Bioshock Anticipation: One More Day To Go

BIOSHOCK DEMO NOW AVAILABLE ON XBOX LIVE!



Gamespot Review: 9.0

UK Release Date: 24/08/07

Format: PC and 360

Bioshock is the latest game from the people who bought you System Shock 1 & 2. It's a FPS with an interesting spin on the genre.

Basically, after surviving a plane crash in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, you come across a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere. Upon entering the lighthouse, you find a submarine which takes you down into an underwater city named Rapture, a city where science has been allowed to run unchecked, and as such, has gone completely out of control.

In their little bubble city, they've invented Plasmids, which can give the user specific abilities and almost superhuman capabilities such as firing lightning bolts from your hands, bees coming out of your skin, and telekinesis, all of which you can use to destroy your enemies. The whole society embraced these genetic enhancements, but soon became addicted. Society collapsed, and now, junkies known as Splicers roam the city searching for genetic material from corpses. Of course, you can use these Plasmids yourself. See some Splicers in the water? Zap 'em with electricity and watch them fry. Trap in your way? Use your telekinesis to move it into the path of an oncoming enemy. Create halucinations near deadly land mines and watch the poor suckers walk straight into them.



The stars of the show are the enemies known as Big Daddies and Little Sisters. Little Sisters are little girls who harvest genetic material, and they are under the protection of their Big Daddies, giant, hulking bodyguards that will protect the girl at all costs in exchange for what she harvests. Attack a Little Sister, and you'll have one these guys to answer to. Taking one down is no small feat with conventional weaponry, so you'll most likely have to think of other ways to bring them down. Apparently, there are certain aspects of the game that are effected by your morale decisions in regards to Little Sisters, likely effecting your ending. Bludgeon the little girl to death to take her Plasmids, or free her, it's your call.

I've played through the demo and found it to be one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played. The retro, yet futuristic setting is commendable and gives the game a unique style that instantly appeals. Also, the general mutterings and psycho-babble heard from the increasingly crazy splicers is quite compelling. Such as the woman talking to what you think is a dead baby in a push chair, but turns out to be a revolver gives a sense of morality to the whole proceedings.

If the game is as great as the demo was, this could well be my favourite game ever! The initial reviews look promising, so fingers crossed! Only one more day. Needless to say, this bank holiday weekend is going to be a good one.