The flaming shipwreck that catapulted the conversation of "are games art?" into mainstream. Bioshock might not be the first game that really provided an integral story spearheaded by an auteur creative, but it's certainly represents many people's first time experiencing such and being aware of that. It probably helps that it launched on a console as huge as the Xbox 360 the same time it hit PC.
Ultimately, it's a rowdy, noisy game that calling it 'messy' is an understatement, but that's sort of what I enjoy the most in Bioshock. Even its gameplay dons the atmosphere of an underwater city ruined and pillaged by mutated psychopaths. The core gameplay isn't that well-paced, but it certainly gives you a lot to do exploring the areas of the town. It's also full of neat little touches I appreciate, like how most things are movable, or how weapon upgrades visually change the way your gun looks, things like that.
The story itself is also fun to experience, I think. Not everything about it works, but enough does. It serves as a fine analog of how individuality and self-worth can destroy someone and their ambitions, if not kept in check. Something we're seeing . . . often these days. Huh.
Ultimately, it's a rowdy, noisy game that calling it 'messy' is an understatement, but that's sort of what I enjoy the most in Bioshock. Even its gameplay dons the atmosphere of an underwater city ruined and pillaged by mutated psychopaths. The core gameplay isn't that well-paced, but it certainly gives you a lot to do exploring the areas of the town. It's also full of neat little touches I appreciate, like how most things are movable, or how weapon upgrades visually change the way your gun looks, things like that.
The story itself is also fun to experience, I think. Not everything about it works, but enough does. It serves as a fine analog of how individuality and self-worth can destroy someone and their ambitions, if not kept in check. Something we're seeing . . . often these days. Huh.