The BioShock Experience

Published August 21, 2007

Deep in the ocean depths there is a secluded metropolis, a vast underwater city born from the enigmatic and disturbed mind of one Andrew Ryan. Frustrated with the power and ethics of established society, Ryan shunned the outside world and delved deep to mold his masterpiece, a utopia built to provide the brightest artists, engineers, and scientists with complete freedom far beyond the worry of governmental supervision. He called it Rapture.

A world gone mad.

Such is the very basic foundation for 2K Games' masterful first-person adventure BioShock. The game has received rave reviews from widely disparate sources, and even perfect scores from normally tough reviewers. The experience of BioShock is something truly wonderful.

You play an anonymous plane crash survivor who finds the sea level entrance to Rapture, only to discover a city consumed by insanity, violence and an ongoing struggle for power. Was it Ryan's own experiments that brought ruin to Rapture, or were other factions involved? What addiction drives the insanity of the residents, and was your finding Rapture merely a coincidence? These are the questions that need answering, and only through tension-filled exploration and white-knuckle action will you find the answers.

It's Adam also that helped create the raving, violent lunatics that populate Rapture as their craving for the elusive substance has driven them ever deeper into madness.

Immerse Yourself into the Depths of Rapture
From the moment the bathysphere plunges into the ocean and you catch your first brutal glimpse of a rage-driven Splicer attacking a fellow inhabitant, it's clear that the world of BioShock is meant to be "experienced," as much as played. Sure, you can bustle through the halls at high speed if you want, but you'll miss so many subtle, immersive, frightening, and even humorous moments.

Only the best for Rapture.

Whether it's taking the time to listen to a lonesome but addled mother whispering despairing thoughts into a long-empty baby stroller, or witnessing the oddly touching relationship between the Big Daddies and Little Sisters, and even looking on in blank horror at the final death throes of a trapped scientist, BioShock has been built with remarkable care to produce rare moments of complete immersion. There is just as much fun, if not more, to be had exploring Rapture as doing battle in the environment.

Not Just Your Average Shooter

BioShock plays from the firmly established first-person perspective and there is the usual wide assortment of powerful weaponry, such as pistols, shotguns, grenade launchers, and even a flamethrower. But BioShock goes beyond this with its unique Plasmid/Tonic system that provides both active and passive powers, powers that can be used to really mix up the action and game tactics.

• Plasmids include active abilities like Electro Bolt, which allows you to shoot electricity to stun opponents, electrify a pool of water, or short-circuit a door lock. Likewise, Telekinesis allows you to grab objects and fling them at enemies, while Enrage throws an opponent into a blind fury, forcing them to attack even their own comrades.
• Tonics on the other hand provide passive abilities. For example, Wrench Lurker allows you to make less noise while sneaking up on enemies and deliver more damage with surprise melee attacks. Static Discharge stuns enemies with electricity when they strike you, and the Speedy Hacker tonic slows down the flow of energy when playing the hacking mini-game.
• While all Plasmids and Tonics are useful, strategy comes heavily into play as you decide which combination of powers to use at any given time, because only so many slots are available. However, you can switch out the Plasmids and Tonics at various Gene Banks you find throughout Rapture.

A tremendous foe.

Sample Combat
Combat in Bioshock involves much more than simple point-and-shoot gameplay. You must make use of not only your powers, but also the environment, your enemy's abilities, and the various A.I. relationships.

For instance, you enter a room and find a few wandering Splicers, a security camera and a gun turret. To start things off, turn the security camera against the Splicers using your Security Bullseye Plasmid, which summons security bots to attack the Splicers. Next, electrocute the gun turret to temporarily shut it down, and hack it to turn it against your enemies. Last, whip out your upgraded machine gun and tear through any newcomers with anti-personnel bullets that you've crafted from spare parts using the U-Invent machine. Now that's a battle!

The Adam Dynamic
Adam is the mysterious resource that makes the world of Rapture go round. It's precious Adam that powers your Plasmids and Tonics, and the more you harvest, the more abilities and slots you can purchase. It's Adam also that helped create the raving, violent lunatics that populate Rapture as their craving for the elusive substance has driven them ever deeper into madness.

Adam is also at the core of the Big Daddy-Little Sister dynamic so prevalent throughout the game. Only the Little Sisters can collect Adam from the corpses that litter Rapture, and while they are frail and vulnerable, the Big Daddies that protect them are enormously powerful and well armored. Even the slightest threat to a Little Sister will set a Big Daddy off, and once they throw themselves into action, they are relentless.

Good luck with that.

It's hardly possible to progress through BioShock without collecting Adam though, so you'll need to master the tactics required to take on and take down the formidable Big Daddies.

Bioshock is that rare masterpiece that far exceeds even its own lofty expectations, and is already well on its way to becoming one of the highest-rated, critically acclaimed titles in videogame history. Put simply, it must be played to be believed. Get ready for Rapture.

Article by Ryan Treit