Now that most copies of Bioshock can be picked up for less than 20 bones, I think it is safe to say that it qualifies to be our next Gamer Savings Time review. I don’t want to sound too gushy when I speak of Bioshock, but Bioshock holds a place deep in my heart and will be played for generations to come…hopefully.
Not only is Bioshock the only Xbox Live demo that honestly scared the crap out of me, but the game is equally and exponentially amazing. Like most games, it has it’s flaws, but the multitude of things coming together to create a mood and feel of dystopian beauty greatly overcomes things that would make other games lukewarm.
You play as a 1960’s plane crash victim who stumbles upon the entrance to an underwater city that has slipped from its Utopian intentions into a violent anarchy of genetic beasts called splicers. While this doesn’t sound much different from your average survival horror premise, the team at 2K Boston built a beautiful and haunting environment that screams “explore me”. Weaved into this setting, is one of the most intriguing narratives and plot twists that has ever been seen in gaming. Its story trumps most of what has come out of Hollywood this and recent years and the lore that is created throughout the game with audio diaries builds a foundation of mystery and intrigue. Story wise I am greatly looking forward to both Bioshock 2 and the Bioshock movie.
The idea of morality and personal choice come into play heavily with the inclusion of little sisters and big daddies. Without delving too deep into the story, the little sisters (female children scattered throughout the game) have “Adam”, a substance that you need to upgrade your genetic enhancements. After killing their protectors (the big daddies aka the giant armored guys in the pictures) you are given the choice of harvesting the Adam out of the sisters or saving them. If you harvest them you get more “Adam” than you would for rescuing them. The idea is that if you are the good guy and save the sisters your overall game ends up being harder. Then, at the end of the adventure, depending on the number of sisters you killed, you get one of multiple endings. Almost like a choose your own adventure story.
Gameplay in Bioshock is solid but not devoid of holes. Obviously its a FPS that follows traditional FPS controls and mechanics. You have essentially two weapons equipped at all times: a gun and a plasmid. Plamids are genetic enhancements that give you powers such as the ability to throw lighting or set things aflame. This is the highlight of the gameplay. Having to use the plasmids to disable enemies, confuse enemies, navigate environmental obstacles and open inaccessible doors is the tool that helps make Bioshock a thinkers game.
Now, since I AM reviewing all aspects of the game, I have to mention the faults. As a whole, the game is pretty easy, I was able to beat it on the normal difficulty setting with no trouble at all. The story is linear, which isn’t bad, but the arrow at the top of the screen telling you where to go next takes some of the exploring out of the game. Combat can be a bit clumsy, especially when fighting the quicker enemies. By the end of the game, I found myself abandoning most of the plasmids and weapons and just running around killing enemies with the wrench (which I had little problem doing). The ending of the fantastic story is a bit disappointing, not that its a bad ending…it’s just really short.
What really troubles me about the development of the sequel is that 2K Boston is not the main developer. They are still on board as creative consultants, but 2K Marin is actually building the game. Marin has 5 of the dudes from the Boston team and their only previous work as the “Marin” team is porting the original Bioshock to the PS3.
In addition to having a new team on the game, other teams are stepping in to help with other aspects of the game. The Dark Sector developers Digital Extremes are working on multiplayer and Arkane have stepped in to tweak the art direction. I’m worried that these teams were called in because the game was not up to snuff. Another warning sign is the game’s delay. It now scheduled to come out next year.
We’ll see, but I don’t what my apprehension over the new game to dampen my review and/or opinion of the original. Bioshock, is a fun and amazing video game adventure. The visuals are both technically amazing and beautiful to boot. Other than the small problems with the gameplay Bioshock is one of the most fantastic video game experiences I have ever had. Anyone looking for a great story with an unforgettable plot twist and an atmospheric shooter unlike any other will actually be doing themselves a favor by picking up Bioshock.
