BioShock Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 16 October, 2008

How deep is your love?

Version tested: PlayStation 3

It feels a bit strange to be reviewing BioShock almost exactly a year since everyone was last talking about it. Even before it launched on the 360 and PC, it was one of the most widely and thoroughly dissected games of 2007. Riding the hype and backlash seesaw like few games before or since, it attracted reams of praise, (fevered) debate, and impassioned defence along the way.

In other words, so much has been said and written about BioShock that I fear there's little I can say about the long awaited PS3 version that won't taste like refried beans. But then, having been reunited with Rapture, BioShock is a game still magnificently capable of inspiring torrents of thoughts and ideas.

There's the story, one of the most highly lauded in recent gaming history, but then most of the things I'd want to discuss are precisely the sort of things that patient PS3 gamers probably won't want spoiled. I know I'd have been really annoyed if I'd learned that your character is actually a sexy female cyborg with Hitler's brain right before I started playing last year. Oops.

What is safe to learn is that you play as a mysterious man, left splashing about in the ocean after a plane crash in 1960. Swimming for the safety of a mysterious structure, you discover the entrance to Rapture, a secret undersea utopia built by Objectivist demagogue Andrew Ryan fourteen years earlier. Descending into the decaying ruins of this failed social experiment, battling the insane former inhabitants as you go, you slowly uncover the truth behind Rapture's fall. It's a world of faded art deco glamour where Ayn Rand's dream of brilliance unfettered by morality and charity has turned sour, rotted by human nature and encroaching sea water. A nightmare where young girls harvest corpses, protected in their work by lumbering behemoths in heavy diving suits; where doctors mutilate patients in defiance of accepted aesthetics; where poets slaughter for inspiration.

'BioShock' Screenshot 1

The Splicers, insane gene addicts wearing sinister party costumes, remain one of the more original and compelling FPS villains of recent times.

But to say any more would be grossly unfair to those who've managed to stay spoiler-free for a whole year. A huge part of what made - and still makes - BioShock a uniquely compelling experience is the sense of discovery as you creep around the varied environments. At a time when so many designers still seem in love with grey and brown tunnels, it's a joy to return to a game built around period detail, bold architecture and a very deliberate, specific and unique sense of place. This holds true of your enemies as well. Find a hiding place and you listen to them, talking manically to themselves as they hunt for you. In one memorable moment, having been done in by a Thuggish Splicer, I lay dying on the floor and was amazed to see them walk up to me and apologise, in their own lunatic manner, for having to kill me.

So, the story is still great and still worth experiencing fresh. I could, of course, talk about the technical differences between PS3 and 360...except there really aren't any. Or at least none that my human eyes can detect. I'm sure that a future comparison article will tear the frames apart to lay bare exactly how the PS3 code stands up to the 360, but for the vast majority of players it'll be a moot point. It plays at a steady 30 frames-per-second, with no screen tearing that I could see. Should such nefarious factors appear in the boxed retail version, the options menu contains video toggles that should put things right.

'BioShock' Screenshot 2

The initial descent into Rapture is perhaps the most evocative and brilliantly constructed introductions to a gameworld since the original Half Life.

As before, the Unreal Engine is put to fine use, conjuring up gruesomely misused medical facilities, decrepit industrial areas and the twisted whimsy of Fort Frolic without a flicker. BioShock is a great looking game, as much for the imagination of what it shows you as for the technical detail, and the PS3 rises to the occasion every bit as successfully as the 360. Perhaps even more so, since this version is free from the annoying - though eventually patched - cache bug that made the 360 version stutter in the later levels. On the other hand, it's another PS3 game that comes with an obligatory install, taking upwards of ten minutes and gobbling up another 5GB of your drive.

In gameplay terms, you're getting the exact same game - with the promise of downloadable Challenge Rooms in the immediate future (look out for a hands-on with those in the coming weeks). Much has been batted back and forth over BioShock's gameplay. Some see it as a pale console-flavoured rehash of the cult PC fave, System Shock 2. Others see it as a merely average shooter, dressed up in intellectual clothing. Me, I loved it in 2007 - and have had that love reaffirmed by returning to Rapture after a twelve-month detox period.

Most of the criticisms levelled at the game have some merit, but only when taken in isolation. Taken as a whole, it's a phenomenal creation - a game that is rich in gameplay possibilities, giving you a broad and flexible toolbox of conventional weapons and genetically enhanced Plasmids, with the additional tactical layer of tonics and camera research opening up multiple ways to approach any enemy encounter. The realistic environments only add to this, with the old videogame cliché of electrified water cleverly transformed from standalone hazard to just one of many offensive options.

The Vita-Chambers, essentially the game's respawn points, remain and were originally the cause of much grumbling. Allowing you to jump back into the action with no real consequence, beyond whatever ammo and resources you wasted in your previous fruitless efforts, they do remove a lot of the expected consequences from death, and as such can make the game feel skewed towards the easy. Of course, the most pressing reason to avoid death in a game is that you don't want to die and so anyone playing with the sort of immersion that BioShock demands and offers is unlikely to find it any more distracting than the commonly accepted PC habit of quicksave and quickload.

'BioShock' Screenshot 3

The whale-like moan of the Big Daddies: still bowel-quakingly horrible one year on.

For those who still don't approve of respawns, the new Survivor difficulty level makes the Vita-Chambers less of a crutch, reducing your Eve, the genetic resource needed for Plasmid attacks, for each use as well as offering less ammo and tougher enemies, making it much harder to bludgeon your way through the game using the obvious attack options. Forcing you to explore the more passive abilities - such as hacking and making enemies fight each other - it's a mode that makes you see the true scope of the combat, and the game shines brighter as a result.

For those who really, absolutely cannot stand the very concept of the Vita-Chamber, you can disable them completely in the options menu. For those who take such drastic steps, the game's Trophies have numerous awards, clearly inspired by the 360 Achievements but no less fun to earn for their familiar nature.

Is BioShock the greatest game of all time? I honestly don't know, but it's one of the most interesting and immersive experiences to grace our beloved medium. It certainly has flaws, most notably the anti-climactic boss fight which takes place too long after the story has delivered its sucker punch. Yet it's because that sucker punch is so effective that the niggling plot holes have received so much attention. Why, exactly, do the Little Sisters exist? Why would anyone pay money for a product that fills your arm with killer bees? And the very nature of the twist, and your presence in Rapture, really doesn't stand up to too much scrutiny since it hinges on too many variables that couldn't possibly be known by the...

'BioShock' Screenshot 4

When was the last time you saw a console shooter dare to use pink? And make it scary?

But there I go again. It's actually a testament to BioShock's confident and subtle storytelling that such aspects are even worthy of a mention. In an industry where frankly terrible stories are too often praised simply for having a vaguely coherent beginning, middle and end, it would be wrong to dwell too much on the minor inconsistencies of a story with so much pathos and subtext, told in such an inventive manner. That this story comes wrapped in a gripping and satisfying action game which offers an astonishing array of ways to play is more than enough to justify BioShock's status as a standard bearer for next generation gaming.

10 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (232) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ScottyXTUK #1 3 years ago

    Wow 10 wasn't expecting that.

    I didn't think Bioshock was that great personally.

  • Huddy #2 3 years ago

    Did not see that coming!

    Decent game, but from my experience on the 360 the level design and quality faded toward the end.

  • smelly #3 3 years ago

    Oh FFS!

    There's NO WAY bioshock is worth that!

    There's no bloody game! There's no punishment for dying! There's no skill required! Hell you could go thru the game with a pea shooter -> fire couple of bullets at big daddie, die, respawn, repeat until he's dead.

    There's bugger all replayability, no multiplayer, the only real reason to replay the game is to see the opposite ending.. I couldnt be bothered after playing it thru once - I just watched youtube.

    There's also a gawd awful "protect the ai" level that these games insist upon. Where the ai is f-ing stupid and just is desperate to get hurt. Grrr.

    90% of the game is a piece of piss.. then on later levels they take away all your ammo for a Looooooooong section.. Only to give you shit loads again afterwards..

    Oh and the end boss was a piece of piss even on the hardest setting.

    Only thing that's GOOD about this game is :

    A) eye candy (but i've been told that the 360 version apparently looks better)...
    B) The story.

    But personally, if i want a story - i'd read a book or watch a movie. I play games for the FUN of playing them.. and i'm sorry this game isnt fun...

  • siro #4 3 years ago

    When was the last time you saw a console shooter dare to use pink? And make it scary?
    That was about a year ago, it was... the same game.

    So the texture bugs reported on every other site have been fixed?

    (Pseudo-)Edit: I'm starting to sound like the MDF.

  • the_dudefather #5 3 years ago

    as good as halo 3 then?

  • smelly #6 3 years ago

    OH and the hacking mini game is shit too.

  • Dagdriver #7 3 years ago

    I din't like either - this is one of those all too overrated games - Shure the story telling elements are very good, and the setting is different, but gameplay holds -nothing- new. Those drug improvements are just "rpg-ish" stat/skills in disguise, and for the so-called "moral descisions" - lets just call them marketing hype.
    For all of the work they put into this game I would actually have preffered yet another ww2 shooter with the same production values. Yes, really!

  • Douche #8 3 years ago

    Agree with the majority of posters. No way is Bioshock a 10. It wasn't a year a go and it isn't now.

  • symmetry #9 3 years ago

    You are all fools, this is one of the greatest games ever.

  • Peew971 #10 3 years ago

    I don't see why they would give a 10 to the 360 version and not this one. Get over it guys, I played it and gave it 10 myself :)

  • mattigan #11 3 years ago

    Why do these games need such big installs?

  • bigbadbeasty #12 3 years ago

    Let us not get into the bloody 'what is worth a 10' debate (again). Scores are simply opinions.

    I really enjoyed Bioshock, but see no reason to buy it again, a year too late... on a console...

  • tnomad #13 3 years ago

    Would you kindly leave the game alone. It's awesome.

  • Widge #14 3 years ago

    "Others see it as a merely average shooter, dressed up in intellectual clothing. Me, I loved it in 2007 - and have had that love reaffirmed by returning to Rapture after a twelve-month detox period."

    There you go. One line to sum up that some people see a 10, some don't. Individuals.... crazy concept. Take that into account before going on a "this isn't a 10" crusade.

    I've only really played the intro on the PC but found it awesome.

    This should be sitting in my in tray at work today at some point!
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 07:53

  • spookyzombie #15 3 years ago

    @ tnomad - I liked what you did there.

  • morriss #16 3 years ago

    MEGA GAME

    Loved it. Love it. Loves it.

