Bioshock (Xbox 360) Review
Posted by Greg Bruno on 08.30.2007
Deep beneath the ocean lies one of the most amazing games you will ever play.
Imagine a world where you would be allowed complete freedom to expand yourself. Not only would your mind evolve in such an environment, but surely other things would as well. Welcome to the underwater paradise that…well…was Rapture, where the sweat of your brow is your life. No one can stop you or keep you from advancing. Ah, but then we must remember to add the human element into this near perfect equation. Greed, lies, and deceit can and will ruin a society. Even Rapture, deep beneath the ocean, is not safe from such downfalls. Thanks to “Plasmids,” the inhabitants of Rapture have mutated themselves into abominations of their former selves. Plasmids alter one’s genetic makeup, giving them new powers.
Bioshock is a truly innovative First Person Shooter from 2K studios. They have managed to create a living, breathing, and bleeding world deep beneath the cruel topside. Bioshock offers gamers a breath of fresh air in terms of gameplay, as the game will not play the same each time through. The real question is; will you want to travel through Rapture more than once? Travel through the rest of the review to find out if Bioshock should stay at the bottom of the sea, or be harvested like a pearl.
Graphics
Graphics in Bioshock are by far some of the most impressive we’ve seen on any title, on any system, to date. The detail involved throughout the game is so deep and intricate that you can actually see water damage in some areas. Speaking of water in Bioshock, it is absolutely incredible. This is water that actually looks WET! It drips from nearly everywhere, giving the game a dark and eerie atmosphere all around. Seeing the water in the game pool in some areas and then completely flood in others is a work of art. It is truly awesome to look at. Be sure to pay attention as it drips down stairs.
The levels themselves are completely astounding. Bioshock is set in 1960, so the decorations adjourning the walls of Rapture capture the feel of the late 50’s perfectly. Think big band style posters, advertisements, and wall coverings. Sort of like your grandma’s basement, but in a good way.
The weapons look great as well. For FPS games good-looking weapons is very important because, well, you’re always looking at them. More on the awesome weapons a bit later. Enemies in Rapture, called Splicers, were all once peaceful, normal people. However, thanks to some genetic splicing, they’ve become creatures hell bent on getting more ADAM (Rapture’s way of enhancing your powers).
The people of Rapture crave that ADAM like crack. The Splicers come in different variants and have their own unique style of fighting. The coolest of all the Rapture inhabitants is by far the combination of the Big Daddy and the Little Sister. The Big Daddy is one hell of a badass who will protect the Little Sister, who is simply a little girl hyped up from splicing, while she gathers ADAM from corpses. Sounds morbid, doesn’t it? Well it LOOKS a million times better. Bioshock is a beautifully disturbing game in he best way possible.
Gameplay
Sure it looks incredible, but how does it play? Well, inquisitive gamer, you’ll be happy to know that Bioshock is as much fun to play as it is to look at. The plasmid system is original and fresh; something this type of game genre could use more of. The plasmids enhance your abilities. For example, you’ll acquire a plasmid that allows you to shoot electricity from your fingertips. This is useful for stunning enemies, shorting out sentry bots, and opening some doorways. If it is shot into the water, it will shock and kill all the enemies standing in it. Cool, right? It gets better, trust me. Without spoiling too much, you’ll come across some very interesting plasmids that will make your game experience a blast to play through. There are reportedly well over 40 kinds of plasmids to acquire.
Aside from the plasma system there is also the ability to hack into various objects. Don’t feel like blowing that turret up? You’d rather use it against your enemies, wouldn’t you? Well, do it! You can hack into the turret or sentry bot to use for your own personal use. This comes in handy when you’re defending a doorway or making sure no one will be sneaking up on you.
Like I reported earlier, there’s so much detail in the game that you’ll want to stop and check it all out. I highly suggest that you do so, since much of the story is told through audio diaries you pick up throughout your trip through Rapture. In some senses, the game plays more like an RPG than a FPS. You’ll need to check everything to get the most out of your surroundings. For instance, be sure to check corpses, dressers, desks, safes, and even lockers to find useful items to aid you.
