 Wow | | Review Date: August 23, 2007 | | Reviewer: pattic, NY United States | I have been an avid PC and console gamer for...well, as long as there have been PC and console games, and have probably played hundreds of the darn things over the last two decades, and I can comfortably say, that Bioshock, is one of the top two or three games I have ever played, and absolutely the best console game.
It's one of those rare games, that has all of what you love about a great game, with none of what annoys you. I realized, after about 10 hours of play, that absolutley nothing was ticking me off. If there was ever a game that got everything right, it's Bioshock.
Normally, you hear much about a shooter having an "absorbing story", and you're just like: "yeah, yeah, just shut up and let me shoot you". But Bioshock, actually does. The bleak, dystopian world scenario is hardly new in gaming, but Bioshock puts a great twist on things; and the art-deco 1940's sci-fi world is very refreshing and incredibly rendered. If you are as sick as I am of endless hallways filled with crates, you are in for a helluva treat. Not only does this game look amazing, but the design is so good, and so original, that it really does "absorb" you.
The biggest suprise to me, was level of literacy, and period detail. This game wasn't really designed for modern kids, and certainly wasn't designed by one. The villian, an obvious nod to conceptual novelist Ayn Rand, ends up being more complex than the average "evil rich corporate Republican" guy we're all so sick of by now, and not only is the voice acting a-list quality, but they even speak pretty authentic 1940's dialogue, with accurate period inflection. If you watch an old movie from the 40's you'll notice that not only was the slang and colloquial language different, but so was the actual style of speech. The characters in Bioshock don't sound like modern mallrats in seersucker suits, they sound like people from the 40's. The sense of period is very accurate, moreso than most Hollywood films (although a "German" lady character has a very obiously Russian accent lol).
Even the shooting, was fabulously fun. When I first started playing, I thought "oh no..shooting old revolvers isn't fun." But don't forget, even though Bioshock takes place in the 40's, it's still a sci-fi what-if adventure, and the assortment of weapons are a gas to use. And "adventure" is really accurate. Even though it's an FPS with a fair amount of bloody shooting, it really feels and plays more like an old Sierra adventure game than a Quake-style shooter. The plot matters in this game, unlike many others, and you spend more time exploring the amazing world and solving puzzles than actually shooting, so consider that a mild warning if you are a shooting "rivethead".
Bioshock is a very long game, but it was so addicting, that I played it almost non-stop for 4 days and finished it. I actually just rented it, because normally games that are centered on plot don't have a lot of replay value for me, but this one I can imagine playing over and over, so the lack of multi-player doesnt really matter to me here. I'll be buying this sucker as soon as payday hits.
In short, the hype around Bioshock is no hype. This game even killed Half-life and Halo for me, and that's saying a lot. Halo3 is going to have a helluva climb to even get near Bioshock, and i never thought I'd say that.
To wrap-up, even though much of Bioshock's conceptual nods and references will probably sail over the heads of most modern teen gamers, it won't matter a darn. They'll be to busy being knocked out by the best visual world and gameplay mechanics I've ever seen. |
"I Chose... Rapture..." Again | | Review Date: October 22, 2008 | | Reviewer: S. Rhodes, | Pros:
+Enticing storyline full of philosophy and intrigue
+Fantastic voice acting brings the already fantastic story to life
+Lots of variety in the gameplay
+Great sound effects
+Great music score
+All around beautiful game
+The atmosphere of the game never settles
Cons:
-There's not much in terms of difficulty when you can always respawn
-There may not be enough new content to justify paying sixty dollars if you've already got the 360 version
In 2007 as I'm sure many know, Bioshock was released on the XBOX360. The game went on to become a huge classic and sell over a million copies. Earlier this year, it was announced the game would go to the Playstation 3. At first glance, it may not seem worthwhile to buy the game on the Playstation 3 if you played the 360 version, but some of the additions and enhancements just might change the minds of some gamers.
In the beginning of the game you are an unnamed man who happens to be on a plane that crashes seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, however, there is a lighthouse in sight. Once you step inside it is quite clear that this is no ordinary lighthouse and soon you descend in the undersea world of Rapture. Rapture is a totally free society in which no one is ruled by anyone, and it was built by a man named Andrew Ryan. Unfortunately, Rapture is anything but perfect. The once perfect world has now become imperfect and is overrun with splicers who thrive on Adam.
Bioshock has an incredible story that digs much deeper than simply being about a central antagonist and protagonist. In the end it'll make you think. It's a very absorbing game. Even is how it looks. It looked incredible on the XBOX360, but the visual experience is enhanced on the Playstation 3 and it looks even better than it did before. Much of it looks very real. Even better is the artistic design and attention to detail. The atmosphere itself is absorbing as well and really makes the world come alive.
Throughout the city you'll also find recorded radio diaries that give you a good idea of what happened to Rapture. The voice acting in these diaries, and throughout the games various cutscenes is incredible. It really helps anyone become absorbed into the world.
