Bioshock for the Playstation 3.
Bioshock is a critically acclaimed action game, that has received much praise for its art design and story. Beginning with your crash landing in the underwater city of Rapture, to the insanity of the genetically enhanced Splicers you will encounter, Bioshock delivers on most of its critical acclaim; however there are issues that can not be avoided that truly take away from an otherwise fantastic game.
One of Bioshock's main advantages is the phenomenal art design. No game before has ever looked the way Bioshock does. The underwater city of Rapture is truly unique and will be remembered by gamers forever; the underwater metropolis is truly seductive for the player just as it is for the character. The many locations within Bioshock each have their own unique flair and can be deeply disturbing at some points. All of these artistic advantages are rendered beatifully with powerful graphics and atmospheric lighting. The beauty of Rapture contrasting with the disturbing elements of a utopia gone-wrong, redered with graphics that can be commended for their power creates a world that will not soon be forgotten.
A second advantage is the sound of Rapture. The atmospherics of dripping water, the insane ramblings of near-by enemies, and the sounds of gunfire are well produced, and some of the atmospheric points of the game can be truly immersive and creepy. The voice acting is extremely well done, and is truly one of the elements that drives the plot forward. The cast of characters you will encounter are truly diverse and offers the memorable character of Andrew Ryan. Although I wish more atmospherics were employed, nothing can be taken away from Bioshock's sound.
Finally the story to be told in Bioshock is truly masterful. Arguably the best element of the game, the plot creates a truly emotional experience, despite your speechless protagonist. the employment of the Little Sisters as moral choices creates a moral struggle that devotes itself to the themes of the story. Bioshock's plot is what drives the game to be considered more than a game, but a piece of art. The plot can be divided into three parts that portray the utopia that would soon fall: Business, Science, and Art. The game has three endings, creating some replay value, but the best ending truly propells the game into another class.
Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to make a perfect game, and Bioshock is no exception to this rule. Bioshock suffers in the category of gameplay, the combat specifically. The combat begins truly immersively; the player will learn how to alter his own genes with tonics and plasmids to customize their way of playing; however the combat soon becomes tedious. The combat is not exceedingly difficult unless you raise the difficulty quite high, and fighting the Splicer enemies becomes annoying towards the middle of the game. I feel the game could have benefited from less combat mainly because the environment is such a powerful element in the game. If less combat existed and more creepy atmospheric points existed, than the game's combat would not have become as tedious.
Despite a repetitive combat system, Bioshock stands on a list of great games to play. It is a truly unique game that helps to propell the simple video-game, to a complex art form.
