An article by Hank: Twitter / Twitch
A
lot of gamers today that have never heard of Bioshock before will
watch some gameplay and the first thing they say is, "This reminds me of that game," or "Oh…the way he shoots is just like this game." What they don't realize is that it's the other
way around. Bioshock isn't like a lot of
games today. A lot of games today are
like Bioshock. It's Bioshock that is the
inspiration. From the story, the
gameplay, the physics, to even the way the enemies react, today's developers
are still trying to capture the magic that Bioshock brought to the gaming table
way back when. But why? Why do developers and gamers still talk about
a game that's close to a decade old? It
can't still hold any status in the gaming world. Its ideas and design and story, by this time,
have to be boring and outdated. And
there's where you'd be wrong. Because
everything about Bioshock still impacts the gaming world. It's the type of game that's not only a
classic and fun to play, but it's timeless.
"Listen, honey, I promise...right after I kill a few more people we'll go get ice cream. Okay?"
"No. I want it now. Now. Now. Now. No--"
"Alright! Just please be quiet. *sign* It's times like this I wish I could just climb in a hole and disappear."
STORY:
One
does not just simply beat Bioshock and then walk away without ever thinking
about it again. Why? Because of its story. Not only does this first-person shooter come
with fun gameplay mechanics, but it's based on an idea that asks many different
questions. If you're not aware,
Bioshock's idea of creating a society that puts man and his creations in the
highest regard without the intrusion of government or religion is based on an
actual philosophy created by Ayn Rand. A
philosophy that basically states any man or woman should be allowed to pursue
their own happiness and economic interests without regard to the society around
them; that every man or woman has to first respect themselves before they can
respect others. (Recommended reading: Atlas Shrugged.
Easter Egg: Atlas also happens to be a character in Bioshock.)
Well,
Bioshock takes that first idea (the
pursuit of happiness and economic interests) to the extreme and lets the
player run around in an environment where lunatics have taken over. It all starts with one of the game's
antagonists, Andrew Ryan, the creator of Rapture. He was born a Russian immigrant (just like the real Ayn Rand) and has
seen the destruction that socialism and communism can cause first hand. After escaping to America, he falls in love
with Capitalism and freedom and chases his economic dream. Andrew Ryan, soon after, becomes one of the
richest men in the USA. But his once
beloved free nation, America, begins to fall because slowly socialism and communism
start to seep their way in. So Andrew
Ryan decides there is only one thing to do: create his own utopia (a reference from Atlas Shrugged) where
everyone can be free from the grips of government and religion. He creates Rapture: a secret city under the
sea where the greatest minds from around the world are free to chase whatever
dream they have. But Bioshock asks the
question: what really does happen when everyone is free to do what they want
without regulations. And it's at this point where your character enters the story: right after the downfall of the
once beautiful idea of Rapture.
So
you want to talk about a story that'll be timeless? You want to talk about a story that will
spark several political conversations?
You want to talk about a story that will last even after it has
ended? Then you want to talk about
Bioshock. This is why no matter how old
this video game gets…it'll still be an experience that people will
remember. Now having an idea and a story
is one thing, but it takes much more to create a game that’s memorable and also—most
importantly—fun. So what about the other
aspects of this pixelated adventure?
"Oh hey there, Sir, I was just wondering if you can point me in the direction of the hotel pool? I tried
to ask one of the maids crawling on the ceiling, but she just growled and kept on going."
GRAPHICS AND
SOUND:
Not
only does Bioshock still have some of the best voice acting in a video game—even
in today's standards—but it's graphics still hold up. If you fire up Bioshock today, after a
whopping eight years, you'll still be amazed at the look and feel of the
game. From the water effects to the fire
effects to the aesthetics found in every pixelated nook and cranny of Rapture,
it'll still shock you how inventive and extremely well designed Bioshock
is. And if you're looking for a tiny bit
of horror, wrapped up in suspense, then look no further. Bioshock captured the very essence of spooky
before all these other games began to flood the market. And it's just not the look that does it. It's the sound too. From what the Splicers (the game's baddies) say while they're wondering the halls to the
music to the perfectly placed silence in certain situations. Bioshock easily still holds its own in both
the graphic and sound department. It
even surpasses some games that are out today and that is saying something.
"Darling?"
"Yes, Honey?"
"Why don't you bring me flowers anymore?"
"Because everything died here a decade ago, Sweetheart...including us."
"You always have the best excuses, Darling."
"Why thank you, Honey. Now prepare to be dipped."
PHYSICS AND
GAMEPLAY:
Creating
a game with a remarkable story and tremendous designs is one thing, but
actually making it work for the player is something completely different. Sure a concept artist can knock out beautiful
renderings of a society that has been turned on its head, but now you have to
allow the player to interact with this environment. And Bioshock, again, excels at this task and
even blows a ton of the competition from today's market right out of the
water. In game your character not only
wields several different guns, but he also has abilities to manipulate fire,
ice, and electric, not to mention telekinesis and the many other plasmids (think magic) that are available. Each and every one of these different
abilities has to be written in a code to work smoothly in game. And each and every one is a wonder to behold. You'll have a blast setting enemies on fire,
while also electrocuting them, and then running up and smacking them with a
wrench. Or how about releasing bees to
attack a baddie, and then freezing them in place, only to shoot and shatter
them with a bullet. You'll even be
astounded at some of the Splicer's reactions to their dilemmas. Injure a Splicer and watch them run to the
nearest health station or even better…set one on fire and watch as they rapidly
search for the nearest body of water to put out the flames. Code like this isn't even present in the
majority of games today, but it's all here in Bioshock. So between the physics engine and the
gameplay, the player can have a field day while running around in Rapture.
"Are you lost little girl?"
"Nah, Mister, I'm just jamming this giant needle in this corpse's ass. You wanna help?"
CONCLUSION:
When Bioshock arrived in gamer's hands eight
years ago, it certainly made an impression on the gaming community and
developers alike. It took the boundaries
that were present back then in video games and exceeded every one, creating new
possibilities for future games and inspiring new developers to do more with
their ideas. Bioshock captivated the
video game industry with story, design, inventiveness, graphics, physics and
sound. It's the kind of game that every
inspiring developer should try to emulate and gamer's everywhere should expect
when picking up a new pixelated adventure.
If you've never played Bioshock, stop what you're doing right now and
jump in…and if you have, but haven't thought about it in a while, now's the
time to experience Rapture all over again.If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
Fallout 4: Kiss Your Real Life Goodbye
Bloodborne: The Perfect Mix of Pixelated Addiction
Video Games: The All-Digital Future
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