Playing Bioshock is an even better experience. At it's heart it is a first person shooter. You'll find weapons that you can use to take down the splicers. Throughout Rapture you'll also find plasmids which you can use to help you take down certain enemies. Some Plasmids can be used to electrocute splicers, or manipulate others. There's a lot to BioShock's gameplay that makes it interesting. In addition to the weapons and plasmids you can also hack the shopping arcades to lower prices, as well as hack security cameras and gun turrets to help you out against your enemies.
There's nothing incredibly difficult about it's gameplay. It's simple enough. Perhaps a little too simple. Bioshock is not a game where you ever really permanently die. If you happen to die you'll respawn from a Vita-Chamber where you'll be able to go right back up to the enemy that killed you. The enemy's health never changes. So essentially, if you're stuck you can keep respawning until you kill whatever it is giving your trouble. This essentially means BioShock is never too difficult. You may get tired of dying, but you can never die permanently.
What exactly is new in Bioshock on the PS3? Well, the graphics are smoother and you get a new difficulty setting. While the new difficulty is enticing, it doesn't really add too much. The enemies are stronger and you pick up less ammo etc., but it's not really enough to entice anyone who owns the 360 version to really pick this one up. So if you've played one of the previous versions of Bioshock, there isn't really too much here that makes it worth getting again. At least not for the price tag of the game itself.
Bioshock is still an amazing game even a year later. It may not be worth it to buy the PS3 version if you've played the XBOX360 version already, but if you have a PS3 and you haven't played Bioshock yet, it's worth checking out. |
Would you kindly play this game? | | Review Date: October 24, 2008 | | Reviewer: Terry Mesnard, Bellevue, NE | How's this for a story? A man becomes annoyed with the current world, a world where the great are taken for granted and told that their toils are either for the people, for God or for the government. In response, he creates a fantastic environment, free from all of these turmoils. A place where all the great men and women of the world can create their own inventions without fear of consequence. In this place, men and women could do what they wanted.
If this sounds like Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, you'd be correct. However, in this particular case, it's also the background story behind Rapture, the under-water city that takes centerplace in Bioshock. Many words have been bandied about about video games and their ability (or inability) to become art; you have folks like Roger Ebert saying the medium as a whole can never attain that goal. My personal thought on this matter was that, as a medium, games haven't made enough strides toward that lofty goal. But Bioshock certainly takes a huge step forward.
Andrew Ryan is a visionary the likes of which his namesake Ayn Rand would possibly write about in Atlas Shrugged. He exemplifies the qualities of a Randian hero and showcases Rand's philosophy of objectivism. He created the city of Rapture and filled it, much like John Galt in Atlas Shrugged, with the visionaries of his land. Rapture soon was a thriving city that emphasized science and growth and the importance of the individual. They dabbled in creating plasmids that changed a person's DNA, enabling them to do feats the likes of which had never been seen before.
Then something happened.
Flying over the Atlantic sea, you are Jack, a person who was destined for greatness, if you ask his parents, and whose plane is now crashing into the sea. Jack is apparently the only survivor of the plane wreck and swims to a lone building, a light house it seems, that beckons him onward. Eventually, he goes into a blathysphere and enters into the world of Rapture. But this isn't the Rapture originally envisioned in the pre-recorded film he watches as he journeys into the city. It is a city comprised of deadly machines, once-human monstrosities named Splicers who are insane and, of course, the Big Daddies and Little Sisters.
Bioshock concerns itself with the gray area between right and wrong. This dichotomy between right and wrong is what fuels everything in Rapture. Roaming the landscape, the Little Sisters are twisted abominations of little girls who locate corpses (which they call "Angels") and harvest Adam from them with a long needle. More grotesque is that bottle at the other end of the needle that the Little Sisters drink from. Dutifully following them are the Big Daddies, giant brutes in ancient diving gear. These...things...are at the heart of the story and Jack's survival depends on them and whether he can harvest the Little Sisters or set them free.
The conscience of the gamer is represented in two mysterious figures, Atlas (another allusion to Rand) and Dr. Tenenbaum. Atlas seemingly wants Jack to save his family and explains that the Little Sisters are anything but the human girls they appear. He nudges Jack to put them out of their misery and take the Adam they harvest so he can survive and save Atlas and his family. On the other shoulder perches Tenenbaum, another mysterious individual who created the Little Sisters and seems to want to do anything possible to save them. They are the obvious angel and devil sitting on Jack's shoulder, but the question is...which one is the angel?
To go into further detail would be to spoil this amazing story. Along the route, twists and turns abound with moral, ethical and philosophical questions aplenty. What's interesting is the way Bioshock presents a stark opposition to Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. Rand's heroes always contain the same qualities that Andrew Ryan exemplifies. But here, the artists behind Bioshock seem to be questioning these qualities by presenting a situation so familiar to Atlas Shrugged, and yet, so far removed.
It is literate, thoughtful, disturbing and moving. Even if the gameplay didn't live up to the story, Bioshock would be worthy just for this reason.
Luckily, that's not the case. For the gun hungry, sure, Rapture is filled with guns aplenty and even presents opportunities for you to craft your own upgrades. But that is just scratching the surface. Everything goes back to the story. Plasmids are located across the ruined debris of Rapture and contain the keys to recreating your DNA. Some early examples of Plasmids are the ability to shoot electricity from your hands to being able to set things on fire to telekinesis.
