Bioshock just saved the day!!
Presentation and Storytelling:
From the get-go, you'd notice the heavy, atmospheric environment setting in the game. And not only that, it's actually a dark mythology set in a city under water called Rapture.
Your airplane gets hijacked by unknown enemies and you run away for your life to the nearest station you find and there you are warmly welcomed in Rapture. The story unfolds as you progress in the game and what amazes me is how very well-written dialogues, the storytelling and how convincing the characters are.
Of course, this game was in the beginning of the PS3/Xbox360 generation. So we'll review it as the standards of the 2007 period of time.
The game wastes no time in presentation as it is found little here. But everything is simple and easy to use. From the layout menu, to your weapon gear when you pause to change your weapon, to buying equipment from different shops. You don't even need tutorials and that's a very good thing. Most games just waste time teaching you what you already know. #Yes, I'm looking at you Tutorial "Move the right stick to move"#
Nevertheless, I found the story very intriguing and there is a big, big twist that will make you wowed. It will come out of nowhere, just before you think you've finished the game.
Score: 9 out of 10.
Sound and Graphics:
I know it's hard to review a game that's outdated a little bit. It's 2013 and the game was released in 2007. But the voice acting is very top-notch, it makes you feel, care, want to know more these characters' daily lives, the things they do in Rapture and how it's the city came to.
Graphically, it doesn't do anything special. Everything looks plain and a little low texture and shades. Hiccups are encountered usually. Slow downs as well during heated action that makes the experience a little less enjoying.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
Gameplay:
It's a first-person shooter, how do you think it plays?
Controls are so like shooter you've seen before. There's absolutely nothing new here. But the RPG elements the game has is what it defines Bioshock all along.
You've got two weapon classification; the weaponry slot and magic slot.
The weapons are handgun, machine gun, shotgun, flamethrower, and a wrench for melee attack.
The magic on the hand, there are cool stuff here found such as; Electro Bolt, Incinerate, Blast, ..etc.
The gunfire gets heavy as you make progress in the game. Enemies become harder to kill and annoying to sneak behind. You fight Big Daddies to either rescue or harvest the innocent. Either way, you get ADAM, skill points to upgrade your magic and other skills from hacking tools, nutrition, and your medicine (little girls found in each stage)
Big Daddies are very hard to kill and near the end, they're like a mini-boss-like monster.
I generally like how Bioshock sets the standards for the series and the gameplay is way better the most modern shooters nowadays.
Score: 9 out of 10.
Conclusion:
I pretty much enjoyed playing Bioshock. I never expected something like this especially from a game that's been around for many years. I underestimated the game all those years and when I played it. I was having THE blast of what a shooter game should provide.
Bioshock is the game that saved the shooter genre.
Bioshock saved the day.
Bioshock is THE GAME..
Score: 9 out of 10.