BioShock

"Rapture is as fun as it sounds!"

BioShock- Rapture is as fun as it sounds!

I know what you are thinking. Another FPS for the PS3. Bioshock originally released for the Xbox awhile ago, and, not that it has hit the PS3, we wonder if it is still as good as it was the first time around.

Storyline: The game begins with a plane crash. Yes, it begins with the end. Fortunately, you play as the lone survivor, Jack. As you make your way through the wreckage and up to a lighthouse, you eventually find yourself in the city of Rapture, a city that has art and science free from the conventions of law and even morality. As you make contact with some of the citizens of Rapture, you find that they are horribly disfigured and attack anyone they see. Fortunately, one of the citizens of Rapture, Atlas, decides to help you if you will help him find his family. This is just the basic premise of Bioshock; however, there are enough twists to the storyline to keep anyone interested and enough character development to really help you understand each of the characters you encounter.

Game Play: At its heart, Bioshock is a FPS. For those of you who missed it the first time around, Bioshock has the neat aspect of a customizable shooter. Not only is there an interesting variety of weapons (each of which is upgradeable and has different types of ammo), there are also gene-altering liquids called plasmids and tonics. These aspects of the game allow the player a more customizable approach to the way they go through the game. The weapons selection varies between tradition guns like the pistol and machine gun to the crossbow and grenade launcher. There is also a camera weapon that allows you to research your enemies for damage bonuses when facing them. Ammo for weapons is often plentiful throughout the game; however, rarer ammo types must be invented as these are the most effective against stronger enemies. Inventions are not limited to ammo types. Plasmids and tonics can also be invented at several stages in the game.

Plasmids are active attack/defense mechanisms. They are powered by another substance called EVE which you can collect throughout the game. Plasmids range from attacking types like electricity and fire to defensive types like telekinesis and wind. The player has a wide range to choose from and can upgrade these as well. Tonics are like passive plasmids. The player sets the tonics and their effects automatically activate when the premises are appropriate. Tonics can help deal more damage with specific weapons, make hacking robots and safes easier, or even render the player invisible. Between tonics and plasmids, many can be found, but even more can be purchased through the procurement of ADAM. ADAM is obtained by either saving or harvesting the elusive “Little Sisters” in the game. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds as they are always protected by a “Big Daddy” that will not let you near the “Little Sisters.”

Another interesting game aspect is hacking. Through hacking, the player plays a short logic game to open safes, take control of robots, and even lower prices at vending machines and inventing machines. While hacking is a nice deviation of traditional game play, the player is hurt rather bad if the player fails to successfully solve the puzzle within a short amount of time. Furthermore, the harder the puzzle is, the more obstacles there will be to navigate when attempting to hack an item.

Visuals: The visual style of the game really fits the timeline of the game. The game takes place in the 60s, and the various paraphernalia scattered throughout Rapture is clearly evidence of the time. Furthermore, on the PS3, the game suffers no lag or visual issues when the number of enemies on-screen leaps to staggering amounts. Elements such as water, frost, and even electricity are all present when the player is struck by them as well.

Audio: All characters within Bioshock have great personality and voicing. This includes the Splitters (the most common enemies you encounter) and the Little Sisters. Other aspects of audio include background music and environmental noises are all appropriately present. I personally found the soundtrack of the game to be in excellent taste and quality. This goes without mentioning the seemingly random insertion of sixties' songs from record players throughout the game.

Replay: Bioshock has a moderate replay value. It has trophy support; so, you will have some objective to some replay value, and, within the next few weeks, challenge rooms will be available as downloadable content. Each play through of Bioshock is guaranteed to be unique because of the many aspects that can vary each time you play through the game.

Overall: Bioshock was a great game when it first came out, and now, a year later, it is still just as impressive for PS3 owners. This game is a definite “buy” for any FPS lover or any lover of a great game. The interesting 60s style brings a new flavor to traditional FPS, and the customization elements allow a different play through each time a person goes through the game. This coupled with interesting visuals and a compelling storyline all add up to a game that you should play!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/10/08

Game Release: BioShock (US, 10/21/08)