This game excels in its environments and in its story. However, what makes it less than perfect is average game play.
In reality, what makes this game stand out is the effort in storytelling and the rich environment. At the end of the day, especially after the finale, you will find yourself enjoying this game like you do a good wine...slowly, smoothly, and with intent. It is not often that a game so richly pulls things together at the end in a way that makes you interested in what might come next in the series let alone potentially interested in playing again. While I won't likely play BI again, I appreciated the overall effort in this one to tell a well woven story that even draws in some elements from the previous two games.
Unfortunately, while the environment was pretty and the story was, overall, quite good, one can't help but simply feel this game has become a less than perfect FPS. Guns are fairly standard though they come with some upgrades that, well, are fairly conventional. The vigor option goes in with the series but, honestly, for the longest stretch of the game I didn't even need them and the game reminded me multiple times that they were there if I wanted them. Quite simply, the vigors felt like they were there because that's what Bioshock does but, in the end, they're just another weapon to be used like anything else.
Fighting in the game, generally speaking, was quite easy. Only in the later portions of the game do you feel like the challenges step things up but then the game finishes and you're sort of left aching for a little more. Like BS2, the final battle is just a big swarm of baddies. They're all the same ones you've been fighting already but just in a bigger number. Honestly, this game could use some more intentionality in the fighting and enemy development areas.
Too, while it was nice to have a partner that threw you stuff during a fight, this is about the extent of her role other than allowing you to have various stations "pop in" to the battle scene. Honestly, this whole thing just seemed kind of tacked on and didn't really do anything to the overall fight sequences. It made things, initially, feel new and refreshing but, in the end, such things seemed more to get in the way than anything else.
I have to give these guys credit for weaving a fairly good story though it is disappointing that it only gets really good at the very end. If the ending didn't happen the way it did, this game would get a lower score from me. Too, while I appreciate the fervor surrounding this title, I just don't feel it is a perfect 10 like so many people give it. In a game you have the important mix of story, environments, game play, characters, etc and this game excelled in only a couple of those areas. I feel it not fair to give a 10 to a title unless they excel in a number of those areas.
I'm still a big fan of the series and of this game. I'm just don't give out 10s very quickly.