  • TiredRiver #17 3 years ago

    This is an 8. Edge was correct. Combat is shallow. It does'nt feel right. It does not feel as good as Halo 3 ! Therefore it is not a 10.

  • Godhather08 #18 3 years ago

    @smelly

    There's no way I give a shit about what you think.

    I'll be getting this game day 1.

  • morriss #19 3 years ago

    Does it support 1080i?

  • Pirotic #20 3 years ago

    It's a 10 because it's done more to move the genre forward than anything else in recent years. decent voice acting, interactive storytelling without any cut scenes other than the opening and ending. amazing art direction and level design. What it might lack slightly in game play mechanics it more than makes up for in every other area.

    Fort Frolic was the best thing I've played in years!

  • LeD #21 3 years ago

    Why are we getting a review of the PS3 version? It's the same fucking game, of course it's going to score the same fucking score. Most people who wanted to play it have already played it.

  • Godhather08 #22 3 years ago

    @LED
    You say; "Why are we getting a review of the PS3 version?"

    You know the answer to this youself, don't play stupid.

  • digiwalsh #23 3 years ago

    Bioshock has major flaws:

    Rubbish character modeling/animation. Evidenced by the fact that everyone you get anywhere near of any importance is seperarted from you by glass/invisible walls except for Sander Cohen and the guy you golf club in the face. An act the game does itself, in some clever "twist" about lack of choice.

    The rest of the game is spent communicating with Jpg's through a crackly radio in AWFUL accents that sound like the ones your mates do because they THINK they're funny.


    People can gush about the story ALL they want, but when you're too scared/ashamed of your work to let the player interact with other characters on no other level besides kill them, then what's the point.

    In the era of Half life 2's Alyx and Bad company's facial animations. Hell, even GTA IV. There's no excuse for this sort of thing, I got sick of speaking to JPG's after DEUS EX.

  • SleepyMagpie #24 3 years ago

    wired_protocol wrote: "Someone mentioned its worth playing for the story - hardly, it's all very good stuff until the last section, and a good story heavily relies on a good conclusion".

    You also go on about this game not being intellectual, and make a point about getting everyone to conform to your idea that it won't make you smarter..?

    Since you claim to know something about being intellectual, one would speculate that you have delved into various taxing tomes and are maybe even quite the connoisseur of arthouse films?

    If you have even a passing knowledge of more obscure books, and "deep" stuff in general, you would know that many works fail to bring anything to a Hollywood "good" conclusion (even though I don't think you meant this), or even a firm conclusion at all (which I think you meant). In the realm of "high" prose and films, clear-cut conclusions are not as common as you seem to think, wired_protocol.

    Maybe you should check out Ayn Rand yourself, it might give you a better appreciation of Bioshock's leitmotif, and the game's atmosphere in general.

    The game is probably a 9/10. Very good. It is a game first and foremost to be savoured for it's brilliant atmosphere. Anyone considering it a FPS and judging it accordingly are missing the mark by a mile.

  • peterfll #25 3 years ago

    It's a great game IMO.

  • t8yman #26 3 years ago

    Its a very well executed shooter, nice to look at, the big daddies are great, and the level design is very accomplished. I bought it on launch day, played it through once and never went back. Its not a 10/10 game to me - but it might well be for others.

  • systems #27 3 years ago

    I'm glad it's out at last (and I hope they've patched the bugs http://fo rums.2kgames.com/forums/showthr... ).

    I played the 360 version and didn't think that much of it as I'm one of the "but it's System Shock 2 underwater and less good" brigade. From my experience most 360 owners are current or former PC gamers. However, PS3 owners are a different breed and may have never played System Shock 2 so they'll absolutely love this. I own a PS3 too but I don't think I can face going through it all again.

    A bit surprised to see it got the same score even though it is 14 months later. I was under the impression that scores took the year into consideration as a mark of technical achievement. Producing the same game 14 months later doesn't seem that impressive to me.

  • Daymare #28 3 years ago

    If you judge it on pure gameplay terms, it's 8/10 or so. But if you can look past that, the experience, art direction and the story, (which is way smarter then the story of 98% of other games - especially in this genre), then it is what Dan recognizes it to be: a 10/10.

    I have a suspicion that "if I want a good story, I'll read a book" argument comes mostly from the people who don't actually read much:)

  • newt #29 3 years ago

    Dear haters, would you kindly.. oh, fuck it. I've got better things to do, right?

  • SleepyMagpie #30 3 years ago

    squarejawhero wrote: "But I suppose the point is it can basically be played as an FPS, and any pretensions towards being anything otherwise seems unimportant when the design only allows you the opportunity to make you think, rather than actually require it."

    You are sooo left-hemisphere!

  • Zomoniac #31 3 years ago

    When was the last time you saw a console shooter dare to use pink? And make it scary?

    The last time someone fired a needler at me? They even named an achievement after it.

    Still don't get it. Yes, the atmosphere and sound is superb, and it's quite pretty (but only quite pretty, it's far from being a Gears or Uncharted), but the story is about 0.1% that of Halo, its moral decisions are about 0.1% those of GTA4, its AI is about 0.1% of Pong, and has a series of incredibly pointless but cool-looking weapons. Yes the plasmids look nice, but aside from fire and lightening you don't need any of them. Buy as many grenades as possible, walk up to Big Daddy, fire 6 grenades, Big Daddy dead in 2 seconds. Press button to save indentikit alien thing (because you always save, it's not a moral decision when there's a big achievement up for grabs for doing one but not the other). Repeat. Throw in some annoying pipe puzzles and backtracking fetch quests for good measure.

    Sometimes I wonder if the game I played was the real Bioshock, and if there's some 1950s-underwater-Halo or something with the same name that has AI and gameplay. Normally when I play a game getting universal 10s that I don't like I can at least see why someone might think that. But with this I simply cannot comprehend why anyone thinks it's worthy of a maximum score because so much of it is just so fucking awful.

  • shamblemonkee #32 3 years ago

    bioshock is cack

  • toy_brain #33 3 years ago

    I suppose Dan had no option but to give the PS3 version the same score as the 360 one, otherwise you would get cries of "oh, so the PS3 version is worse then!" from mouth-breathing retards with no concept of expectations shifting over time, or the benefit of hindsight.

    So for me, this 10/10 means 'just as good as the 360 version'
    Not 'genuine 10/10 game'
    Which it really should......
    maybe it is to Dan
    But not to me.

  • Darren #34 3 years ago

    Nice review, Dan.

    I completely agree with the review and the score... BioShock was last year's finest game and I utterly adored it on the 360. It was an atmospheric and engrossing experience right up until the last section, which alas was a massive disappointment. Still a few minutes of disappointment versus the 35+ hours I got out of it... I can't really grumble. I'm immensely looking forward to the sequel.

    I also like the way Dan always mention whether a game has screen tearing or not. Too many reviewers ignore this IMO even if it doesn't annoy everyone (I think it makes my expensive HDTVs look like cheap knock-offs personally).

    Keep it up. :)

  • Lexx87 #35 3 years ago

    I see this thread is again full of total idiots. Ah well.

  • Daymare #36 3 years ago

    "...but the story is about 0.1% that of Halo, its moral decisions are about 0.1% those of GTA4, its AI is about 0.1% of Pong..."

    You lost all credibility right there, mate:)

  • t8yman #37 3 years ago

    @Lexx - why? there are people agreeing, and people disagreeing.

  • berelain #38 3 years ago

    Still overrated, then.

    Meh. Bioshock was ok. Good story, with some good ideas, but still very average gameplay. The gunplay is weak, the Plasmids are either far too effective or almost useless, and there are about 6 different enemies in the game which repeat indefinately, but get inexplicably tougher as the game goes on. Thats hardly good design.

    Its a decent game. But not the all-singing all-dancing saviour of story and shooting that most press articles seem to make it out as.

  • Demento41 #39 3 years ago

    A 9 would have been more appropriate for this game but ne'ermind.

  • Plughead #40 3 years ago

    I like the way defenders of the faith are criticising 'haters' for disliking the game, for wanting everyone to think like them...


    ...which is exactly what they are doing by ragging on the dissenters.

    I thought BioShock was average, spoiled by the Vita-Chambers - but not because they existed, but because the game was designed with them in mind - so just taking them out won't solve the problem, it'll just make everything more frustrating.

    People are right - there is no reason to replay this game - the moral decisions are entirely inferior to those present in, say, The Witcher

  • Bitkari #41 3 years ago

    Either this is the best period for video games EVER, or I've accidentally started reading IGN...

  • bioreit #42 3 years ago

    Jesus.

    You'd think smelly was sexually abused by a Big Daddy when he was younger or something.

    Smelly - a prime example of someone who does not understand that DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND OPINIONS.

    Me, I think smelly's an absolute knob-jockey, but I'm perfectly willing to accept that other people think of him differently. Like his mum, who thinks he's a rub-tugger.

  • DFawkes #43 3 years ago

    Bioshocks glimmer did dim with me a bit with time, but playing the demo again brought me right into Rapture again. It really is very, very good. All 360 & PC Bioshock owners should have another playthrough, all PS3 owners should have their first, everyone wins!

    Except those that don't like it obviously. They'll probably still not like it.

  • Dizzy #44 3 years ago

    It is an awesome game... if you have not played it, you should. A bit of a pity they released it full price IMHO since you can get it super cheap on PC/360 now.

  • UncleLou #45 3 years ago

    "Me, I think smelly's an absolute knob-jockey, but I'm perfectly willing to accept that other people think of him differently"

    Bad example. I don't think you'll find anyone who disagrees. :)


    As for Bioshock - a very good game everyone should play. Whether it's an 8 or 9 (which sounds about right to me) or a 10.

  • Zomoniac #46 3 years ago

    Daymare,

    How so? Maybe you liked the story (I didn't), but if you think the 'decision-making' of pressing one of two buttons to do something to one of 50 exactly-the-fucking-same alien things is mental anguish then you're far too sensitive, and if you think the AI was anything less than abysmal then I presume you haven't played another game in the last ten years.

  • Arwin #47 3 years ago

    It was a ten last time, and the PS3 version delivers the same game (a tiny bit more blur, which looks better to some, worse to others) and a few extras ... so it would be inconsistent to rate it lower. It's a great game, but I have to see I keep failing to see how this is a 10 but LBP isn't. There's some serious matter-of-taste issues here. ;) Which should be obvious as I don't like Bioshock at all. I like the art of the environments and the atmosphere of the game, but not nearly enough to want to look at and kill everything that walks inside it ... I had my fill half-way through the demo, and by the time I finished that (on the 360 and then again on the PS3) I was thoroughly convinced that this isn't for me. A big contrast with LBP which I put 10s of hours into the beta and was genuinely depressed for a few hours when it ran out, and then felt genuinely happy about the experience for several days after ...
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/08 @ 08:52

  • andywilkie35 #48 3 years ago

    tremendous game. and unlike some here I find that a game of this type is most enjoyable if it has a decent storyline, which Bioshock is great at whilst other FPS shooters have terrible storylines therefore giving little incentive to play.

