available for a number of outlets, include the appearance of a religious prophet and many characters are racist.
Levine adds, “Originally, the conflict was one between technologists and luddites, and it just wasn’t very interesting for us. The story didn’t go anywhere, because there wasn’t a lot of historical precedence for it and it didn’t really resonate. And it evolved, and it kept evolving many, many times.”
The leader of Irrational Games believes that the controversial themes in BioShock Infinite are not a problem as long as the team manages to handle them in an innovative way.
The game will see players take on the role of Booker DeWitt, a former Pinkerton detective who explores the flying island of Columbia in order to find and rescue Elizabeth.
She might be a little girl but her supernatural powers include the ability to open up portals to other dimensions, which makes them valuable to the factions fighting for control of Columbia.
Ken Levine has said that players should expect the same core DNA of other BioShock titles, with new themes and innovative gameplay mechanics.
After another delay for more polishing work, BioShock Infinite will be launched in late March 2013.