A Shockingly Fantastic Game (Bioshock (Xbox 360))

Member Name: samueltyler

Product:	Bioshock (Xbox 360)
Date:	07/11/07 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gameplay, voice acting, atmosphere - without peer

Disadvantages: Too short?

The one area which the 360 is not lacking in is First Person Shooters (FPS). The genre has moved on since the great days of ‘Wolfenstien 3D’ and ‘Doom’ and is now a very popular playground for console gamers. Games such as ‘Half Life 2’, ‘Call of Duty 4’ and ‘Halo 3’ act as colossi dominating the winter market. This does not take into account the also-rans that flood the shelves seeking to cash in on the winter gaming spree e.g. ‘Timeshift’, ‘Black Site’ and ‘Jericho’. In such a saturated market it takes something special to standout and become a game of the year contender. It takes something like ‘Bioshock’.


Gameplay

‘Bioshock’ is a traditional FPS, but so much more. As well as having the access to a set of weapons you are also given access to powers called Plasmids early on. These plasmids are genetically altering powers that allow you to manipulate the world e.g. throw fire, spawn a horde of bees. There are loads of different powers on offer and you can use them in combination to devastating effects. My personal fave was to use the ice power to freeze the enemy and then shatter them with an iron tipped crossbow bolt!

The game contains several different types of enemy, but all are mutated humans. ‘Bioshock’ is set in a vast underwater art deco city that has gone to ruin. The people of the city all became addicted to power and the plasmids on offer. This means that some enemies can throw fire or disappear and reappear behind you. The best enemies on offer are not enemies as such, but protectors who are neutral unless threatened. They are called Big Daddies and are huge creations covered in powerful armour that looks like an old diving suit. They protect the Little Sisters, young girls that harvest Adam from the dead. Adam is what powers the Plasmids so the people of Rapture are all intent on killing the Little Sisters. To gain new powers you need to harvest these Little Sisters yourself and this means killing the Big Daddies. The experience of being attacked by a huge monster is a visceral and one of the best ever in gaming. Please note that the gamer is given the opportunity to kill or save the Little Sisters, what type of person are you?

The game is pretty linear, set in a series of hubs, but there is more than just run and gun on offer. Firstly, there are side quests. Throughout the game are a series of hidden weapon modifiers that upgrade your weapons. To get the best out of the game you better find as many as you can. There is also a camera which you can use to photograph the bad guys and research them. Researching the baddies will give you extra powers as well as tips on how to beat them.

Needless to say ‘Bioshock’ manages to take the generic FPS gameplay mechanics and sweeten them perfectly. With the numerous powers you gain you can play through the levels as you see fit; guns blazing, stealth, or setting traps. The game is such an abundant playground that you can just spend hours messing around with all the different things you can do. As close to genius as gameplay gets. (5 out of 5)


Characters/Story

If there is one area that games fall down on its storylines. The FPS genre is especially known for its awful stories, usually something cobbled together to allow the good guy to kill lots of people. ‘Half Life 2’ changed this and so has ‘Bioshock’. The game opens with you in a small plane that crashes in the middle of the ocean. The sole survivor you swim towards a lone lighthouse. The lighthouse contains a submarine that automatically shuts as you enter – welcome to Rapture.

‘Bioshock’ has an entire world behind it that feels incredibly real. One man, Andrew Ryan, decided that the Capitalism of the West and the Communism of the East was not for him so he took all the best scientists and created an underworld Utopia. There were no restraints on science so Plasmids were invented. However, a battle between Ryan and a mysterious man ripped the city apart and created a Dystopia full of madmen. You find yourself here and must discover a way out.

