Review by Grandstream
"5+ Years Of Work Brings One of the Best 360 Games in Existence..."
The makes of System Shock 2, an underground hit, deliver on another successive hit that emphasizes true FPS gameplay with beautifully done graphics, a highly inspired storyline, and one of the top 360 games worthy of standing up there for its genre, like Gears of War and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Enduring a plane crash somewhere in an undisclosed oceanic location, you find yourself swimming for dear life to a mysterious structure. Ascending the stairs, you enter into a bathysphere and descend deep into the water, gazing upon a wonderous triumph of technology known as Rapture, an underwater city that was forever improved upon by many of the greatest scientific minds sought out just after the second World War. Just after you arrive, you soon see another sign of life: a human being just before they are murdered before your eyes by an unseen assailant. And then a sound of reason reaches you within the bathysphere: a radio that transmits a man's sound, known as Atlas. He guides you through the entrance so that you can learn just what is going on...and get right into the fighting.
Utilizing the usual post-world war supplement of weapons, stemming from six shooter pistols and Thompson machine guns to shotguns and the eventual wrench tool for whacking. As you proceed into the game, you find the potential to seek out much stronger weapons, and discovering a truly unique marvel of science known as Plasmids, special substances capable of altering a human's body structure to employ various abilities such as elemental attacks (fire, ice, and lightning) to telekinesis to magically affecting your enemies (such as causing them to go into a frenzy and attack other enemies or fight for you). One of the biggest aspects of the game: a unique enemy known as the Big Daddy, a heavily armored figure that randomly appears in a level as a passive character unless provoked; If provoked, expect one heck of a firefight. But do not fret, for skill, the right assortment of Plasmids, and plenty of ammo will reward you with a challenging fight and various rewards.
The game's graphics are truly wonderous, reflecting more than 5 years of work done by the creators of System Shock 2, with sharp designs and beautiful, lush backgrounds. Even the water effects created in this game reflect one of the most developed elements of the game, and of course it would considering the surroundings and the world you explore.
The weapons assortment is a wealth of fun ways to kill your opponents. As soon as you progress further into the game, you begin turning up various useless items that can soon be utilized to create ammo for your weapons and tools for your journey. And also, you begin turning up more unique weapons, such as a chemical thrower that uses various substances for fire, ice, and lightning attacks and a grenade launcher that fires proximity mines like traps and general explosives that inflict splash damage.
Anyone who plays the occasional FPS or plays them religiously should grace this game with some of their time. Coming off the heels of recent releases such as Prey, Call of Duty 2, and the Darkness, Bioshock delivers as THE FPS of the year, perhaps one of the best games of the year.
Reviewer's Score: 10/10 | Originally Posted: 08/26/07
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