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BioShock review
Atlas. Big Daddies. Little Sisters. Adam. EVE. There’s no doubt that if you were to follow BioShock’s narrative rabbit down the hole, the result would be a many-layered conclusion open to interpretation — and that’s if you’re lucky enough to whittle it down to just “many-layered.” Yet, for all its deliciously high-handed sound and fury, 2K Boston’s mesmerizing underwater thriller is better described as a remarkably beautiful first-person psyche-out in a submerged haunted house. Anything or anyone left breathing in Rapture — visionary-turned-madman Andrew Ryan’s creation — can’t really be called “alive,” after all.
We can also say this: BioShock is one of the most well-thought-out and masterfully crafted games we’ve had the pleasure to play in a very, very long time. Right from the initial white-knuckle descent below the water’s surface into Rapture’s derelict, foreboding entrance hall, nothing is left to chance. The developers have fashioned the game’s first few hours into nothing short of a horrifying, diabolically clever roller-coaster ride from both a gameplay and narrative standpoint. If you’re confused, you’re meant to be confused. If your hands are shaking a little when you fumble for a light switch in the game, ditto. To go into any more detail would be doing you a spoiler-iffic disservice.
As the game continues to open up after the terrific first few hours, you slowly come to grips with how the world of Rapture works. Until you reach this point, it won’t be surprising if you feel overwhelmed. Learning how to juggle and manage your newly bestowed powers (called Plasmids, they’re fueled by a hotly sought-after substance dubbed “Adam”), wrestling with upgradable weapons, and wrapping your brain around Rapture’s densely detailed maps — there’s a lot to see, do, and photograph (in the case of “researching” BioShock’s supremely aggressive enemies).
On top of that, everything from corpses to lockboxes to turrets is searchable for items, ammo, and health. And if you don’t look hard enough, you’ll miss those secret wall vents just aching for a good whack from your wrench to reveal tantalizing treats. This is no casual run-and-gun, Mister Chief: It’s a much more deliberate, atmospheric tour of a different type of alien world. You’ll find safes and assorted gadgets to hack, environmental and combat obstacles to surmount with specific Plasmids (is that ice blocking that door? Why, I’ll shuffle my Incinerate to melt it away!), and dire choices to weigh on that conscience of yours (see boxout).
BioShock’s brainy shooter formula feels deliciously organic, if a bit frenetic. You won’t be pushing crates or simply collecting keys — instead, you’ll be keeping your eyes peeled and your ears open for key lock combinations, hacking the right turrets or security cams to protect you in tight situations, and using the environment (water, oil, gas tanks) to your advantage in a firefight. Nothing seems forced or tacked-on — you give what you get, and it’s entirely your call on how smartly you want to let the game play out.
Though the straightforward A.I. of your biologically warped enemies may not be as brainy (we blame most foes’ kamikaze-style attacks on the Adam…right, 2K Boston?), the action and pacing remain constant without ever detracting from the game’s real core: a level of emotional investment in what is happening to you and to Rapture.
And this is the sweet, grisly fruit of your micromanagement – it’s the world you’re stomping around in. You can dive deep into the fiction of Rapture’s twisted universe (and your mysterious role within it) by collecting recordings sprinkled about every corridor, office, and killing ground. You can stop for a bit to take in the visual story of this sunken Eden that clutters the halls with story and mystery. Or you can simply ignore the backstory and chalk it all up to wonderfully atmospheric window dressing draped around an expertly crafted haunted-house shooter.
No matter how you look at it, the weird whispery banter between a red-eyed Little Sister and her hulking, shadowy Big Daddy guardian gives the entire bloodbath that’s about to follow a melancholic, emotive twinge. And though BioShock’s story seems to slip away from its creators in its final acts — and the actual CG payoff for what is, up to that point, a sophisticated and engrossing interactive yarn, feels too short (for either ending) and disappointingly out-of-place — the game deserves to be played by everyone. It’s that magnificent. Throughout its rich, imaginative, 15- to 20-hour journey from figurative surface to the depths below, you find yourself feeling, thinking, and imagining maybe even more than you’re hacking, plundering, and shooting. It’s by no means a perfect game, but the way it merges storytelling with deftly crafted action is a brilliant and mostly successful exercise in seeing just how flexible the videogame medium can be. Play it, talk about it, experience it — a game like BioShock won’t happen again for a good long while.
On Xbox 360
+ Wonderfully dark, atmospheric descent into a rich universe full of surprises and horror.
+ So much going on gameplay-wise, you'll be breathless.
- Not wildly innovative, and the ending's not a great payoff.
? Do Splicers ever stop talking? We hear their chattering in our dreams!
10
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BANDITOMAN01
April 19, 2011 at 5:22pm
dude this game is so awesome stuk on level wer u about 2 kill Ryan. its like strting on that lvl every enemie is hyped up on steroids.
Tobby
December 03, 2009 at 2:09pm
I am a monster on Bioshock, and like wickland I think it's a very COOL game
PsychoOrange
September 23, 2009 at 5:18pm
One of the best games I have ever played. One cannot go wrong with Bioshock, seriously. The ending was not the most creative, but it did not matter since the entire game was a pot of joy.
