Apr 21 2008
X360 Review: Bioshock (2007, action)
The biggest feat of Bioshock is creating a brand new world that doesn’t have demons (that came through some open portal to some other dimension), robots (set in the distant future) or Nazis. The unique setting of Rapture is what gives an edge to this shooter to make it one of the best ever created. Continue reading for full review:
Rapture is an undersea utopia designed by Andrew Ryan, where capitalism, creativity and science can freely co-exist and advance free of government oppression. Through genetic manipulations, citizens of Rapture obtain powerful physical modifications and special abilities. Of course it all goes wrong and when you arrive to the city, it is a crumbling yet still beautiful art deco mausoleum filled with crazed citizens hell bent on killing you.
Your goal is to defeat Andrew Ryan, guided by the mysterious Atlas, in order to escape the city. To do so you rely on traditional weapons such as machine guns and shot guns, as well as plasmids which are Bioshock’s magic powers. It ranges from simple setting fire on things, to electrical shock and even manipulating the security system into doing the dirty work for you. To obtain new plasmids and other enhancements, you need Adam which is the most valuable substance in the city. And the only way to obtain it is from dead bodies… harvested by Little Girls. Getting to a Little Girl is complicated because she is protected by a Big Daddy: a hulking heavily armored weaponized bodyguard that will do anything for a Little Girl. Once you manage to take one down, you’re given a simple choice: will you harvest the Little Girl or will you save her?
Harvesting will give you more Adam but that process will kill her. Saving her does give you Adam but not so much. Of course Dr. Tennenbaum, who created Little Girls, does promise you great rewards if you manage to save them all…
The world of Rapture is both dead and living. You see infrastructure crumbling everywhere, water leaking, elevators falling and crashing. On the other hand, the Adam crazed citizens react to each other. Some will attack Big Daddies to get at the Little Girls, others will constantly chase after you. This ecosystem can be used to your advantage as pure force of your weapons isn’t enough to defeat everybody.
Of course there’s a big twist in the game, that I won’t reveal (hint: Andrew Ryan isn’t the last enemy you’ll face). The game doesn’t use pre-rendered cinema to tell the story: instead it relies on audio diaries that were left behind by the citizens. It is very haunting to listen to some diaries as they chronicle their final moments. Some are very mundane, but all 122 audio diaries flesh out this incredibly detailed world.
If you haven’t played this game yet, you owe it to yourself to immerse yourself in the world of Rapture. If games are ever elevated to the same level of art as cinema or TV shows, this is one of this new artform’s shining masterpiece.
Rating: 100%
