| If you are really into playing video games on your | | | | utopian city was built and genetic experiments |
| Playstation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii console, | | | | were performed in the 1940s, and then the |
| or even on your PC or PSP, then get ready to be | | | | complex fell into disrepair for reasons unknown. |
| thoroughly entertained and possibly even blown | | | | Sixty something years later the complex is |
| away by some impressive new game releases in | | | | revisited and we find out that it has been overrun |
| the year to come. There is a whole new crop of | | | | by mutant genetic experiment creatures that |
| games that will be released in 2007, but Bioshock | | | | have a taste for human flesh. |
| is one that certainly deserves some extra | | | | Ken Levine, the general manager of Irrational |
| attention. | | | | Games describes Bioshock as a convergence of |
| A highly anticipated game from Irrational Games | | | | technology and biological life in which genetic |
| that has been in the works since 2004, Bioshock | | | | experiments are featured. It is by no means a |
| is the "spiritual successor" to the cult-classic | | | | sequel to System Shock 2, whose setting was a |
| System Shock 2. It will be released in the spring | | | | corporate-sponsored starship. |
| of 2007 for Xbox 360 and PC. | | | | Bioshock has no story connection to System |
| Bioshock is a futuristic/post-apocalyptic game | | | | Shock 2 other than the fact that they are both |
| about people fighting science experiment mutants | | | | horror-themed. The similarity is in the way the |
| gone out of control in the ruins of a city that was | | | | game is played as the player gets to decide what |
| built under the sea in the 1940s. The storyline and | | | | they see and interact with by the decisions they |
| the graphics are as creative as any video games | | | | make during each step of the game. |
| on the market, but the most engaging part of | | | | According to Ken Levine, the interactivity level of |
| this game is the problem-solving aspect. The user | | | | this new game will be "unprecedented". The player |
| is continuously challenged to figure out what has | | | | becomes immersed in the interactive |
| happened to this underwater ghost town in order | | | | environments and confronted with a series of |
| to move the game along. | | | | player-driven choices. This creates a style of play |
| Like the other games from Irrational that came | | | | the developers of the game call emergent |
| before it, Bioshock is a dazzling, complex and | | | | gameplay. |
| highly interactive experience that challenges | | | | Another impressive aspect of this game is the AI |
| gamers of all levels to solve its mysteries as they | | | | ecology which dynamically searches for |
| interact with adversarial beings and creatures. It | | | | opportunities to fulfill their purpose. The player can |
| has a dark and cryptic look to it that brings to | | | | even manipulate the AI ecology to work in their |
| mind the mines of Moria scene from the Lord Of | | | | favor, turning enemies and NPCs against each |
| The Rings where the Fellowship battled the Balrog | | | | other. |
| in the abandoned dwarve empire under the Misty | | | | Of all the games that will be released in 2007 for |
| Mountains. | | | | Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PSP or PC, |
| Bioshock is set primarily in a broken-down | | | | Bioshock is sure to be one of the best. It is a |
| underwater complex that seems to be a relic | | | | hybrid first person shooter game that combines |
| from the World War II era. Players move through | | | | elements of science fiction and role playing genres |
| the game with a first person perspective as they | | | | with interactive environments and player-driven |
| battle mutant creatures that roam the halls and | | | | choices. |
| streets of this decaying city. | | | | This is a challenging and engaging video game that |
| Nothing is quite clear to the user at first, such as | | | | allows you to literally be in the middle of the |
| what the complex was originally used for, and | | | | action and decide how the game plays out. If you |
| why it is being used again, but things become | | | | like your video games to be as creative as they |
| more apparent as they progress through the | | | | are engaging, then Bioshock is one you will |
| game. What is eventually apparent is that a | | | | thoroughly enjoy. |