Truly the most bizarre and yet captivating game experience I've ever witnessed.
First of all, I want to say two things: 1 - I thank previews reviewers for sharing their thoughts on this game as that is what compelled me to try a game that didn't strike me as a "must play". 2 - If you haven't tried BioShock, read this and other reviews and then decide if it isn't worth at least renting to get a taste.
If you have read any other reviews, you'll understand the basic premise of the game. A cross between a strategy game and first person shooter (FPS), BioShock drops you into an undersea world somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. The year is 1960 and you are someone with a home and past and a feeling that you have a purpose in life. You could never have been more right. The irony is, the part you place becomes entirely dependent upon the next series of choices your about to make.
You first enter this undersea city called "Rapture" to witness the brutal slaying of a man come to help you (and seek your help). The creature that rips him apart appears to be a twisted man with some devilish hold over him. You'll learn more about that later.
One of the first things you'll notice about BioShock, even before that gruesome display, is the fantastic visuals and audio that you will enjoy during your subsurface adventure. The world of Rapture is an undersea city that "screams" 1950's America. The nostalgia is fantastically represented from the era-appropriate music playing on record players and jukeboxes to the curved architectural style and neon lights you may have seen on episodes of Happy Days. Bot the "unspoiled" scenery as well as the mostly damaged and crumbling world you're now a part of, look incredible. You really just want to look around and see everything. The water effects are truly masterful both in the flowing water you see outside your bubble windows to the streams of leaking water rolling past your feet or over your face. Both the visual style and the execution of that style are one of the most amazing parts of BioShock and are brilliantly used to draw you in to this enigmatic story.
The sounds in BioShock are equally as engaging. From the steam release around the bathysphere's air-lock to the raging fires, flowing waters and screaming voices. Oh, those voices! Are there acting awards for Video Games? From the most mundane characters that wander aimlessly looking to pound your skull with a pipe to the primary characters that, help, taunt and confront you, the voice acting is unlike any I've experienced in a video game before. Hat's off to the development team for that. The voice acting is not only incredible, but the delivery of it in surround sound is just bone chilling. The first time I walked down that darkened hall and heard a female voice whispering above me, (or was it behind me?) it was like I could feel her breath on the back of my neck! Just brilliantly done. The acting in BioShock sets a high bar that I hope future game developers will strive for.
As far as the gameplay goes, if you've every played a FPS shooter before, you will find it relatively easy to used to the controls in BioShock. Looking, moving and shooting are fairly intuitive and don't take long to master. One of the trademarks of BioShock that sets it apart is that you not only carry conventional weapons in your right hand, but also use your left hand to fire "otherworldly" weapons. So, you're essentially a double-barreled shooter throughout the game. But, don't kid yourself, this isn't a pure shot-em-up scenario. There's a lot of exploring, thinking, reasoning and puzzle-solving going on. You need to listen to the diaries left behind. You need to study your surroundings and use strategy against your opponents if you want to not only survive, but enjoy the experience.
My only three strikes against BioShock (and why I didn't give it a "10") are these: 1 is the weapon audio. While a few weapons, such as the grenade turrets, have a nice solid blasting sound, things like the pistol and machinegun seem very muted and muffled. Not as sharp and authentic as I would have liked. It didn't ruin anything, it just felt a little less real than everything else. 2 - The lack of variety in enemies. While each type of splicer does have a different attack style, I did long for a third foe beyond them and the big daddies. Maybe that'll be in a sequel (wishful thinking), but it would have added a bit. The last, and I know this sounds wrong, but the blood graphic looked a bit fake. Honestly, I'm not a gore fan, but when you shoot someone it looks like purple jello comes out, that's a little distracting. The blood on the walls, floors, etc is rich and disgusting, but it's that initial impact of blood from a gun shot or impact wound that just seems out of place. Honestly, three really minor things to complain about. But, worth mentioning in my opinion.
All in all, I can't say enough good things about this game. It was a welcome distraction to the Halo and COD games of recent months (while they are wonderful in their own right). Bioshock takes a time and place in America and turns it into an adventure unlike any other. I've never felt more a part of the story and truly inside the game as I did playing BioShock. As disturbing as some of it is, it's more captivating than anything else. Well done - I wait anxiously for more!