As a gaming enthusiast, it’s always exciting to try out the ideas of old that inspired the evolution of pre-existing genres. BioShock breathes a new life into the first-person-shooter formula and also allows you to immerse yourself in a very thought-provoking and decision-oriented storyline. The game takes place in 1960, where a man named Jack finds himself in the underwater city of Rapture after an airplane crash. As a result of business magnate, Andrew Ryan’s pursuit of a supernatural material named ADAM, the aforementioned city is on the verge of collapse.

Jack must explore the ins and outs of Rapture and find a way to escape, all the while facing menacing robots named Big Daddies and encountering Little Sisters, who can be either harvested for ADAM or rescued for similar rewards. Your choices will determine the ending you receive, good or bad.

Plasmids

The best part of the game involved the use of Plasmids. Each one presented a different elemental effect that could be utilized on enemies. Some examples include the Cyclone Trap, which can spawn a tornado that activates whenever an enemy steps in the designated area. The Electro Bolt, a lightning jolt that activates doors and electrocutes enemies is a prime example. One special effect involves using it in water, which will amplify the effects significantly and can finish off multiple opponents at once. My personal favorite was Incinerate, which can deal damage over time to the affected enemy and ignite any flammable material in the immediate area.

The gameplay was very in-your-face and I’ve theorized that it inspired the Borderlands franchise in terms of looter shooters. The enemies you commonly face consist of Splicers, a deformed type of human created by the adverse use of ADAM, and Big Daddies, plasmid-enhanced humans placed in big robotic suits that are hypnotically compelled to guide the Little Sisters throughout the city. You can gain money from these opponents and use them on health stations and Circus of Value machines to gain health packs, ammunition, tonics, and EVE. On the other hand, ADAM can be spent on new plasmids sold at the Gatherer’s Garden, too.

BioShock is an amazing game and extremely innovative. It forces you to think and to feel in order to escape the Rapture and protect what is in your best interest. I suggest it to anyone that wants a fair combination of chaos and feeling in their experiences.