BleachedAssasin
July 15, 2009 at 8:13am
I think BioShock is the most creative story line in a long time and has set the bar even higher for more thought out storylines.
AK89
June 16, 2009 at 7:34pm
A fascinating story as well as a gripping shooter and an intriguing social commentary. The "evil" ending wasn't very interesting, but the "good" ending was certainly touching. I think the best thing about this game was piecing together, bit by bit, the events that brought the once magnificent Rapture down to a crumbling cesspit.
Afro Thundaah
June 09, 2009 at 12:35am
I'm gonna have to say this is the best game I've played. The fluidity, the graphics, plasmids and guns - it just worked for me. I know everybody was a bit let down by the end, but hey - at least it was a traditional boss fight (three rounds, progression of difficulty, you know the sort) and this kept me sane.
Slick_Pavement
May 17, 2009 at 7:18pm
This game had one of the best storylines in a game i have ever played. The story was so interesting, i just couldn't pull myself away from the screen at times. The levels, the foes. and the layout of many of the objects you find are very well worked into the story. The game play was very fluid, and it felt very natural, which is a great achievement for a game with so many abilities and items to control. The lack of multiplayer was disappointing, and so was the ending of the game, which could have been better handled. But these slight problems were greatly overcast by the rest of this game, which was outstanding. I give this game a full ten, and i personally believe that this game is in the top 5 xbox360 games ever made.
Gamer_Nub
September 10, 2008 at 12:31am
Best game i have ever played, and ive been playing games ever since PS1 was out, this game was visually amazing and the story line was done bloody well, i borred it from my friend because mum wouldnt let me get it, every time i played it was pitch black and with headphones in as OXM reccomended, i was just amazed by it, the splicers always talking helped it be scary, music was so scary it was perfect! and i cant wait til bioshock 2 comes out some time 2009 i am so happy i played it
JonahFalcon
August 22, 2008 at 10:18pm
"Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so..." Best Splicer line. :p
would-you-kindly
August 08, 2008 at 8:00pm
This game will definately go down in Xbox 360 history . Stunning graphics, a compelling story, exciting gameplay, and excellent sound direction . This is definately one of my favorite games , out of any console . Although i disagree with the reviews "and the ending's not a great payoff" . That really depends on which ending you get . The good ending has a beautiful message to it , and the bad ending is a little scary . Altogether , this is an amazing game through and through .
soccer07
July 26, 2008 at 10:09am
I played the demo for this game, and it seemed cool. I have yet to get the real game, but I dont think I will because it is a game of the past now. well atleast it is to me. enless it has a good multiplayer it might get boering after beating it nine times
corey
June 02, 2008 at 6:37pm
this game is a really really awesome game....i liked it soo much i beaten the game nine times.... and still havent gotten tired of it... i loved the ending why does everybody hate it soo much.... the only problem i had is no multiplayer...
gordo sanchez
May 18, 2008 at 9:56pm
would you kindly start a cult that worships this game? they had better make a sequel, too. even if it sucks, i'll buy it out of respect for this amazing game. i actually didn't mind the ending, either. everybody thinks it sucks, but i thought it was pretty good, the game had a very involving story.
Derrall
April 14, 2008 at 2:07pm
Best game ever... first xbox 360 game...ive actually played.... kudos...
gallagherjoe7
April 12, 2008 at 11:26am
My favorite game ever. I bet I'm bioshock's biggest fan. theres a lot of other good stuff coming out, but everything I play seems like crap in comparison to bioshock. I just really hope they dont screw up the sequel. It's going to be pretty hard to make a second bioshock thats as good as the first.
a_goat
April 09, 2008 at 10:19am
By far the best game I have played in years! Despite that the review says it is not wildly inventive, keep in mind that the word used to describe what type of inventive it wasn't was "wildly." The game does an amazing job of using both spliced powers and heavy gunning action. The graphics were some of the best I've seen in games yet, and I am still impressed with it. Yes, I still play this bad boy every now and then. When I'm trying to tide myself over until the next game release, it's either this game or Fight Night: Round 3. While I was at first disappointed with the lack of multiplayer, finishing the game on hard helped me realize that it would only harm the game's affect and reputation by adding an impossible-to-create multiplayer. Don't own this game? Then I suggest you do.
celticassassin
April 06, 2008 at 6:16pm
BEST....GAME...EVER! seriously, i never had so much fun while being scared in my life. i was almost bummed when i found out that i had to start a new game to get those first 2 audio diaries, but then i realized i get to play it again. i hope theres a sequel.
ATLien4evr
March 30, 2008 at 2:55pm
This game is amazing. It has one of the best stories in gaming history. Andrew Ryan is the best villian in gaming. The ending, if you saved all of the little sisters, made me cry. This game is truly a "10" game!
Mr Hp DarkMan
March 29, 2008 at 5:44pm
Mr Hp DarkMan Good game and graphics! BUT! Kind of bad ending.
