As recently as yesterday, rumors started swirling about a big new announcement coming from Irrational Games. Many thought a new and original game reveal was on the way at the mysterious website What Is Icarus, but today it was revealed that new project was in fact what we all always want to hear but didn’t expect so soon: BioShock 3.

The thing about BioShock 3 is that it’s a prequel and will actually be called BioShock Infinite, and it does not look like we’ll be spending too much time in the oceans of the Atlantic. No, no — this time around, the game is set in the city of Columbia, a floating utopia instead of a submerged one. It takes place in 1912 — decades before the events of the first game — and you play as a Pinkerton agent on a mission to rescue a woman named Elizabeth, who’s been held captive there since childhood.

You don’t need me to tell you this, but rush over to the other side as quickly as possible for a synopsis and to see the trailer right now!

Now, I adore the first two BioShock games, and I craved adventures in Rapture, but there is only so much they could do there. I still itch for a chance to wander the halls of Rapture before all went to hell, but for now, this does look like an exciting new twist to the franchise. And with this being a prequel and all, who knows! You can clearly see some connections between Rapture and Columbia, and maybe a familiar figure. It will be a lot harder to create fear if there’s no darkness and no Splicers, but you can just feel Andrew Ryan’s involvement somewhere here, and the events that lead up to the birth of Rapture could be incredible. There is one moment in the trailer that shows plasmid-esq abilities, so there could be a lot of interesting stories and layers going on.

SYNOPSIS

BioShock Infinite is a first-person shooter currently in development at Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock (which sold over 4 million units worldwide). Set in 1912, BioShock Infinite introduces an entirely new narrative and gameplay experience that lifts players out of the familiar confines of Rapture and rockets them to Columbia, an immense city in the sky.

Former Pinkerton agent Booker DeWitt has been sent to rescue Elizabeth, a young woman imprisoned in Columbia since childhood. Booker develops a relationship with Elizabeth, augmenting his abilities with hers so the pair may escape from a city that is literally falling from the sky. DeWitt must learn to fight foes in high-speed Sky-Line battles, engage in combat both indoors and amongst the clouds, and harness the power of dozens of new weapons and abilities.

BioShock Infinite is currently looking to be released sometime in 2012.