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BioShock Infinite: Six Things You May Have Missed

BioShock Infinite: Six Things You May Have Missed

I’ve already wrapped up my thoughts on BioShock Infinite into one neat little package in my full review of the game ( which you can read here ), but that hasn’t stopped me from contemplating its finer points (especially the ending). I happened to record my entire first playthrough of the game, as well as my failed attempt at a 1999 playthrough. I’ve recently been combing through the footage, and I keep stumbling upon things that I completely missed the first time around.

Here are six things you may have missed in your BioShock Infinite playthrough. Note: Most of these things can be seen in the game’s first couple hours, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be spoilers here.

Booker Sometimes Calls “Heads” But Sometimes Calls “Tails”

Booker Sometimes Calls “Heads” But Sometimes Calls “Tails”

Something you won’t notice until at least your second playthrough is that in the famous coin flip scene, sometimes Booker calls “heads,” and other times he calls “tails.” No matter what he says, though, the coin will always come up heads.

While this seems to be a fairly pointless detail, it also interestingly falls into the game’s motif of “constants and variables.” Booker making the call is a variable; the coin landing on heads is a constant. Now, what does this imply about free will within the universe(s) of BioShock Infinite?

The Magically Disappearing Luteces

The Magically Disappearing Luteces

In one of the game’s many binoculars scenarios, you have the chance to catch Robert Lutece juggling while Rosalind stands idly by. What’s weird about this is that when you pull away from the binoculars, the twins have vanished. Try looking a second time; they aren’t there. It’s a good thing I caught this on video, otherwise I’d think I was imagining things.

The Gender-Swapping Statue

The Gender-Swapping Statue

There’s a statue of R. Lutece in Columbia, which conveniently could be referring to either Rosalind or Robert. In fact, when you first stumble upon the statue, it’s Robert, but it quickly transforms into Rosalind. What does it all mean?

Stuffed Songbird Is Simultaneously Adorable and Terrifying

Stuffed Songbird Is Simultaneously Adorable and Terrifying

I’ve already mentioned this in my review, but the most terrifying thing about this entire game for me was Songbird. This mechanical bird only shows up a few times throughout the game, but the moments it actually does are horrifying (minus the ending, but that’s a discussion for a different time).

So when I stumbled upon this plush Songbird toy, I couldn’t help but wince a little. Had I been given this toy as a child, I would probably have had an endless string of nightmares and assumed my parents hated me. But that’s just me. Constance Field, the little girl we presume is the owner of this toy, seems fine with it.

The Key, the Scroll, and the Sword

The Key, the Scroll, and the Sword

BioShock Infinite is a game of motifs. And one of the most prominent is the balance of the key, scroll, and sword. These symbols show up absolutely everywhere, especially in the early portion of the game. So what does it all mean?

Well, we’re given some clues throughout the game to sort it all out. The key, which is a symbol of Benjamin Franklin, is a symbol for discovery, or science. It’s a revered quality in Columbia, a city in the sky that’s basically a floating World’s Fair. The scroll, attributed to Thomas Jefferson, is about the importance of having an established, written set of beliefs or ideals. The sword, George Washington’s symbol, is about protecting oneself, or upholding the law. It’s sort of a symbol for the right to bear arms, though in this case it’s being used to propagate Columbia’s racist agenda. And ultimately to… Well, I’m not going to get into how that affects the ending. It’s important though.

Anyway, enjoy this montage I threw together that shows just how prevalent this symbolism is in the early portion of the game.

Stuff Happens After the Credits, and It’s Kind Of Important

Stuff Happens After the Credits, and It’s Kind Of Important

Okay, so this is something you probably didn’t miss. But just in case you did, here’s BioShock Infinite’s post-credits scene. Does it change the way you interpret the ending at all?

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