Bioshock Infinite is a spellbinding, action-packed thrill ride of a game that is absolutely worth the time and money of any who consider themselves serious gamers. Rising head and shoulders above most current first-person shooters, this game proves itself a worthy successor to the original 2007 game simply titled Bioshock, which is regarded as one of the highest rated first-person shooters of all time. While not a direct sequel or even a prequel to this first game, Bioshock Infinite is like its predecessor in many ways, sharing themes such as fantastic locations, mind-bending storylines, and dystopian worlds, while still including themes of its own. In order to explain what makes this game so great, I decided to analyse its story, gameplay, audio, aesthetics, and replayability, piece-by-piece, to give a clear understanding of what sets this game apart.

Story
Bioshock infinite is definitely not a game for those who tend to ignore storylines. By far its strongest aspect, this game has an incredible story that only gets more complex as one tries to analyse it. The year is 1912; you play as Booker Dewitt, a former Pinkerton agent who is given an offer: his gambling debts will be wiped away if he journeys to the floating city of Columbia and rescues a girl imprisoned there. This girl, Elizabeth, has incredible powers, with the ability to open “tears” to alternate universes and possibilities. These tears become the main focus of the story, so those easily confused with such concepts as time travel and alternate dimensions may find it a bit impenetrable. I, for one, had to look up an in-depth explanation of the ending in order to fully appreciate it. However, most who pay attention to the story will be rewarded with an intricate and mind-blowing story that explores themes such as xenophobia, racism, and the extreme Andrew Carnegie-style oppression of the working class that was so common at that time period, as well as the violent uprisings that result from it. Truly a deep game, Bioshock Infinite’s story really left a lasting impression on me.

gameplay
Those who are not too interested in story will still have a great deal of fun with this game because of its gameplay, which is intense, fast-paced, and varied. Most of the campaign will be spent in combat. The right hand of the character wields conventional weapons such as shotguns, machine guns and rocket launchers, while the left hand wields what are called “vigors”– basically special powers infused into the character, giving him the ability to throw fire, catch and return bullets, and pull enemies close from far away, among many others. Another great gameplay mechanic is the skyrails, which allow the character to travel around quickly during combat and strike from above. The game also makes use of Elizabeth’s manipulatioin of tears, giving the player the ability to summon med kits, ammo, or turrets from thin air. overall, the gameplay is balanced and extremely engaging. I had a few minor qualms with it, such as the two- gun limit that seemed unnecessary and limiting, and many times there was a cutscene where it didnt seem necessary or no cutscene where It would’ve seemed appropriate. But overall the gameplay is excellent.

Audio
The music and sounds of Columbia really do a lot to add atmosphere to this game. The voice acting is excellent, with my personal favorite being the actress who portrays Daisy Fitzroy, and the music is all carefully composed, all sounding beautiful, and with a few songs that may surprise those who listen carefully…

Aesthetics
The aesthetics of this game are for the most part excellent. While the graphics of this game are not the best in the world, characters as stylized in such a way that not only does it not matter, it also means that they look even more vivid and full of energy than what a “photorealistic” character model does. The city is bright and colorful with tons of care poured into detail and design, and the city design, artwork, and lighting really add to the atmosphere of the game.

Replayability
Bioshock Infinite does have a multiplayer online mode, or even co-op, which may turn many away from buying it. However, I found it to be extremely replayable. As soon as my first playthrough had ended, and all the twists of the story had been revealed, I immediately started up a new game, just to catch all the hints and plot details that I missed in my first playthrough but were obvious to me now. The very ending may hurt replayability for some, however, as much of it is either cutscenes or walking down linear corridors as the story is revealed to you, with not much happening in the way of gameplay. This can make the ending a bit of a chore to go through multiple times. but personally, after I finished my second playthrough, I started up a third, which certainly says a lot about its replayability.

Overall, Bioshock infinite is a fantastic game. Personally I know I am a bit biased, as the Bioshock franchise is my absolute favorite series of games. However, I think that others who give it a try will really enjoy how unique and fun it is, and followers of this franchise will be rewarded with a few easter eggs and nods to the first game. If you are a gamer interested in something different and fun, this is worth your money.

Dear Afraid to grow up,
Being scared is normal and the unknown can be frightening. Just give it time. If your friends are truly friends then you will find a way to keep in touch, if not, it is their loss. You will make new friends and you will get used to the college life. It just takes some getting used to and adjusting.
Liz

Seton La-Salle High School a place where everyone belongs. Seton La-Salle was founded on learning, growing, and belonging. Learning the knowledge and skills necessary for success. Growing in the Christian values which makes success meaningful. Belonging to a welcoming community where each person is valued.

This year has been filled with changes such as, a new vice principal, chromebooks, and the senior English department. Some students have strong opinions over the decisions in having the chromebooks. Senior Nora Simmers says, “These chromebooks given to us, were given to us with good intentions but people at our age have more knowledge on technology than these chromebooks have. They are helpful at times but distracting and fail us more times than they are helpful.”