But these plasmids aren't only used for fighting. Minor puzzle-solving crops up, some of which require plasmids in the same way as gear in Legend of Zelda. The biggest puzzle is how to take down the game's variety of enemies. While you can definitely charge in, guns blazing and sometimes survive, cases will present themselves where such tactics will end with you on the bad end of the Big Daddies' drill. Instead, you can create your own traps and war zones. Using plasmids, the environment and, of course, your weapons, you can create elaborate traps that will bring a smile to your face.
A lot of games coming out right now that use the Unreal 3 engine don't look as spectacular as they could. In particular, character models tend to look shiny and/or completely ugly. This is not the case with Bioshock. Everything comes together, from the disturbing scenery, the art deco architecture to the the insane creatures and characters populating the world. Shadows and lighting also create a sense of atmosphere that drips heavily, much like the water pouring down the walls. It's stunning. The only complaint (and it is minor) is that the frozen portions you can melt don't look very convincing. When things melt, they don't leave anything behind. The only reason it sticks out is that the rest of the game is absolutely beautiful and amazingly crafted.
None of this would be as effective, though, without superior sound. And Bioshock has that (mostly) in spades. The voice work is stunning throughout and the actors provide a great sense of dread. The audio diaries do an exemplary job of providing the backstory, but also work the best in crafting dread and terror. Some of the most disturbing things occur listening to them. Unfortunately, sometimes the characters' lines are repeated too often, ruining the disturbing nature of their dialogue. Musically, the game is also amazing. It flits into the picture at key moments, increasing the tension before it will flow away. You might not even notice it's there, but that's why it's so good.
You know, the funny thing about hype is how people react to it. Game journalists can go blue in the face trying to get people interested in forgotten gems such as Psychonauts, Beyond Good & Evil and Stranger's Wrath, and since they weren't financially successful they become these gems. When a game sells incredibly well and is hyped to the max (both of which fit Bioshock), people say "over-rated."
Ignore the hype machine. I know you're tired of hearing about it. But give Bioshock a try, if you haven't yet. Download the demo for your PC or try it on the Playstation 3 Network. It is a game that's definitely worth everything that's been said about it and more.
It is art. And no words by ignorant movie critics will change that. |
If you buy one game this year, make it this one. | | Review Date: August 21, 2007 | | Reviewer: Robert Hudock, Washington, DC | | I thought Gears of War was a good game, but I believe Bioshock outdoes Gears of War on multiple levels. First, the storyline is solid, I feel like I am participating in a self-directed movie, opposed to the typical experience of a weak storyline combining together sequences of violence. Second, Bioshock is not about who has the biggest gun, there is an element of strategy not found in previous FPS games with the exception maybe of Gears of War. Finally, the game is intuitive, easy to pickup. I am not a big fan of FPS games, typically enjoying games like Civilization IV, however, this game is one big exception. |
Game of the year - so far | | Review Date: August 21, 2007 | | Reviewer: N. Durham, Philadelphia, PA | | Having a bit of hype surrounding it before it's release, BioShock does not disappoint one bit. In fact, as far as first person shooters go, games rarely get any better than this. BioShock takes the FPS to new levels thanks to it's brilliantly realized atmosphere and setting, and a story that is so engaging you'll think that you were playing an RPG. Taking place in a secret underwater city called Rapture, you get put right in the middle as things go very, very wrong quite quickly, and it's up to you to save the day using a barrage of traditional weapons, and some newfound abilities as well. What makes BioShock so great besides the atmosphere and storyline are the character customization options which really allow the gamer to get into the game and tinker around to your advantage. The overall presentation, from the sound design to the wonderful voice acting to the grimy atmosphere, make BioShock one of the best games to hit the XBox 360 yet, and definitely one of the best FPS' to come out in quite some time. If there's any downsides to BioShock, it's that the game has a lack of enemy variety and that it is a little too forgiving to the gamer. Despite that though, BioShock is a masterpiece of modern gaming, and any and every 360 owner should consider this an essential pick up. |
Best Gaming Experience in a long time! | | Review Date: August 21, 2007 | | Reviewer: Juicy Melon, Duluth, MN | | This is by far the most interesting, fun, adventurous game since last years Zelda for the Wii. There is so much to do in this game, you can hack into safes, invent items, shock someone in the water, use a crowbar to knock someone out, anything you want to do, you can. I didn't hear about this game until last week when Microsoft released a demo of it last week. I played the demo and immediately got hooked. I went out early this morning "21 Aug 07" and purchased this game. I have played it for roughly five hours and it has been so much fun. It's not super confusing and it's like a choose your own adventure game. The classical eery music is an added plus. If you own an XBOX 360 and you are looking for the "Next Big Game", or you just want a Phenomenal gaming experience, purchase this game, I guarantee you will not be disapointed. The only negative for me is that this game really makes other games look really bad. But that's a negative that I will just have to deal with. Now I am going to shut off the laptop and get back to playing. |
Cream of the FPS crop | | Review Date: August 21, 2007 | | Reviewer: eternal now, mankato | When rating a game like Bioshock that has been hyped up for over a year, one has to consider these 4 important questions.
