BioShock Comments by Kristan Reed

I played it for two solid days. Yes, there are tons of tonics and plasmids, but, like I said, you could write an entire thesis just explaining the mechanics of the game. That's not a review, though, that's a fact sheet, and there are plenty of those types of reviews on the net if you fancy spoiling the game by having it all laid bare.

As people have already sussed, I just don't want to ruin it for you by even listing half of the cool stuff - a lot of the fun of the game is discovering what crazy new shit you're going to get next.

The important thing is to say enough to make people want to buy it.

Played the demo last night on a m8s 360 and i am very tempted to buy an Elite and this!

PC or 360 ? :)

How are the Achievements spread out? Do they enhance the gameplay? (if that's possible?)

I'm literally giddy with anticipation at the moment. I can't remember getting this worked up over any game in years.

I think I have about 4 pre-orders in now, just in the hope that one of them ships early...

I have seen the achievements. they are clever and entertaining enough, I suspect.

When I played it in Take 2's office, the build didn't even have acheivements in it. They wanted them to be secret right up to the last minute.

Excellent, spoiler free review. I cannot wait to get my hands on this! August is looking to be a cracker of a month for good releases.

360 for acheivements, PC for best gameplay I would say. Everything else is related to your personal preferences in regards to PC vs Consoles.

Ah! So they probably do have some kind of effect! Cheers Krudster.

wow...that makes waiting until next week easier...

me want now!

what was the last great game in this vein? Thief 3 doesn't quite count, so I suspect it's Deus Ex, and System Shock 2 before that. seven-eight years?

it's been a long, long, long wait. and yet one more week is intolerable.

I'd sasy it was HL2 tbh, but that has a mixed reception amongst some of EG's audience. But yes, other than that, DE it is.

Yossarian: They did try with Deus Ex 2.

Don't mention that...please...

HL2, as great as it was, wasn't in this vein.

KG

Yeah, HL2 had its standout moments, but this has a coherent vision and an actual story that you give a shit about. A back story, an ongoing story...I need to play it over again to properly take in all the audio diary stuff.

My copy arrives tomorrow. I CAN'T GO TO SLEEP I'M SO EXCITED.

KG

Gagh.. to be a reviewer.

Brilliant review btw Krudster, perfectly pitched. Nevermind game of the year, game of all time by the sounds of it.

Excellent review Kristan. And I concur with alot of people in here, my interest in the videogaming world has definitely been waning, fast, these last years.
But this, this apparent beauty of gaming design, makes me yet again all warm and fuzzy inside.

August 24. You can't arrive one damn moment too soon....

Krudster: I'm glad I've got something else I can write 10 page deconstruction features people pay me the BIG DOLLARS for. I can eat this month!

KG

wow, EG gave something a 10! Halo 3 is fucked :)

If there's one game that warrants a deconstruction, it's this. I think people will end up writing books about it. I'm not even joking.

I knew it would be great, these devs took the crown for my favourites as soon as I played SS2, you can just tell some devs have the knack to grab you more than others.

I also think Bizarre will deliver on PGR4 too... my two picks for the year, followed by Mass Effect and Halo3, this is 360s year IMO. Who cares how many consoles they shift as an owner/ soon to be owner in my case you cant help but be pretty darn impressed with the amount of quality titles available(for me theres no better choice than the 360 right now... maybe more people will be picking up the Wii it doesnt matter to me I'll be happy enough not to care either way if I get a 360 this year).

HL2, as great as it was, wasn't in this vein.

yeah, I loved Half-Life/2 to death, but they aren't quite perched in that 'intelligent first person adventure/rpg' (for want of a better genre convention) loveseat that gets me a-sweatin and a-shakin.

I only hope that Microsoft give this the marketing budget it deserves. They should be shouting from the rooftops about this. Dare I say it, outside of the gaming press, I havn't seen a mention of it. I want to see Bioshock on the side of busses. I want tv advertising.

If this fails at retail.. well.. doesn't bare thinking about really.

so krudster should we be boxing up copies and mailing them to one Mr. R. Ebert?

Krudster: "If there's one game that warrants a deconstruction, it's this. I think people will end up writing books about it. I'm not even joking."

I was just on the toilet and thinking about how I'd go about pitching that exact thing. That 10 page cradle article I did for Gamer as a sort of proof-of-concept or something.

