BioShock

Title: BioShock
Platform Played On: Xbox 360/PC
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Date Played: August-September 2007
Time Played: 20 hours
Completed (Y/N): Yes
Score: 5/5




Opinion:
BioShock came out a couple of days after I purchased my first Xbox 360. It was one of the two games to push me over the edge with the purchase (other being Mass Effect). I could not wait to put the disc in to my "Blade Dashboard" Xbox, and press play.

BioShock starts with a question and ends with a choice. Is it a choice? That is the question. Would you kindly discover it for yourself?

One thing is certain, BioShock has an incredible ability to pull you in. The moment I descended into Ruputre via the bathysphere I found myself in a new world, a world full of questions. These were genuine questions one might have when watching a very interesting movie or reading a very interesting novel for the first time. I found myself lost in dripping, frozen in time halls of Rupture, seeking answers and in turn finding more questions. The highly detailed environments pulled me in, I found myself inspecting every ornament, every crevice. And as I progressed through the story the constant addition of new weapons and elements kept me engaged.

BioShock does an excellent job at storytelling, it knows when to throw you a bone, and when to pull away. It knows when to make a reveal and when to fool you. And once you beat it, there is no doubt that you will want to talk about it.

It is easy to misinterpret BioShock as a shooter. Shooting is simply a vessel for its incredibly rich setting and it's amazing story. It is so much more than a shooter. It is a movie, a novel, a place, a setting. It is amazing.

If I could give BioShock a 5+ out of 5, I would. It is one of very few games ever made that I would argue is firstly a piece of art and secondly a piece of entertainment. I envy those that have yet to play it. I hope to experience something as powerful as BioShock again some day.

Bioshock in my opinion is a perfect game. It is one of my most favorite games of all time, and I feel that it should be experienced by everyone, gamer and non-gamer alike. Would you kindly go play it? And then re-read this post. I promise a surprise :)