    Obviously a game has to be fun as well but luckily for Bioshock it is an incredibly fun game, the way you can approach situations differently each time is brilliant. All I can say for any doubters is play the level at Fort Frolic...

  • Haloboy #49 3 years ago

    Does this mean Far Cry 2 will get a score of 11 then?

    While Bioshock is great, I found myself feeling rather disinterested in everything I was involved with come the final few acts. And it really has a replayability factor of absolute nil. I should know, I've tried to replay through it 3 or more times and given up very early on each time because the initial magical factor just moves out to the garage after a first play through. Then all that is left are pairs of odd socks, dirty underwear and the feeling you thought it was better than it actually is.

  • PotajiTo #50 3 years ago

    Im happy for the ps3 owners!

  • gallow #51 3 years ago

    I bough this game about 6 weeks ago (PC) after initially not being interested not being interested in it. I could not put the game for the time I was playing it. I liked the way you can choose your plasmids and tonics to match or change you play style. There are multiple ways to attack your foes but the game just oozes atmosphere with its art design but more so with the sound which creates a constant feeling of oppression.

  • BartonFink #52 3 years ago

    \o/

    Would have been surprised if this didn't get a 10.
    Still playing it on the 360 and loving it.

  • NickJC1 #53 3 years ago

    10/10 for a port and 7/10 for Dead Space which is getting praise on every site going

    lolz Eurogamer have seriously lost it.

  • BartonFink #54 3 years ago

    I take it smelly is at it as usual then?

  • BlackSentoki #55 3 years ago

    Hmmm, so is the PS3 version better (albeit only slightly)? I already have the 360 version, and have preordered the PS3 one. Hate not knowing which platform is the best version - at least with the Spectrum/C64 it was usually easier to tell!

    The only improvement I can see with PS3 is 7.1 sound (assuming it has it)...

  • spookyzombie #56 3 years ago

    @morriss - Got the box here and it's says 'HD 720p.1080i.1080p'.

  • NickJC1 #57 3 years ago

    Oh and finished Bioshock, it's not a 10/10 and it has 0 replay value.

  • Zomoniac #58 3 years ago

    Got the box here and it's says 'HD 720p.1080i.1080p'.

    Don't all games say that though? Meaning "will display on a 1080p TV, but not necessarily at 1080p".

  • J.C #59 3 years ago

    If its so great, then why did i exchange it, after playing it for just a couple of hours. fantastic eye candy yes. gameplay was just nothing special.

  • Daymare #60 3 years ago

    @Zomoniac

    How so? Both posts of yours are full of ridiculous hyperbole. Infavourably comparing Bioshock's story to Halo's, its AI to Pong and its "decision-making" to GTA4 is just plain ridiculous, sorry. As is your stupid assumption that you know how many games I've played in the last ten years.

  • bad09 #61 3 years ago

    Welcome to Rapture PS3, your late again!

    Seriously though, good game.

  • DUFFMAN5 #62 3 years ago

    I love Bioshock, cleared 3 times on the 360. This could be the game to get me a ps3 for*. After xmas that is.


    *I did say that when MGS4 came out though!

  • Widge #63 3 years ago

    YOUR!

  • Xerx3s #64 3 years ago

    "I don't see why they would give a 10 to the 360 version and not this one. Get over it guys, I played it and gave it 10 myself :)"

    True. Personally I still give it a 8 to a 9. It's great but no SS2. It would have been awesome if they remade SS2 in the BS engine. The only reason why I could see it marked down is because of the passage of time.

  • thedaveeyres #65 3 years ago

    A simply superb game.

  • Cappy #66 3 years ago

    Luckily, glowing reviews have never played any part in my buying decisions. Thankfully there is a PSN demo, I would have been very disappointed if I'd actually bought the game.

  • spookyzombie #67 3 years ago

    @ Zomoniac - I tend to find that most PS3 stuff only says 'HD 720p' on the back on the case.

  • drumbaby #68 3 years ago

    "In the era of Half life 2's ...... "

    Except of course HL2 was overly linear gimmicky shit with lobotomised A.I., so some cool facial animations aren't exactly going to rescue it, are they?

  • Xerx3s #69 3 years ago

    "Don't all games say that though? Meaning "will display on a 1080p TV, but not necessarily at 1080p". "

    As far as I know all games say that these days, meaning: It will either be native or use the hardware scaler. Halo 3 has 1080p on the box but clearly that's not 1080p. ;)

    Dunno about the ps3 though.

  • Sir_TimAlot #70 3 years ago

    pfffff, this game is easy still worth a ten, a must have for all PS3 owners who didn't play the 360 version which is quite possibly my fav game....so i guess i am being bias, the hate towards this game confuses and ashamed to say angers me which is unusual but only because i love this game so much.....

    /contemplates buying PS3 version

  • Xerx3s #71 3 years ago

    "Except of course HL2 was overly linear gimmicky shit with lobotomised A.I., so some cool facial animations aren't exactly going to rescue it, are they?"

    Not that the facial animations where anything special either. People have some very rose tinted glasses about HL1 and especially HL2.

  • malteaserhead #72 3 years ago

    /can't seem to refrain from repeating older posts but

    Have to agree with Smelly on this.
    Imo this game only remotely lived up to the hype in terms of the setting, art and atmos - all of which are usually done better in other forms of entertainment. The game itself was deeply unsatifying imo.

    Ran out of steam, padded the main quest and ended up making the player bored and actually resenting the game in some cases.
    Nowhere near a 10.

  • IronGiant #73 3 years ago

    Brilliant game, reminded me of when i played the original Halo for the first time.. couldnt stop playing it until i'd finished it. Well worthy of the top score, shame the Halo series has gone downhill since the original game though. Looking forward to the extra challenge levels, 2K are releasing a patch shortly to correct a couple of glitches.

    Oh and smelly stinks!
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 09:24

  • Concrete #74 3 years ago

    It's a bloody amazing game, and personally I feel its doing it a diservice comparing it to HALO 3.

  • Krelle #75 3 years ago

    I was expecting a 7 tbh.
    I think the hypetrain killed this game for me. I was expecting "the best game ever", and got something quite far from that. Its probably better than I think it is in my head (couse of the letdown), but I dont really see anything that would make it a 10.

  • pyrat6 #76 3 years ago

    @bartonfink I take it smelly is at it as usual then?

    Well I don't agree with what he says, but at least he backs it up a with some argument. You may not agree with them - but try addressing the points made rather than whining ?

    He doesn't appear to be the sort of person to go shitting all over a thread about a game he has no intention of buying purely because he's a cunt ....

    /plonk (as we used to say in olden times)

  • Haloboy #77 3 years ago

    "I feel its doing it a diservice comparing it to HALO 3."

    I'd say that's a kind way of putting things. Bioshock deserves a solid as brick 8, which means Halo 3 only deserves a 6 at best for being an old pair of undies in a new pair of pants. Silly Eurogamer.

  • andromeda #78 3 years ago

    woohoo u lucky lucky ps3 owners


  • Postumo #79 3 years ago

    It's a good game but not a 10/10 game.

    Like other posters have said before, this game has a great story and plot devices, but the gameplay was not so good.

    Shooting seemed wrong, enemies didn't look smart at all (they jumped at you and that was all), vita chambers were broken. And towards the end, the same enemeis became too hard to kill: they were the sema f*king enemies on steroids. towards the end i'd rather go against a big daddy before facing a couple of splicers.

    Weapons were cool but became useless when splicers started to get overpowered (reminded me the old Unreal 1, when your weapons were so cool but useless against enemies, whose weapons were wayyyy better)

    Good atmosphere and story, but it lacked a better gameplay a shootings, and lacked replayability. Definitely a rent.

  • DAN.E.B #80 3 years ago

    ps3 finally gets a 10/10 game

    a 360 port lol

  • Postumo #81 3 years ago

    It's a good game but not a 10/10 game.

    Like other posters have said before, this game has a great story and plot devices, but the gameplay was not so good.

    Shooting seemed wrong, enemies didn't look smart at all (they jumped at you and that was all), vita chambers were broken. And towards the end, the same enemeis became too hard to kill: they were the sema f*king enemies on steroids. towards the end i'd rather go against a big daddy before facing a couple of splicers.

    Weapons were cool but became useless when splicers started to get overpowered (reminded me the old Unreal 1, when your weapons were so cool but useless against enemies, whose weapons were wayyyy better)

    Good atmosphere and story, but it lacked a better gameplay a shootings, and lacked replayability. Definitely a rent.

  • Doctor_What #82 3 years ago

    I'm waiting for the Spectrum version.

  • Beano #83 3 years ago

    10 for Bioshock
    7 for Dead Space
    9 for LittleBigPlanet
    9 for Saints Row 2
    8 for MGS4
    etc.

    Eurogamer's scoring policy really needs tighting up - it's starting to get embarrising, guys.
    I know reviews are personal opinions but still neeed some kind of consistancy across the site - the scores are all over the place...

  • CannonAnBall #84 3 years ago

    May not be worth a 10 but then never in a million years was Halo3 worth a ten.

  • andromeda #85 3 years ago

    im glad some others have pointed out the craptastic new image gallery system.
    I love EG, but please...the gallery is utter wank. When i click on a picture in a review i want to be taken to that picture and shown it bigger..is that too difficult?

    fix it please!

    oops..apologies, it appears to link correctly to the image you click now. rant (semi) over.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 09:44

  • ps3owner #86 3 years ago

    20/10 then?

    great stuff :)

  • Beano #87 3 years ago

    "ps3 finally gets a 10/10 game

    a 360 port lol"

    No... LBP is not a 360 port :)
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 09:44

  • paulf #88 3 years ago

    'Is BioShock the greatest game of all time?' - most certainly not, probably the best opening 20 mins of any game I've played but after that I found it dulled down quite quickly

  • Shakey_Jake33 #89 3 years ago

    It was slightly funny to see the game get 10 a first time around, but forgivable because it is a good game, and even reviewers can get swept up in the hype. To see it get 10 again, that's just strange.

  • InvaderSpluge #90 3 years ago

    Bioshock - beautiful but tedious. Also, LOL10LOL etc.

  • Lebowski #91 3 years ago

    It's a fantastic, brilliant game, but not a 10/10, no way.

