BioShock is a shooter unlike any you've ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You'll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you'll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you. Injectable plasmids give you super human powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, or freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench.

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What can I say baout Bioshock that has not already been said before.
This is a new ball park in fps, cerebral and introspective, it captures not only the Randian ideal of Objectivism in beautiful counterpoint to 'Atlas Shrugged' but the underlying nature of the role of the gamer itself.
The lush decay of the city of Rapture provide the player with a new and intersting environment of which one has very real choice to mould and shape, whether in hacking the various machinery placed around or using character enhancing 'plasmids' to freeze, burn or electrocute puddles, barrels and oil spills.
This game is all about the story, Rapture is a rich world with characters of depth and intigue, most of whom are discovered through surviving audio diaries. If you want the most from this game and want to understand the world or Andrew Ryan and Rapture then I suggest you search high and low to get the full story.
Beyond the myriad of characters there is a shrewd sense of self-discovery as you play the silent protagonist Jack. the more you learn about Rapture the more it coincides with your fortuitous arrival in the crumbling underwater city.
The psudeo-antagonist of Anrew Ryan is one of the best written characters ever formed in gaming in terms of his overall and underlying ties to everything you know about the world and yourself, and finally metting him ingame is one of the quinticential gaming moments.
Written with a flair that surpasses the most cerebral hollywood fayre, Bioshock, on a very subtle level takes on the very notion of choice in gaming. Are we free to do as we like in these digital environments or do we simply follow instruction?
All in all this game, along with a few others of note, has set the bar in terms of what we can now call a 'good game'.
It is mature, intelligent and crafted with all the artistry you could expect from a David Lynch film, while activley taking on the philosophies of choice and determinism.

8

Blue199 says

May contain spoilers Agree (2) Disagree

Fantastic game, with narrative that blows most shooters out of the water, but it has a share of its own, minor, issues. Since the good things go without saying, I will just name a few things I thought the game was lacking:
While the setting is one of the strongest points of this game, I thought it was underplayed at times. After the introduction where you see the city scape at its full, with sea fauna swimming among the buildings, the game locks those vistas away from your perception, be it in exchange of solid walls (granted, the feeling of claustrophobia and isolation works great) or 2d backgrounds behind windows, blurry ones at that. I wish there were more moments of awe at being in an underwater city like right at the opening batysphere ride. It isn't until halfway through the game when the city's grand scale starts to become obvious again. And it isn't until the final 3rd of the game where the clautrophobic close quarters are replaced by what could be compared to underwater city streets, which look incredible.
It would also greatly enhance the feeling of journey and progression of the story to be able to see previously visited sectors and districts just outside, across the water.
Voice acting is great, every single character is enjoyable to listen to, there's alot one can learn about them just from listening to the audiologs, and not even to what these characters are talking so much as the way they talk. Both Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine take the cake in this regard for me, I could listen to both talk for hours on end, and they are both some of my favorite video game villains now. However, at one point in Arcadia I am pretty sure that Andrew Ryan's line in a certain scene was voiced by a different actor than anywhere else in the game, which felt goofy.
Another issue for me is that, while the game takes place 99% at the bottom of the ocean, there is no swimming mechanic outside of that other 1% of the playthrough right at the opening. I would venture to guess that this one part is somehow scripted to create the illusion of swimming. Whenever encountering water, it's simply ankle-, knee- or waist-deep, slowing your movement accordingly to the depth, and in the last case not allowing you to crouch in it. At one point in the game there's even section where there's a drop leading directly into a body of water, but you can't jump down because there is an invisible wall blocking your way. It's a shame because considering the setting, this game had room for potentially creative and fun swimming sections.
Lastly, the ending boss, I'm not a big fan of how the villain just drops all these years of manipulation and scheming to just turn himself into something that looks like a comic book superhero and then simply fight you in what's probably the easiest fight in the game; all you have to do is run sideway so he can't hit you at all. I've fought Big Daddies and even Splicers tougher than this. Underwhelming end to an otherwise great character.
I also thought that some of the guns weren't as useful as they could be, so I used the wrench and plasmids for most of the game instead. Still, upgrading guns and using them on Big Daddies was fun.
From other minor issues that didn't bother me so much I would only name one missing piece of texture, which made a wall in Medical Pavilion see-through, and that nobody safe for the two aforementioned villains has a unique character model, so everyone no matter friend or foe, looks like the same few Splicers. Also a personal thought after seeing the opening level of the game, but I wish there were more scenarios throughout the game where Splicers fight one another and Big Daddies independently from the player, to upkeep the sense of total chaos in the city of Rapture.
Otherwise, this game is a masterpiece. Gameplay is fun and addictive, narrative is simply incredible, the twist unexpected, setting is unique and creative and each mission has something original in store. Easily one of the best games I've played yet.

Best game ever.

10

Amazing game.

Would you kindly, buy and play this game?

This game surprised me. It turned out much better than I thought it would be from first looks. It was just bursting with color and originality around every corner. The art and story were outstanding. The weapons and hacking systems were elaborate and a bit unnecessary for the simple combat of a single player RPG; however, even if I didn't use 95% of it, it was fun to collect those powers. On the character of Andrew Ryan, he was interesting. On the second play through I think I understood him better.

