BioShock
Game Review
Andrew Scagnelli
Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: Opinion
To start, BioShock is one of the most creative and engaging games made in the past few years, and is a certain candidate not only for the best game of 2007 but even of all time. The reason that such a lofty claim can be made is twofold: first, BioShock creates an environment that captivates and interacts with the player; second, the combat in the game is both inventive and tightly intertwined with the environment.
The environment itself is the star of the game. Rapture is an underwater utopia come on hard times, the brainchild of Andrew Ryan, who continually taunts and proselytizes to the player as his city falls apart around him. The city of Rapture itself is bright and vibrant, a surprise as it lies at the bottom of the sea. The world feels complete, filled with parks, industrial areas, housing, and entertainment centers, all filled with various items that are well worth taking the time to explore. The majority of Rapture's inhabitants are "Splicers," genetically modified humans wearing distinctive masks, and tend to be somewhat bland when compared to the rest of the world. The other inhabitants are well worth noting. A kind Irishman, Atlas, greets you as you enter the city and guides you through your first tasks and provides a counterpoint to Ryan. However, the star inhabitants are a pair that defines BioShock: the Big Daddies and the Little Sisters, who comprise a large portion of the game. The Little Sisters carry ADAM, the currency of Rapture and the genetic modifier that grants you powers such as an electric shock or throwing a fireball. The Big Daddies are hulking monstrosities clad in heavy diving suits, heavily armed and heavily armored.
Turning to combat, the Big Daddies and Little Sisters feature prominently. The Big Daddy fights are some of the most memorable moments in BioShock, forcing the player to be creative and use the environment rather than simply fire away as in most shooters. Afterwards, BioShock presents the player with an important moral decision that drives its exploration of objectivist philosophy. The Little Sister, a young girl of ten to twelve years old corrupted by ADAM, is harvested after her protecting Big Daddy is defeated. The harvesting is not simply killing her, but rather a choice to kill her and become more powerful or to cure her of her corruption, setting her free at a cost of receiving less ADAM, and becoming less powerful over time.
The environment itself is the star of the game. Rapture is an underwater utopia come on hard times, the brainchild of Andrew Ryan, who continually taunts and proselytizes to the player as his city falls apart around him. The city of Rapture itself is bright and vibrant, a surprise as it lies at the bottom of the sea. The world feels complete, filled with parks, industrial areas, housing, and entertainment centers, all filled with various items that are well worth taking the time to explore. The majority of Rapture's inhabitants are "Splicers," genetically modified humans wearing distinctive masks, and tend to be somewhat bland when compared to the rest of the world. The other inhabitants are well worth noting. A kind Irishman, Atlas, greets you as you enter the city and guides you through your first tasks and provides a counterpoint to Ryan. However, the star inhabitants are a pair that defines BioShock: the Big Daddies and the Little Sisters, who comprise a large portion of the game. The Little Sisters carry ADAM, the currency of Rapture and the genetic modifier that grants you powers such as an electric shock or throwing a fireball. The Big Daddies are hulking monstrosities clad in heavy diving suits, heavily armed and heavily armored.
Turning to combat, the Big Daddies and Little Sisters feature prominently. The Big Daddy fights are some of the most memorable moments in BioShock, forcing the player to be creative and use the environment rather than simply fire away as in most shooters. Afterwards, BioShock presents the player with an important moral decision that drives its exploration of objectivist philosophy. The Little Sister, a young girl of ten to twelve years old corrupted by ADAM, is harvested after her protecting Big Daddy is defeated. The harvesting is not simply killing her, but rather a choice to kill her and become more powerful or to cure her of her corruption, setting her free at a cost of receiving less ADAM, and becoming less powerful over time.