  • knocker #92 3 years ago

    Well I quite liked it - but then I'm not normally a FPS fan twitchy sort. I appreciated the opportunity to do things at a ... leisurely pace. Relying more on atmosphere than adrenaline.

    The story wasn't great - if you're going to compare it to media with real narrative - like a film or a book. But's it's neither of those things, so it's an unfair comparison. Yes the pacing was a bit wrong - building up to a climax - and then adding a bit more on was a mistake.

    It was fun. But spare me the half-arsed philosophising or moral judgements - Katamari and Pikmin respectively beat it on those counts :) And games can be viewed as art - around the same time gamers stop arguing over percentages.

    Still. At the very least it tried to do something different, in an age of me-too gaming that's admirable. Out of ten - I would give it ... aubergine!



    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 09:56

  • curtlikesmeat #93 3 years ago

    It's a great game and a fair review but I wouldn't class it in my top 10 of all time.... or anywhere near. The story is great but the gameplay is quite samey after a while.

  • electrolite #94 3 years ago

    Or you could stop crying about scores and read the reviews. You know, like grown ups....

  • ChthonicEcho #95 3 years ago

    I fail to see how that's a surprising score. Eurogamer favours pretentious games, its staff are British, after all.

    /puts on bullet-proof vest, a coat and takes an umbrella.

  • BonzoBanana #96 3 years ago

    Bioshock was a 7/10 game for me. Great beginning and fantastic visuals and atmosphere but pretty crappy repetitive gameplay after a while. I'd give Halo 3 the same score too. Bioshock reminded me of a kind of mix of Jacque Cousteau and Phantom of the Opera. Fairly camp at times. I didn't bother to go through the game again after completing it.

    To be honest I'm not that impressed with Eurogamers scoring. Its so far removed from my own ratings for games that I can't really use it as a guide for what are good games. This review is the final nail in the coffin for me. I don't think I'll ever trust a eurogamer review again.

  • curtlikesmeat #97 3 years ago

    " its staff are British, after all."

    They are? Didn't realise that.... I just wondered over here when all the cool people left / got fired from Gamespot.

    Also more on topic - it would be pretty interesting for EG to do a top 10 of all time (not including nostalgia)... so just the top 10 games to play as they are now. For me The Orange Box was miles infront of Bioshock... in every department except perhaps graphics but even then Bioshock had samey environments.

    When part of the plane crashes into that glass tunnel near the start and water is flowing everywhere I thought it was going to be an awesome game mechanic (even if scripted) but they never used it again or expanded on it.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 10:02

  • bodypopper #98 3 years ago

    [MILD SPOILER AHEAD] The PS3 demo was good but the only way it should get a 10 is if they've completely changed the final boss fight which was pure House of the Dead cheese compared to the rest.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 12:55

  • CannonAnBall #99 3 years ago

    I see a trend on this site...

    A review is posted and people bitch like little girls because a score doesn't suit their own idea.

    Every review is getting the same treatment.

  • asphaltcowboy #100 3 years ago

    Brilliant game. Most of the people on the first page are heretics!

  • guernican #101 3 years ago

    "Pretentious" and "cynical" are the epithets we give to those we fear are laughing at us.

    Jeez. The effort some people put in to complaining about the work someone's done in writing a review. For me, I admire any game that's strong enough to push for a distinct visual personality and stay with it all the way through. Interesting graphic design is always worth a look.

    I'd also like to pointlessly slag off the reviews I read, but I'm self-aware enough to ask myself why I continually read them if they annoy me so much.

  • pyrat6 #102 3 years ago

    @knocker. bringing kiddie games into a grown up discussion = twat.

    @lebowski. Brilliant fantastic - but not a 10 ? What does it have to do then ? brilliant fantastic and blow jobs on demand ?

    @ChthonicEcho Brilliant. All we need now is a game where you chase busty beauties around to the benny hill music with double entendres galore and it will score 11million
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 10:08

  • udat #103 3 years ago

    Maybe it's just because it's set underwater, but I thought this was one of the most immersive games I have ever played.

    Heh, I kill myself.

    Definitely 10/10. There were times when I was so wrapped up in the environment and story I forgot I was playing a game.

  • smartgun #104 3 years ago

    It can have my 10. I loved it. Fort Frolic has to be in my top five 'Greatest Moments in Gaming'.

  • Haloboy #105 3 years ago

    @ Cannonanball

    "I see a trend on this site...

    A review is posted and people bitch like little girls because a score doesn't suit their own idea.

    Every review is getting the same treatment."

    Y'know how you are supposed to get surprised at least once a day? Today wasn't one of them.

  • Putty-Man #106 3 years ago

    I actually only just finished the 360 version last week (long story).

    I must say as a shooter its nothing special, solid 8/10. It does have the extra adventure element, a fantastic story, and plasmids, tonics etc. but it still ranks well behind out and out shooters like Gears, COD or Halo.

    Apart from the ableit excellent atmosphere the games creates the actual mechanics are fairly ho hum in my book.

    Every man to his own I suppose.

  • knocker #107 3 years ago

    @CannonAnBall agreed, and it's making the comments thread almost unreadable. Throw in fanboy rants and you get rsi from all the ignores. That LBP review needed an "ignore all" button.

  • Painyboi #108 3 years ago

    Was not expecting a 10! may buy this after LittleBigPlanet :)

  • XdarXideX #109 3 years ago

    I'd like to know what is considered a 10/10 game by those who say Bioshock is nowhere near that good.

    And oh dear... yet more PC gamers getting on their high horses about console gamers/games.

  • LHH #110 3 years ago

    Pisses all over LBP by far.

  • ps3owner #111 3 years ago

    @LHH

    have you played LBP yet then?

  • gohda #112 3 years ago

    \o/ no PS3/360 fanboy warz, instead BioShock/anti-EG fanboy warz!

  • spudsbuckley #113 3 years ago

    I played the 360 version when it was released. The game was good. 8/10 good.

    It is by no means a classic. It's pretty much a standard shooter with some tacked on stuff to add a sense that it's something more than that.

  • LHH #114 3 years ago

    Nah, I'm just trolling.

    I do have a PS3 though so shall get it at some point, like when my car stops bloody breaking down.

  • IronCladChicken #115 3 years ago

    lol@Bitkari
    Good call man!

  • NickJC1 #116 3 years ago

    All you die hard Eurogamer members just can't admit when this place screws up. RE4 was GOTY on most websites in 2005, it truly is a 9/10 or a 10/10 game that's a fact. The definitive Wii version comes out and this place gives it 7/10 after the Gamecube version gets 9/10 here. That was a major fuck up, fact. Bioshock on PS3 is a port that has kept the same problems and technical flaws of the year old 360 version, it was never a 10 anyway, and it sure isn't now. Deal with it. Some of Eurogamers blunders

    MGS4 8/10, to low
    GTAIV 10/10, to high
    Halo 3 10/10, to high
    Splinter cell Chaos Theory 9/10, to high
    Sega Rally revo 9/10, to high
    Kameo, 5/10 what the fuck?
    Bioshock 10/10 year old port, lolz
    RE4 Wii game of forever edition, 7/10 lolz X infinity
    Dead Space 7/10, haha this is probably GOTY and the best survival horror game since RE4
    Gears of war 8/10, to low game is stil top 3 on Xbox 360

    These scores are wrong, it's not a opinion, it's a fact. I'm not saying people are not allowed to make mistakes, I'm saying admit you are wrong and stop acting like a stuck up twat. Eurogamer have handed out some very dodgy scores lately. They are good at writing reviews, but they are probably the worst when it comes to putting a score on the end, just terrible at rating games and you know it.

  • IronCladChicken #117 3 years ago

    @Xerx3s
    If they remade SS2 without the respawing bad guys if would be amazing! The spawning annoyed the crap out me then and sure as hell would do now (For me it really always makes a game feel dated and badly designed)

  • YeOldeGamer #118 3 years ago

    10/10 implies perfection.
    Bioshock is not perfect, but it's closer than most.
    Not enough variety in enemies and what they say.
    The final boss was silly, IMO and the ending felt tacked on.
    And even though the game was underwater, it was too bloody dark!
    But Big Daddy is fantastic and Sander Cohen is one of the greatest characters in gaming history, even if his role is an obvious take on 'Theatre of Blood'.
    Also, the attention to detail in recreating an Art-Deco utopia is stunning.
    There's nothing pretentious about Bioshock at all. You just need to be more than a frag-bot to truly appreciate it.

  • ps3owner #119 3 years ago

    @LHH

    ah fair enough, trolling is ok ;)

    just get it delivered. no need for a car then ;)

  • Benno #120 3 years ago

    ffs, this game was never more than an 8

  • HardCoreGamer999 #121 3 years ago

    Bioshock was the best SP experience on the 360 last year.
    If you have a only the ps3 this is a must buy !

  • agparrot #122 3 years ago

    I really enjoyed Bioshock, but the amouint of gravitas given to its proclaimed themes does seem a little overblown now that I've played it, dabbled a bit in Ayn Rand and had a lot of time to reflect on it.

    Thanks for posting the link to Bioshock: A defence, however - I certainly hadn't forgotten how... misplaced.... I thought it was at the time, and it remains one of the most amusing blog-a-like articles I think I've ever read anywhere. To suggest that the makers of the game are asking us to question... oh.... never mind....

    Solid game, that didn't quite deliver on the promise from my point of view becauise of the complete lack of an interaction with the crumbled society other than shooting at it or listening to its tape recordings or being passively lectured to by it. The central theme of choice is also a smidgen undermined, in my eyes, by the awarding of extra gamerscore points, in the 360 version, if you make a 'choice' the developer feels is more worthy.

    If you haven't played it, you should play it, though.

  • Retroid #123 3 years ago

    "No difference between versions"?

    I'm taking it they've now got this running at 720p instead of being upscaled, got it to use the high detail textures like the 360 version rather than the middling ones it was using in the demo and fixed the odd texture effects with fog & water?

    /Disappointed this is yet another substandard port

  • Tomo #124 3 years ago

    I've never understood the hate for this game. Well, apart from the final act as it were, but even without that it's hours and hours of absolute gaming bliss.

    Definitely a 10 for me.

  • Wendelius #125 3 years ago

    "If you judge it on pure gameplay terms, it's 8/10 or so. But if you can look past that, the experience, art direction and the story, (which is way smarter then the story of 98% of other games - especially in this genre), then it is what Dan recognizes it to be: a 10/10."

    I agree with the above.

