Bioshock - A Dystopian Nightmare (Bioshock (Xbox 360))

Member Name: smooth_criminal_

Product:	Bioshock (Xbox 360)
Date:	09/09/07 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb graphics, varied gameplay, and fantastically original

Disadvantages: Revival system

The so-called 'spiritual successor' to Irrational Games' System Shock 2, Bioshock is a captivating, immersive, and truly terrifying gaming experience. A master-stroke of storytelling and games design, this plot-driven First Person Shooter (FPS) seizes the player from the comfort of their computer chair and drags them mercilessly into the world of Rapture. This undersea graveyard is a fallen city - a utopian dream gone horribly wrong beneath the ocean's surface. Decaying with time and forgotten by everyone except those trapped within its walls, Rapture had been the pinnacle of social and scientific advancement, driven by Nietzschean ethics and a fiercely libertarian philosophy.

But as the city fell apart through conflict and violence, the dream soon turned to nightmare, and an underwater dystopia was born. In 1960, nearly 15 years after Rapture's construction, the player will assume the role of Jack, a seemingly innocent young man driven below the ocean's surface by a plane crash and forced to fight his way out of the broken city. With a compelling story, immersive and varied gameplay, and a powerful graphical and audio experience, this is a truly brilliant game.

Graphics

The city of Rapture gave the developers of Bioshock, 2K Boston, a unique opportunity to construct an entirely new world on the ocean's floor. The result, of course, was a beautifully crafted environment, offering stunning visuals that can really immerse the player into Bioshock's nightmarish world. Being underwater, the first thing to mention is the incredible water effects present throughout Rapture's different environments. 2K Boston reportedly hired a developer to work solely on the game's water visuals, and the extra effort really shows. Whether simply viewing the ocean from inside the city, or watching water seeping through Rapture's decaying walls, the water effects are simply remarkable, and stunningly realistic.

The diversity of environments within the city is also a remarkable feature. Given the limits of the location, one could be forgiven for assuming that the game won't offer much graphical diversity, but this is not true at all. From abandoned shops and elegant dining halls, to undersea forests and creepy corridors, Bioshock has it all, and it is all superbly well designed. Bioshock's artwork is undoubtedly among the best out there, making the game beautiful to look at.

Enemies as well, ranging from the basic splicers to the formidable Big Daddies, are fabulously constructed, with the clunking Big Daddies looking particularly frightening with their metallic water suits.

20/20 - Exceptionally well designed environments, beautiful water effects. Bioshock's outstanding visuals undoubtedly contribute to its superb atmosphere

Sound

Bioshock offers a powerful audio, as well as visual, experience. Accompanying the beautiful water effects are the wonderfully immersive sounds of water falling and trickling onto the floor and down the walls. Audio diaries that can be picked up as the player makes their way through Rapture offer extra insights into Bioshock's story, and are a testament to the excellent voice acting talent present in the game. The accounts are convincing and sometimes chilling, offering the player a real sense of depth and immersion into the game world.

Weapon sounds are also brilliantly done, with the various sounds of plasmids enriching the game's audio experience, and gunfire also offering a convincing display. The variety of different ammunition is reflected well in the diversity of firing sounds, and things like explosions and the crackling of fire are also done superbly. I particularly found the sound of the Big Daddies clunking slowly across the floor extremely realistic and intimidating, contributing heavily to the chilling atmosphere of the game.

19/20 - Absolutely superb audio effects

Gameplay

Bioshock boasts some wonderfully innovative singleplayer gameplay, both dynamic and ambitious. The options available to the player, once they find themselves fighting for their virtual lives in Bioshock's undersea dystopia, are exceptionally diverse, and these different options arise from the game's unique storyline. Rapture's libertarian philosophy meant that science was not held back by conventional moral restrictions, and thus it developed at a rapid pace. Soon, Rapture's citizens were able to modify their DNA using genetic material called ADAM. From this, they could install plasmids, which gave them certain abilities. As science turned to civil war, plasmids were used for violent purposes, with special abilities including telekinesis, electrical shots, and burning now at the player's disposal.

In order to gain these abilities, though, the player must harvest ADAM from Little Sisters - small children who roam Rapture, guarded by the monstrous Big Daddies, in order to extract ADAM from dead bodies. One can either kill the Little Sisters and gain all their ADAM, or spare them and only take half. The choice you make will have consequences for the game's storyline, but if it all sounds a little complicated there is no need to worry - the system is intuitive and doesn't take long to get used to. Once the ADAM is harvested, the player can then gain the plasmids, which provide for some awesome combat experiences.

