BioShock Reviews

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Written by BuckGB on August 30th, 2007

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So here we are at the end of a 3,000-word review for a game that words really can't describe. BioShock is quite simply the adventure-RPG of the year, perhaps of all-time. It's going to be quite some time before anybody can top this game.

A technical masterpiece with a story that reaches too far but Andrew Ryan would have it no other way.

If you're looking to sink your teeth into a quality single-player adventure, there are very, very, few titles that can compete with BioShock. Seriously: if you own a 360 or a good PC, why aren't you playing this thing already?

Bioshock offers a captivating narrative and experience without ever taking you out of the game. There were only one or two occasions where I couldn't control my character because of a cutscene. The entire story is told as you control the protagonist, progressing through the game. At no point did my interest in the gameplay or narrative wane. It's a disservice to throw the simple (FPS) label on Bioshock, as it offers so much more than the Halos of the industry. It's a haunting, captivating, beautiful title that should convince the Roger Eberts of the world to rethink their (videogames can't be art) viewpoint. Bioshock is an experience that is currently unrivalled in the industry, and it belongs in the library of every Xbox 360 owner.

Is it a game worth playing, perhaps more than once? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" on both counts. BioShock brings story back to the FPS with flair and style. Combat is never boring, the atmosphere is superbly crafted, and there are enough choices in the narrative to warrant playing through at least twice (if not more). As Irrational Studios the company (now 2K Boston / 2K Australia) travels further and further from its origins as Looking Glass Studios, it's somehow comforting to know that the studio can still deliver an engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable gameplay experience.

As a single player only game, Bioshock is the first title to be fully worth the $60 it cost, and what an adventure it was. With an immersion factor of 11, only the list of minor bugs and annoyances kept it from a perfect score.

Simply put, BioShock is a must for anyone who's over 17 and has a 360. So far, this is the best game of 2007.

The world of Rapture is beautiful, immersive, thought-provoking, and horrific all at the same time. It has been some time since there has been a game that has pulled off what BioShock does, and with what seems to be such great ease. You can play BioShock as an action shooter, or a thinking man's shooter. You can unravel the story through taped recordings, or try to piece together what has happened to Rapture and its citizens through the meticulously decorated locations. Rapture is a city of choices, and BioShock reflects the ideals of its fictional city throughout the course of the game. How you discover the story is up to you, as is the method by which you get to the end. The tag line on the back of the box ("No two gamers will play the game the same way") is honestly true, and it's fully rewarding to see this happen.

At its core BioShock can be described as a corridor first-person shooter that builds on Irrational's legacy and borrows from the best parts of others in the genre to better serve itself. But to distil the game to such a dry description is to do it a disservice. Flawed though it may be, it's one of the most atmospheric first-person games ever made and perhaps the standout title of the generation so far. Dazzling, thought provoking, compelling and engaging, it's an experience which refuses to lessen its hold until you've seen it through to the end, and in doing so, lodges itself in the memory in a way that few other titles can.

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