The health system is delightfully designed to keep gamers on the lookout for first aid kits. If you health bar begins to drop, simply use a First Aid Kit to bring it back up. The same deal works with your Plasmid system. If your EVE (that which keeps your plasmid meter full) starts to drop, you must then use and EVE injection to bring it back up.
Perhaps the most interesting and controversial side of Bioshock is the Little Sister/Big Daddy portion. You’ll be forced to make decisions, which will effect the games ending. See, those Little Sisters have the ADAM you need to enhance yourself. You could kill them to gain more, or rescue them to get a little less. It’s all in the choices you make that effect the outcome. Trust me, sometimes after a nasty fight with a Big Daddy, you’ll want to kill those Little Sisters!
Sound
While Bioshock is rich in graphical eye candy, the sound and music of the game will leave your ears smiling…if they can do that. The music is a sweet, yet eerie orchestral melody that will haunt and hypnotize you at the same time. The music really enhances the game on so many levels. It can make it feel like someone is watching you from the shadows (which is probably true) or it can make you feel like you’ve just done a miraculous thing by saving a Little Sister. I cannot say how happy I was to know I didn’t have to switch out the game’s music for my hard drive music. The city of Rapture also has some licensed music pumping through various juke boxes and record players. You’ll hear “Somewhere beyond the sea…” playing from a beaten down television or radio. If you find this soundtrack in stores, pick it up. You’ll love it.
Lasting Appeal
Here is where Bioshock leaves me hanging. I am a sucker for multiplayer matches. However, I feel that if Bioshock had incorporated a multiplayer system into the game, it would not feel as if it belonged. The game stands strong on its own, which is rare these days. Sure there could have been some cool ideas for multiplayer matches. Hacking into another players sentry bot, for instance, would have been a lot of fun, but alas, it won’t happen.
Since there are two endings to Bioshock, you’ll definitely want to run through once again to see the other ending. Not to mention the fact that there are 50 achievements to gain while playing. Certainly for those gamerscore junkies out there you’ll want to dredge through Rapture at least once more. Aside from the second run through for the ending and the achievements, there may not be too many reasons to go back under the sea.
Fun Factor
I haven’t had this much fun playing through a single-player-only game in an extremely long time. Rapture is a very large city and it takes a long time to get through. Not once did I ever feel bored or like it was becoming repetitive (aside from the constant hacking mini-game). You’ll enjoy finding those Big Daddy’s, upgrading your plasmids, finding all the audio diaries, etc. I had an absolute blast playing through this masterpiece and loved the intricate story that accompanied me through it. This game will certainly stay on my Top 5.
The 411
Xbox 360 and PC owners got a real treat from 2K. This game is a gem in its own right and deserves every award it will most certainly be given. The atmosphere is absolutely astounding and you really get a feel for all that happened in Rapture. I most certainly recommend this game to anyone and everyone who has a chance to play it. For the best experience, find yourself a big HDTV and a surround sound system. You will thoroughly enjoy every second you spend in Rapture
Graphics
10.0
This is what the Next-Gen is all about. An overall beautiful game with absolutely the best water you have seen in a video game.
Gameplay
10.0
The plasmid system is fresh and innovative. It really makes you feel as if you're becoming a part of Rapture itself.
Sound
10.0
If I could give it an 11, I would. Incredible music sets the stage for the horrors that await you under the ocean waves.
Lasting Appeal
9.0
The lack of a multiplayer system doesn't necessarily hurt the replay value, but it doesn't help it either. After both endings and the achievements, there's little to come back for, unless of course you want to look at some pretty water.
Fun Factor
9.5
Every second of your journey throughout Rapture will have you entertained. Sure those hacks get annoying, luckily there's a plasmid for that!
