"A man builds a city at the bottom of the sea. That's a marvel. Another man happens to be on a plane that crash lands on the same city in the middle of the ocean. Why, that sounds more like ... a miracle." -Andrew Ryan.
And with those words of great portent you are once again reminded of the alien and awe-some (and altogether terrifying) atmosphere of Bioshock in the city called Rapture; the city that was built on the bottom of the ocean. Throughout this curious city vestiges of the forties remain. Old record players play swinging club music while deformed and twisted people yell out insane jargon and charge at you.
Something in Rapture went terribly wrong. Where "...petty morals" don't bind scientists mad experiments, revised medical aid (unasked for surgery), and the discovery of a substance called ADAM were just the beginning. It was a city without limits. A kite without strings. When you arrive it has already fallen into chaos. Near everyone went insane, their DNA spliced to provide them with incredible benefits while robbing their minds of any humanity or will. Yes, fire can shoot from your fingertips, but that stops being neat when it is used to melt the people around you.
Taking up whatever weapons and personal splices you can find (without the effect of insanity for special reasons unmentionable to those who have not played it) you are launched into this twisted hew of sky-scrapers after crash landing (verrrry conveniently *wink*), into the Atlantic RIGHT beside it. There in the dark of a moonlit night rises the monolithic lighthouse in the middle of the ocean. With no where to go and no other survivors you step in and tremble as the doors slam behind you. You are contacted by the few remaining survivors and you slowly start to understand the history of where you are. The poetic and callous recordings of people who retained their sanity lie scattered across the beautiful and artistic remnants of the once majestic city. You visit old hotels and taverns, theater houses and industrial sectors. You truly begin to understand the horrifying scope of the catastrophe that is Rapture. It truly has suffered from Bioshock.
This game is beautiful. The art and locale, the atmosphere all call out to be explored, understood. It mystifies. However, amidst the contrasting shadow and art is extreme (EXTREME) violence. This game is not a family game, it is more of a novel of classic literature on par with the horrors of Heart of Darkness or Crime and Punishment, only more violent and grotesque. It is a commentary on the times, the folly, the vice of man and their downfall. Furthermore the language, though often poetic and highly stylized, is scattered with swearing. I play with volume barely audible for the brilliant voice acting, though not just for the previously mentioned caveat, but because it is a delightfully frightening game. For those of you looking for a story to sweep you off your feet, mystify you, horrify you, and ultimately leave you pondering moral dilemmas, I suggest to you Bioshock. However, with the shocking content I cannot suggest it to the general population who might be reading this. It is a game I am cautious to play, but one that is worth at least one ride through for the seeker of art, beauty, and truth who can stand to look at something with lots of dark shades; dark shades that bring out humanity and ultimately help us understand ourselves better.
Enjoy at your own caution and be ready to delve deep (no pun intended) into a fantastical science fiction setting.
Images taken from IGN.com and http://bioshock.wikia.com
Yes, an engaging and engrossing game with great beauty in dark shades. And I haven't even played it. I've just watched it played at different times. I don't think I could get through it all on my own.
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