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BIOSHOCK (9.5/10.0) |
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Game Review by:
Mike Kurnat, game played on 360 platform.
Platforms: Xbox 360 & PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Irrational Games
Resolution: 720p Widescreen, 480p, 1080i, 1080p
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Release: 082107
ESRB: M for mature. |
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"Having so many
different locals really helps the game stay fresh and
engaging. "
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I can write this review with three words, buy this
game, but that’s not fair to you and doesn’t do the best first
person shooter since Half-Life 2 justice.
You are a nameless and faceless character forced to take refuge in
the underwater world of Rapture after a plain crash. You are
immediately thrust into this immersing world. Rapture is the brain
child of Andrew Ryan, a man with a vision of a world without
government and religion but a world the awards invention and a
dedication to personal excellence.
The game is set in the 1960’s and it is clear that Ryan has
completely failed because Rapture is basically in ruins when you
show up. The whole game has this retro 50’s feel with much more
technology developed in Rapture. The varied environments are creepy
to walk through and fun to explore.
Like most mad scientists, their experiments turn on them and take
over the city. Rapture is crawling with these crazy baddies that
range from melee attackers to teleporters all with their own sets of
strengths and weaknesses. The toughest enemies and most fun to fight
are the Big Daddies. These brutes are the body guards of these weird
little girls who hold something called Adams. Adams are what is used
to boost your characters abilities and weapons and that forces you
to take on these monsters in some intense battles.
Speaking of weapons and abilities, there are quite a few options of
each. Each weapon can be upgraded throughout the game and have three
different ammo types which gives players many options when choosing
how to take out an enemy. As for abilities, you collect plasmids.
Plasmids are a chemical solution that mutates your character and
gives him special powers like pyrokinesis, throwing electricity and
telekineses just to name a few. Mixing these abilities with the
conventional weapons really opens the game up for the creative
gamer.
The story is told through voiceovers on a radio you have without
interrupting the game. The game very rarely stops to show a video
during the 20 or so hours of gameplay. Throughout the game you will
also find audio diaries from key players in the story and innocent
bystanders to the collapse of Rapture. These diaries give more
periphery story details and make for eerie side notes in some cases.
The voice acting is all done by professionals and it shows. Even the
ranting voices of your enemies are crystal clear and believable. The
sound track and sound effects shine and should be appreciated.
This game isn’t without its faults though. Some technical problems
crop up from time to time that takes you out of the world too much
for my liking. The biggest distractions are the hands and feet of
the dead enemies. They flop around for no reason and it looks really
awkward. The rag doll physics which is greatly appreciated at times
fails in this instance badly. The other major problem is with the
textures of the game. Everything in the game has a high resolution
texture on it when you are close to it. When you are far away the
game lowers the resolution to free up processing space. On quite a
few occasions the games textures didn’t switch correctly so I would
be starring at a blobby wall that would snap into a highly detailed
wooden wall. This isn’t unforgivable but again, it takes you out of
the world. Trust me you want to be in this world as much as
possible. Rapture has many different environment types and all of
them are outstanding in their own way. Having so many different
locals really helps the game stay fresh and engaging.
I loved this game. Every aspect of the game felt coddled and loved
for by the developers, even the really creepy and disturbing parts.
There are plenty of freak outs to witness and to have yourself
during the game. I lost count how many times I entered a room and
stopped dead in my tracks by what I walked into. A game like this
comes around once every few years and should be embraced for what it
is, great, beautiful and progressive. 9.5 out of 10 |
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BIOSHOCK ©
2007 2K Games
All Rights Reserved
Review © 2007 Alternate Reality, Inc. |
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