1) Does it live up to the hype?
2) Is it fun to play?
3) Does it distinguish itself from other FPS?
4) Is it a true next gen game?
The answer to all four of these questions is a resounding YES!
Bioshock brings you to the underwater city of Rapture, a dystopian world that is falling apart rapidly. Based on paper thin ideals and materialistic beliefs, the civilization of Rapture has fallen into insanity and sheer madness.
A chemical called ADAM has tainted and distorted the minds, and bodies, of the citizens, turning everyone literally c-r-a-z-y!
Psychotic, mutated and twisted citizens lurk around every corner of this destroyed beauty called Rapture. And it IS beautiful. Bioshock boasts some really amazing and beautiful graphics, fulfilling part of question 4.
The architecture of Rapture is firmly planted in the 1960's and really adds bucket loads of flavor to the overall story and feel of the game. From posters to furniture, you really do get the sense that you are IN the 1960's.
On the graphical note, the water, and there is plenty of it, is probably the best looking, flowing and most realistic water to ever grace a video game. I was simply amazed at the water. I hear that the Bioshock developers had a whole team working on the water effects/graphics alone. Well, it has certainly paid off.
Bioshock also uses the Unreal 3 engine (think Gears of War), so the graphics are phenomenal and character movements are fluid and realistic.
Details are abound. Weapons are detailed down to the most minute detail (ribbed design on the shotgun pump, cracks in the walls/floors). The lighting/shadows are stunning, and the character models are some of the most detailed in the video game world.
Bioshock is a First Person Shooter. We all know that the video game shelves of our local stores are chalk full of First Person Shooters (FPS). Stores are literally teeming with them.
One of the biggest arguments against the Xbox 360 was the fact that there was a lack of variety in terms of games, with the majority being FPS.
I can safely say that Bioshock, though it may be a FPS, is FAR from your typical, standard FPS fare.
While you will run into your typical FPS weapons (Shotgun, Handguns, Machine guns, explosives, wrench for a melee weapon and a few more standard weapons), you will also have access to something called Plasmids.
Plasmids give you powers (i.e Telekenesis, the ability to shoot flames and electricity out of your hands, and even the ability to shoot wasps from your veins!)
These powers really change the FPS dynamic in a very profound way. Will you shock your enemy, then beat the tar out of them while they are stunned?, or will you incinerate them? Or, better yet, will you unleash a horde of wasps at them and watch them freak out? Your Plasmid powers even interact with the environment. You can use the shock ability to jump start faulty door switches, and if you spot an enemy in a pool of water you can shoot them with the electricity and watch them convulse.
If you spot an enemy in a pool of oil (yeah you will run into rooms that have oil spills) you can unleash Incinerate and watch them burn and spread the fire around.
An enemy throwing explosives at you, or is your way blocked by debris? No problem, with Telekenesis you can grab those pesky explosives in mid air and fling them back at the thrower or at debris blocking your advancement.
Also, you will find tonics along the way that will enhance other abilities, such as melee strength, hacking and even a tonic that will emit a shock to any enemy that attacks you with a melee attack, a sort of high voltage retribution.
On a side note, there are different types of bullets for each gun ranging from electrified ammo, armor piercing ammo and anti-personnel ammo. And if that's not enough, later on in the game you will be able to create your own ammo!
Yes, I did mention hacking earlier. Rapture has its share of vending machines (where you can buy ammo, health kits and plasmid refills), ammo machines, health stations, security bots, gun turrents and security cameras.
If you get in close to one of these machines, you will be given the opportunity to hack the machine. In an ingenious design, if you decide to hack a machine you will engage in a small mini game.
Does anyone remember an ancient game called Pipe Dream? The hacking mini game requires you to connect the "entrance" to the "exit" via two different types of pipes. There is a time limit however because fluid flows from the "entrance" and you need to get the fluid to the "exit". If you fail, the machine will overload and you will take damage, however you can retry as long as you have health left.
Later on you will find hacking tools that will give you the option to auto hack, though its not always successful. You can also opt to pay a rather large amount to buy a guaranteed auto hack - but that would be boring!
There is quite a bit of collecting involved in Bioshock as well. There are the plasmids, tonics, ammo and even money all scattered about the city of rapture.
With all of that in mind, it is easy to see that Bioshock does in fact distinguish itself from all other FPS on the market, fulfilling question 3.
Gameplay, well that is another story. 2k games boasts that no two romps through Bioshock will be the same. And I can see why they make this claim. You have options, I mean lots and lots of options on how you want to go about your killing. This basically fulfills the second part of question 4, Bioshock IS a true Next Generation title.
With every said so far, it is safe to say that Bioshock is VERY fun to play. First of all, the controls are rather easy and follow the standard FPS controls that Halo popularized.
There are three difficulties, allowing you to ease into the game, and easy to use menus and interfaces.
The story line is very immerse, original and interesting. I can say that I have NEVER played a game with the same story line.
Also, Raptures history is revealed via tape recordings and diaries that you collect along the way, adding even more flavor to an already over flowing flavor pot.
Basically Bioshock is equal parts an action game, survival horror game and a stripped down Role Playing Game in the vein of Deus Ex. And its mixed really well. Nothing ever feels over done or boring.
