So, I've finished BioShock. Let's disucss... :Spoilers:

Andrew

All I have to say is wow. Just, wow. This has to be one of the greatest games I have played in a long time. The story line was top notch, the game play was innovative and dynamic, and the graphics/theme were rich and spooky. There were only a couple things that I would really have wanted that prevents me from saying this is the best game ever. Here are a couple of issues I had:

• Technical issues. My game froze a couple of times on my 360 and there were times where it seemed to really slow down (when I picked up new tonics/plasmids for example). Sometimes textures were not correct unless I moved an object or interacted with it, again this happened rarely. I'm guessing this is more of an Xbox issue rather than the game, but we will see how the PC users respond.
• One or two AI issues with NPCs. Splicers would get stuck behind some objects (Very rare occurrence).
• More diverse plasmids would have been cool, as well as more ammo types. Some weapons were obviously more powerful than others (was there any use for the chemical thrower?)
• I was really hoping for the ability to invent items at the U-Invent, not just "buy them with parts"
• The game seemed kinda short and linear. Side quests would have been a cool addition to both increase the length as well as open it up a bit more. This also would have been a good way to explore the world of Rapture in more detail as well as allow the player relate to it's former citizens.
• More detail on the player's background and the political drama that led to his creation would have been satisfying.
• The tapes were sometimes inaudible due to poor quality. Depending on the voice, some characters could be heard better than others.

Now this may sound critical, but let me tell you, this is one of my top five games I have ever played. With a story and gameplay as rich as BioShock, it sets a new standard for the single player FPS and I am excited to see if other developers will step up to the plate to match it. So, what did you guys think?

cosmicenema

Do you mind me asking you how long this took you to complete?

Dave

Great game.

Climaxed too early. The best scene in the game happens two hours before the ending, and the rest of it is sort of crap (and they totally waste the oportunity for metacommentary on gaming mores that they so perfectly set up). That's the most criminal flaw in the game as far as I'm concerned.

The story is basically System Shock 2, but now it's "UNDAWAAAATTAAAA!!" It a good story (until the end), and the detective-esque way of piecing it together through audio logs will always be awesome, but if you've played SS2 it's sort of been there done that.

Neito

Has anyone else heard this?

snookernet

I think it's the best game out on the 360 so far, at least in terms of single player. I loved the environment, the schizophrenic splicer chatter, and the propaganda posters. The models and textures were top notch as well. I too had the problem with them not always loading, but I've had this issue with other games as well; I think it's just the way that the Xbox handles textures. The game was a good length, but I agree with WaterIsPoison, it would have benefited from some side quests.

Did anyone else not even bother with the plasmids? I think I had 9 EVE hypos the whole game. I found it irritating and annoying when they broke and kept changing and becoming active, even when you had a gun equiped. Also, I didn't feel bad harvesting the LITTLE SISTERS, I mean, I went through the trouble of killing the BIG DADDIES, didn't I? I did however, momentarily feel like an asshole when I was in the safe house and one of them asked who I was and another responded, "He's the one who hurts us."

Would you kindly...

MitchyD

I haven't read a lot of this thread: I'm not too far, but I will play it ALL DAY tommorrow (sp... It's late). I can't wait, I just put it down now (3am) and meant to at 12. I am back from vacation and played like hell.
 
I thought big daddies would be few and far between but I've killed upwards of 10... Can't wait to see more of this game.

Railith

I wish the game rewarded you for doing creative silly stuff because electro shock + wrench killed every splicer.

The little sister and Big Daddy training ground was really cool, but the wasn't as cool it should have been because the mystery was revealed before when you killed Ryan with a golf club. The escort mission to the stupidly easy final boss wasn't as creative as the rest of game.

BioShock is a fantastic story told through a great game.

snookernet

The one thing I wasn't entirely sure about: were you just trying to pass off as one, or did you actually become a Big Daddy? Tenenbaum mentioned that there was no going back after getting everything and Suchong said in one of his diaries that the suit fuses with your internal organs. If the latter is true, I'm kind of disappointed that they didn't elaborate more on the transformation process. Also, I would have preferred to be a Bouncer.

Railith

I don't think you turned into a big daddy because it looked like they were pumped full of yellow goo while you just wore a suit and got a voice change.

zombie a gogo

I'm going to have to beat it without harvesting the little sisters before I can comment, as I did not care much for the ending I recieved the first time through.

Sparkybuzzed

Easy Top 5 game for me. Just beat it tonite, maybe 13 hrs? Besides the fact that you get the 100G Achievement for not killing the Little sisters, I couldn't bring myself to do it after that first one begged off. Maybe I'll go back and get the evil ending.

zombie a gogo

Sparky...you're making me look evil.

