Fallout in atlantis...
A perfect example of a game existing by its sound effects. Most players will be more thrilled by what they hear in the game than the graphics which after a while will bore becoming so alike.
Of course those graphics are superior to earlier games, and quiet intriguing. The makers of the game deserves at least to be awarded by their innovative settings, even though it has already been visited by black isle, long ago, they suceeded to revive the style years after in a differant way.
Rapture (city in the deep ocean) is a great idea. best graphics, light effect, amazing water effects, and weapons. Sure any rewiever will easily fall under the charm and overrate this game asap.
But some players will after 2, or 3 hours gameplay realize that they keep killing "zombified humans" and "big daddies" over and over again, and hacking robots once in a while for a change.
The Quest system is so typical and basic that you could ask for a refund just because of it:
In each level of the game, you have 3 items to find, which in some way will open a door to another level. Of course the items change, and the way u need those items change, but its so cliche and boring that, you may want stop playing quiet in the middle of the game.
For any other game this would have been acceptable, but to spoil such a world with such lame quest is un-acceptable. (repeat: city of 50's style under the sea, with amazing architecture).
But the worse part is not that. The city "rapture" you explore through out the game, even though very well made, never gives you the feel that people lived their before. The places you visit give you more the feel that there were adjascent rooms all over the place, with people just wandering around.
You start asking yourself? How those people lived? were they so few? if they were, why the city is that big? who lived there?
The protagonist, never talks in the game, so the story evolves by hearing "recorded diary tapes", and some guys (good or bad) talking to you through a radio, making you wish to turn it off at the very begining of the game.
Bioshock should have been a very interesting game, if worked a little more on the story, and sourrendings, as for on the encounters and characters.
It should have been made as an RPG more than a FPS, but still it deserves a descent score just for the idea which good parts balances well directive flaws...