Alright, you’ve got *massive* spoilers here, but the only person I know who intends to beat Bioshock and hasn’t yet has already read this article.
Hit ‘More’ for the link to “How Bioshock should have ended”.
How Bioshock should have ended
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Tag Archives: bioshock
Bioshock – Quote of the Day
“The Wild Bunny, by Sander Cohen. I want to take the ears off, but I can’t. I hop, and when I hop, I never get off the ground. It’s my curse, my eternal curse. I want to take the ears off, but I can’t! It’s my curse, it’s my fucking curse! I want to take the ears off! Please! Take them off! Pleeeeeeease!”
Bioshock – The rich man's Stubbs the Zombie
Bioshock – The rich man’s Stubbs the Zombie
Something has been bugging me since I finished Bioshock a few weeks ago. I realized that, while I enjoyed the environments, I hadn’t found them quite as interesting as everyone was saying. The outside vistas were amazing (the one time you got to see them at the beginning of the game, and the occasional look outside a window), but the inside’s art deco setting just was not as jaw dropping pretty as I wanted them to be.
…
I have just realized: I played this game before. Outsider interloper from the past enters a Utopia built by a single man with a dream. Innate characteristic of foreigner brings change to society and pits character against enigmatic city founder. It a 1959’s retro/futuristic setting.
“But wait, Phokal. Bioshock takes place in 1960.”
“Your right, sir, but Stubbs the Zombie is placed in 1959.”
I finally beat: Bioshock
I finally beat: Bioshock
Well, I may have finished it after all my friends, but I have finally beat Bioshock. It is definitely game of the year material. It certainly has flaws, but for every flaw it does two things right. Continue reading
Bioshock Progress Report #2
Bioshock Progress Report #2
Okay. I now have motivation. There was a great story revelation partway through. Bioshock has a PLOT and characters beyond what they initially portray. Sure, some aspects of it are predictable, but others most certainly are not. And the conversation with the twist revealed is excellently acted. The voice actor/s do an outstanding job, and the entire scene is just directed well.
Anyway, the game is still easy, and perhaps even getting easier; it is hard to tell when everything dies with 2 hits of a wrench. Still, I am motivated to make it through now. They have gotten me interested in Rapture beyond looking at pretty architecture. I just hope the ending can hold up after such a cinematic chapter.
Bioshock Progress Report #1
Bioshock Progress Report #1
I got past the Vegas sequence. That lasted a bit longer than I would have liked, but at least I was collecting something more interesting than chemicals. My character’s wrench is a bit too powerful. With stacking plasmids, my wrench does far more damage than my fully upgraded shotgun at close range. I don’t even have to use any shock+smack combo; the smack kills them in 1-3 hits. The game’s plot is picking up again, but I know I can’t be that close to the end yet.
don’t tell me the ending to: Bioshock
don’t tell me the ending to: Bioshock
I’m part way through Bioshock. It is starting to get a little dull with some fetch quests. At the same time, it is becoming a bit too easy.
This is a problem many RPGs face. In order to give a sense of progression, your character must gain new abilities and become more powerful. Despite new trials arising to challenge you, your character steadily becomes better than these enemies to instill that sense of progression. This leads to the game becoming easier the longer you play, without needing to increase skill. Combined with learning a combat systems patterns, this can turn a game into almost an automated process. Most great RPGs make this progression very slight, almost unnoticeable. They also have excellent presentation, to make sure that as the experience transitions from a game you play to a game you watch, it becomes more interesting to watch.
Bioshock so far lacks the extra “umph” other RPGs express by making you look extremely cool while you bowl over the average bad guy. The extra abilities are fun to use, but are not exciting to behold. Instead, it is exploring the exquisite, changing environment and engaging characters propel you forward. While that is certainly enough, I have played RPGs that have gotten all of these aspects correct <cough>Baldur’s Gate (2, especially)</cough>. Missing any particular part of this equation (exploration/environment + story/characters + progression/combat) will stick out.
One aspect I should mention is I love the steampunk influence on weapon upgrades. A new weapon upgrade sufficiently increases its visual appeal even if its actual use does not. I find it fun to simply look at a recent upgrade’s idle animation awhile.
First Post
First Post
Alright, Let’s test some of the waters with a Mission Statement of sorts.
Why do I need a Mission Statement? I don’t. There’s only a committee of one here. But it may give you an idea of what I plan for this to become. This is a place where you and I can talk about things that other sites don’t talk about, where I can rant without being banned, and (most importantly) chat about aspects of the games, movies, etc. without necessarily spoiling it for everyone.
Sure there will be spoilers here and there, but I will try to maintain discussion threads for general and vague review, rather than always citing specific instances. I don’t believe I need to beat the game in 4 days in order to be able to talk about it on the internet and not have the ending ruined or twist revealed.
I believe we can talk about Bioshock’s wonderful art design and somewhat bland levels without talking about the ending.