1999, it was a different time. A simpler time. A controller breakingly infuriatingly challenging time. A time that, according to a user survey by Take-Two regarding players’ ‘BioShock‘ experience, 56.8 percent of us want back. Thus 1999 mode has been announced for ‘BioShock Infinite‘. This player punishing hardcore twist takes us back to a time when re-specing a character on the fly was an impossibility and climbing a skill tree meant permanent choices and thus permanent consequences.

By looking back Take-Two/Irrational Games is taking a step forward. Rather than adjustments to player and AI health and damage combined with growing on screen enemy count by a factor of X to determine difficulty; 1999 mode alters the game entirely to provide the intrepid gamer with a more challenging experience. The crux of the new game mode is in it’s uncompromising permanence. The player will be expected to start by choosing a specialization that can not be changed with, once chosen, unchangeable skills to develop. According to Creative Director Ken Levin weapon, power, and health management will play an important part in your journey through 1999 Columbia. Just in case all this talk about “permanence” and “difficulty” doesn’t have your interest at an absolute peak; a long lost friend from gaming’s past makes it’s come back in ‘BioShock Infinite’… The GAME OVER screen. That’s right kids if you die without the necessary requirements for re-spawn, it’s game over man.

Related Video:
BioShock Infinite Dev Diary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HlHspsoBxI