Apreche

I just played the demo with my new video card. In some ways the awesomeness is obvious. Clearly this game is a work of art. In other ways though, I found actually playing the game frustrating. Granted, I think some of that frustration fit well in the game and contributed to making the player feel the same way as the character in the game. However, for me it sometimes made me feel like I didn't want to play.

Overall, I can tell from the demo that this game is clearly the awesome and worth playing, but I'm not going to say it's one of the greatest games ever. Maybe it would be in a top 50 list.

zombie a gogo

Here's my pros and cons of the game:

Pros:
1) Engaging story with some decent, although sometimes predicable, twists.
2) Graphics and sound obviously.
3) Unique environment - underwater utopia.
4) Unique enemies - the Big Daddy's and Little Sisters.

Cons:
1) Lack of replay - you'll likely only want to play it through twice.
2) You feel like you're 3 feet tall when walking around for some reason - it's almost like you're looking from the chest instead of the head level.
3) The ending - I didn't care much for the ending I got, perhaps the other ending is better.
4) Length - wish the game had been a little longer. Perhaps some downloadable content will correct this.

I agree that it would probably make a top 50 all time list.

Sparkybuzzed

Sparky...you're making me look evil.

Well, if the tonic fits...

Overall, I can tell from the demo that this game is clearly the awesome and worth playing, but I'm not going to say it's one of the greatest games ever. Maybe it would be in a top 50 list.

I've played some awesome games, but very, very few have kept me as into the story as this one. I got spooked multiple times, was creeped by the story as well as the action and the unique enemies and weapons worked really well for me. I think the good ending is sweet and works well for the overall story. If this had been a novel I'm not sure I would have put it down before reading it straight through.

Andrew

I found actually playing the game frustrating. Granted, I think some of that frustration fit well in the game and contributed to making the player feel the same way as the character in the game. However, for me it sometimes made me feel like I didn't want to play.

What exactly frustrated you?

Sail

I logged on to Steam today for the first time in months(accepted all the friend invites, thanks!), and downloaded the Bioshock demo fully expecting it not to run on my 4-year-old computer. But got-damn, it did. I'll be buying this game for sure some time in the future.

MitchyD

or did you actually become a Big Daddy?

Watch the ending when you rescue them.
I finished it today... The rescue ending was heartbreaking... I loved it.

snookernet

Yeah, I'm playing through it again and not harvesting any of them this time.

MitchyD

Thems adams is mine, this time!!!

Kiey

I just finished the game and loved it. Originally I felt the end seemed like kind of a let down (I got the saved all the Little Sisters ending) but after thinking about it, it was sort of the logical way to end it considering that the big reveal/turn is 3/4 through the game. You can't really throw in another one at the end without it feeling tacked on.

I'm hoping to write a nice essay on the whole game, I got a bunch of great ideas just before I fell asleep (that seems to always happen.) Hopefully I can get around to writing it up, since there are a lot of things I want to explore about the game.

Also I feel that the gun fight in Fort Frolic to the Nutcracker was perhaps one of the most awesome moments in gaming ever.

MitchyD

That was so beautiful. I instinctually busted out my wrench, and it was just amazing seeing myself clubbing away to the music.
 

ShakingSpirit

I think this guy perfectly sums up my feeling for Bioshock. It was definatly a good shooter, but as far as FPS/RPGs go, it sure as hell aint no System Shock/Deus Ex/STALKER/etc. And was too easy. Way too easy.

MitchyD

I saw that on the Fast Karate forums. Brilliant.

clx

I didn't want to make a new topic for this, so I will tag it on here. This has to be the best review of Bioshock I have seen yet. Well worth a watch.
Link

If anyone has trouble understanding what he says let me know
(the Hitler/Skeletor reference.... had me in stitches)

ShakingSpirit

I just linked to that 2 posts above you ^_^

Thaed

Yeah, Yatzee is a douche. He hates everything and that's why people like him. Bioshock is a much better game than that. Also, I don't buy the fact that Ryan is dead. It seems to me that he probably just used the regeneration chambers. I think Ryan will be back, even though the "good" ending suggests that you hang up your wrench. It took me at least 50 hours to finish (which tells you how much I suck at FPSs). But I did explore everything. There's no way I would go back and play it again through the evil ending. I have two small children-- little girls! To me, Bioshock is a once in a generation game.

Dave

He didn't. It specifically says he turned his Vita-Chamber off if you look at it.

EDIT: And Yatzhee is right with most of the points he makes.