Biologically mod your body with plasmids - genetic augmentations that empower you with dozens of fantastic abilities
Take control of your world by hacking devices and systems
Upgrade your weapons at Fire-For-Effect stations located through Rapture
Pick up materials in the city to modify them at U-Invent kiosks
Explore an incredible and unique art deco world hidden deep under the ocean, vividly illustrated with realistic water effects
Rating: - A wow-A-Thon in every way. And that come from a guy that is not a fan of the FPS genre.
I've seen first person shooters come and go. I never was a huge fan of the genre and even greats such as "Halo" did not endear me to the overall premise of running around in lack luster areas to blast the hell out of other people wearing red or blue suits.
Truthfully I had fallen from grace becoming a jaded shrew. I did not believe an FPS could instill in me one iota of genuine emotion or push the boundaries. Then came Bio shock.
Have you ever been proven wrong and loved every bite of your humble pie? Well for me Bio Shock did just that. From the moment my plane crashed violently into the ocean and I was sputtering as I swam to the tower that would take me to my fate in the under water city of rapture I was pretty much hooked.
I could say Bio shock is great in that it let's you master and upgrade a plethora of powers that tweak your genetics. If you want to lift things with your mind and toss them at enemies or electrocute them in the water with bolts of lightning crackling from your finger tips you can! However the later "plasmids" as they are called are truly original. Ever thought you could send a swarm of bees after someone with a mere gesture? Ever wanted to have the ability to create realistic decoys that can confuse your adversaries as you make a stealthy get away? This is "good stuff" and its' obvious the team put a lot of thought into these concepts instead of having a "bigger is always better" mentality. Yes, you can upgrade your guns too and they do get meaner looking but for me the draw of the game play is using plasmids in interesting new ways. Unlike other shooters many things in your environment can be effected by your powers. You are forced to become accustomed to this because your plasmids are not just used for fighting enemies but also used for solving problems.
Now that I got that out of the way "plasmids" by themselves would already make this game "fun" even if the story sucked and the environments were pretty bland. But I'll be damned if 2K did not go all out. Rapture is a place of grotesque beauty. Everyone has a "I'll step on you to get ahead" mentality and they are all addicted to Eve and Adam which fuel their own plasmid powers. These horrors of lost humanity are called "Splicers" and it is as much what they believe that makes them monsters as what they look like.
Can you imagine living in an art deco city during the 1940's if everyone adhered to Ayn Rand's "Selfishness is a virtue" mentality and the greatest artistic and scientific minds forsook morality and ethics to push the envelop of conventionality? Chances are you would get Rapture.
I suppose the things I like about the main villains is that as complex and as brilliant as they are you still have plenty of reasons to hate them. The designers are not trying to make you sympathetic to them or to even make you question what is truly right or wrong. They just want to chill your spine with the revelation that what the bad guys believe in is an impressive argument for the masses.
Sadly there are a lot of wretched people out there who despise individuals who have disabilities and who hate charity. Capitalism and greed is a big part of the world's dynamic and Andrew Ryan's most impressive argument is every man deserves compensation for the sweat of his own labors without having to give it to the poor or the needy. For a split second that theory almost makes sense. But then when your gaze turns back to Rapture and you see everyone out for themselves slaughtering each other you're given your slap of reality to make you realize how flawed and evil Objectivism can truly be.
This very struggle to maintain your own compassion is metaphorically played out through the little sisters and Big Daddies. The behemoth Big Daddies protect the little sisters as they routinely go around gathering Adam and eve from Corpses with a huge syringe. The Splicers are always trying to brutally kill these poor little girls to take their "juice" so to speak. By bringing down the big daddies you can brutally murder the little sisters too, however you can also save them by absorbing just enough Adam into you to turn them back into normal children.
For me it was a no brainer. I have a soft spot for children so of course I'm not going to slay them even in a video game. However YOU do not have to be a bleeding-heart softy. Slaughtering little sisters WILL give you more Adam right away to upgrade plasmids and buy you new ones but you will not get "thank you" gifts from the wee ones later on.
Whether you are good or evil makes not much difference. Either way close to the end of the game you're a hulk of awesomeness that can blaze a trail through squashed splicer corpses.
Everything from the music to the balanced difficulty and atmosphere in Bio Shock is spot on. The only part I found teeth gnashing hard was an escort mission in which you have to protect a little sister opening doors for you. In truth you can call another little sister after the first one dies but for someone like me who wants a perfect achievement and clean conscience I'm not cashing in until the first sweet little lass makes it safely to her transport tunnel.
In closing that's what I'm getting at. I actually "care" for the little sisters. I truly want to see what is around the next corner and be surprised by the next revelation. For an FPS to give someone like me such a great time is a testament to its' quality.
Pros
+The people truly talk like they are from the 1940's and 1950's.
+A great story line with many unexpected twists and turns. Right when you think its' all coming together it falls apart completely as you find out yet another master mind is pulling the strings behind the shadows.
+Plasmids are fun to use and genetic enhancement is a fascinating aspect to put into a first person shooter.
+The areas are truly fun to explore and every place in Rapture has its own haunting or revolting charm.
+You genuinely feel sorry for the victims that got trapped in Rapture making you want to smite the villains that much more.
+Perfect atmospheric music and every structure has an art deco motif faithful to the era it takes place in.
Cons
-The game is pretty big but it is still an FPS, not a role-playing game. If you are a fanatic you could likely finish it in a single sitting but that is only if you have time off work, your groceries are stocked, and you do not have to do anything else. Honestly though I'm far into the game I could not finish it my first night playing.
-The story is linear fare but last time I checked most FPS games have a single driving goal so I did not even see being led around by the hand as a glaring flaw. You can still thoroughly explore each environment at your leisure even if you get the go ahead to take the transporter to the next floor.
-That there need to be more FPS games handled with this same amount of love and care in the future so I do not have to endure anymore hyped up meat-head halo fan boys. (snark! Just kidding Master Chief acolytes. Please don't kill meh!)
Rating: - excellent game!
i just wanted to help out with the 5 stars it should have. the graphics are amazing, story is excellent and keeps your attention and makes you want to keep playing. if your a 3rd person shooter fan i dont see how you would not like this. with the changing abilitys your guy has with the range of weapons and range of things to shoot(from people to bots to big daddys). if your hatin on this game go get a wii. you'll be happy with that
Rating: - Incredible
Just might be the best game I have ever played. It is smart, innovative, scary and just plain fun. You have to experience it for yourself...you basically owe it to yourself if you own a next gen consul.
Rating: - A Beginners Experience With BioShock
After not playing video games for many years(The first Ninetendo system was the last time I owned and played a system and games), I went out and bought a Xbox 360 system to keep me at home to save money on entertainment. One of the games I bought to play was "BioShock"BioShock (I thought the picture on the box looked cool). I also bought the game guide to walk me through it since basically, I'm a beginner. From the moment I first inserted the disc, I was hooked! The graphics are out of this world, and the storyline is really good. I liken it to reading a book and being able to interact with it. If you play it with headphones on and the lights out it will scare the hell out of you! It's nothing corny like Mario Bros. Because of the violence, and people, not monsters getting killed, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 18 years of age. When you start playing, take your time to explore and enjoy the scenery. You'll be glad you did.
Two thumbs up!
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