To aid you in your quest is Atlas, a man with a soft Irish accent who guides you through the game via radio. You will also meet other members of the city and pick up old tape players that have recordings. These recordings inform you of the slow decline into mass hysteria and make the story slowly evolve to its finale. ‘Bioshock’ has one of the most gripping and fleshed out stories in a game that I have seen and the characters are excellent. Parts of the narrative make it feel more like an interactive book than a game. (5 out of 5)


Longevity

The length that the game lasts is probably one area that can be rightly criticised. For a FPS it is pretty large taking around 12 hours to complete. There are also two endings depending on what you do during the game so the incentive is to play at least twice. You could is you wished race through the game and experience none of the atmosphere or story, but that would not be the point. The game is so well made that you spend time just looking in every corner or at the art deco scenery. I assume that most people would savour the experience of the game and would not be surprised if they chose to play through it several times.

Another area that extends the gameplay is the great use of achievements. You are awarded for investigating the game as fully as possible so rather than rush through you look in every corner for that last tape recorder or weapons modifier. Unfortunately, I was able to get around 850 points in one playthru and if I had been a bit more thorough I could have nearly maxed out. (4 out of 5)


Online

There is no online aspect to ‘Bioshock’ which is a bit of a shame. However, I would rather have a games producer making fantastic single player games, than a mediocre one with a poor multiplayer attached (see ‘The Darkness’). (N/A)


Graphics

Trying to compare great graphics in games is like trying to choose who is the best looking woman in this years ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Penny Lancaster Stewart is the long legged ex-knickers model that is ‘Gears of War’. Alesha Dixon is more the beautiful, but insane dame that is ‘Halo 3’. Whilst the naughty but nice Kelly Brook is ‘Bioshock’. All three of them are different, but all three are undeniably great looking!

‘Bioshock’ is equal to the best that the 360 has to offer and the graphics are enhanced by the art design. Rarely has a game had such brilliant art direction – underwater art deco. It is an inspired choice and the use of art deco design is inspirational. Arguably you could say that other games on the platform look slightly better, but I would say they all look good and that it’s a matter of preference alone. (5 out of 5)


Level Design

The level design of ‘Bioshock’ can be split into two categories for me – the traditional design and the art design. From an artistic viewpoint the levels are sublime. You can spend time just looking at the perfectly captured essence of an underwater city, or look out the window at the fish. Unfortunately, the level designs in the gaming sense do not quite live up to the art direction. Each level is basically a section of the city e.g. science, gardens. Within each level you have to discover certain areas as well as tackle the 2-4 Big Daddies that roam the floors. I felt that they were really good, but that they were still a little linear and small. (4 out of 5)


Sound

A game deserves to be known as an instant classic when as much care and attention to detail as ‘Bioshock’ has made is included. The sound and music in a game is often an afterthought for the makers and many a great game is let down with weak sounding special effects or poor voice acting. ‘Bioshock’ is without peer when it comes to sound effects, voice acting and music. The atmosphere of an underground city is developed through noise as much as by sight so it’s fantastic that 2K have created a creepy aural feast. The voice acting is also unbeatable with the numerous characters all being voiced to perfection – they add so much to the game. Finally, 2K has gone further than just creating their own music for the game by including music from the period. There is nothing scarier than entering an abandoned room with a 30s gramophone playing a hit of the era. These well known songs really add to the atmosphere and you often find yourself just standing still and soaking it all in. (5 out of 5)


Summary

In my opinion ‘Bioshock’ is a must buy for any owner of a 360. Like all the best games it transcends its genre so that it’s just a great game. This means that if you are not normally a FPS player you will still love this game as it is at the pinnacle that the genre has to offer. In terms of gameplay and level design the game is superb, but it is the extra love and attention that went into the game that makes it a classic. The storyline, sounds and music all add to the game to make it the most memorable experience in gaming this generation (so far).

Recently some critics have suggested that the game is not that great and that people became over hyped as no other games had come out around it. This is nonsense as the game is definitely one of the best that I have ever played. It can be completed in 12 hours, but then so can most games made nowadays. Unlike the majority of titles around I would not be surprised if people replayed this many times. In essence ‘Bioshock’ is a masterpiece! (5 out of 5)


Maker: 2K RRP £50
Amazon uk £34.96
Play.com £39.99

Summary: A must buy for any 360 owner (over 18!)