With all of the laud and praise for Tomb Raider when it released, I became interested in the game as we all know. I haven’t picked it up yet because I’m kind of in the middle of March game releases, but I initially did not pick it up after release because several of my friends told me to reconsider since I’m pregnant.
Let me explain.
The last time I was pregnant, I noticed a distinct revulsion toward gaming violence that I normally did not have. I had just gotten Dead Rising for my new Xbox at that time, and after playing for only 20 minutes, I had to turn it off because I was physically sick. I tried playing it again after having Gabe, but that experience stayed with me and I ended up giving it to a friend. While watching E3 on TV, I once again became physically sick at the sight of the Dead Space trailer. I’ve avoided all things Dead Space since then as well.
So my friends, who know this about me and watched me have problems while playing DmC: Devil May Cry for the same reasons, strongly cautioned me against Tomb Raider. Lara Croft dies in horrific ways, she has graphic things happen to her, so you may want to avoid it until after you have Thing 2. I heard it all. Given the graphic nature of the game I saw at E3 in 2011 and 2012, I saw their points, so decided to avoid it for a little while longer, until I watched a friend play it for a few hours. Yes, there is some stuff I wish I hadn’t seen that probably wouldn’t bother me if I wasn’t pregnant, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had thought.
Then this past Friday, I played BioShock Infinite for the first time. Uh friends? Where were your warnings for this game?
In the three hours I played BI, I saw a man get a spinning hook jabbed in his face, a half-naked man eaten to death by crows, and a woman set herself on fire. All of these things disturbed me far more and affected me far more greatly than anything I saw in the couple of hours of Tomb Raider. After the spinning hook, I had to pause the game and go outside for a minute for fresh air. After the murder by crows, I had to go find a box of Kleenex.
I should have been expecting some horrors, especially after some of the scenes I witnessed from the first BioShock game, but yeah, I wasn’t counting on how it would affect me while pregnant. I can tell you without a doubt I would not be able to handle the first BioShock at all right now, especially with everything surrounding the Little Sisters.
I’m not saying I’m going to quit BioShock Infinite; at least, I won’t unless there’s a boss fight involving fighting an unborn baby (you’re a monster, DmC). I just may not get through the game as quickly as some of my friends have, since I’m a complete wuss right now. Hopefully I’ve seen the worst it has to offer, but knowing BioShock like I do, I bet it’s just getting started.
Without going into spoilers, I can confirm that there is no unborn baby boss fight in BioShock Infinite. You will see some horrors during your stay in Columbia though. I’m trying to remember if there’s anything viscerally horrific beyond where you are now and I’m not coming up with anything especially memorable. A few vigors show some nasty things happening to Booker’s hands when you drink them. One NPC character is beyond saving when you meet him/her. You’ll speak with some distraught people begging for help in various ways. Some of the thematic stuff may be hard to take though particularly as you pass the halfway point. It’s worth all of this though. I finished the game on Saturday and I think it’s one of the best I’ve ever played. People will be writing about and studying this game for years.
Oh, one protip for you to prevent a gore moment: when the time comes, draw your gun. You’ll know when.
I feel sorry for you, this game is amazing.
Try to avoid thinking about the violence it might help, but please do me a favor and finish this game the end is amazing !
Also, we demand a review for the strategy guide !
I haven’t quit, I promise! In fact, I hope to have the game finished and a guide review posted this week!