Oh boy... What can I say about writing this awesome game after finishing it for approximately 15 hours of having exciting and thrilling adventure in a city below the sea called Rapture. The gloomy atmosphere 60s retro vibe with stunning 3D graphic, philosophical based of Ayn Rand take on Objectivism ideas, and simple and yet challenging game play FPS mechanic involving arms with guns and body genetic modification where you can throw fire, ice, wind, and other things with your bare hands defeating various kind of deformed human. Bioshock 1 is where you can bring philosophical ideas into video games with perfect game play mechanic. And this is what I want to say for the first of paragraph of my review.
PLOT :
Its 1950, You are an average John who flights across the ocean where suddenly your flight got crashed and you are survivor in the middle of ocean where there is only a lighthouse that leads you into a beautiful city under the sea that is apparently all of the residents are corrupted by advanced genetic body modification and also aftermath of idealistic city built by Andrew Ryan. The man who thinks that the world don't need limitations in science advancement, art works, and also established government system.
In other word, he is the one you will face and fight alongside mysteries that you have to unravel the glory days and the downfall of Rapture by finding some audio records left with help from survivor called Atlas where you communicate using radio wave to find your escape from savage modified human like residents turned into addicts for your ADAM, your genetic substance where there are two iconic ADAM Hunter like Big Daddies and Little Sister that you can fight for your own benefit by using weapons to find or using PLASMIDS that simply makes you powerful to control any substance like fire burst, electro charge, and many more to make you stronger after beating Big Daddies and later you have to choose whether to kill little sister by harvesting her ADAM, or save her where those choices it will affects your ending and also your moral compass.
CONTROL :
Bioshock 1 is first-person shooters where basically you can play using keyboards with mouse and also game-pad. It has smooth movement for character movement and easy to use weapon and ability function that has less rpg mechanic and depend of looting system where you can get some money, first aid, some proper ammo to battle specific enemies by killing enemies or find those hidden on various object you can find alongside the location where you can rely on the arrow cursor to guide you. It seems easy to play, but in some encounter you have to consider and make strategy to prepare enemy attacks because every bullets counts and using your special ability what makes this game more fun, such throwing stuffs, make flammable floor or doing hack for machine that against you such as CCTV and turret guns.
VISUAL :
The game came in 2008 and it revolutionised and introduced the new graphic of what Unreal Engine is capable of. Even though Bioshock 1 has limited area to explore, the vibe of being under the sea with astonishing landscape of Rapture city through the window makes this games has its own identity where beautifully background location setting with thrilling sense of claustrophobia. Some objects through the location such paintings, ads, and radio can be the hint and to reveal the plot line in case you miss and perfectly crafted to support your progress to understand what does it like being in Rapture city.
The music and sounds effect represents of vintage feel and fits with the theme properly. The voice acting that you can hear through records and radio is top-notch and makes story more believable with key characters to give you guidance and knowledge with the setting.
FUN :
For a FPS fan genre, Bioshock is not average shooter that relies on the machine gun only, but it requires to use your strategy how you can use ability and makes advantage of objects such as shooting gasoline leaks with fire or electrocute water floor to make enemies more vulnerable. There are also bunch of abilities to explore to progress the game to make it easier.
Bioshock has looting elements which means you can take money and particular items from enemy you kill where later you can spend on it to buy health, eve (for using ability), bullets and explosives.
Storyline wise, Bioshock 1 has more mature theme with its own objectivism philosophy without shoving theories and the game gives you the foundation and description on how Objectivism work, if you never touch the subject before. Its like the introduction to you and the aftermath if you finish the game and like the concept. You may be interested to read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountain Head just like I do.
Now, would you kindly do the same?
Rating 9/10 would kindly recommended.