    It's one of the few games I have completed on my 360 and thoroughly enjoyed. For the story, the sucker punch, the incredible environments, the atmosphere and the flexibility in the gameplay. Nobody has said Bioshock is the greatest shooter ever. That's not how I played it.

    PS3 owners, now is your chance to immerse yourself. From the time you hear "Beyond the Sea", you're in for a ride. Enjoy!

  • moggsy #126 3 years ago

    Is this the PS3's first 10 then?

    Edit: Answering my own question it seems to be the second after GTAIV.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 11:40

  • neilqpr #127 3 years ago

    To all the people moaning about the vita chamber and the ease at which they got through the game, you all need to man up, turn the vita chambers off and push up the difficulty. Makes an already brilliant game even better.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 11:16

  • secombe #128 3 years ago

    How about some reviews of games that haven't been covered before? Sim City Creator for the Wii and DS would be nice, as would a FIFA review for the Wii.

  • UncleLou #129 3 years ago

    "And oh dear... yet more PC gamers getting on their high horses about console gamers/games. "

    Yeah. No idea where that comes from.

    /reads LBP or every other console game thread


    Oh. ;-)

  • SaitanMar #130 3 years ago

    Bioshock is an amazing game. So what's with the hate!

    Sorry you can't compare Bioshock with Halo 3. Halo 3 sucked big time in my opinion and was so over hyped while Bioshock was an amazing game.

    Nice review!

  • kendoji #131 3 years ago

    Good review, and fair score. Never fails to amaze me the vehemence with which people react to scores i.e. opinions that are different to theirs (SHOCK HORROR).

    First time I played Bioshock on the 360 I didn't like it. Got bored, annoyed, put it down and whinged at everyone about it being overrated. Would have given it 6/10.

    Six months later I picked it up again and absolutely loved it. Easily 9/10 if not more.

    That's opinions for you.

  • PrivateJoker #132 3 years ago

    Classic game of last year with COD4. Don't see any new reason to play it again though on my PS3 other than these new challenege rooms but they don't seem to be reviewed anywhere and besides i've already put aside a fortune for LBP, FarCry2, Dead Space and Fallout 3.
    Then we have Mirrors Edge, Motorstorm and Resistance 2. Not enough hours in a day for all this ffs!

  • Les #133 3 years ago

    Personally, I don't 'get' this game. Story is very poor (it tries to be clever but fails so horribly that it's worse than a pulp story like e.g. Uncharted), graphics are nothing special and sometimes plain ugly, art direction is bad (IMO), enemies are all the same and horribly animated, etc., etc. I did like the sound but that's about it.

  • knocker #134 3 years ago

    I missed a meeting somewhere.

    When does "not thinking something is fantastic" = "hate" ? It's always been around to some degree - but now just seems a handy device to avoid any sort of discussion at all.

    The Saints Row 2 discussion (referring to GTAIV) and this have appeared as though the mildest criticism of games has become the equivalent of drawing cartoons of Mohummad drinking beer.

    I swear before long some fucker is going to make himself a suicide vest and throw himself at an EG journalist .... "you gave the game an 8 you bastard !!!" eternal xbox live subs and 72 boxes of kleenex await ...

  • banjo21 #135 3 years ago

    Still for right-handers only though unless they patched in southpaw options.

    Dear publisher why do you alienate >10% of your market for the sake of a off-the-shelf small piece of code to allow the thumb sticks to be swapped?

  • FabricatedLunatic #136 3 years ago

    It's a great game. Not quite a ten for me, but definitely worth experiencing.

    Part of me wishes that it has been scored less than the 360 version just to see the resulting shitstorm. Thousands of 360 fantards gloating, and thousands of PS3 fantards accusing EG of bias against Sony.

  • metalnut #137 3 years ago

    Loved it, I played it on PC anyway (better controls, better graphics if you have a decent machine).

    I preferred it hands-down to Halo 3. But then, I didn't like Halo 3 very much. I prefer a good immersive single-player environment to multiplayer action.

    Yeah, it definitely tails off after the 'big reveal' part. Yes, it basically rips off most of System Shock 2 in a different environment. Yes, the moral choice thing was weak. Yes, the hacking was dumb after the 3rd time. But it's still one of the best games in a long time.

  • OfficialBlue #138 3 years ago

    Why did Bioshock get a 10/10 when LBP is so orgial and unique and it gets a 9...

  • ChthonicEcho #139 3 years ago

    @pyrat6

    Were you poking fun at the US? Just say no, because it's extremely easy to do that and you failed. To add insult to injury, I'm not even from the US. To pour acid into said injury, I was being sarcastic.

  • Darren #140 3 years ago

    @Beano - Erm, the scores are "all over the place" because different people are reviewing these games and even if it was the same person, everyone likes different things. How exactly would EG "tighten up" the reviews... by getting reviewers to award scores based on what you or other sites give the games? :?

    I really don't see what you're complaining about... EG has its own reviewers and their reviews are completely independent of everyone else's. Sometimes they agree with others, sometimes they don't, that's what opinions are. It's the same with every other site I've been on whether it's IGN, GameSpot or CVG, EG is absolutely no different but at least they do justify the scores with the review text. Some websites I've visited and magazine reviews I've read *cough*OXM*cough* *cough*OPSM*cough* don't even do that!

  • muscleblade #141 3 years ago

    According to the review the PS3 version looks the same as the 360 a year later. Thats enough to give it a lower score imo. You can get 360 and PC versions for half price now.

  • chicknstu #142 3 years ago

    I loved the fact that gamers hated all the brave innovation.

    I hated the fact that gamers loved the dodgy plot.

    It's a stellar game. Reading this review made me remember just how good it was. If Bioshock is not worth 10/10, then I don't know what is!

  • schachmatt #143 3 years ago

    A few references to acclaimed works don't make something special and the story was so split from the world the player's in it never worked anyway.
    In the end you just shoot the same 4-skin-model-zombies instead of experiencing a flawed model of society/economy.

    I'm really impressed at the job Bioshock's PR department did.

  • Darren #144 3 years ago

    @muscleblade - Are you implying that the game should get a lower score because the graphics are the same? What about the gameplay, isn't that... you know... more important? ;)

    You might be able to get the game for half price on the 360 and PC but that's no good for PS3 owners is it? When Virtua Fighter 5 and Unreal Tournament 3 came out on the 360 late last year some months after the PS3 version, they too were full-priced when the PS3 versions could be bought cheaper. Should those games have received lower scores too?

    The PS3 version of BioShock is selling at most online retailers for £30, the Xbox 360 version cost £40 if I remember when it came out. As far as PS3-only owners are concerned BioShock is a brand new game, I don't think it really matters to them that the game came out a year earlier on another platform anymore that it should if Crysis comes out on the PS3 and 360 next year, long after the PC version. Games should be judged on their own merits and BioShock is easily worth £30 IMO.

  • RedPanda #145 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • waggy79 #146 3 years ago

    As has been said, this has nothing to do with console wars. Bioshock was never worth a 10 on 360 and it still isn't a year later. It has some good ideas, and some bad ones. It gets an 8/10 from me.

  • rarebit #147 3 years ago

    good art/level design. was expecting more from the game somehow, and was dissapointed. good production values just din't deliver on suspense, moral ethical choices and all the guff that companies bang on about and never really deliver. its ok though, so everybody calm down lol 7.596789 /10.

    maybe i'm getting to old for this shit, when will we get a proper grown up game?

  • FrankCannon #148 3 years ago

    As Len from strictly come dancing would say, "Seven!"

    Only joking, gets a 9 from me. Didn't like the hacking though.

    Son¥ micro$oft nintendough

    They all just want your moolah.

  • Teddii #149 3 years ago

    I very rarely post on here, but now I feel the time is right;

    The first time I played through BioShock, I didn't like it. The game was too easy, I got about 1/3rd through and stopped. They then added the patch turning off the Vita chambers, so I gave it another whirl on hard difficulty - and with more time to spare....

    And I loved it.

    It's genius. More than anything else, the environment was incredible. The art direction was so spot on, and I really felt like I was IN Rapture. Very rarely do you get that feeling in a game, not really since Ico have I felt like that.

    I agree with the review. People look at the "10" score too much, and read too far into it. Yes, it doesn't have multiplayer - but you can't review a game for missing content. I'm glad they made a solid singleplayer game than one which was rushed to cram in a multiplayer mode.

    The strange thing is, I don't even see BioShock as a 'marmite' game. I'm genuinely surprised people hate on it so much. I don't know what that boils down to really. Lack of patience? Perhaps. Not enjoying story elements in games? Maybe.

    To bitch about things like "no replayabilty", and "no punishment for dying" is all so trivial, because it has achieved what it set out to do; create a beautiful single-player game.

    I think I'll end this comment with; BioShock is one of the greatest games of this generation. Whether you play it on the Xbox 360, or the PS3 - just play it. It has it's flaws, yes, but it is a piece of living, breathing, believable art-work that has yet to be surpassed. If you don't like immersive stories and you're more interested in shooting aliens, then it simply isn't for you.

    End.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 13:59

  • IneptPercy #150 3 years ago

    Lets be honest they had to give it 10 otherwise eurogamer would have melted down with the '360 version is better' and 'PS3 has blu-ray" comments.

    I played it on PC, 9/10 for me.

  • kyotokid #151 3 years ago

    Sorry, it is not 10/10.

  • gamecubeisbest #152 3 years ago

    Its still the best game this generation.

  • RedSparrows #153 3 years ago

    I loved Bioshock, thought it was great.

    Go buy it Ps3 people, if you want a fun, evocative and wonderfully stylised shooter.

    Don't if you want to criticise it on factors that most games suffer from anyway....

  • makariel #154 3 years ago

    smelly:
    There's bugger all replayability, no multiplayer, the only real reason to replay the game is to see the opposite ending..

    So what? I never got this whole replayability-thing. I like playing a game, experience what it has to offer, be happy about it and move on to the next. I don't think a game is better just because you can play it some more times. Especially when it has some plot-twist. The second time around you already know what will be happening anyway. So what's the point in trying it again? Sixth Sense isn't a bad movie just because you can basically only watch it once.

    And if there is no surprise in the storyline, no major plot twist... what's the whole point of the story anyway? Then there's even less reason for me to try again. Just to unlock 'achievements' and stuff? Sorry, but I have still something else to do than playing games all day to unlock shit.

    And I don't give a flying shit about multiplayer. When I'm with friends I do a lot of stuff but I don't play computer games with them.

    But personally, if i want a story - i'd read a book or watch a movie. I play games for the FUN of playing them..