Also, following in the vein of "choose your own adventure" type games, Bioshock presents you with situations in which you will have to choose, morally, which way to go. This adds even more to an already amazing game. And, unlike other games that offer this, your choices and actions WILL affect the game.
Overall, Bioshock lives up to the hype and is a must own for all Xbox 360 owners. I will warn that there is a lot of blood, gore and violence, not to mention a wide array of mature themes involved.
If you are into these things, and of age, you MUST pick this game up. Do not pass up on this, even if you are sick of the First Person Shooter genre, I guarantee that Bioshock is a unique and engaging experience that you will not regret paying $60 plus for.
Price is one of the biggest factors that can scare away potential consumers, since next generation games cost so much, consumers want to be sure that the game they are spending their hard earned money on is actually worth it. I can honestly say that Bioshock is worth it.
|
You don't get into Bioshock...it gets into YOU | | Review Date: August 22, 2007 | | Reviewer: H. Crosland, Maryland | You don't get into Bioshock....it gets into you.
My very first impression of playing this game was that someone watched enough episodes of Lost and translated it into a very good game.
Elements:
- you are on a trip in a plane presumably to see your parents when the plane crashes in the middle of the Atlantic.....check
- you wind up on a mysterious lighthouse which transports you to a mysterious city.....check
- you communicate with mysterious people who may or may not have ulterior motives.....check
- wierd medical experiments are taking place affecting people of that city.....check
- some of those same people want to kill you.....check
- you must choose whose side you on and how it affects your survival.....check
Good enough?
I am trying ot mkae my review short enough without giving spoilers away or be redundant to the official reviews and long enough to tell you that what you read is true!
Bioshock is definently a step to redefining first person shooter. This is not your balls to the wall shoot em up, but rather a thinking person's game where the point is to interact and enjoy the story, creatively think your way past enemies and make decisions that will affect your game play.
All of you have probably heard about the creative elements of the game play...others who reviewed it have covered it, so I really don't want to get into that...if you have read enough about it I would say you have to see for yourself.
What is more important to me is how much this game creeps up on you and scares you into playing a little bit more. This game IMO revolutionizes the FPS because of the content. It's pretty much doing things storywise what Resident Evil and Doom has been trying to do for years.
I am recommending that if you play this game, don't do it on anything less than a home theater system.
I am playing this on a 51" HDTV, 7.1 surround sound with the lights on dim and my goodness it is IMMERSIVE. YOU WILL JUMP...you will laugh...you will be scared....the first time I faced off with a big daddy it was to be believed. It crept up behind me...I heard it coming and instead of turning with my joystick I literally truned around and luckily I didn't already aggro it but it was up on me and walked byand my heart was in my throat. There is this one scene early on (and u get to see it in the demo) where you see a sillouette of a lady rambling to a baby in a carriage and it's truly eeirie and there are SO many moments like this throughout the game. You can gather recordings to listen to the insanity that these people were into. And sometimes feel sorry for some of the people that you have to kill.
And yes, there are even more mysteries in this game. again similar to Lost...and this is where I wrap up:
- Is it a coincidence that your plane crashed here?
- What is the story behind the tattoes?
- What went wrong and made these people crazy?
- Who or what are the Little Sisters and why must you choose?
- Why would any seemingly sane person that wound up on this island willingly inject himself with gene altering material to get powers and what effects will they have on your character by the end of the game?
If you are looking for a game that will keep you in the dark while you play it in the dark (best way to play) BUY...THIS...GAME. I have a feeling that this will be the bestseller of the year...Halo my sell the numbers due to the fan base but Bioshock will sell because of the immersive story alone |
Simply the best. | | Review Date: August 22, 2007 | | Reviewer: S. Saviola, LG, Wisconsin | Very simply put right now this game is easily the best shooter to come out for the 360 in a long time.
Not only does it have some very tense and fun gameplay.
The lighting and graphical displays shown within are pretty much second to none as of this moment.
I bought the game on midnight of the 20th/21st and immediately went home to play it. The experience of just how good the graphics are was 10 fold when I was playing with the lights off. I dont even have a HDTV and I was purely impressed by just how good everything looked.
The game also goes a long way to genuinely disturb and creep you out.
Its not the typical BOO factor like games like the Resident Evil series and maybe even FEAR. Not that that is a bad thing.
But this game tends to be creepy on a psychological level only truly experienced by playing first hand.
The idea of this underwater utopian city gone completely wrong may not be the most original idea but it is definitely executed well.
The sounds are easily the number one thing that makes the game so creepy at times. If you do get to play it, find a spot to just stand still for a moment and take it all in. You hear everything from steam pipes creaking to soft whispers of one of 2k's delightfully twisted characters coming from somewhere up ahead. And the sounds you hear aren't always necessarily right around the corner. Which is whats so great, the voices you hear may be coming from the other side of a wall or a room down the pathway.
