Bioshock begins when a man named Jack survives a plane crash over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly thereafter, he finds himself in the undersea city of Rapture, built by the wealthy Andrew Ryan as a haven for free industry, scientific progress, and artistic freedom. However, the city has since fallen into civil war and disrepair, the streets stalked by the addict-like splicers. Faced with such odds, Jack must use his wits, scrounged resources, and the odd voice on the radio to survive Rapture and make his way back to the surface.
Let's start by examining the gameplay. The various powers, called "plasmids," are very fun to use and come in a great variety. I'd say there are a few too many, though, since I never even used half of them. The various standard weapons aren't quite as fun as the plasmids, but make for satisfying shooter combat. Another gameplay aspect that's fun to play around with are the gene tonics, various buffs that can accommodate various play styles. However, these are optional, so anyone not interested in the RPG elements can play as well.
Even considering the gameplay, the narrative is one of the game's biggest positives. Jack himself, is the typical voiceless player avatar, so he's pretty flat as a character. However, that works out pretty well, as the game isn't really about Jack; rather, the story is all about Rapture, how it fell, and its various inhabitants, who all get their stories told via audio logs that are found scattered around Rapture. the supporting characters are all fascinating in their own ways, especially the crazed artist Sander Cohen. These little stories all come together to form a complex examination of an objectivist utopia and the inherent problems such a place would present. This is all good, but the infamous plot twist late in the game not only serves as an effective gut punch to the player, but also adds a neat bit of meta-textual commentary on the nature of video games. These two elements combine to create a truly effective narrative.
Now, the game is not without its flaws, few though they may be. The biggest is probably the pacing after the aforementioned twist. The game from that point on is a mainly an overlong fetch quest, followed by an annoying escort quest. the the game ends with a mediocre boss fight, and less than satisfying ending cutscenes.
Shocking. Positively Shocking.
Bioshock begins when a man named Jack survives a plane crash over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly thereafter, he finds himself in the undersea city of Rapture, built by the wealthy Andrew Ryan as a haven for free industry, scientific progress, and artistic freedom. However, the city has since fallen into civil war and disrepair, the streets stalked by the addict-like splicers. Faced with such odds, Jack must use his wits, scrounged resources, and the odd voice on the radio to survive Rapture and make his way back to the surface.
Let's start by examining the gameplay. The various powers, called "plasmids," are very fun to use and come in a great variety. I'd say there are a few too many, though, since I never even used half of them. The various standard weapons aren't quite as fun as the plasmids, but make for satisfying shooter combat. Another gameplay aspect that's fun to play around with are the gene tonics, various buffs that can accommodate various play styles. However, these are optional, so anyone not interested in the RPG elements can play as well.
Even considering the gameplay, the narrative is one of the game's biggest positives. Jack himself, is the typical voiceless player avatar, so he's pretty flat as a character. However, that works out pretty well, as the game isn't really about Jack; rather, the story is all about Rapture, how it fell, and its various inhabitants, who all get their stories told via audio logs that are found scattered around Rapture. the supporting characters are all fascinating in their own ways, especially the crazed artist Sander Cohen. These little stories all come together to form a complex examination of an objectivist utopia and the inherent problems such a place would present. This is all good, but the infamous plot twist late in the game not only serves as an effective gut punch to the player, but also adds a neat bit of meta-textual commentary on the nature of video games. These two elements combine to create a truly effective narrative.
Now, the game is not without its flaws, few though they may be. The biggest is probably the pacing after the aforementioned twist. The game from that point on is a mainly an overlong fetch quest, followed by an annoying escort quest. the the game ends with a mediocre boss fight, and less than satisfying ending cutscenes.
It's a must play.