Biooshock is a well crafted story that happens to be a game. You'll wander from scene to luscious scene drinking in the artistic details, thoughtful dialog and superb voice acting. Scattered throughout are some evidence of game play, but only enough to transition the scenes, certainly not enough to distract the viewer.
The combat is so easy, so mechanical, that it left the impression that the designers returned to it as a last minute detail. I made it through the entire game with the very first weapon -- a wrench, a few power ups, and a grenade launcher for the tougher characters (known as Big Daddy's). The other weapons are dangerous only to oneself, as they do little damage the adversaries, granting them a significant advantage.
There is no AI beyond what is needed to launch an adversary directly in front of you. In an age where games have developed fairly sophisticated AI team play, Bioshock feels like a call back to the early days of ID software titles. Bioshock characters sometimes charge in mass, but mostly wait in queue for each other to die at the hands of the all powerful wrench. Most damage dealt is provided by surprise placements of gun turrets - a cheap ploy that feels out of place in a game with such high production values.
Yes, Bioshock allows for inventive fighting, but it doesn't mandate such approaches. Only boredom compels a player to go to such extremes. Bioshock could have created fights that could only be resolved with telekinetic powers using a MacGuyver collection of found objects in a room, but instead, telekinetic powers ups are mainly used to collect objects located beyond one's reach. Or perhaps the selection of power ups could have had larger repercussions in game play, but as it stands, the choices are obvious (health boosting power ups and wrench power ups) and feel like another missed opportunity.
All this is to provide some counterbalance to other Bioshock reviews. Believe the hype: the storyline, presentation, and acting are all excellent and well worth the game's price. But the combat itself provides little challenge and suspense. Bioshock would have done better to go the route of Myst, and forget the fps elements altogether.
Take control of your world by hacking mechanical devices commandeering security turrets and crafting unique items critical to your very survival. Upg...More at Newegg.com
BioShock is the genetically enhanced first person shooter that lets you do things never before possible in the genre - turn everything into a weapon,...More at J&R Music and Computer World
Biologically mod your body with plasmids - genetic augmentations that empower you with dozens of fantastic abilities Take control of your world by hac...More at Amazon
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.