Now for the negative points: I didn't feel comfortable with the controls and movement in the Unreal Engine but that's not very important and it didn't affect my enjoyment. I found it difficult to find places in those maze-like halls. When listening to recorded messages they would often be interrupted by another character or shut out by other loud noises. I probably didn't hear the whole story which made some points confusing. The splicers got really old really fast, especially annoying after the place where Jack discovers who Atlas really is. Hoards of them came screaming out of nowhere and surrounded me while I fire at random past the smoke and flames they were throwing at me. I only died a few times in total but it *felt* really hard. Overall the combat was not so good but just okay. (Maybe some of that is also part of my difficulty with navigation.) The little sister guiding you to the end said "Don't be a slowpoke, Mr. Bubbles" about every ten seconds even though I was way ahead of her while she lagged behind going a snail's pace unknowingly surrounded by psychos trying to kill her. This provided some unwanted tension right before the final battle. The "good" ending that I got felt a little too abrupt.

Overall this is a great game that excelled in many areas, although with some flaws. All that matters is that it was immersive and fun, in fact, the best fun I had in a while, and that earns it a 10.

A fantastic blend of First Person Shooter mechanics and RPG elements.

Bioshock is rife with incredible atmosphere, excellent voice-acting and top-notch graphics. The story is exquisitely detailed, thought provoking and very deep, with a conclusion that left me surprisingly satisfied (Even though others vomited in disgust), something that is surprisingly rare for a first person shooter.

My only complaint is that it is insanely easy, even on harder difficulties, what with there being food and energy bars literally bursting out of the foundations and a Regen-system that spawns you not far off from where you had died.

While there are other flaws and some graphical hitches, Bioshock is sure to please anybody who gives it a try :)

8

lukkasz323 says

May contain spoilers Agree Disagree

Fantastic game, with narrative that blows most shooters out of the water, but it has a share of its own, minor, issues. Since the good things go without saying, I will just name a few things I thought the game was lacking:
While the setting is one of the strongest points this game, I thought it was underplayed at times. After the introduction where you see the city scape at its full, with sea fauna swimming among the buildings, the game locks those vistas away from your perception, be it in exchange of solid walls (granted, the feeling of claustrophobia and isolation works great) or 2d backgrounds behind windows, blurry ones at that. I wish there were more moments of awe at being in an underwater city like right at the opening batysphere ride. It isn't until halfway through the game when the city's grand scale starts to become obvious again. And it isn't until the final 3rd of the game where the clautrophobic close quarters are replaced by what could be compared to underwater city streets, which look incredible.
It would also greatly enhance the feeling of journey and progression of the story to be able to see previously visited sectors and districts just outside, across the water.
Voice acting is great, every single character is enjoyable to listen to, there's alot one can learn about them just from listening to the audiologs, and not even to what these characters are talking so much as the way they talk. Both Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine take the cake in this regard for me, I could listen to both talk for hours on end, and they are both some of my favorite video game villains now. However, at one point in Arcadia I am pretty sure that Andrew Ryan's line in a certain scene was voiced by a different actor than anywhere else in the game, which felt goofy.
Another issue for me is that, while the game takes place 99% at the bottom of the ocean, there is no swimming mechanic outside of that other 1% of the playthrough right at the opening. I would venture to guess that this one part is somehow scripted to create the illusion of swimming. Whenever encountering water, it's simply ankle-, knee- or waist-deep, slowing your movement accordingly to the depth, and in the last case not allowing you to crouch in it. At one point in the game there's even section where there's a drop leading directly into a body of water, but you can't jump down because there is an invisible wall blocking your way. It's a shame because considering the setting, this game had room for potentially creative and fun swimming sections.
Lastly, the ending boss, I'm not a big fan of how the villain just drops all these years of manipulation and scheming to just turn himself into something that looks like a comic book superhero and then simply fight you in what's probably the easiest fight in the game; all you have to do is run sideway so he can't hit you at all. I've fought Big Daddies and even Splicers tougher than this. Underwhelming end to an otherwise great character.
I also thought that some of the guns weren't as useful as they could be, so I used the wrench and plasmids for most of the game instead. Still, upgrading guns and using them on Big Daddies was fun.
From other minor issues that didn't bother me so much I would only name one missing piece of texture, which made a wall in Medical Pavilion see-through, and that nobody safe for the two aforementioned villains has a unique character model, so everyone no matter friend or foe, looks like the same few Splicers. Also a personal thought after seeing the opening level of the game, but I wish there were more scenarios throughout the game where Splicers fight one another and Big Daddies independently from the player, to upkeep the sense of total chaos in the city of Rapture.
Otherwise, this game is a masterpiece. Gameplay is fun and addictive, narrative is simply incredible, the twist unexpected, setting is unique and creative and each mission has something original in store. Easily one of the best games I've played yet.

exciting

Bioshock is beautiful. Truly beautiful, at least taking a year it was released into account. And I honestly thing that it's graphics pretty much still hold up to this day.

Also, Bioshock has interesting story with a twist and some pretty good writing.

Also, the game's world is very original, on pair with Verne's visions in terms of great design.

But here's where the good stuff ends.

Yellow arrow constantly showing you the way makes you skip all the beautiful architecture. You're just going from point A to point B without paying attention to details, while picking up every conceivable piece of junk laying around in containers. Without the arrow, on the other hand, you'd be stuck forever, as objectives you receive are not very clear and are often confusing.

Game is ill balanced. It's at the same time too hard and too easy. You can't die (at least by default), but enemies are bullet sponges. Due to this, combat is often dull and not engaging, so much so that you'll start avoiding it altogether - especially in later levels. That's very bad for a shooting game.

Hacking minigame is just awful and the game would be better off with this minigame removed completely. Too bad that hacking is one of the game's majors mechanics.

And - final nail - it's repetitive like hell, with almost no variation whatsoever.
Fetch quest, repetitive dull combat, survive wave of enemies, repeat.

While an important title for gaming as a whole, and a worthwhile game after all that you should be familiar with, it's still a big step back from the System Shock series, holding almost no resemblance to it's predecessors.

Lack of modding support made it aged very badly, despite it's beautiful presentation.