BioShock Review

Memorable story and a fantastic single player experience.

Available for: PS3 , Xbox 360, PC

BioShock is a FPS (First-Person Shooter) game, developed and released by 2K Games for the Xbox 360, and the Playstation 3 consoles.  Built on Unreal Engine 3, BioShock is set in an alternative history of the 1960s.  In BioShock, the player assumes the control of Jack, the lone survivor of a plane crash, who must explore the underwater dystopian city of Rapture, while surviving attacks from both the mutant beings and drones, which inhabit the city.  BioShock has set itself apart from other FPS games with insertions of role-playing, and survival/horror game play elements.

Apart from using weapons to blow his enemies away, Jack can also utilize plasmids, which give him special powers such as telekinesis, or the power to freeze, burn, or electrocute enemies.  There are also plasmids that subject enemies to swarms of insects or even enrage your enemies.  There are also security cameras that can either be invaded or destroyed, so you can progress through the game through your own style of play, and you don’t have to spray a bunch of bullets if you don’t want to.  If you do want to, though, you can do so.

There are three main resources available in BioShock.  They are called ADAM, EVE, and money.  ADAM is a mutagen, which causes genetic changes.  EVE acts almost like a fuel for active plasmids, and is comparable to magic points in other games.  Money lets you do the standard things that money does in many games, buy weapons and ammo.  It also lets you pay to have security like turrets or bots.

ADAM can buy you mutagens, which are separated into four technology trees (Combat, Engineering, Active, and Physical).  These mutagens can be separated farther down into active plasmids, which EVE acts as fuel for, or “tonics”, which are basically passive skills that affect the player’s overall abilities.

Plasmids don’t just add depth, and role-playing aspects to BioShock.  They also add a heck of a lot of destructive fun.  For instance, one can use the telekinesis power on any loose object in order to throw back grenades, throw objects at enemies, or hold objects in the air in order to use them as a shield.  There are also plasmids that alter Jack’s appearance.  For example, the “incinerate” plasmid will cause Jack’s hands to glow red, his body to look charred, and flames to come out from his hands.  Selecting a weapon will cause the changes to revert, but if you use the plasmid for too long, the changes will become worse, and more permanent.

Overall, BioShock is a well reviewed FPS game, that experiments with the insertion of other elements of gameplay, and deviates from the cliché.  If you enjoy games that are innovative, and have great storylines, you’ll love BioShock.  Of course, it can also be played as a straight FPS, for those who prefer to play it that way, as well.  There is also a planned sequel to BioShock that has been announced for release in 2009.