By now you’ve played through at least some of Bioshock Infinite, I mean c’mon it’s amazing, and you’ve probably read some articles on how everyone is praising the main female character, Elizabeth, as having been one of the most amazing A.I. companions in video game history. Some people have even gone so far to say that Elizabeth is one of the most empowering females in video games. Most people claiming she’s a great A.I. are basing it off their experiences with escort missions from past games that have been horrible. And we’ve all been there, you’re going through amazing missions in the game and suddenly you have to escort some feeble NPC across battlegrounds ensuring their survival in the biggest warlike moments of the game. It’s always a hassle and the NPC does absolutely nothing to help you along the way, instead they usually end up wandering right into the line of fire and die, thus ending your mission and causing you to start over.
Here in lies why Elizabeth is a phenomenal AI. She never really gets in your way, when you’re low on items she throws them to you (including health, ammunition for the weapon you are using, Silver Eagles, and Salts), and she doesn’t need to be protected. All of this combined makes her a joy to have around, furthering the argument that she is the best companion and an exemplary female character in a video games.
I, on the other hand, had a much different experience with Elizabeth. I enjoyed her contribution to the story immensely, but as far as being a companion I found her to be clunky and in my way. She took away from scavenging and made the game a million times easier than the previous Bioshock games. There was also something just off about her that I couldn’t put my thumb on. Thomas Ella at GamesBeat also had a slightly different experience with Elizabeth saying that her being a great companion tricks you into loving her character; the Elizabeth presented prior to the games release was much more involved with the combat and was treated much more like an interactive character than just an A.I. companion. And then he pointed out the exact thing that irked me so much about her character, “It’s disappointing that BioShock Infinite chose to play it so safe by letting you treat Elizabeth like a tool rather than a person.” A tool. Elizabeth is nothing but a means to an end for most of the game. She is used by Comstock to attain a greater purpose, she is used by Booker to get through the game (handing him items, picking locks, opening tears), and she is stuck in this role until the very end of the game. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but trust me even her actions at the end don’t really exonerate her from this “tool” status.
What troubles me the most is not that she got turned into this tool, this means to an end, but that people (you’ll have to read to the end of that article to get what I’m talking about) are actually praising her as being one of the best female characters in video games. I get it, the story is great and the gameplay is phenomenal but what does Elizabeth really do that makes her such a great female character? I’ll give you that she doesn’t need to be protected and actually holds her own in certain circumstances and that she isn’t afraid to stray from Booker, but after thinking about it for some time and reading other people’s articles on the same subject I still don’t see any other value that she adds as a female character. She’s powerful, but even that’s not by her own doing. She doesn’t even get the chance to take control of her own life except through the actions of a man. I may be picking at small things here, but without looking at her as a whole I can’t honestly say that I even considered her to be a role model female character. Especially after playing through the new Tomb Raider and putting Lara’s character through the grind, it is very difficult to put Elizabeth on the same page.
A great companion, sure! A great female character to be praised as one of the best? Surely not.
9 thoughts on “Bioshock Infinite, Pushing the Boundaries of a Female Character?”
I just picked up the game today a la my GameStop birthday treat and I’m looking forward to playing it. Everyone seems to be loving it in my circles, but I’ll have to pay close attention to Elizabeth.
Can I just say that I love Faith from Mirror’s Edge? I think she’s one of the most empowering female game characters I’ve encountered, despite the fact that the game was short (and I did read the prequel comics too, so I know a little more about her character than most gamers). Hm this might make an interesting article…
Unfortunately I haven’t played Mirror’s Edge! I watched someone else play at the very end of the game and from what I saw she seems to be somewhat passive for the most part? I’d love to play and have it prove me wrong, though!
Oh you should definitely play it! But I wouldn’t consider her passive at all! She works and lives outside the system, is amazingly athletic, and risks her life to save her sister. She also doesn’t take any crap from the (male) villains of the game. Plus, the game is first person, and it’s not often you’re asked to take the perspective of a female character.
I’d have to concur, she’s absolutely fabulous as an A.I. companion and I hope games made in the future follow what they did right there. But I wouldn’t put her up as exemplary female character. Though with so many really bad ones it doesn’t take much to separate yourself from the pack.
I tried to play Mirror’s Edge but I was so horrible at it I gave up. 🙁
I agree, it is very difficult to actually measure what makes a good female character in a sea of such bad ones. We see a woman placed in a hierarchy that places her ahead of some male roles and want to jump very quickly to say that she’s empowered and a great female role model. Unfortunately, we still have a long ways to go in that department!
Hear, hear. To be honest I’m not quite sure why people are praising her as a character, as if she brought anything new to the table or was in any way particularly inventive. Perhaps it’s cynical of me but I can only assume it’s because they have bought into the hype of Infinite’s marketing.
I think a much more appropriate lay to claim of the Elizabeth-icon folks have fooled themselves into believing is Trip, from Enslaved. To that end, here’s my shameless plug of a piece I wrote last week:
http://www.gameranx.com/features/id/14430/article/bioshock-infinite-elizabeth-on-the-back/
I examined Liz’s role in terms of priority to the narrative rather than the qualities of her character or as an AI, so I quite enjoyed your reading of her. Nice to know I’m not the only one miffed by the topic 🙂
I loved your article! Hurray for shameless plugging. I wish that Elizabeth was given the chance to be the character she had the potential for, but I 100% agree with you when you say that this is Booker’s story and she is just another piece to the puzzle. Her contribution to the game would have been the same with or without her being present as the AI because she is so passive during gameplay. Thanks for the comment! 🙂
I’ve written an annoyingly long essay, with Elizabeth’s role as an essential part of my reading of the game; it’s supposed to appear at Berfrois.com, but hasn’t yet. I’ll let you know.
My reading of the game is that Elizabeth’s role as a “tool” is deeply meaningful, worked out as a commentary on patriarchy. Both Comstock and Booker are trapped by their self-involvement, their inability to see her as anything more than a means to an end (for Booker, as a way to redeem his gambling debt; for Comstock, as an “heir”). The only possible redemption, which only comes about at the end of the story, is Booker’s willingness to start seeing her as a unique individual, to make her goals and her well-being a priority apart from his own.
It’s got a lot to do with the role of the female as the universal Other; the full argument goes a lot deeper. Maybe it’ll open up a different dimension of her character to you if you ever get to read it. In the meantime, glad to hear your perspective on Elizabeth, and I hope to read more of your work in the future!
“And we’ve all been there, you’re going through amazing missions in the game and suddenly you have to escort some feeble NPC across battlegrounds ensuring their survival in the biggest warlike moments of the game. It’s always a hassle and the NPC does absolutely nothing to help you along the way, instead they usually end up wandering right into the line of fire and die, thus ending your mission and causing you to start over.
Here in lies why Elizabeth is a phenomenal AI. She never really gets in your way, when you’re low on items she throws them to you (including health, ammunition for the weapon you are using, Silver Eagles, and Salts), and she doesn’t need to be protected.”
I think this basically sums up what makes me uncomfortable with the praise for Elizabeth as “A Great Female Character” or “Most Empowering.” This sentiment seems to imply that a good female character is one who doesn’t get in my way and isn’t a chore to be around, but will instead get me things I need and who I can otherwise ignore during the action.