I've been a gamer for sometime now, and yet I have only just now played BioShock. I greatly regret not playing it sooner. BioShock is absolutely fantastic. Prior to playing the original game, I played BioShock Infinite. I love Infinite for its amazing story and fast paced action (you can check out my review on Infinite if you like). Because of my play through of Infinite, I was extremely surprised how different the original BioShock is. I'm very excited to talk about this fantastic game!
Story - 9.5: Irrational Games is truly the best at telling stories. Although the story isn't quite as focused as Infinite, the story still had me hooked until long after the credits rolled. The story is a constant mystery, and that's what makes this game so special. You have no idea where the story is going or what exactly your role is in it. Once you find out what exactly is going on, your jaw will hit the floor. The only negative I can think of is that parts of the story definitely feel like time filler. Parts of it simply didn't feel like they contributed to the story as a whole.
Gameplay - 8.5: The game's gameplay is very exciting and very nerve racking. As you explore Rapture, you are constantly on alert for a surprise attack. The second you drop your guard, you'll be attacked out of nowhere causing a ripple of fear and excitement I have yet to play in a game. At times though, the combat feels unbalanced. As you progress, enemies take more and more bullets to actually kill, and the combat seems to be easy and very difficult at random. Also, you don't actually die in this game. When you die, you are healed and re-spawned from a tube. All the enemies you killed are still dead, and your enemies do not heal at all. That's when the game looses its tense edge. Also, the final boss fight is surprisingly easy build up especially with the intense build up.
Graphics - 9.5: Even though BioShock came out years ago, the graphics have stood the test of time. The best part of the graphical design is the atmosphere that it creates in Rapture. Everywhere you travel feels unique and tells a story. It makes you wonder what could have gone wrong in this once thriving utopia. There are the occasional glitch or soft texture, but none of those take you out of the experience. Once you enter this world, you never want to leave.
Verdict - 9.0: BioShock is a huge achievement in gaming. It has stood the test of time and has taken a permanent place in my collection. This is a classic game that will continued to be played in years to come. If you haven't played it yet, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy right now. You won't regret it!