My problem with the game, and this is not saying that I don’t understand the reason why, but I just wanted it to be different, is that it lacks a dynamic story depth. Tell my when you are presented with a choice in the game except with the little sisters.

I expected so much more from this game, story wise, the gameplay was great, but I felt unsatisfied when it ended. It didn’t feel like I really had a changed the game, or that my actions helped. It would’ve been cooler if you could, for instance, have side quests that give you Adam or items, but it has none of that. That would give the game a better replay value. Also you don’t really get rewarded for exploring the world, because besides the obvious paths, there is little else to see. Not that the world is beautiful, but with such a great atmosphere is a shame that you can’t see more.

To say that this game has no flaws is redundant. None the less it’s a great game, probably even the best of this year. But it could’ve been just that bit better (for me at least).

I don’t want to flame you, but that sound like marketing talk for saying, we didn’t have enough time to make the game feel like you aren’t playing a game anymore. So we chose to mock gaming by taking away the choice and make a linear game. This way it appeals to a broader audience. You even say that they wanted to make it more non-linear, but couldn’t due to time constraints.

I just wanted this game to be more rpg like :(. Still had a great time playing around with the plasmids an enjoying the art deco style though :).

*Spoiler* Seriously don’t read this if you havn’t finished the game!!! You have been warned.
I understand the puppet aspect, because when you meet Ryan you are still a puppet. But it doesn’t make sense, ’cause Atlas told you to kill him, so why just stand there and not kill him as soon as he opens the door. And he isn’t you ‘master’, so ‘would you kindly’ shouldn’t work. For that matter why didn’t Fontaine just tell you to kill yourself after dealing with Ryan?

It would be cool if you could have a minigame where you could try and stop yourself from killing Ryan by mashing the buttons, controller vibrating as you try to stop the golf club. With Ryan repeating in a bellowing voice ‘a man choses a slave obeys!’. Depending on how you played the game it would be more difficult. That’s something I would’ve liked to see :D.
/*Spoiler*

Oh and with that ‘just a shooter’ part I was referring to the linear story progression, not the complex combat. The gameplay brings this game to a whole new level and it deserves a big fat 9!

The point of removing your control was to reinforce that you are playing a game, that as gamers we are puppets. That’s the whole point! You’re supposed to feel like there is nothing you can do, in that way BioShock mocks gaming in its entirety - many games present you with “choices” but in the end there is little you can do but follow the rails.

Yes, BioShock is a “shooter” but its not “just” a shooter - its gaming commentary and its clever. I have grievances with the way the game progresses from that point because THEN you are given no choice as you have to continue to follow orders but as I believe its been mentioned by Levine, he wanted up to nine endings but they didn’t have the development time. This happens and its unfortunate but you can see the intent.

In the end, the good ending really is its reward to itself, its a feel good ending but its definitely a good one - the bad ending needed much more work however.

Personally, I felt a much stronger connection with the Little Sisters when I saved them the second time round, actually I felt like a dick when I saved them then heard their comments when I was in the saferoom.

It is a linear game but in the end the points it make couldn’t be told in a non-linear story.

I also had a hard time feeling bad about harvesting the little girls, because when I save them they make me feel worse because they scream ‘Noo No Nooo’. When you harvest them they only push your hand away and it seems quick and painless (I just saved her soul and a life as a little girl in a infested place, so it’s a win win situation). It would be much better if they would thank you when you’re trying to save them. Of course they do it afterwards, but it still doesn’t feel very good.

I’m not saying that it’s a bad game, just to linear for what it could’ve been. And for all the great gameplay, I feel the story could be more about choices and the way they impact the world.

But why it deserves a 9 is because it is groundbreaking in it’s own right. Just because YOU can choose how to kill the enemies in ways that have never been done before. At least not as good. And that’s the way Bioschok lets you change your game, you don’t influence the story much, but you influence the action.

I hope Fallout 3 will give the same emersion and depth in combat, but nails the story and choice impacts.

This game is fantastic; I wholle agree that those who generally shy away from the FPS should give it a go.

how about try diff approaches, try more hacking, or switch to plasmid development over weapon… theirs lots of differences.

I also hoped it would be scary but truth be told, there were only two moments that made me leap off my chair unlike Condemned.

Still, an absolutely brilliant game and amongst the best on the console so far.

I’ve played allot of games in my life…. and I mean allot…(I’m 32)…. and Bioshock is one of the best game experiences I’ve ever had.
I give it 9.7

It would have been nice to have the little sisters with more dialogue. Hearing them going on about angels every 10 seconds gets repetitive fast.

I loved it, it was a work of art.

Excellent review.

Yeah, my bad, the 60’s is present time in the game, and the whole city wasn’t built in a day. Too bad there isn’t a edit comment/delete comment option.

When I first ’saved’ the little sister, hearing her say ‘No, no!’ almost made me feel bad for doing something I thought was good. Plus hearing ‘No, Mr. Bubbles, NO!’ yeah everytime, I feel bad for killing big Daddy.