2K Boston designed the game to be dynamic, and the player is thus encouraged to use their imagination when it comes to the plasmids. Imagine, for example, setting a barrel on fire using the burning plasmid, and then using telekinesis to direct it towards an enemy, or turning invisible to avoid the enemy altogether. How about using the electric shock plasmid to electrocute an opponent standing in a pool of water, or using telekinesis to stop a grenade in its tracks and send it flying back to the enemy who threw it? With over 70 plasmids in total, the player is given considerable room to be inventive, and they also serve as a fantastic medium through which one can interact with the environment around them.

Plasmids aside, ordinary weapons can also be used to great effect. The style of weapons is noticeably 1950s, which makes for an interesting mix of old and new, with a tommy gun on the one hand, and advanced plasmids on the other. The contrast is a testament to Bioshock's diversity, and also provides for the variety of choices the player has when going into a fight. With weapons ranging from pistols and shotguns, to grenades, machine guns, and rocket launchers, combat can get very interesting indeed. Furthermore, the player can switch to different sorts of ammunition to deal with different sorts of enemies, adding yet another factor into the mix, and buttressing Bioshock's already varied gameplay.

But for those, like myself, who prefer to be more intelligent in their approach, you can also hack mobile security bots à la Deus Ex, set traps, and even, with some clever use of plasmids, force enemies to fight against each other, thus limiting the amount of fighting you have to do yourself. Sitting back and watching a bunch of splicers being ripped apart by a hacked security bot is a fantastically satisfying, if a little violent, experience.

As for the combat itself, your foes are a little more limited in terms of diversity. Enemies come in mainly two varieties - splicers and Big Daddies, although there are also unique bosses to battle against. Splicers come in different forms, but they are basically just crazed humans. They can be tough to beat, crawling up walls and jumping around incessantly, but they're pretty standard opponents. The real fun comes when you get on the wrong side of a Big Daddy, the giant protectors of the Little Sisters. These things really have to be seen to be believed, and can survive the most devastating of assaults. To beat them, you really have to have your wits about you, and use every tool at your disposal, creating what must be Bioshock's most challenging component. I spent many minutes dancing around a Big Daddy, blasting shotgun shells into its oversized head, only to be gruesomely hacked apart by its giant drill. But these battles can be incredibly fun, and you will really enjoy trying to take one of these things down using the various methods.

My only quibble with Bioshock's gameplay might be to point out the flaws in its revival mechanic. Unlike in most other FPSs, where you would expect to go back to your previous save point when killed, ready to tackle the level again, Bioshock allows you to respawn at the nearest set point, called a vita-chamber, with all the damage done to enemies before you were killed remaining. Clearly, this takes a lot of the challenge out of the game, since you can die and respawn multiple times without suffering any disadvantage. On the whole, however, this issue is eclipses by Bioshock's brilliantly diverse and satisfying gameplay, which provides for a truly unforgettable experience.

24/25 - Excellent gameplay, with enormous diversity arising from game's unique storyline; well varied, offering multiple approaches; fun and engaging combat, though the revival mechanic is a bit iffy

Lifespan

With no multiplayer option available in Bioshock, the game does suffer a bit here. Rivals such as DOOM and Quake all tend to offer a multiplayer option for internet gaming, which helps to increase longevity. However, one can expect to glean a good week's gaming out of the singleplayer mode, especially if you're willing to draw things out a bit by experimenting with the gameplay and exploring all the different parts of the game. With such a variety of different approaches, and, particularly, so many plasmids to use, there is also a considerable replay value, adding to the game's lifespan.

20/25 - No multiplayer, but an engaging singleplayer helps to compensate

Originality

Unsurprisingly, Bioshock scores well here. It would probably gain full marks for its plot alone, with the nightmarish dystopia of Rapture immersing the player into the game's world with its powerful atmosphere. The game's basic storyline premise is strong, and, unlike alternative sci-fi shooters, does not follow the traditional 'aliens have invaded us' plot. The addition of plasmids is new and fresh, and, although character customisation is not original in itself, Bioshock provides a new and effective method through which to do it, adding considerably to the game's originality. Some aspects may remind players of games like DOOM 3, or, for me, Deus Ex, but this is a genuinely innovative title, with an overwhelmingly original plot.

10/10 - A refreshingly original and engaging plot, with some innovative gameplay features to boot

Overall

Overall, Bioshock is a refreshing addition to the genre, teeming with originality and engaging gameplay. It can, at times, be both a brilliantly entertaining and a genuinely terrifying and atmospheric experience. With cutting edge graphics, a convincing audio performance, and such a diverse approach to gameplay, this is a must have for any fan of the FPS genre.

93%

Key Facts:

Price: £39.00 (Amazon, September 07)

Certificate: 17+

Genre: First Person Shooter

Developer: 2K Boston

Publisher: 2K Games

Summary: Bioshock is a refreshing addition to the genre, teeming with originality and engaging gameplay