It’s hard approaching a game like Bioshock. On one hand, you want it to be a new release in the fantastic System Shock series, what with –shock and the developers behind System Shock 2 at the helm; on the other hand, this isn’t System Shock 3 and, despite some similarities, Bioshock is not meant to be a role-playing game nestled into the framework of a first-person shooter. I can see how that might disappoint some. Despite not having a system at the time capable of running the sequel, the original System Shock is one of my favorite games and one of the few to genuinely freak me out. It’s hard not to want that same experience, smoothed over with the advancements of technology and design, today. With achievements. (50 G – Not Screaming Out Loud.)

Reviewing Bioshock isn’t easy, not only because of a mult-layered story that is easy to accidentally spoil but also because of how it rewards one’s obsessive-compulsiveness. For those not wanting to delve into the world of the eccentric self-made Andrew Ryan and his dilapidated underwater utopia Rapture, it will be a harrowing adventure that is reminiscent of 2001’s Clive Barker’s Undying - a period piece about a lone man that wields both magic and weapons to slay monsters in a world gone mad. Those wanting to check every corner, search every crate and cabinet, and listen to every audio diary will be rewarded with a rich backstory of interwoven tales that bring Rapture to life.

Instead of a 1920’s look and the arcane, Bioshock’s look is of the ‘40s and uses science to for its monsters and magic in the form of splicers and plasmids, respectively. The everyman-named protagonist Jack finds himself lost in this world, one that was supposed to be filled and ran with the elite artists and industrialists of its day, unfettered by the constraints of the proletariat’s society, but is now falling apart. In a world where the population has grown disgusting, in power and appearance, with the omnipresent Andrew Ryan mocking and taunting the obvious government agent, the mystery of what happened and why is engrossing. With only the distant Atlas as a friend, Jack sets about finding weapons and plasmids to survive the day and aid his newfound friend.

The actual shooting portion is a bit dated, given, with cornering and blindfiring seemingly years after the game’s design; it’s a very forward first-person shooter. To offset the simplicity of pumping a few rounds from a shotgun or a galloon of nitrogen at an enemy, ammo variation and plasmids diversify combat. Along the way there are Power to the People machines that offer one free permanent upgrade to a weapon of the player’s choosing, and machines that allow for additional plasmid slots and plasmids to be attained. Plasmids are classified as active, combat, engineering, and physical, with the active variations being those wielded by Jack himself and the rest playing the parts of passive abilities. The idea of using electrobolt to take down a group of wading splicers or incinerate to open a door blocked by ice sounds great, but actually getting the ADAM, the currency used to purchase plasmids, is a different matter all together.

ADAM is a chemical created from a newly discovered sea slug that was living near Rapture. Problem: the sea slugs have been placed into young girls, known as Little Sisters – the creepy kids that walk around extracting liquid from the dead. Bigger problem: Little Sisters are protected by Big Daddies, giant intimidating creatures that sport diving gear. To get the ADAM, you must kill the Big Daddy. Not going after the ADAM isn’t really a choice since plasmids are often necessary to handle puzzles and the onslaught of splicers. Once dealt with, the accompanying Little Sister is left defenseless, begging for help. Here is where the game presents its most basic dilemma: do you kill the Little Sister for more ADAM, or do you rescue them for substantially less ADAM?

Once ADAM is obtained, plasmids can be obtained from one of Rapture’s several Gathering Gardens, the vending machines that dispense the powers as if they were candy. Powers aren’t the only thing ADAM is used for; it can also increase Jack’s overall health and EVE levels, the latter being the serum needed to engage the active plasmids.

The world of Rapture alone is enough to entertain. Vending machines sell weapons, ammo, health kits while U-Invent machines allow the industrious to piece together items from scavenged junk. Tubes and pipes can be turned into exploding shotgun shells and proximity minds, while turrets and cameras – along with nearly everything else – can be hacked to the player’s benefit. The hacking minigame – moving puzzle pieces of different tube portions around so liquid can go from one end to another – can get old, but having a security camera call the spunky, plodding helicopter sentries to your aid or turrets defend an entryway from curious splicers never does. Beyond that, though, there is still so much more.

Bioshock isn’t just about an eccentric man who made an underwater city and a hero’s journey. There is a history to Rapture, the realization of the dream, the eruption of violence, the downfall. The audio logs act as the city’s last gasp, describing the events leading up to Jack’s entry. It’s hard not to give too much away, but suffice to say that an elite is only an elite whenever there is someone to be above, and that caused repercussions beyond Ryan’s expectations. The plasmid craze has turned the citizens into crazed zombies, mournful of their actions, crazy in mind, but still addicted to ADAM. Through these characters Bioshock mocks the conventions of gaming, Randian philosophy, and the players themselves.

It isn’t perfect, though. Despite having some of the more poignant sections, the last act falters a bit. This is especially so for those not interested in looking in every nook and cranny. Mocking convention comes back to bite Irrational in the end with some very cliché segments that nearly, or outright do, betray the game’s mythos. And while some may enjoy a bit of mystery in their endings, the loose ends it leaves seem more out of convenience than to engender conversation. There was also a bit of an anticlimactic air to the Big Daddies. The game’s trailer and intro make it seem as though Big Daddies would be epic struggles for survival against a single-minded behemoth, but they quickly devolve into using electricity-based weapons and armor piercing rounds to take them down within a few seconds. The Big Daddies certainly look and sound cool – BBBEEEOOOO – and their presence does cause a pause, but in the end it’s more because of what they should be (see: Nemesis from Resident Evil 3) than what they are.

But what is conveyed adds more than what’s apparent, and there are layers to Bioshock that are worth discussing and cooing over. Rapture is an amazing world with a rich architecture that allows for some unbelievable set pieces. There are moments in the game that are genuinely eerie, and not from overloading the sense with gore but from slow reveals dotted with moments of frenzy. The interaction of the plasmids with themselves and the weapons is done well, with enemies rushing for water when on fire and slamming into the floor with an arrow bolt in their head after being shocked in place. Between the chaotic moments of combat are the lives of people caught up in this struggle, with their motives and realizations ready to be revealed. It can be time consuming to track down and listen to the diaries, but doing so is richly rewarding and absolutely worthwhile.

Overall: 9/10