“BioShock Infinite,” the third game in the BioShock series, is certainly one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year.

Previous games in the series are some of the most beloved and acclaimed games of this generation, so expectations for the game were unbelievably high. Fans of the series will be happy to know however, that “BioShock Infinite” should not only meet their expectations, but exceed them.

Those who are new to the series should have no worries of feeling left out as the game requires no prior knowledge of the series in order to be enjoyed to its fullest.

“BioShock Infinite” takes place in the fictional city of Columbia, a floating city in the sky where the founding fathers of America are worshipped like gods. The player plays the role of Booker DeWitt, who is tasked with rescuing a girl by the name of Elizabeth from the island.

The characters who inhabit the world of “BioShock Infinite” are vibrant and bring us into their world completely, which makes the delivery of its complex philosophical questions that much more powerful.

Much of the game will be spent protecting Elizabeth. However, the game manages to avoid the trappings of the typical “escort mission” by allowing to Elizabeth to fend for herself and actually making her helpful.

Players will have the ability to engage in combat with either guns or special powers known as vigors to dispatch their enemies. Resources can become scarce in the middle of battle however, so players must be careful to use their resources effectively. This is made worse by the fact that players can only hold two weapons at a time, unlike previous installments of the series, which may irk series faithfuls.

An occasional issue is that the game does not allow the player to save wherever they choose, which can render areas inaccessible when players realize they’ve missed something. Players can later choose to replay the chapter, but this requires overwriting the current save data.

Minor grievances aside, “BioShock Infinite” succeeds far more often than it fails.

Few games in recent memory have succeeded in immersing the player into their world as completely as “BioShock Infinite” does. It dares to ask challenging questions and rewards the player for constantly paying attention. The result is a game that feels truly unique and extraordinary.