I have a pretty difficult time playing multiple video games at the same time… I like to concentrate on playing through one before moving on to the next. So with Halo 3 ODST finally out and available, I was desperately trying to get through Bioshock.
I started playing Bioshock about two months ago. For me, it’s a bit of a slower paced game that I had a little bit of trouble getting into initially.
WARNING – MASSIVE SPOILERS FOLLOW. IF YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED BIOSHOCK AND CARE ABOUT THE STORY THEN YOU NEED TO STOP READING.
The premise of the game is very interesting. I’m not going into huge details because most people who are going to read this already know what this game is. Long story short; a mad scientist has created an under water city called “Rapture” where he has executed DNA modifications allowing all kinds of crazy shit to happen in this city. Your character crashes in an airplane and is thrust into Rapture.
The creepy atmosphere was very difficult for me to play, ESPECIALLY at night. I am a grown man and I am not embarrassed to say that this game made me terrified. Playing it, I was always on edge and felt an extreme sense of hyper tension.
Being a first person shooter, I didn’t have much trouble getting used to the controls. I played through the game slowly; saving often and always looking for more ammo, guns, health, and eve. The plasmid system is amazingly cool – but I could never get myself to use the plasmids very often. I played the game like any other first person shooter, totally concentrating on the guns and ammo. This playing style came to really hurt me in the end. I always had tons of EVE but was ALWAYS low on ammunition. And in the last level I was completely out – which ironically forced me to use only my plasmids and wrench to complete the most difficult level in the game and become a Big Daddy.
Thankfully the game is not a complete bastard and it let me completely ammo up before the end boss.
JUST A REMINDER – HUGE SPOILERS.
The game was absolutely amazing. Even though it was tough for me to get into the game initially, the story ends up fully immersing you sort of without you knowing. Before I knew it, I was feeling a personal vendetta against Andrew Ryan and longed to destroy Rapture. For all the slow-paced gameplay in the early levels (inventing the lazarus vector, etc) – the final act is just completely epic.
I thought the entire goal of the game was going to be killing Andrew Ryan, Rapture’s creator – but in reality this happens and there are still 4 or so hours of play time left. Even so, Ryan’s death was just an amazing video game sequence. He coldly practices his putting while he faces his death. ” … a MAN chooses … a slave OBEYS …” Frickin’ amazing – possibly one of the best gaming scenes EVER. No joke. Watch it: short version. long version.
After Ryan’s death, you proceed to find that Atlas, your friend and guide through the entire game, was actually Fontaine. Fontaine has enslaved with mind control and used you to take over Rapture. And, with Ryan out of the picture there was only one thing left to do.
The rest of the game was fairly difficult… I was constantly trying to find and buy ammo and I really struggled. In the last level of the game I actually skipped saving three little sisters because there was no possible way I was going to defeat a big daddy in my condition. I had to retry the fight with Fontaine one time – but on the second try I whooped his ass.
The ending of the game was short – but still very good. And, really it’s a perfect ending to the game.
I really enjoyed playing Bioshock, even though it took me a good 4 or 5 hours to get myself mentally into the game.