    Considering your arguments, I don't buy that you actually read much. What makes a game fun? There are some things I can think of:
    * an interesting storyline
    * playing with friends
    * a sense of accomplishment

    Bioshock falls clearly in the first category. If you don't like story then get unreal tournament and be happy with it. I personally don't care about the third point, since I don't play games to prove my worth somehow. But that doesn't make me looking for games that fall in this category and write the bold claim in the comments there, that the game is objectively shit, just because I don't like it personally.

    I personally give Bioshock a 9, since it's not perfect.

  • darkphoenix #155 3 years ago

    10/10 is ridiculous, completed overated score for a game that was a 8/10 in its heyday...

    Shame on you Eurogamer.
    Shame on you

  • PearOfAnguish #156 3 years ago

    "The first time I played through BioShock, I didn't like it. The game was too easy, I got about 1/3rd through and stopped. They then added the patch turning off the Vita chambers, so I gave it another whirl....

    And I loved it.

    It's genius. More than anything else, the environment was incredible. The art direction was so spot on, and I really felt like I was IN Rapture. Very rarely do you get that feeling in a game, not really since Ico have I felt like that. "

    I don't get it, why does disabling the Vita-Chambers make you realise the game is incredible?

    They were pointless anyway, you had to be pretty careless to get killed, and games have a save function for a reason.

    "I'd love to see Eurogamer having the "second opinion" feature that used to appear in some gaming mags."

    Seconded.

    "Considering your arguments, I don't buy that you actually read much. What makes a game fun? There are some things I can think of:
    * an interesting storyline
    * playing with friends
    * a sense of accomplishment"

    You forgot:

    * big-ass guns
    * explosions
    * flame-throwers
    * spaceships
    * giant robots
    * tits
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/08 @ 13:34

  • IronGiant #157 3 years ago

    Nice too see the Hairy Crack is true to form.. he just couldn't resist this one!

  • MasterNameless #158 3 years ago

    One of my favourite games I played on the 360, if not the favourite. Definitely a 10/10 in my book, and the majority of other gamers too, obviously, as it wouldn't have been the readers' #1 game of the year as well! All the haters can foam at the mouth and blow steam out their ears as much as they want, but they are just a very vocal minority.

  • PearOfAnguish #159 3 years ago

    And since when does the price affect the review score?

    Since forever.


  • Zappa #160 3 years ago

    eurogamer scores suck!!!!!!!!

  • mkreku #161 3 years ago

    Still vastly overrated I see. Well, have fun with your choices without consequences, death without meaning and five different enemy types you'll be seeing throughout the entire game. And make sure you don't get lost in the long, endless corridor that is Bioshock.

    A great story and a great setting can only make up for so much. 7/10.

  • smelly #162 3 years ago

    "@smelly

    There's no way I give a shit about what you think.

    I'll be getting this game day 1. "



    LOL! Well *ALL* I was doing was highlighting the negative aspects of this game which the reviewer seems to have missed.

    Bare in mind i've completed the game - Most reviewers hardly ever play past the first hour.

    I've warned you of the problems - dont blame me if you waste your money.

    Personally, as you only play thru this game once - AND its quite short, AND has little replay value.. I'd rent it rather than buying it. But I've made my recommendation - if you're too stubborn to listen - thats YOUR problem :-)

  • smelly #163 3 years ago

    "I don't get it, why does disabling the Vita-Chambers make you realise the game is incredible? "


    I think i can answer that.

    Without consequence from death - there is no adrenaline rush as you stalk in a corner about to enter a big battle with little health.

    Hell in most of these situations i thought to myself "fuck it.. i'll just go in guns ablazing get some damage on him - as i'm gonna die anyhow, may as well try to get his health down a bit". I didnt feel there was any skill or sense of "panic" at all (things I look for in a shooter - as there's Soooooo many of them out there!)

    I know my opinion is going to be different from others. But people on this forum just want to post shit like "You're wrong - im putting you on ignore".. Without explaining why they think so - after I've posted WHY i think there's problems with it.

    I'm not expecting people to think the same as me.. BUT i *AM* just explaing flaws that the reviewer missed out (presumably because he's not played it that long - reviewers rarely do!).

    I *AM* also pissed off that i bought this game rather than renting it. I wouldnt want other players to make the same mistake.

    Once you've finished it once, i doubt you'll go back.

  • MasterNameless #164 3 years ago

    Bloody hell, smelly, get over it will you! You're starting to sound like a broken record. Seen you post virtually identical things in every Bioshock thread for ages now.

    Even with everything you've pointed out, with some valid points I admit, but overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed the game - except for the obvious one big fight - and I'm sure the vast majority of gamers did too, as I mentioned before, it did get the readerss game of the year, and they all played it too!

    edit - final paragraph
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 15:25

  • smelly #165 3 years ago

    "Bloody hell, smelly, get over it will you! You're starting to sound like a broken record. Seen you post virtually identical things in every Bioshock thread for ages now. "


    When I waste money buying a game on recommendations from a review - only to find its not particularly fun and to complete it within a VERY short period of time - and wish i'd just rented it..

    Then It makes me pissed off to the point that I want to warn other gamers NOT to waste money buying it and to RENT it instead.

    Why should I "give it a rest"? What vested interest do you have in people buying it rather than renting? All Im trying to do is make sure other people dont make the same mistake as I did.

    I dont hate the game - i think it's WELL WORTH playing.. just not worth OWNING.

    And I think it makes sense to warn potential ps3 owners of its problems. Many of which have been overlooked (presumably due to advertising revenue?)


  • jordiniho #166 3 years ago

    i don't think it deserves a 10 tbh i didn't enjoy the game too much the graphics were amazing though, but i wasn't a big fan of the gameplay etc felt like playing condemned 2 again i feel that there are other games out there that got a 7-9 which are way better than this feel free to tell me wrong

  • gaselite #167 3 years ago

    What a staggering amount of bell-ends posting comments here.

    I swear to god gamers are by and large the most dense, narrow-minded sub culture on the planet.

    'aha you're thick if you don't like this game'

    'ah but actually you're thick for thinking you're not thick if you like this game'

    give me a fucking break.

    "I can't help but feel this guy is biased in that he loves the game, the story, the whole shebang, too much to be objective."

    seriously? do you see the word 'journalism' tagged on after the word 'game' and think that objectivity should be some sort of standard that should be met? That transcends retarded. It's a review of a piece of pop culture, and you want or expect objectivity? That's the only possible thing I could think of that could make the standard of game journalism internationally even worse than it already is. Reviews are an expression of opinion. They're not a news story. Is that so hard an expression to grasp?

    If you've been told to review the game, you play the game, and you love the game, and you feel it warrants a 10/10 on some arbitrary scale of good-gameyness, then why the fuck should you then go and write anything saying otherwise?


    blah. just blah.

  • Darren #168 3 years ago

    @smelly - There's no consequence of death in *any* game you play these days since you're either returned to the last checkpoint (Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, etc.) or can load the last save game. That BioShock does away with this for what is effectively a quick restart was refreshing IMO. I like games that don't punish me just because I'm not an expert gamer, it means that I actually get to finish the games and enjoy the experience without getting frustrated. IMO BioShock is about as perfect as these kinds of games get. Well apart from the iffy final bit.

  • iago71 #169 3 years ago

    I have to say smelly from reading your first post it would seem you dont think the games WELL WORTH playing. You slag it off and then say the graphics and the story are good but follow that up by saying youd rather read a book if you wanted a good story.

    It seems to me youre implying that the game is NOT worth playing.

    You also have stated that the reviewer has not played the game fully - clearly thats not the case from some of the points he makes. Granted some reviews are written where the reviewer has not fully experienced the game but in this case I think its pretty clear thats not so.

    Fair enough if you dont like it and for once there are some points you make that are valid. Its not with out its flaws. However, there are a lot of PS3 owners who have been waiting for this (Im not one of them as I've already got it in 360) Let them enjoy it instead of putting people off.

  • #170 3 years ago

    10/10!

    Wasnt expecting that, still the game has intrigued me and I might pick it up.

  • Wendelius #171 3 years ago

    Got to agree with iago71. Not everybody loves this game but it's been wildly successful with players and it has been quite an experience for some of us. Definitely not wasted money if you were to ask me.

    So don't try and tell people who buy it that they are definitely wasting money. I think that PS3 players who were waiting for it are in for a treat. Some will end up agreeing with Smelly and others not. Let them give it a chance...

  • Les #172 3 years ago

    "I like games that don't punish me just because I'm not an expert gamer, it means that I actually get to finish the games and enjoy the experience without getting frustrated."

    Darren, if you don't qualify as an 'expert' gamer with all the hours you put into a ridiculous amount of games (some of them multiple times on different formats) I don't know who is. I mean, practice makes perfect, doesn't it? ;)

  • Feanor #173 3 years ago

    The last sentence of this review is gag-inducing.

  • Fab4 #174 3 years ago

    Loved Bioshock on my 360, unfortunately it gave me migraines for some reason, so had to stop playing it :(

  • MasterNameless #175 3 years ago

    @evilfoxhound

    Read the bloody scoring policy god damn it! 10/10 has never meant perfect, and that's been said on these comments hundreds of times.

    edit - Have a quote from the scoring policy. Even though people will say, "No game's ever perfect, blah blah blah" again and again until eternity no doubt.

    "Let us make absolutely clear that a 10 is not and probably never will be "the perfect game". There's always something criticisable about a game, however small. " - EG's scoring policy.
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 17:38

  • CapnCloudchaser #176 3 years ago

    So, is the PS3 version better than the 360 version then?

    Not asking for any fanboy related reason, I own both consoles and wonder which one to buy it for.

  • MasterNameless #177 3 years ago

    @CapnCloudchaser

    As the comparison article probably won't be for a while yet, I'd recommend downloading the playable demos for both versions, which are actually quite generous. Then make up your mind for yourself. I seriously doubt there will be a big graphical difference though, there are extra plasmids available on the 360 version(for free I believe), maybe on the PS3 already too. With the 360 version being a lot cheaper by now too, may be the best option. Playing the demos is definitely a good place to start though!

  • dryden555 #178 3 years ago

    The last 2 years have not been great for Eurogamer. EG has become more commercialized as it grew, it (knowingly?) gives in to market PR hype and franky, the reviews often seem rushed. Simiilar thing happened to http://kotaku.com/ which started out as a gaming news site with some edge. Now it posts market hype every day with barely a nod. Oh well.

  • JediMasterMalik #179 3 years ago

    I loved Bioshock, until I finished it, and tried to replay it. The game is all story with some ok gameplay elements. I really can't understand why it's still getting a 10/10 review. To each their own I guess.

  • smelly #180 3 years ago

    "There's no consequence of death in *any* game you play these days since you're either returned to the last checkpoint (Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, etc.)"