The AI is also really impressive. They do things like run and jump into water when set on fire, they take off running when they get low on health. They attack in numbers at times making for some very frantic and fast paced combat. The number of weapons and plasmid modifications is truly something to behold. The ability to aim your electric shock at water and fry your opponents may not seem like a big deal, but when you can do that instead of wasting numerous rounds of ammunition believe me you will appreciate it much more. The weapon combos are great. You can shock and stun opponents, set them on fire, freeze them, tag them so that security drones will attack them instead of you. All the while still being able to do something as simple as a shotgun blast to the face.
I do wish cycling weapons was a bit quicker at times. Your right hand weapons are bound to the RB button and you have to cycle thru them in order to find the right one which can be annoying in times of a fast firefight. But you can easily overcome this.
Bottom line is, this one definitely has my vote for Game of the Year, or maybe Assassins Creed but that one is still yet to be seen.
Go out and buy this one if you can, it is definitely worth the price of admission.
|
Awesome! | | Review Date: October 22, 2008 | | Reviewer: Catfish Kozmo, Arlington, TX | I don't think that I can possibly say how much fun this game is so far. I'm well into the 10 hour plus mark of Bioshock and time is flying by.
The story is that your plane crashes in the middle of the Atlantic and you discover a secret society where something has gone horribly wrong. That's the fun part. You get to explore this entire underwater utopia where lots of things want to kill you. And it's set in 1960 so the art and technology pays homage to the 50's.
This is the PS3 version. I know that there are 2 other versions for the Xbox 360 and the PC. However this is the only one that I have played. So I can't compare this to either of the other two versions. Regardless, I'm blown away by the graphical detail and the sound. There's always some noise in the background where you know there's some creepy enemy doing something but you haven't found them yet. Or they haven't found you yet.... It's a fun FPS but with a lot more story than most and a bit more thinking.
Buy this! Much much fun. |
"I Chose... Rapture" | | Review Date: August 21, 2007 | | Reviewer: S. Rhodes, | Bioshock, without a doubt, is one of the video game events of the year. A first person shooter that is more than just a first person shooter. Not only is this game fun, but the storyline is thought-provoking and philosophical. This is more than just a game. This an interactive storybook of epic proportions.
After being the only survivor of a plane crash in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, your only chance of survival is to seek refuge in the nearby lighthouse. The moment you step inside you're greeted by a banner which states: "No Gods or Kings. Only Man." Going further into the lighthouse you're soon taken to the underwater city of Rapture. A place where religion and morality do not rule the decisions of mankind. Where every man does what he chooses for his own selfish gain. The city is run by a man named Andrew Ryan. When you arrive in the city, however, its quite clear that Andrew Ryan's perfect world wasn't so perfect. The city lies in ruins and chaos runs rampant as a form of genetically mutated people called splicers roam the streets. With the help of a man named Atlas who guides you through the twisted city of Rapture, you'll have to survive long enough to get out.
Throughout your adventure there are plenty of things you can do to advance the story. You'll find radio diaries that give hints to the downfall of Rapture. You'll meet people who will tell you things about Rapture. Some of these things, such as the radio diaries, are optional, but if you don't listen to radio diaries you'll not only miss out on some of the complex and absorbing storyline, but you'll also miss out on some of the game's better features. The voice acting contained within each radio diary is fantastic. You'll learn not only about Rapture, but Andrew Ryan and other characters who play a major role in the story. There are other things that move the story along as well, like running into ghosts who will give you more insight. Some of the mutated denizens give you hints (before you have to do away with them). There's a lot to piece together here. If story and character development are your thing: Bioshock delivers.
As far as gameplay goes, Bioshock is a game that presents some complex things, but it's easy to play overall. Splicers are the most common types of enemies encountered in Rapture. You'll need an arsenal of weapons to take them on. As you progress through the game you'll have splicers that simply attack melee style, others that shoot at you and even some that throw explosives. When you first begin you only have access to a wrench. But along the way you'll pick additional weapons like a pistol, shotgun, machine gun and a few others that you can use to decimate your enemies with.
Despite how difficult things might be, Bioshock doesn't penalize you much should you die. If the worst should happen you'll respawn from a Vita Chamber (basically a checkpoint) with some health and everything you had at the time of your death. The enemy also keeps the same amount of health lost. So even if you die over and over again, you'll eventually be able to kill whatever it is that's giving you trouble. Despite the challenge of the game, the simple fact that you can't die permanently does take away some of the challenge.
The enemy AI is also pretty good. While they never stop attacking once they've found you, they do act the way you expect them to. If they're firing at you and suddenly run out of ammo, they'll run away from you to reload. If they hear your footsteps, they'll investigate. Your adversaries are no dummies in this game.
There are also machines like gun turrets and security cameras around. You can keep out of the way of security cameras easily, but sometimes turrets can be a pain. However, despite how tough gun turrets and rocket launchers can be, the game allows you to short circuit them and hack them. Hacking is a little mini-game in which you must lead a fluid through a series of pipes to the exit. Most of the hacking mini-games aren't hard. Successfully hacking a gun turret or rocket launcher turns them on your enemies.
There's more to Bioshock than simply killing your enemy, though. You'll also want to search the dead bodies of those you kill. Usually enemies carry ammo, money, first aid kits, EVE Hypos and some will even drop weapons. You can also search more than dead bodies. You can search any containers scattered throughout the game. Trashcans, cabinets, virtually anything that sits idly by. Sometimes you'll find money, ammo etc.