The English department for the seniors decided that every quarter there will be a different english teacher. Most of the students objected to this.

Aliya May said, “Although it may be cool to get a new teacher every quarter and get the opportunity to meet a new person, work has been piled upon us because the teachers had to get a certain amount of information to us in a short amount of time. Although it may have seemed like a good idea, this whole year in English I felt rushed, and unorganized.”

The class of 2013 have been forced to adjust to many changes, new faces, new policies, and technology. I think it is safe to say we have had an enjoyable four years and an unforgettable senior year.

Do you remember your first day of high school and how nervous you were to be at a new school? Sometimes it is hard getting to know new people and to make friends. The incoming freshmen at Seton- La Salle are given the opportunity to meet new people before the new school year even starts. On Sunday, May 5th , 2013, the incoming students (the class of 2017) were invited to attend the freshmen picnic. While there, the eighth graders talked to some of their future classmates and to some students who are currently attending Seton.

Mallory Murphy, a senior at Seton, said, “I think that it (the freshmen picnic) is a great way for the students who are planning on coming to the school to meet new people and for them to feel a little less nervous on their first day.”

On Sunday, several students who are members of sports teams and clubs came to talk to some of the future students. Daniel Leehan, a junior who is a member of National Honor Society and swimming, was one of the volunteers at the picnic.

“This is my second year helping at the picnic. Some of the freshmen I talked to at previous picnics have told me that after the picnic they felt better about going here (Seton) and that it made it easier when it came time for orientation,” said Leehan.

The freshmen picnic is a great way to meet new people and to start to get adjusted to high school.

Leehan said, “The freshmen picnic is a great idea. It helps the new, incoming students to make new friends and learn a little more about the school. It also gives them a student view of going here (Seton- La Salle).”

The freshmen picnic is a lot of fun to go to. Freshmen who are planning on coming to Seton should try to attend this event. There are a lot of things to do and you get to meet a lot of new people. It is something unique that Seton-La Salle high school is able to offer to make new families feel a part of the Seton- La Salle community.

Every year Seton-LaSalle sponsors retreats for every class. Each year is different and by the time we are Seniors we have a chance to go on a Kairos and Awakening retreat.  The retreat program at our school is designed as a four year program that helps us grow spiritually. The program is also designed, so there are multiple retreats per year for each grade to accommodate the students if there is any conflicts that arise, the students have plenty of opportunities to complete their retreat.

I talked to Mrs. Pastor to find more information about what our retreats mean and what they are about.

The first level of retreat is Antioch, which is the name of the first Christian community missionized by St. Paul. This retreat is designed for students who have not attended a Seton-LaSalle retreat before.  This retreat is focused on being a community and what are talents are as a group and what it means to be an individual.  This retreat ecompases material geareed toward Freshamn and Sophomores.

The second level of retreat is Corinth, which is named after St. Paul’s writing about the meaning of love and our relationship as individuals and a community as a whole. Students are able to attend this retreat if they have attended one SLS retreat. This level focuses on Purity and Maturity and our journey through high school.  At this level students are trying to find their calling in life and how we are to serve our calling. This retreat has material geared for Juniors and Seniors.

The third level of retreat is called Kairos, meaning ‘God’s delegated time.’ The Kairos retreat is open to students who have attended two SLS retreats before. The retreat has material from the Senior level and is a traditional Kairos Format. The format helps students find refuge at the end of our high school journey. Students must Juniors or Seniors to attend this retreat.

The fourth level of retreat is Awakenings, named for the developing spiritual desire for those who feel called for and increase in meditation. This retreat is open to all students who have attended three SLS retreats before. The program focuses on different forms of prayer, both individual and communal, and reflective discussions and journaling. This retreat can be attended more than once if the students wish to do so.  Students must be Juniors or Seniors in order to attend this retreat.

The Seton – La Salle prom was held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown, Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 25.  This junior-senior dance is always an exciting way to end the school year.

When asked about organizing prom, Ms. Metting, the coordinator for prom committee, answered that the best part is seeing how happy and excited everyone is when they get there, along with watching students really enjoy themselves. She said, “It is nice seeing all the hard work pay off and seeing and hearing that everyone is liking everything about prom.”

The worst part about prom was a tough question for Ms. Metting to answer. She really enjoys everything about prom. If she had to say the worst, it would be when someone realizes they can’t go to prom and they want their money back. Ms. Metting can’t give any refunds, so it is hard to say no.

When asked whether there is anything she could change about prom, she answered, “I wish I could make it free.”

The next question Ms. Metting was asked was about how many people usually go to prom each year. She said that this year there were 230 people, prom 2012: 237 and prom 2011: 243.