(Hell, I'd like to do a road to Bioshock sort of thing, tracing it back to Ultima Underworlds - I've always wanted to do a history of the Looking Glass Diaspora. Any lineage that takes in both Guitar Hero and Bioshock has got to be worth a good hard look at (Randomly: Eric Brossius, the splendid sound guy, worked on both))

Yossarian: Tycho at Penny Arcade said this:
"It is my intention to secure two copies of the game, entire - one Collectors' edition, and one exclusively to shove up Roger Ebert's ass. If Bioshock isn't "art," then art is the poorer for it."

You know, after all this, I bet I hate it.

KG

If Kieron deconstructs Bioshock the big winners won't be the developers or the readership but sellers of dictionaries :)

Chimp, Bioshock is published by 2K and not by Microsoft. not to say there aren't cooperative marketing endeavours yadda yadda, but it will never get the push an Microsoft Games Studios title would.

You know, after all this, I bet I hate it.

well, you did like Deus Ex 2...

*ducks*

Shush! Now it is a happy time!

KG

Half life 2 was good, but come on it wasn't that good. I knew within five minutes of playing the Bioshock demo that this is another kettle of fish altogether, it's just dripping with atmosphere, the immersion is just scary. I was actaully afraid to go any further as the sound effect and lighting were freaking me out and making me thing something was coming up behind me, it's a weird version of reality but it seems very real when you're playing, more so than anything I've ever played before.

I have no idea how the developers pulled this one out of the bag, it's a game but it goes beyond gaming in the way it pulls you in.

I see your point about HL2, it was just another shooter (although, to me the best example of that aprticular genre), as opposed to a shooter RPG like this is.

@ Yossarian. Ah, of course. You'd think MS however would want to publicise this as much as possible. If this isn't a system seller, I dont know what is.

oh krudster, I have a genuine review-related question: does the camera/research element feel tacked on? I enjoyed it well enough in Beyond Good & Evil/Dead Rising, but it was mentioned so late on in Bioshock's development that I am sceptical.

The only problem with buying the game to encourage developers to make more games like it is that they will make games EXACTLY like it.

Expect to see MoonShock, where you come across a "deserted" moon base facility from EA, DesertShock from Ubisoft and JungleShock from Capcom.

JediMasterMalik: Don't mention 'RPG' it's a deterrent. Call it Adventure instead, that sells more copies. Erhm as long as you call it Action Adventure with emphasis on the Action.

Seriously :(

Cannibal: Or System Shock 3 and Deus Ex 3. I think the rumblings about them being in development are true.

Sad but true. Trying to convince a couple of mates they need to get this, they both made 'is it an rpg.. cause I dont like rpg's' comments. To which I replied, well.. it has rpg elements, which was greeted with upturned noses.

You may now be unsurprised why Irrational spent the last 4 years repeating that it's an FPS.

KG

aye, I think that about sums it up.

You know - I think they may have a point. Maybe it's time to just *take over the FPS and remake it in a more interesting form?*. I mean, System Shock is *very* close to as old as doom. Ultima Underworlds is older.

KG

So, is Resident Evil 4 officially dethroned as the greatest game of all time? Review wise it seems so at least.

well to be fair it is much more of an FPS than Shock 2. while it retains a lot of the same structure, there is a very clear simplification/streamlining at work (even very minor details like not having to activate the respawn points, or more broadly the lack of inventory/paper doll). and, of course, the shooting elements and the combat generally are heads and shoulders -- and knees, and toes -- above SS2, as is every aspect of the presentation save perhaps the sound (SS2 miraculously still holds up to this day in that regard).

It's always worth remembering that Shock *1* took a more streamlined approach to that sort of terrain too.

KG

I don't doubt its a good game....But 10/10. Come on. That would be calling it perfect by definition. And sorry to be a wet blanket but I doubt that very much.
Very good review. Just don't see the logic in the score.

a 10 does not denote perfection. If it did, then nothing could ever achieve that score.

DONT DO IT

NOT THE PERFECT 10 DEBATE

NO NEVER PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT

Quite, thats why I kept my answer concise and to a single sentence ;)

Awesome review :) I preorderd months ago but still great reading that review.

It reminds me alot of Riddick, by starbreze (if you havn't played it, you've missed out, best movie --> game ever) allthough obviously in an entirely diffrent setting, Both have the same great atmosphere and sense of innovation.

Another quick question Krudster, did you find the item glow in any way obtrusive, out of keeping / suspension of disbelief straining? I realise its a ridiculously minor point when held up to what they seem to have made, but still, its a bit of a worry given that they provided an option to turn it off on the pc version.