by Pete Degrazio
September 6th, 2007 -
A perfect utopian world, filled with the greatest minds on the planet, all with one common goal, to further better the human race, to evolve. So what could go wrong?
You end up in Rapture, a beautiful city established under the Atlantic by Andrew Ryan, after your plane crashes in the middle of the ocean. Once inside you will meet your guide, Atlas, who fills you in on how things went horribly wrong and left the residents in a 28 Days Later like state looking for their next fix of a "perfection drug" called ADAM. Shortly thereafter, you will meet some of the residents of Rapture, and you first bio-modification. Then things kick into high gear.
Set in 1960, BioShock is part first-person shooter, complete with machine guns, pistols, grenade launchers, shotguns and of course your trusty wrench. But It's also part role-playing game, as players determine which Plasmids (bio-modification) to inject that enable them to do such things as shoot electricity from their hands, use telekinesis to throw (and catch) objects through the air or even go pyromania using your fingertips Godzilla style. It's this concept that really makes BioShock stand out from other first person shooters. To use a plasmid, players must have a sufficient amount of Eve, which is gained through injection. To unlock new plasmids, players must have a certain amount of ADAM (BioShock currency if you will), which is gained by either harvesting a "Little Sister" for the maximum amount of ADAM, or by saving the little girl's life but receiving a slightly lower amount. Save the girls and you'll be rewarded in the end. The choice that a player makes here, actually determine different experiences in the game, and even influence the ending of the game.
The Splicers, which are BioShock's former resident turned junkie enemies, come in just five varieties, and they appear the same throughout the game, however, they do become more challenging as the game progresses. For added measure, 2K included security cameras that when tripped, unleash drone-like mini-helicopters, as well as automated mounted machine guns and grenade launchers which are activated by sensors. Being able to hack (via a pretty cool mini game) these cameras and gun mounts, can prove to be a worthy ally.
Oh, and then there’s the Big Daddy. The first time saw this guy, I nearly soiled myself. Big Daddies are seen as guardians of the “Little Sisters”, protecting them as they wander Rapture in search of ADAM. The Big Daddy will not bother you unless it’s provoked, and when they are, they can bring the noise. At first they seem pretty unbeatable, but after a few tries, players will get a feel for their weaknesses, and learn that they aren’t invincible. Be sure to check out the Big Daddy Hypnotize Plasmid, having these guys fight for you is a special treat.
Gameplay stays fresh because of the sheer number of plasmids, and other customizable characteristics. Mixing and matching “Tonics “ (player attributes such as strengthening weapons and hacking abilities) has a definitive affect on your character. The atmosphere and narratives are very impressive as well. Graphically, Rapture looks amazing, and 2K did a superb job capturing the look of the times. From the outstanding environmental audio to the AI that actually is quite challenging, BioShock nails it. This game gathered enormous buzz over the past year. For once, they were right.