Bioshock released and became an instant classic. It's excellent narrative and engaging gameplay leave it still feeling like a masterpiece despite its age.
It's hard to convey the greatness of Bioshock's narrative without spoilers. It covers the themes of power and capitalism in a great way. Andrew Ryan has some of the best quotes in video games and is an amazing character. The world of rapture is written very well and makes it one of the most unique game worlds I have experienced and its downfall is super interesting. This story getting added flavor through audio logs you find scattered about is a fun way to convey extra elements of the story. The big moment at the game's climax is unforgettable and unlike any other game I have played. The ending sequence of the game is very well done and the narrative decision you make isn't overly complex but it serves the themes well.
Bioshock's gameplay is probably its strongest design area. All of the different plasmids you can get offer a lot of gameplay options. There is also a good bit of weapon variety and you get to make your own build with the upgrade system. The boss fights in the game, besides the final one which was very well done, are a bit forgettable and feel like bullet sponges at times. Battling with big daddy's is an extremely fun optional experience that feel more noteworthy than any of the main bosses. The level design is also well executed and exploring areas never feels monotonous.
The art direction of Bioshock is also wonderful. I like all the glowing signs and the classic 1920's vibe they went for. When you look out of the glass tunnels and see the rest of rapture or just the sea in general it is stunning. The character design of big daddy's is also another fantastic addition to the art direction. The voice acting of the game is surprisingly good for its time and this enhances the game quite a bit since most of the story is told through dialogue or audio logs. The soundtrack doesn't jump out at you often but there are definitely times where it enhances the gameplay experience such as the classical music in the Sander Cohen section of the game.
Bioshock isn't a game with an extremely high level of replayability. There are standard difficulty options and the option to turn off vita-chambers. There is 1 major decision you can make that affects only the ending of the story and technically also affects the difficulty of the game. The rest of the replayability comes through large variety of weapons and plasmids. However, at higher difficulties some plasmids or weapons are so situational that there are dominant builds you will find yourself gravitating towards. Since the game is not very large, I would have appreciated a little bit more replayability.
Bioshock is a masterpiece that has aged quite well and is easily one of the best games released during its console generation. The story, gameplay, and visuals you experience when exploring rapture are one of a kind.
( 90/100 )
It's hard to convey the greatness of Bioshock's narrative without spoilers. It covers the themes of power and capitalism in a great way. Andrew Ryan has some of the best quotes in video games and is an amazing character. The world of rapture is written very well and makes it one of the most unique game worlds I have experienced and its downfall is super interesting. This story getting added flavor through audio logs you find scattered about is a fun way to convey extra elements of the story. The big moment at the game's climax is unforgettable and unlike any other game I have played. The ending sequence of the game is very well done and the narrative decision you make isn't overly complex but it serves the themes well.
Bioshock's gameplay is probably its strongest design area. All of the different plasmids you can get offer a lot of gameplay options. There is also a good bit of weapon variety and you get to make your own build with the upgrade system. The boss fights in the game, besides the final one which was very well done, are a bit forgettable and feel like bullet sponges at times. Battling with big daddy's is an extremely fun optional experience that feel more noteworthy than any of the main bosses. The level design is also well executed and exploring areas never feels monotonous.
The art direction of Bioshock is also wonderful. I like all the glowing signs and the classic 1920's vibe they went for. When you look out of the glass tunnels and see the rest of rapture or just the sea in general it is stunning. The character design of big daddy's is also another fantastic addition to the art direction. The voice acting of the game is surprisingly good for its time and this enhances the game quite a bit since most of the story is told through dialogue or audio logs. The soundtrack doesn't jump out at you often but there are definitely times where it enhances the gameplay experience such as the classical music in the Sander Cohen section of the game.
Bioshock isn't a game with an extremely high level of replayability. There are standard difficulty options and the option to turn off vita-chambers. There is 1 major decision you can make that affects only the ending of the story and technically also affects the difficulty of the game. The rest of the replayability comes through large variety of weapons and plasmids. However, at higher difficulties some plasmids or weapons are so situational that there are dominant builds you will find yourself gravitating towards. Since the game is not very large, I would have appreciated a little bit more replayability.
Bioshock is a masterpiece that has aged quite well and is easily one of the best games released during its console generation. The story, gameplay, and visuals you experience when exploring rapture are one of a kind.
( 90/100 )