After speaking with Chez Capretto, a senior here at SLS who is always very involved with organizing the dances, some interesting information was discovered. She was asked when the prom committee started planning for this year’s prom, and she answered that they began their planning process the week before Christmas break.

When she was questioned about how she came up with the photobooth idea, Capretto said she wanted everyone to have a cool gift to take home with them to remember this fun night. When it comes to dessert, Capretto said she chose the cheesecake and chocolate mousse because it was the best option for the best price. Many people really enjoyed the dessert. Some people were wondering why the prom committee decided to go with the Omni-William Penn Hotel again this year. Capretto explained that they always have great service and a beautiful venue.

Most attending seniors and juniors had things to say about prom this year. When asked the question, “how was prom this year? Was it better than previous years?”

 Juniors Lindsey Farley and Tia Torchia agreed that prom was good, but not as good as they had expected. They are both still excited for next year. Senior Vivian Langford said “prom was very nice. I enjoyed myself but the music could have been a little better.”

Another senior, Kelly McConville, said that it was the most fun because it was her senior year and the DJ was better than ever before.

The next question for the students was “how was the music? Is there any style of music you wish there was more or less of?”

Torchia said,  “the music was awful.”

Farley agreed, and states “there should be less techno music and more current songs.” McConville thought that the music was better than ever before.

Langford said “I liked it but I wish there was more hip-hop and rap.”

Moving on to a new question, these students were asked, “What is your favorite and least favorite part of prom? Is there anything you wish you could change?” Farley said that her favorite part is the dancing, even though the music was horrendous.

Torchia said that the food was her least favorite part because there were creepy things in the chicken.

McConville said that her favorite thing is being with friends. Her least favorite thing is having to sit there and eat.

Langford said, “my favorite part of prom is dancing and being with my friends. My least favorite is having to eat dinner because it is kind of a waste of time.”

Overall, it seems like the students of SLS enjoyed prom as always, but the music caused some complaints.

Editor’s Note: forphotobooth pictures of Prom: Click Here

The past few years have brought many changes to Seton La-Salle one of which is an influx of foreign students.

That’s right, the only thing that seems to be increasing faster than the tuition is the number of foreign students attending Seton La-Salle. Most of the new faces are from Asian descent, particularly from China and South Korea, but other countries are represented as well.

With these new foreign students comes a natural curiosity on our (the Americans) part. Most of us have never been out of the country and do not know enough about these different cultures. The subject of how the schooling differs often comes up when talking to these new students.

When asked about the main differences between his native school in China, senior Jiamin Chen said, “In China I would have homework for 3-4 hours every night and when there was a test, it would become 6 hours because of studying.”

Jiamin also spoke of the strictness of the schools in China on topics such as dating, saying, “In China, students aren’t allowed to date through high school and if you get caught dating, you will face punishment”

Those things seem pretty hard to imagine here at Seton. The workload hardly ever reaches 3 hours a night and as for dating, well, most you’ll most likely see a couple in the halls sometime throughout the week.

In South Korea the differences are even greater. Senior Min Soo Park said, “In South Korea, the school day is much longer, we go from 9 am to 9 pm. In addition, we go to school 6 days a week sometimes 7.”

Another student from South Korea, Jamie Lee, said “In South Korea we don’t have a summer vacation like we do here, over there we have about 3 weeks off in total.”

This workload may seem outrageous to students in the U.S. but in South Korea it is the harsh truth.

Although our cultures differ greatly, students from all over are always welcome at Seton La-Salle to learn, grow and belong.

On April 23, 2013 the upperclassmen or Seton-La Salle took on St. Thomas Moore’s student body for Junior Achievement. It was a fun filled day, many activities were learned and it the day was very educational.

Many people don’t know what Junior Achievement is, and the impact it brings to many students nationwide. Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. The program of Junior Achievement helps show young kids showing what the real world is like and preparing them for life. Seton La-Salle is very active in the Junior Achievement program.

This program has been around at Seton for many years and is growing rapidly. The students of Seton La-Salle recently went to  Saint Thomas More’s grade school in Bethel Park.. Seniors and juniors from Seton taught students from Kindergarten all the way up to 8th grade. It was a very fun filled and learning experienced day.

St. Thomas More was very welcoming. The Seton students are were very excited that they were going to be teaching on April 23, 2013. Molly McGonigle, a senior who has teaches Junior Achievement said “It’s really great to work and interact with the kids. Being able to meet and bond with each kid is fun and worthwhile.”

Brittany Ott, a senior also who teaches Junior Achievement, also said “Even though it was only my first time teaching, I enjoyed the experience and getting to spend my day with grade school students. It made me feel like I was back in grade school again!”

Many students who also taught JA that day appreciate that St Thomas More was so welcoming and appreciative of us being there. Many JA teachers felt great to walk away from the day with children’s smile on their faces. Junior Achievement was a big success on April 23d. The students of Seton La-Salle enjoyed teaching and are looking forward to more days of JA and  brightening students lives.