A realistic, unbiased Bioshock review

[seeingstars]

Bioshock
ESRB: M

Story: 6/10
While the setting of Bioshock is interesting, the story itself is poorly written with gaping plot holes. Bioshock is set in an alternate 1960. Your character, Jack, is the only survivor of a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean. He swims to and enters a nearby lighthouse, only to discover an elevator to the underwater city, Rapture. You find a radio and a man named Atlas informs you that you need to follow his advice to get to safety. Atlas then tells you that you need super powers, known as plasmids, in order to survive in Rapture. This presents a plot hole. Why doesn’t Jack just get back in the elevator and leave to wait for a rescue? Certainly the crash site would be searched for survivors. There are numerous other problems with the story as well, such as the fact that your allies will sometimes turn on you for no apparent reason.

Gameplay: 8/10
The gameplay of Bioshock is very fun, but not without its imperfections. Bioshock is an unorthodox first-person shooter which contains RPG elements, such as magic (known as Eve in Bioshock) which is needed to use plasmids. One constant problem is that you are very limited on ammo, and you will constantly have to buy more. In order to buy gene and plasmid upgrades, you need a certain amount of Adam, which is collected by harvesting little sisters, which are little girls who are often seen near the armored big daddys. The problem is that sometimes, the little sisters are very difficult to find. Bioshock also has a hacking mini-game in which you have to construct a pipe from start to finish. Successfully completing this mini game will either reduce prices in a vending machine open a safe, or hack a bot (which can then protect you). This mini-game is fun, but the amount of times you must play this game causes it to become very old very fast. There will be an occasional security camera which will cause the alarm to sound when you are caught. The alarm will count down from 60 and security robots will constantly be coming and attempting to kill you. This is an added challenge, but it becomes extremely annoying.

Graphics: 10/10
The graphics are excellent. The special effects are fantastic.

Sound: 10/10
The voice acting is excellent. The sound effects are some of the highest quality to ever be put into a video game.

Overall (not an average): 8/10
While Bioshock is overrated, it is still a good game and is definitely worth playing.

 

[Staccato]

Why doesn’t Jack just get back in the elevator and leave to wait for a rescue? Certainly the crash site would be searched for survivors.

Because the spider splicer right at the beginning of the game disables the bathysphere when she's trying to get in. At least that was my interpretation. He spends the rest of the game trying to find an alternative.

The alarm will count down from 60 and security robots will constantly be coming and attempting to kill you. This is an added challenge, but it becomes extremely annoying.

Natural camouflage + level 4 researched bots (so they're hacked by just touching them) = setting alarms off on purpose makes the game easier

I agree with the rest of your review though. I loved the game: the atmosphere was spot on. But the last half of the game (after your...encounter with A.R. Won't say any more to avoid spoilers for those who haven't played) is messed up IMO and becomes far too cliche.

 

[seeingstars]

Because the spider splicer right at the beginning of the game disables the bathysphere when she's trying to get in. At least that was my interpretation. He spends the rest of the game trying to find an alternative.

I re-watched the intro and saw that part, but the spider slicer only put a small hole in the bathysphere. With all the amazing stuff the guy can invent, why didn't he just use those skills to fix it?

 

[Staccato]

I re-watched the intro and saw that part, but the spider slicer only put a small hole in the bathysphere. With all the amazing stuff the guy can invent, why didn't he just use those skills to fix it?

It's a fair point. But if the spider slicer damaged the wiring as well as punched holes in it then Jack would require a degree of skill in electrical engineering as well as the ability to find a welding torch and make the bathysphere water-tight again.

Also I think the U-INVENT machines did most of the work for Jack; I'm not sure he actually did much of the inventing on his own beyond placing the components needed in the top of the machine and collecting the results that fell out of the bottom of it.

PLUS, Atlas asked Jack if he would mind stepping out of the Bathysphere. And we all know how Jack can't turn down a polite invitation like that.