Aside from searching corpses and containers you can also pilfer any food or drinks that are lying around. Food often restores health, while drinks will restore health yet take away a bit of EVE. Most of the drinks you come across are alcoholic drinks, and if you drink too much alcohol it will register and your vision will actually be impaired and you'll start to stumble around.
In addition to all that searching, there are also vending machines scattered throughout the game where you can buy healing items, drinks, ammo and more. It'll cost you money. Like some of the machines you'll encounter, you can also hack into a vending machine, and you'll want to do so. Doing so lowers the prices on the items and makes more available.
As you go through the game you'll also come across Plasmids. Plasmids give you powers. At first all you get is electricity, but later on you'll be able to command fire or even use telekinesis. There are several plasmids in the game, with their own little benefits. Electricity, for example, will let you activate switches and short circuit machines. You cannot use Plasmids limitlessly, though. Plasmids consume EVE and once you run out of EVE, you can't use Plasmids.
In addition to Plasmids you'll also find tonics which grant you everlasting effects so long as you have it equipped. There are tonics which improve your physical attributes, engineering skills to make hacking easier, and your combat abilities.
Throughout the game you're also given chances to upgrade your weapons. You can also shoot off stronger ammo as you get further, and at some point you'll have to. Some enemies are immune to standard shots but can easily be taken down with armor piercing rounds.
The game doesn't just put most of these things there for your benefit, but actually expects you to use them effectively. For example, if there are a bunch of enemies standing in water, you're encouraged to electrocute the water. If there's an oil spill you're encouraged to set it on fire. You can put together lots of great strategies when it comes to your Plasmids and Weapons. Even better is that you can switch between them on the fly. Your plasmids occupy your left hand and your weapons occupy your right. You can't use them both at the same time but the game allows you to switch between them rapidly enough to the point where it doesn't matter.
Finally, the game allows you to invent and construct items for you to use a long the way. You'll need to find components to invent items, though, and that's easily done through searching all those basic containers.
As far as the game looks it is by far one of the most detailed and beautiful games out there. Everything about the game is given a fantastic look to it. From what your enemies look like to the vast city itself. The walls are detailed, the water is detailed all the flames and vending machines are detailed. Even better, the physics and other mechanics in this game work divinely. For example, if you bump into a trashcan, it falls over. If you're stepping over something, you'll find yourself walking a bit slower and stumbling over it.
Bioshock is a stunning game. The long wait was well worth it. Tight controls, lots of variety in the gameplay and an absorbing storyline is what keeps this game afloat and makes it fun. It is without a doubt one of the best games of 2007.
The Good
+Enticing storyline full of philosophy and intrigue
+Fantastic voice acting brings the already fantastic story to life
+Lots of variety in the gameplay
+Great sound effects
+Great music score
+All around beautiful game
+The atmosphere of the game never settles
The Bad
-While it's nice that you don't get penalized or ever have to reload when you die, it brings down the difficulty of this game a bit. However, as I said, it's a good and bad thing |
Immersive and utterly addicting | | Review Date: October 22, 2008 | | Reviewer: Cloud, Canada | For awhile, Bioshock was the clincher when it came down to next-gen consoles. With only money and room for one, I had to choose which system to get so when it was announced the highly acclaimed game was being released to the Playstation 3, well I was sold. Not only being able to play multiplatform games but also some solid exclusives, the important thing was that I had to play this. A game that gets this much praise has got to end up disappointing considering the hype, not only from press and critics but my own anticipation, right? Well wrong as this is one of the most captivating games I've played recently and whether you got an Xbox 360 or a PS3 (keyword being "or"), Bioshock's a must-play.
Story: In the mid 1940's, an ambitious man named Andrew Ryan got fed up with the bureaucrats, politicians and religious leaders trying to see who can control the populace with the most restrictions from medical experiments to freedom of speech. So he secretly created the world of Rapture, a vast city found underwater. In 1960, an unnamed man travelling on a plane finds himself the sole survivor when the plane crashes in the middle of the ocean. Swimming to a nearby lighthouse, he accesses a bathysphere which takes him to Rapture only instead of finding a thriving city, it's in disarray and strange folk genetically modified roam the halls. You have to work your way through the city and discover why the idyllic city has failed.
Graphics: There's certain games that really make you feel a part of the world as opposed to just controlling someone on the screen and like games such as Dead Space, Resident Evil 4 or more serene landscapes such as Shadow of the Colossus, Bioshock is another game that, without fear of sounding cheesy, really transports you to another time and place. The art design, attention to detail and a genuine realism really get you thinking you're in this city under the sea. Fantastic water effects and a feel recreating the old 1940's complete with neon graphics, old-school advertisements not to mention the views outside the windows, this is definately one to HDTV.
Sound/Music: Another important part of the game's immersion is the sound design which has all the requisite noises of a place that's been decimated: groans, distant rumblins and things busting out of nowhere, the sound helps create an unnerving atmosphere. It's not necessarily scary but it certainly keeps you on your toes. Also welcome is the voice acting though the 2 main speakers seems to be Andrew Ryan (portrayed by Armin Shimerman, Quark from "Star Trek" and the first Principal on "Buffy") and Atlas, your CODEC so to speak. The Splicers, the genetically modified residents of Rapture, also have strange ramblings and makes them be set apart from just the screeching of other enemies.