    When I respawn/reload in either of those.. the bad guys/damage i did before my death are all reset..

    For the hard of thinking (I know there's many of you here) - I didnt say it was a bad game.. Just a "rent" game and not a "buy" one.

  • YeOldeGamer #181 3 years ago

    "it's another PS3 game that comes with an obligatory install"

    Give me that over a heat creating and RROD inducing, constantly spinning DVD.

    "Dizzy
    16-Oct-08 08:46:00

    It is an awesome game... if you have not played it, you should. A bit of a pity they released it full price IMHO since you can get it super cheap on PC/360 now."

    It's not full price online, only £30.

    Oh, and a question...
    Is it mouse & keyboard friendly?
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/08 @ 18:47

  • Les #182 3 years ago

    "Eurogamer need to impliment a half-point system so they can use something like 9.5. Because NOTHING is perfect. NOTHING."

    Which is why a 10 doesn't mean perfect in EG's scoring policy...

  • beastmaster #183 3 years ago

    It's a damn fine game. But after I finished it once, never went back to it. Overrated? Yep. But there's still a lot of fun to be had.

  • WJF #184 3 years ago

    Really good game that fell down in the last quarter (and wasn't as good as System Shock 2, which wasn't as good as System Shock 1)

    /Takes off red-ish coloured spectacles

  • makeamazing #185 3 years ago

    I fully understand why they gave it 10/10 if the Xbox version got that also. I mean there would have been alot of kiddies running wild saying that the PS3 is crap etc etc.

    Have not got too far on the PC version, but i would say if we were talking % rather than out of 10 (Dont like scoring systems out of 10), then i would give it a 90% so far. Its a very good game, like the story etc. Of course the game does seem alot like marmite (seems that every big scoring game has its fans and haters).

  • collateral89 #186 3 years ago

    skipity bee bop bop bop baloo is this a game?

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #187 3 years ago

    Everyone should play this, quality game, its so atmospheric! Play it at night with all the lights off!

  • Tehren #188 3 years ago

    Superb game. Plus you won't believe Ryan is actually Quark from Deep Space Nine. Versatile guy.

  • Calgon #189 3 years ago

    I dont see why people say SS1 was better than two, I played 2 first but I just couldnt see myself playing through SS1, not just because it looks hideous in comparison but I just think from what Ive seen, SS2s delivery of the story was better and the game was more solid and polished.

    Ive not played this yet but its on the list for the first games I'll get with my 360 -- may aswell hold out for jasper now... not the bald guy no! ;)-- I was going to get it regardless of review scores and try to take it as it is rather than comparing it to SS2, which is not the attitude of someone who wants to get the most out of their games.
    Edited by 2 at 16/10/08 @ 21:24

  • pyrat6 #190 3 years ago

    "@ChthonicEcho

    Were you poking fun at the US? Just say no, because it's extremely easy to do that and you failed. To add insult to injury, I'm not even from the US. To pour acid into said injury, I was being sarcastic. "

    I know you were being sarcastic. I thought your comment was good and joined in by throwing in some lame stereotypes about what would appeal to English reviewers. Sorry it went astray.

    How you managed to extrapolate that into an attack on the US beats the fuck out of me. Get over yourself perhaps ?
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 21:34

  • UncleLou #191 3 years ago

    "Eurogamer need to impliment a half-point system so they can use something like 9.5. Because NOTHING is perfect. NOTHING."

    In other words, no game could ever get a 10, then. It would just be there to symbolise the perfection, not possible to achieve anyhow by anything.

    In other words, all you need to do is imagine the scale goes to 11. Exactly the same thing.

  • septimus #192 3 years ago

    Why the Bioshock hate?

    I agree no game is worth a ten, but why reduce it for another platform? If it played a 10 (for the reviewer) a year ago, why not now?

    I completed it on the 360, tried the PS3 demo, seems as good, so wtf is wrong? Reducing it's original score makes no sense, and people would complain if the PS3 version didn't get a review. An as good as the 360 version would have sufficed, but this is EG. When has anything just sufficed. It's either pointless, or blown out of all proportion, and people would miss that.

    -Edit- How the fuck did smelly get out of my ignore list?
    Edited by 1 at 16/10/08 @ 22:30

  • sanduixe #193 3 years ago

    OMG, great.
    But what about the poor grafics?

  • ronuds #194 3 years ago

    You all should get jobs writing video game reviews because you seem to know so much more than the people paid to do it.

    "This isn't a 10 because I DON'T LIKE IT!!!!!"

    Good gawd, who gives a shite what "you think" the score should be...everyone's got an opinion, but the ones that count most aren't yours.

  • dryden555 #195 3 years ago

    ronuds, huge generalizations like you are making dont help you make any meaningful arguments; you know that right? Lots of folks here explain exactly what gameplay elements in Bioshock were disappointing to them and explain their POV's with precision. Let me guess; you're about 16 years of age?

  • LordGamma19K #196 3 years ago

    When is the release date? I might have to choose between this and LBP.

  • dk_rare #197 3 years ago

    Is it still worth a 10/10 on PS3 even when you can buy it for a 5th of the price on Xbox 360 these days? Is it still worth 10/10 on PS3 if you own it/can get it on other platforms?

    Or is this 10/10 only for readers who do not own a computer or Xbox 360 and only have a PS3 in their house?

  • sirtacos #198 3 years ago

    So much whining! FFS!

    Bioshock is at the very least a great 8/10 game, and at most (if you stretch it) a 10/10 game that words can't describe.

    I love it, and although it's far from perfect, it's obvious to me that if any game deserves a 10, Bioshock does.

    If Bioshock clicks with you, then you'll probably have some of the greatest gaming moments of your life playing it. If it doesn't click with you, or if it only clicks at certain points, you can still derive a good time from it.
    Everyone can obtain a great experience for this game- absolutely everyone.

    To those who trash Bioshock: you make good points, but you'd be better off redirecting your energy towards video games far more deserving of your ire. There are plenty of them.
    Edited by 1 at 17/10/08 @ 03:08

  • migasUK #199 3 years ago

    by far the best Game of 2007 after GEARS OF WAR

  • migasUK #200 3 years ago

    At some point the game get addictive, and if you don't finish it you'll get crazy thinking what's gonna be next, Fantastic Game!!!

  • smelly #201 3 years ago

    *sigh*.. Sorry.. i need to reply to some people:


    quote:
    "I have to say smelly from reading your first post it would seem you dont think the games WELL WORTH playing. You slag it off and then say the graphics and the story are good but follow that up by saying youd rather read a book if you wanted a good story.
    "


    Yes.. Exactly. It's totally 100% worth playing if you're the type of gamer who LOVES eye candy and a story.. And lets face it .. a lot of us are.. HOWEVER .. My point is.. If you ARE that type of gamer, you might want to RENT rather than buy.. because it's a VERY short and easy game... And you can SEE all the eye candy and LISTEN to all the plot without much issue.

    ... I am not in ANY WAY bad mouthing either the plot or the graphics.. both are fucking excellent and the people who worked on the game deserve a gold star for them!

    HOWEVER.... The GAMEPLAY itself (which I presume 90% of people on here wont atually care about) is a bit dull.

  • smelly #202 3 years ago

    As an aside..

    I thought F.E.A.R. was overate bollocks.

    And I *hated* halo 3 in single player (Im not a big multiplayer/online fan)

    But I feel BOTH deserve better praise than this pile of shit (edit - in comparison) gets.
    Edited by 1 at 17/10/08 @ 08:15

  • ButterflyEdge #203 3 years ago

    I'm quite shocked by the amount of people who disagree, or even didn't like it. I adore this game. It easily makes my top 3 and I can understand why someone would maybes think it was at least 'OK' but crap? Hmmm. I'm wondering what percentage of these commenters have actually played it.

    Spot on review, completely deserved 10.

    Get stuck in PS3ers, its an experience like no other!
    Edited by 1 at 17/10/08 @ 08:38

  • Les #204 3 years ago

    "I am not in ANY WAY bad mouthing either the plot or the graphics.. both are fucking excellent and the people who worked on the game deserve a gold star for them!"

    This I don't get. In my humble opinion the graphics are nothing special (technically of course, art direction is a matter of taste). And then there are horrible effects like lighting and rushing water that make it look plain ugly at times. If I wanted to show off HD gaming I definitely wouldn't pick BioShock. Something like Half-Life 2, CoD4, Ratchet or Uncharted would do much better.

  • defdaz #205 3 years ago

    10/10 .... when compared to the rest of the games available on PS3 you mean?

  • knocker #206 3 years ago

    @smelly I agree to a point.

    I would add. If you aren't very good at FPS games and find the whole genre a little well dull ... ! then it provides a pleasant enough pasttime.

    The story, graphic style were quirky enough to be engaging rather than playing super tough Sarge types wiping out monsters/ethnic baddie of the month/other sarge's.

    It depends where you're coming from - (of course! stating the obvious) - I've been playing games avidly for ooooh ... nearly 30 years now. But as far as this particular genre goes I've been the epitome of a "casual gamer" since doom 2.

    In fact - I would go as far to say that this game provides a good crossover point for the new or not-so-serious gamer.

    Nww - I wonder how many people see the appeal to the cliched "casual gamers" as a deep insult to the game - or praise for showing what a broad appeal it can have

    (ps I wish they hadn't included the ludicrous aspect of a parable of objectivism. It was patronising and not remotely enlightening. If I wanted to indulge that particular curiosity I'd watch a bloody Open University programme )
    Edited by 1 at 17/10/08 @ 09:56

  • Les #207 3 years ago

    "Others see it as a merely average shooter, dressed up in intellectual clothing. [...] In an industry where frankly terrible stories are too often praised simply for having a vaguely coherent beginning, middle and end, it would be wrong to dwell too much on the minor inconsistencies of a story with so much pathos and subtext, told in such an inventive manner."

    Intellectual my ass. Maybe for people who think the Davinci Code was the epitome of literature. I agree the video game industry has its share of stupid stories but then again, it isn't very suitable as a story telling medium. But IMO BioShock is a prime example of a 'terrible' story that's being praised for 'having a vaguely coherent beginning, middle and end'. The only thing clever about it is making optimal use of people's lack of intellect to pretend it's actually good...

  • n3utr0n #208 3 years ago

    I thought Rand's Objectivism espoused moral absolutism rather than "brilliance unfettered by morality". Wasn't it one of the problems with her philosophy as the idea of absolute truths, in this case absolute right and wrong, runs contrary to objectivisms embrace of rationalism?

