Iâll just go out and say it: Iâm no fanboy. Nor do I give a ratâs behind of what other gaming sites feel about a particular title or studio. Iâve been playing games for twenty yearsâ time to know a good title when I see it, regardless of hoopla-attached or lack thereof. Whine, bitch, moan.
Well spank me upside the bottom and call me âSparkyâ: âBioShockâ for the PS3 really is as good as advertised. So much so, it may very well be the best game to date on the PS3. (Sorry, Altair.)
Related â and while I never played the original XBOX 360 and/or PC versions â this has got to be a near-seamless port. The graphics and sound are world class. (I canât even fathom the experience backed by a premium surround sound system with mid grade acoustics.)
Moreover â and to do PS3 users justice, this version of âBioShockâ features trophies, and add-on gameplay content (available for purchase via the PlayStation network). Happy times.
Now Iâm not going to spoil the opener (hell, Google it if you need to know) because it ranks among the best Iâve ever seen in a game. Only seconds in, âBioShockâ unleashes a heart-pumping, mind-bending experience, one that grabs you like a vice grip and refuses to let go.
On a simplistic level, âBioShockâ can be described a first person shooter (FPS) set in an underwater world (âRaptureâ) created by a madman and gone horribly awry. The game features a wonderful mix of science fiction themes, Ayn Rand philosophies and 60âs imagery, resulting in an artsy yet simultaneously intelligent and futuristic feel that simply works.
With apologies to âHalo,â âUnreal Tournamentâ and âHalf Life 2,â Iâve never played a FPS with such an intuitive control scheme and interface.
As robust a world âBioShockâ offers, jumping in is seamless. While the game is harder than piss, you never feel cheated by shoddy controls or idiotic cheats stemming from sloppy background, menu systems and/or enemy AI. This is echoed in âBioshockâs save system, one that doesnât feature excessive backtracking and/or enemy respawn.
While on the topic of enemy AI, this game is going to give you nightmares. The mutated, drugged out characters are creepier than all hell, and sport disturbing outfits, dialog and killing tactics.
Letâs just say that the first time a Big Daddy killing machine rampages a guy in defense of a demonic little girl (âEVEâ) hording uppers, you know youâre no longer in Kansas.
Your ultimate weapon â it turns out â if you. âYouâ as in visually injecting freakish plasmids into your arm to create an electric shock weapon. Zap âem in puddles of water and they fry to death. (Love the trophy I got for that kill!) Finish the deal by clubbing crazy chick with cat mask over the head with a wrench. Ah, all in a dayâs work down in Rapture.
Thereâs so much depth to âBioShock,â itâs almost impossible to fit it within a simple review. Bad guys seem like good guys and vice-versa, resulting in both semi-constant âWTFâs?!â and questioning of moral decision-making. The game also features a cool hacking system, where clever minigames (punishable by health loss when failed) open up pathways and options. âBioShockâs attention to detail is confounding and astounding.
I left my first gameplay experiences with âBioShockâ in awe of a fantastic title and storyline, a game of which has few equals. âThis would make a great movie!â I proclaimed ingeniously. Universal and Gore Verbinski already beat me to the punch.
SUMMARY: âBioShockâ for the PS3 is arguably the best sci-fi themed FPS to date. Itâs magnificent storyline, gameplay and presentation make this a must-have for PS3 owners late to the XBOX 360 and/or PC party. Trophies and additional (for purchase) content only second this notion.
CONCLUSION: A plus