Having never played the original, and usually detesting water based missions in FPS's (the good old obscured vision, oxygen depletion and being shot at when you can't return fire or seemingly find cover of any sort) I was justifiably a little bit... how can I put it mildly? Pessimistic. I envisioned long repetitive and frustrating underwater sequences which would culminate in either rage-quitting or sending my PS3 controller through the TV screen like a gamer who can't handle conceding a 90th minute goal on FIFA.
Ironically, I was pleasantly surprised by the contrast of my expectations with reality. I watched a quick recap video on Youtube of the original title, and then jumped right in to assuming the role of Subject Delta. The storyline is engaging and the growth of the characters realistic, although as anticipated within about half an hour of playing, the twists of the plot became predictable.
I did find the mission structure a little rinse and repeat (stop at a station, get off, find and kill big daddies, harvest ADAM, get back on) but the variety in interior locale of Rapture was appreciated, the loadout range and customisability of the weapon system was reminiscent of Dead Space (definitely a good thing since I fucking adore that franchise), and the progression of enemy NPC's was proportionate to the protagonists own growth.
The atmosphere created by the musical score was that of a sunken vessel, the sort of music you imagine playing on the Titantic as it sinks to Davy Jones' locker in a depressive, haunting fashion ("I'll never let go Jack!" promptly lets go). Ahem. What the game did superbly for me however, was create an unparalleled sense of urgency and emotional attachment with Eleanor and the other little sisters. Perhaps this is due to being the Father of my own daughter, but I felt an unshakeable thirst for redemption, a need to be the hero and to rescue these poor innocent children from the grasp of some demented cult logic of sacrifice. Kinda like rescuing my daughter from the demented logic of some other people... but I digress.
In closing, I found the game to be both aesthetically satisfying, and emotionally rewarding - with each adoption and rescue I really felt I was making a difference and that I was the saviour of these precious little girls. The last few missions felt more of a victory lap than anything else, I was slightly OP by this point (picture Charizard fighting Bulbasaur) so it was more about the sense of impeding and inevitable success that rallied me through those final chapters, as I strode defiantly amidst the Splicers wielding an electric shock charged, incendiary round loaded shotgun that literally decimated them into screaming piles of charred flesh.
I'd definitely recommend giving this game a chance to any sceptics out there - though not my favourite in the genre, definitely a solid title.
Ironically, I was pleasantly surprised by the contrast of my expectations with reality. I watched a quick recap video on Youtube of the original title, and then jumped right in to assuming the role of Subject Delta. The storyline is engaging and the growth of the characters realistic, although as anticipated within about half an hour of playing, the twists of the plot became predictable.
I did find the mission structure a little rinse and repeat (stop at a station, get off, find and kill big daddies, harvest ADAM, get back on) but the variety in interior locale of Rapture was appreciated, the loadout range and customisability of the weapon system was reminiscent of Dead Space (definitely a good thing since I fucking adore that franchise), and the progression of enemy NPC's was proportionate to the protagonists own growth.
The atmosphere created by the musical score was that of a sunken vessel, the sort of music you imagine playing on the Titantic as it sinks to Davy Jones' locker in a depressive, haunting fashion ("I'll never let go Jack!" promptly lets go). Ahem. What the game did superbly for me however, was create an unparalleled sense of urgency and emotional attachment with Eleanor and the other little sisters. Perhaps this is due to being the Father of my own daughter, but I felt an unshakeable thirst for redemption, a need to be the hero and to rescue these poor innocent children from the grasp of some demented cult logic of sacrifice. Kinda like rescuing my daughter from the demented logic of some other people... but I digress.
In closing, I found the game to be both aesthetically satisfying, and emotionally rewarding - with each adoption and rescue I really felt I was making a difference and that I was the saviour of these precious little girls. The last few missions felt more of a victory lap than anything else, I was slightly OP by this point (picture Charizard fighting Bulbasaur) so it was more about the sense of impeding and inevitable success that rallied me through those final chapters, as I strode defiantly amidst the Splicers wielding an electric shock charged, incendiary round loaded shotgun that literally decimated them into screaming piles of charred flesh.
I'd definitely recommend giving this game a chance to any sceptics out there - though not my favourite in the genre, definitely a solid title.