    Haven't read the rest of the comments so sorry if I'm repeating someone else

  • 7creature #209 3 years ago

    "Eurogamer need to impliment a half-point system so they can use something like 9.5. Because NOTHING is perfect. NOTHING."

    If nothing is perfect in this world, then even 10/10 as a fraction is not 'perfect'.

    I think you cannot objectively judge game after just finishing it once (or not even that, as is sometimes common in reviewing 'industry'). So the reviews are not telling you about how great the game actually is, about its impact or longevity, but simply how much worth is it purchasing (renting etc. - basically playing). And 10/10 means (in my eyes) that overwhelming majority will probably enjoy playing it (so its likely worth purchasing). Of course, if you don't like genre or setting or difficulty and so on (basically you should learn more details by reading the actual text of review) then you can 'adjust' your opinion of the game accordingly.

    But all in all, x/y rating is great for bashing, flame wars, fanboys etc. Good to spur some 'chat' basically.

  • dsmx #210 3 years ago

    Go read what eurogamer define as a 10.

  • IronCladChicken #211 3 years ago

    lol@makeamazing
    So 9/10 then?

  • bdc #212 3 years ago

    Best game ever no matter the platform. Shut the fuck up, haters.

  • ronuds #213 3 years ago

    @ dryden

    "Lots of folks here explain exactly what gameplay elements in Bioshock were disappointing to them and explain their POV's with precision. Let me guess; you're about 16 years of age?"

    I clearly wasn't directing my comments at these "lots of folks" you speak of and was being as short and providing as little detail as those my comments were intended for.

    And don't be an ass.

  • VMerken #214 3 years ago

    Well once the PC version is 100% DRM free, I might actually take a peek at what the fuss is all about.

    I must say though, the Eurogamer review and more importantly a subsequent Eurogamer "Why we are right
    about giving Bioshock 10/10 and everyone else is a moron" defence opinion piece made it quite easy for me
    to stop being interested in it at all.

  • Wildsleven #215 3 years ago

    for every ps3 owner, enjoy one of the most awesome games ever made ;)

  • dk_rare #216 3 years ago

    PS3 owners don't have a lot of shooters (let alone good shooters) to choose from, so I guess compared to the rest of the PS3 games this is easily a 10/10.

  • smelly #217 3 years ago

    "Best game ever no matter the platform. Shut the fuck up, haters. "


    Why the abuse? It's not like your life depends on this game?

    And all i'm personally doing is advising people to rent it rather than buy it - as it's a short game and doubtful they'd want to replay it once finished.

  • timberwolf #218 3 years ago

    this is absolutely a rent game or lend it from a friend. very short. very easy. though i am really enjoying unlocking the trophies i'll have them all done within the week. THIS IS NOT A BAD GAME. it is simply a game that could have been so much better with some minor fixes. this version has some fixes, harder difficulty and no damn respawns... but my grumbles remain. No inventory (likely on purpose but still annoying) and limited wallet??? why?

  • sbaker899 #219 3 years ago

    I still don't get all the Bioshock hate. To me it was the best game I played last year (along with Orange Box, Mass Effect) and I doubt there'll be anything to top it this year either.

  • MGSmarioPRO #220 3 years ago

    YES! This is a fantastic game and I dont have doubts that this is a must buy.

  • dryden555 #221 3 years ago

    ronuds, Specifically you seem to suggest that someone who gets paid to write game reviews is _therefore_ good at writing reviews. Not remotely solid reasoning. You sound deeply naive or young in years with that kind of logic.

  • smelly #222 3 years ago

    "ronuds, Specifically you seem to suggest that someone who gets paid to write game reviews is _therefore_ good at writing reviews. Not remotely solid reasoning. You sound deeply naive or young in years with that kind of logic."


    Most game reviewers dont even have the 3 most basic things:

    1. Proper journalism training
    2. Time to play the game for longer than a couple of hours
    3. Unbiased opinion (and no - i dont mean "the console its on", but whether or not they are fans of the genre, etc)

  • Harmonica #223 3 years ago

    Eurgh, way to throw a completely meaningless 10 at a game, Dan.

    There is so much patently obviously wrong with BioShock a 10 is just reaching. Yes, it has brilliant bits, but so do a lot of games. The bits don't add up to much of a whole.

    In other words, worse games have been released that do more in parts to better BioShock overall.
    Edited by 1 at 18/10/08 @ 20:42

  • smelly #224 3 years ago

    @Harmonica - But halo 3 also got a 10, and that was deeply flawed (but i let it go as it has replayability factor with the online). Bioshock doesnt even have that - finish it once.. thats it

    Did oblivion get a 10 too? Because that didnt deserve it either.


    Maybe i'm biased or something - The amount of enjoyment i've gotten out of "skate", to me, it's the ONLY game worthy of that score in the last year (until the sequel comes along)

  • BonzoBanana #225 3 years ago

    I'm not sure its been mentioned and can't be bothered to read all the comments but the fact the ps3 version isn't noticably inferior to the 360 is surely a positive trend. The ps3 is much harder to program for than the 360. Its memory system is harder, the gpu is inferior but has additional support chips that probably make it superior to 360 overall. It has six main cpus to program instead of the 360s three powerpc cpus. If Bioshock had been released lets say 9 months ago on the ps3 it would surely have been noticably inferior to 360. Have we reached parity where now ps3 and 360 games will be equally impressive and will next year show the ps3 moving ahead? I have both consoles so don't really care which wins but just curious how its going to shape up over the next year.

  • mkreku #226 3 years ago

    sbaker899: I still don't get all the Bioshock hate. To me it was the best game I played last year (along with Orange Box, Mass Effect) and I doubt there'll be anything to top it this year either.

    I think it might be a generational difference. Anyone who has played System Shock 2 seems to think Bioshock is shallow, broken and pointless. But as with all games, if it's one of the first games you play (or if you play it during a particular phase of your life), I am sure it'll feel as trendsetting as System Shock 2 did to me.

    Personally I feel a bit sad that a game like Bioshock is being viewed as "the best game of the year" for so many people. It basically means we'll never see 40 hour long, complex games again. The masses have gotten used to 8-10 hour Bioshock's.

  • m0thr4 #227 3 years ago

    Three obvious flaws with Bioshock:

    1. The repetitive enemies: It's a shame, when the game invests so much in creating a believable atmosphere for the first hour, that the enemies all turn out to be carbon copies from a range of 5 identical moulds. Hard to believe any of them were former inhabitants of Rapture, so any illusion of reality is instantly destroyed. How hard would it have been to vary the character models a little?

    2. The linear gameplay: Bioshock pretty much forces you down a corridor of scares, rather like a cheap ghost train ride. If you've never played this kind of game before, then you may overlook this, but I have... several times (Half Life, Half Life 2, System Shock, System Shock 2, Doom 3, and so on).

    3. The game doesn't obey its own rules: Why will Splicers will never attack a Little Sister for the Adam she has, even if you kill the Big Daddy that was supposedly protecting her? Why is the currency used in Rapture the US Dollar when Ryan hates the US so much?

    It may have pretty graphics and be influenced by a book most of you probably haven't bothered to read, but no way is this a 10/10 game.

  • Slipstream #228 3 years ago

    I'm not usually the one to be Cynical but when it comes to this game I'd have to say, whilst it was initially fun (Largley due to the story and Eye Candy), the gameplay became stale, FAST.
    Not only did I get tired of the repeated backtracking, but I also got fed up with the level design...I think the whole 1930's thing really didn't do it for me.

  • timberwolf #229 3 years ago

    got it off a friend late night friday didn't play it all sunday and still got the plat trophy early monday. sigh...

  • sbaker899 #230 3 years ago

    mkreku: I think it might be a generational difference. Anyone who has played System Shock 2 seems to think Bioshock is shallow, broken and pointless. But as with all games, if it's one of the first games you play (or if you play it during a particular phase of your life), I am sure it'll feel as trendsetting as System Shock 2 did to me.

    Well, I did play System Shock 2, but unfortunately could never get into it - perhaps I'll give it another go someday as I think I still have it somewhere. However, I did enjoy Deus Ex a lot, and this was the game that Bioshock most reminded me of gameplay-wise (although it obviously featured far more open environments than Bioshock). I have to say though, that Bioshock probably took me double the time that you mention there on my first play through - it was one of those games that I felt compelled to explore in its entirety.

  • avoozl #231 3 years ago

    If you've played through Bioshock and really don't understand why it's a 10 (which means "must play" FYI, not "better than x";) then that's too bad for you because you obviously don't have the capacity to appreciate what it offers. Do I really need to point out how unbelievably arrogant it is to think your opinion should be universally accepted?

    A game like Bioshock comes along once in a blue moon so I say more of this please!

  • oupe #232 3 years ago

    If you've played through Bioshock and really don't understand why it's a 10 (which means "must play" FYI, not "better than x";) then that's too bad for you because you obviously don't have the capacity to appreciate what it offers.

    How self righteous. This game is good but not a "must-buy" or a "must-play". It stands its ground in it's own genre (whatever that is) but there are better shooters, better rpg's and better puzzlers.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 14:56

  • avoozl #233 3 years ago

    "but there are better shooters, better rpg's and better puzzlers."

    Sorry but that statement is so vague it has no meaning, and also saying something else is "better" is completely subjective anyway. How is it that you call me self righteous while you go around forcing your opinion down everyone else's throat and acting as if it were fact? If you want reasons why Bioshock is a "must buy" type game then read the reviews and if you can't appreciate those reasons then like I said it's too bad for you that you can't enjoy those things. Saying I'm self righteous for that is just random name calling. You're the one who can't handle it when everyone else doesn't adopt your opinions.

  • timberwolf #234 3 years ago

    "Ultimately, the most immediate reference for Far Cry 2 is not Crytek's original, but Deus Ex (Invisible War, sadly), in the way it presents interesting ideas, often slightly heavy-handedly, and features a gently saggy seriousness that can sometimes come at the expense of pacing. The result is a fascinating game with successes and failures that are both equally mystifying; one that rebuilds its story regardless of how badly you mistreat it, and yet struggles to spice up a simple escort mission. Far Cry 2 is unforgettable rather than perfect, then; brilliant, frustrating, sombre and comical, it offers freedom within extremely curtailed limits, and strives to treat its players like adults. In the end it remains, true to its source material, a game that was born to struggle with itself."

    Just writing to say eurogamer made a mistake and posted the bioshock review in the far cry 2 final paragraph by mistake. oops. I'm sure this can all be resolved by the simple change from the words far cry 2 to bioshock in the previous paragraph.

  • muscleblade #235 3 years ago

    Its funny that the best ever PS3 game is a port of a pretty old 360 game. LOL