Bioshock...the First

So, I finally finished Bioshock. I mean, I'd already played the second and Infinite but I hadn't been able to find the first in stores and then one of my former students reminded me that I can buy the games online through the Playstation Store.* After purchasing it I had to wait for awhile as I decided to do a very grown up thing and buy a house. But, over the last week I lost myself in the world of Rapture.

For those who haven't played it you play a character name Jack Wynand who has crashed into the ocean and found himself by a lighthouse. Following the discovery of a bathysphere he quickly finds himself in the world of Rapture, the underwater city created by Andrew Ryan. Unfortunately, 'civil war' has broken out among the residents after the discovery of Adam, a genetic material that can give you various powers such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis etc. The residents have become addicted to Adam and have started to mutate, becoming Splicers and Rapture has begun to fall apart.. Jack's only help comes in the form of Atlas, a supposed friend who is desperate to save his family and himself. Atlas guides him through Rapture in an attempt to get rid of Ryan and save them all...

The environment of Rapture, alone, is breath taking. Just look at the images below.

Image Link

Image Link

I was already a fan of the Bioshock regardless of not having played the first game so I might be a little biased in regard to my review but this game was really good. 

Overall the game was immersive enough for me to loose track of time. I found myself going through various rounds looking for more information or more secrets to the world of Rapture. Little details really made the game stand out to me - especially little things such as posters, stores and the toys of Rapture's children. 

The weapons and the plasmids (Adam infused serums...) made the game challenging and fun. Plasmids are picked up throughout the game by gaining Adam. Some of my favourites were Incinerate and Electro Bolt. They were definitely the two I used the most. The longer I played the more adept I became at switching from Plasmid to Plasmid and changing up my weapons. Sometimes I became a little confused with which side was which and I would find myself cycling through Plasmids when I really just wanted to change my weapon but it wasn't enough to distract me. 

The plot for the Little Sisters and Big Daddies was eerie but interesting. The option on whether to Harvest or Rescue the Little Sisters added a level of unease to the game. By that I mean that I could never do anything but Rescue the children. This leads me onto the fact that the game has different endings depending on whether you Rescue or Harvest the Little Sisters. Which made me enjoy the game a little more. Since I couldn't bring myself to harvest the Little Sisters (a process that kills the girls) I had the happier ending for the game. The same idea was also done in Bioshock 2. Though there were three different outcomes, if I remember correctly. 

One thing that really unnerved me was hearing the Little Sisters carry on as little girls, calling the Big Daddy "Mr Bubbles" with an innocent sing song voice before shoving a syringe into a corpse to extract more Adam. (Which they they drink...) Creepy yet I couldn't look away. And, I have to admit, killing the Big Daddies made me a little sad as well but I think that helped me enjoy the game. 

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. If you are only going to play it once definitely rent it but if you like immersive games with incredible backstories buy it. My overall score would be 8.5/10.

Pros: 

1. The Art of the game. 
2. Characters. The prominent characters really stood out. Atlas, Fontaine, Tenebaum etc. 
3. The background. A lot of effort had been put into the background of the game and that is something that really draws me in. I love the nods to history, even the anachronistic ones.

Cons:

1. Weapon glitches. Every so often, when I would revive in a Vita Chamber, my weapon would still keep shooting even when my hand was off the trigger. What a waste of bullets. 
2. Toward the end there was a point where I found myself getting annoyed with a side character that kept getting in my way. I am pretty sure it was a minor glitch but I just ended up yelling at the screen...

For more information check out BioShock Wiki. 

My next mission is to get a copy of Portal 2. I've seen game play and I really want to give it a go.
Question time: What plasmid would you like to have? Although I enjoyed Incinerate I think Telekinesis would be fun...(This could relate back to my obsession with the Dark Phoenix story line in X Men.)
Until next time,
Peace and Pancakes.
*Sometimes I've been known to be a little slow on the uptake...

Why BioShock Infinite Was My Game of the Year...

There were many amazing games released this year and more than a few were tied for first and second place in my overall thoughts but there was one game that managed to stand...or should I say "float" above the rest.

BioShock Infinite just blew me away. It was a stunning display of graphics, plot, characters and just plain enjoyable moments where you actually find yourself becoming lost in the world that Irrational Games/2K Games created.

I feel that I need to give a little background on my gaming history before I carry on. Although I am not new to gaming, growing up with a Commodore 64 and the original floppy discs before moving onto a Sega Master System 2, I never had the money for my own console until recently. I guess you could say that I was a dabbler until I finally decided to bite the bullet and shell out for a PS3. And, before you all start hating in the comments I think that both consoles are equal in their value and that's final.

Anyway, back to the important stuff. The game.

For those of you who don't really know anything about the game click here for the wikipedia page. It's as good as any place to start.

Basically, I don't need to tell you about the game I just need to tell you why I enjoyed it so much. I'm also going to limit myself so I don't scare people off or, worse, bore them.

Here go the four main reasons I loved this game:

Graphics/Visuals - this was a stunning game. Truly beautiful and creative. There was just something about the costume design and the actual floating city that made this game stand out. The colours alone leave impressions that make me want to return to drawing. Add to this the minute details that made the city of Columbia come alive. From the moment Booker arrives in the city to the very last scenes you are presented with a sensory overload of scenery porn. Plus, when Booker first gets his hands on one of the skyhooks - grizzly but awesome at the same time. (Add to this the cosplay of Elizabeth and Booker at SDCC was just stunning - Chris Hardwick as Booker presenting at panels - priceless)

Characters - Booker Dewitt and Elizabeth are engaging and complex. It is this very complexity that makes the game stand out. The only rival for both this and the above reason is definitely The Last of Us. In fact, if I'm being perfectly honest, Ellie eclipsed Elizabeth in this respect but it is only fair as Ellie is more of an integral part of TLOU. Don't get me wrong because BI is still the best game of this year but TLOU was so bloody close. The characters that cinched this for my number one has to be the Luteces. Robert and Rosalind. Honestly, those characters and their background are just amazing. Check out the BioShock Infinite subreddit (I am trying to get the link for you but my computer and reddit are just not co-operating at the present time) to find some great essays about all of the characters, not to mention the tears.

Music/Sound - As with every game it is not just the visual aspect that gets you but the score. BI is no different and all I will say is the listen for the Creedence Clearwater Revival cover of "Fortunate Son" sung by one of the Vox as she sits in front of the gallows...

Story - sure the gameplay is important but without a compelling story who cares. BI brings it all to create a powerful game that has so many levels (one of the reasons I am desperate to teach this game as a visual text next year.) Again there is nothing I can add to this that hasn't been said throughout the year. This game can cause controversy as it attacks various ideas/ideology that was present in the 1900s (pre then as post then as well). Many of the ideas (racism, religion, conversion, war, slavery and the list goes on) are still prevalent today, which only serves to make this game even more exciting.

It is the precise combination of these aspects that managed to propel BI to the number one slot in my favourite games this year. Let's face it, who wouldn't want to experience Columbia in it's hey day and give those skyhooks a bit of a trial.  So, what games did you all enjoy this year? What games can you recommend? More importantly, which vigour would you choose? Me - I had fun with undertow and possession.