 

[seeingstars]

It's a fair point. But if the spider slicer damaged the wiring as well as punched holes in it then Jack would require a degree of skill in electrical engineering as well as the ability to find a welding torch and make the bathysphere water-tight again.

Well he IS able to hack machines and stuff. I don't think that would be far off.

 

[Staccato]

Well he IS able to hack machines and stuff. I don't think that would be far off.

Hmm, I guess that's true, albeit in a very Mario the plumber kind of way

There are multiple interpretations in this game, I think that's half of what makes it so initially interesting.

 

[Isambard]

Well he IS able to hack machines and stuff. I don't think that would be far off.

The machine was completely destroyed. This means he would have to have construction equipment similar to what was used to initially create Rapture. Then there is the question of where to go. His plane landed in the middle of the ocean.

Personally, I think to properly appretiate the story, one needs a passing understanding of Objectivism. My only gripe was how boring the enemies became after an hr or so of play. I stopped caring about their lost humanity, and instead saw them as annoying cannon fodder. The Big Daddies were cool though.

 

[Staccato]

Personally, I think to properly appretiate the story, one needs a passing understanding of Objectivism. My only gripe was how boring the enemies became after an hr or so of play. I stopped caring about their lost humanity, and instead saw them as annoying cannon fodder. The Big Daddies were cool though.

I think Yahtzee was pretty much spot on when, to paraphrase, he said that Bioshock was just System Shock 2 under the sea with a copy of Atlas Shrugged.

Still a good game, but quite a bit more pretentious than it had a right to be imo.

 

[Cabal]

I think Yahtzee was pretty much spot on when, to paraphrase, he said that Bioshock was just System Shock 2 under the sea with a copy of Atlas Shrugged.

Still a good game, but quite a bit more pretentious than it had a right to be imo.

^ This.

Not that I didn't enjoy Bioshock immensely. And I do quite like that they gave a half-decent argument against Objectivism. But yeah, they dropped the plot down the toilet once the big surprise happened. In System Shock 2, they kinda did the same thing, but the fact that the big surprise there was based on the SS1 story mollified it somewhat.

Now all we need is someone to do a total conversion mod for Bioshock and remake SS2...although I have this sneaking suspicion the UT3 engine will be an absolute twassock to mod with....

 

[hypostatic]

Bioshock has one of the most best storylines ever. I've never played a game that touches on so many moral, philosophical, and artistic issues. 11/10 for storyline IMO.

 

[Cabal]

Bioshock has one of the most best storylines ever. I've never played a game that touches on so many moral, philosophical, and artistic issues. 11/10 for storyline IMO.

You would love Deus Ex.

 

[seeingstars]

Bioshock has one of the most best storylines ever. I've never played a game that touches on so many moral, philosophical, and artistic issues. 11/10 for storyline IMO.

As if any of those had anything to do with the storyline.

 

[Halo117]

well there was that one time late at night, when i was so exuasted i couldn't think straight, that i saw throut Tidus's whineiness in FFX, and with a turn of my head and a squit i could somewhat see a moral philisophical, story....

 

[SSior.27]

As if any of those had anything to do with the storyline.

Storyline isn't just what happens but how it's told. So yes, moral and philosophical issues are attributed to Storyline.

It seems the review in the Original Post didn't play through the whole game, otherwise they would know why Atlas would not use the Bathysphere. Regardless, isn't it obvious he would have had to go to the station and call it and wait for it while the Splicers made minced meat out of them, like they did the welcome party.

ps, I also love how reviewers imply you can only collect ADAM from harvesting Little Sisters. And as for 'hard to find'? Any Big Daddy out of combat will go to a wall and summon a Sister from a hole (until all have been Harvested/Rescued.) Nickel's worth of free advice there.

 

[manbox1]

I thought the story from Bioshock was just breathtaking. I never thought they could take Atlas Shrugged and make an entertaining and thought-provoking game out of it. I was wrong!

 

[The-Doctor]

I loved the game but found it too short and too easy to kill the final boss even on hard though I still replay because there is a lot I have not found like all the tonics and all the tapes. Looking forward to BS 2! It has multiplayer!