Axe Argonian
March 24, 2008 at 2:38pm
Awesome game indeed. The best story ever told in a game. Awesome gameplay in every respect...this is THE game of the year. I loved the good ending though,mind you Fran. This beats out Halo 3,Mass Effect,and CoD 4 by a looooooooooooooooooong shot.
dietcoke4fatty
March 03, 2008 at 8:58am
this game is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! best game of the year
dietcoke4fatty
February 19, 2008 at 7:15pm
Totally awsome i still think it shouldnt of won so many game of the year awards because of the lack of multiplayer but still a awsome game
SilentMerc3nary
February 19, 2008 at 10:04am
Still my favorite game of 2007.dietcoke4fatty
February 01, 2008 at 7:39pm
i reallly thought this games wasnt all that, but ut still was greatdjrollerx
January 31, 2008 at 11:10am
I love my FPS games, but up to now, I was so used to WWII shooters, or games like the Halo franchise, where you pretty much know what you're getting into. Right from the beginning, this game's storytelling thrusts you into a world in which you have no clue what to expect, and that really scared me(as much as a video game can) for the first few levels. Bioshock does and awesome job of not only keeping the gameplay unique but they keep it interesting, where most games, can only do one or the other. I am really looking forward to a possible sequel-heck even a different game with the same visual and imaginative standards would be nice. Not many games have such long levels and great storytelling, yet makes you want to play again and again. A much better ending(s) would have really helped this game get even closer to a perfect score, because the rewards would have been greater for playing through the game again and again. If it were up to me, I would have gone one step further with the variable story and gameplay, and made it possible to reach the end by taking different paths.(levels) Great visuals, great story, unique weaponry, just next time keep it as scary and riveting from beginning to end.certok13
January 22, 2008 at 8:29pm
i can disagree with u on that oldguy because FPS's enhance the drama, ambionce, and feel of the game for the player which is why bioshock is such a great game. P.S. halo is third person(ex. using turrents driving vehicles...)oldguygamer
January 20, 2008 at 9:30pm
This one looks pretty good. One thing I miss: Can any developer make a 3rd person shooter? Some pretty good games are ones where you never see the character unless there is a cut scene of the characrer is getting killed (i.e., HALO). I'd like to see my character when I'm controlling it. This is what made Tomb Raider enjoyable for me. At least I got to see her (I guess that was the one part of the game they knew they had to provide). Does anyone even know what the character in Quake looked like? We have HD games, super-duper HD LCD TVs to watch them on, and we can't see what the character looks like? Darn! Give me a character to watch while I play it. ~oldguygamer~spartan 012
January 20, 2008 at 12:36pm
i hate it when it says see box out or see side bar. why dont you add that to the website.SHOCKERRA
January 15, 2008 at 8:09pm
Good writing Fran. Dan, you're correct, this review is a great demonstration of professional journalism.MarkEightThree
January 08, 2008 at 1:56am
After having my Xbox die 20 minutes into my first playing session with BioShock, I decided to marathon it once I got my new system back and finished it within a few days. Although I was blown away by the first two thirds of the game, I felt the the third act [post Andrew Ryan confrontation] was pretty weak and didn't live up to the rest of the games standards. However, as weak as it was in comparison to the rest of the game, it's still some of the most enjoyable gaming time I've had in the last few months. I was tempted to go back and replay the game [saving all the little sisters this time] before I remembered that I had a stack of games including Mass Effect, Rock Band, PGR4 and RE: Umbrella Chronicles that has been barely touched. I can't wait to see where this franchise heads.lluc
January 03, 2008 at 1:14pm
I dont find this game any fun it is so boring. They should try to make a game that feels like halo 1.macsen wledig
November 17, 2007 at 8:12am
I loved this game so much I played through it twice in a row. I kind of liked the ending & I just couldn't harvest any little sister. (Maybe, in both cases, it's because I have a 5 year old daughter). Absolutely one of the best games I've ever played. I don't buy many games (2 young kids - not as much free time - & wasn't going to buy this one. I'm glad I did. It's a rare game that makes you think AND feel, yet you still get to tear stuff up.sHo76uNd3Wd
November 15, 2007 at 2:18am
This years game of the year is going to be interesting. Bioshock was huge and I have yet to play a game so immersive and have such a good story. However, Mass Effect comes out in a couple days...djpotatohead
November 14, 2007 at 5:31pm
i can't wait for my 360 to come back so i can start playing this game agian. truly worth the 10!!!usethefork
November 12, 2007 at 6:27pm
*spoilers maybe* I just finished the game today after taking a little break (Halo 3), and I thought the ending was pretty good. Sure, Fontaine was pretty lame, but I liked how it progressed into the future (which would be around now). I wonder what happened to Rapture... ________________________________________ Don't use the spoon. Seriously.SilentMerc3nary
November 12, 2007 at 4:45pm
I <3 this website. I agree with Bioshock having a shitty ending. On both accounts. *spoiler* For the good ending, How can the main character survive Rapture, but die of old age???
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