Gameplay: Essentially this is a FPS though don't think that's all it is. The key with Bioshock is variety and it's surprising how much combat strategies you can develop on the fly. Basically, your fighting is separated into 2 methods: typical gun stuff like pistols, shotguns, grenade launchers etc while the other is the "Plasmids", a medical breakthrough involving genetic experimentation, which allows you different abilities. Use Incinerate to light your foes on fire or find an oil spot on the floor and burn that when they're standing on it for even more burnage. Also, say you light him/her on fire and you think they're going to want to find a water source right? Well thanks to Rapture getting the occasional leak, they're not too far so if they've gone for a bit of a swim, just use your electricity and shock the water. There's others as well such as using your telekinesis to grab grenades and bombs in mid-air and toss em back or reposition traps to your advantage. There's more to be found and approaching combat as never been so...fun.
Don't think that's the end of it though as occasionally you'll be seen by a camera, sending in flying armed drones. Sure it's easy to just blow them up but why not hack them using a pipe-based minigame (tedious but works well enough) to make your own personal bodyguards? Or hack a turret and you can even hack health stations in case enemies want to cure themselves only to find because you've hacked it that it makes things worse for them. Hacking ammo, item and inventing "jukeboxes" will also decrease the amount of money you have to pay which is a definate plus. Only thing is the pipe minigame where you have to make water flow from one part to the other using different panel forms grows kind of tiresome and there's even some where I ran out of pieces or room to move thanks to dead-ends.
All of this will come into use when you hear a roar nearby and you know one thing: a Big Daddy is near. Walking around the hallways is a big dude in diving gear (dude on the cover) protecting a girl called the Little Sister who has in her body ADAM, the genetic material vital to Rapture. In order to get it you have to kill the protector and this bugger is as tough as he sounds. Thankfully with the turrets and bodyguard drones (which admittedly don't last long) to using Enrage on nearby enemies which will actually attack him instead of you, eventually you'll defeat him. Only thing is that you have to do it in stages since you'll frequently die though thankfully nearby Vita-Chambers spawn you back in with his health where you last left off thereby not negating all that hard work. Makes the game easy sure but on the other hand, it never becomes frustrating and you can just play and play and not worrying about hitting dead ends.
That's one thing to be aware of with this game as well: it's rather addicting and it's one of those games where you might look at the clock and go "well I can afford to play a bit more, it's only a simple objective anyway" only to find out it's 4 AM and needing to get to bed. I was that hooked and despite its hefty 5 Gig install - which is strangely shorter than Devil May Cry 4's 20 minute one - which lasts 10 minutes or so, Bioshock is definately a game to get for your Playstation 3. As for people who already have the 360 version, well unless you're that into the game, you don't really have to bother but for non-360 owners like myself or people who never played it than definately go for it. |
The first XBox 360 game that truly blew me away. | | Review Date: October 16, 2007 | | Reviewer: Steven, Colorado, USA | It's rare these days for games to really blow me away. I've been playing games for years and in the last few years it seems that no matter which game I play, it seems as though I've been there - done that. In rare occasions games will break new ground, but more often then not it seems as though games use rehashed formulas that have been tried and true, albeit boring at times.
Really, when it comes down to it Bioshock doesn't really break new ground per-se, it just does everything right. It features a rich story line, great play mechanics, amazing voice acting and mind-blowing graphics. Lets talk about each of these subjects.
The Story Line
I never like to give away too much in my reviews, so I'll just say what you probably already read about if you read anything about this game. The game starts out with you stranded in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. You don't know much of what happened, except that you were involved in a plane crash. You spot a lighthouse in the distance, next thing you know you're being sucked into the city of Rapture. At first sight it seems like Rapture is a great place to be. You hear stories of how the city doesn't let religion interfere with science and that the city of Rapture offers true freedom. You quickly realize Rapture isn't as perfect as it seems at first (go figure). You quickly learn of a man named Andrew Ryan, the main bad guy involved in the rise and fall of Rapture. Immediately you feel as though you must find out what exactly is going on here. The story sucks you in and doesn't let go, one of the reasons this game is so great. You will come across many diaries in the game that you must listen to, so you can fully understand the somewhat complex story line. Don't worry, each diary is spoken and can be listened to while you play.
Gameplay Mechanics
Bioshock is an FPS, with a few RPG-ish elements. The game is based in the 1960s, so you wield weapons of that period. What's really cool is that you come across what's called Plasmids that alter your DNA and allow you to perform incredible feats such as throw fire, throw electricity, and throw just about any other object through telekinesis. There are quite a few plasmids available, the only trick is deciding which ones you want to keep. You only have a few slots for plasmids, so you must choose carefully. More slots will become available as you play.
To obtain plasmids you must gather a substance called Adam. The way you obta
Comments
Get Free Deal Alerts Emailed To You
|
|
No video reviews found for this product. 
