Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Boston/2K Australia, 2K Marin (Playstation 3), Feral Interactive (Mac OS X)
Platform(s):Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Macintosh, Wireless
Genre: First-Person Shooter

ESRB Content Descriptors: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

I am Andrew Ryan and I am here to ask you a question:
Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?

No, says the man in Washington; it belongs to the poor.
No, says the man in the Vatican; it belongs to God.
No, says the man in Moscow; it belongs to everyone.

I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something
different. I chose the impossible. I chose…
Rapture.

-Andrew Ryan

The Scoop: I’m sitting here, and I’m thinking of what I visualize a perfect video game to be like. Perhaps it would have a great story? Superb graphics and flawless gameplay? Maybe I’d like to hear the most convincing and well played voice acting I’ve ever heard in a video game? A perfect video game isn’t just something that remains a game once played, but a keepsake. Something you can cherish and admire forever. That would be BioShock. I’ve rarely played a First-Person Shooter game where I was delivered everything I had asked for and then some.

The Setup: BioShock is a very mature and very dark set game with an even more mature storyline. The story present in BioShock is one of the key components that makes this game so amazing and stand out from other First-Person Shooters. Not only does it stand out gun play wise, but also enemy wise as well. The enemies in BioShock hold to be the oddest bunch I’ve ever seen in any game as of yet but also the most creative. Whether it’s the splicers your facing or the infamous Big Daddy, this game is sure to possess a challenge to all gamers and test the psyche of most human beings.

What’s Hot: There are several things about BioShock that make this game a must have for any gamer.

• Story: The story in BioShockis very intriguing and told better then most stories in recent games. There are limited cutscenes hence the story being told through walkie-talkies and cassette tapes found by the playable character. The story here is a very mature one, but also a very touching story if played correctly.
• Setting: One of the strongest things about BioShock is the setting it takes place in. Rapture. The city beneath the sea. Not only that, but the creepy 1940′s look this game has really adds to game. Just as they’ve said several times, whether it be in other reviews or from the developers themselves, Rapture truly does become your city while playing this game.
• Voice Acting: Good voice acting is something a lot of game developers look past while producing their title. Especially those titles with tremendous story, that yearn for an equally as good voice cast to back it up. BioShock probably has the best vocal acting I’ve ever heard in a video game. Everything is so convincing and all the superb casting makes every character memorable. I definitely give the cast a huge thumbs up on the superb job they did making all the characters matter.
• Upgrades: Practically every weapon in this game is upgradeable, whether it’s increasing the amount of bullets in the clip, to perfecting the accuracy of the gun your shooting. There’s tons of upgrades here to toy around with, and when you’re done with the weapon upgrades, you’ll be able to upgrade all your plasmids to make them stronger as well.

What’s Not: While BioShock is jam packed with lots of pro’s, cons do follow.

• Violence: The violence that is present in BioShock is not only very realistic, but it can also becomes quite disturbing for the not so hardcore gamer. Violence is brought to a new level in gaming here considering the buckets of blood, harvesting of small children and very morbid scenery make this game not one for children at all.
• Lack Of Multiplayer: Now, I’m not one to be disappointed with this. I feel that a video game should be judged on it’s amazing story and campaign, but that’s not how it is for most gamers nowadays as multiplayer has become the big thing, which BioShock has none of. While not being bugged about the lack of multiplayer, I suppose it would have been pretty cool to run around Rapture with my friends whether in co-op or deathmatch.

Final Verdict: BioShock is one of the most deserving games that’s received the Game of The Year award and it belongs in just about every gamers home. While the game is very graphic whether it is blood, children harvesting ADAM or all the other graphic imagery that haunts Rapture, things are also present that make this game superb in every way. BioShock has the best voice acting I’ve ever heard, the coolest weapon upgrades I’ve ever seen and one of the best stories I’ve played through, this game definitely belongs on the shelves of gamers that are willing to test their skills.