#31 - Bioshock

Walking in the footsteps of the Half Life games, Bioshock contains a narrative that's integrated into the game, as opposed to just being a barrage of cutscenes mixed with gameplay segments. What I like about Bioshock that seriously stops any Half Life game from appearing on this list is that said narrative is compelling as *bleep*! Learning about Rapture and your situation whilst being stranded in the sunken city of the same name made for an interesting experience and the want to learn more kept me playing.

Immersing yourself into the city of Rapture helps make the game work a lot better than if you handle it like you would a standard first person shooter - indeed, the gameplay is a bit lacking as combat isn't all that common nor crazy like you'd expect in this genre, old school or new school, and I feel that this holds back the game somewhat, but due to the ambience of the game, this easily becomes one of the best new school first person shooters on the market. Even then, the gameplay is serviceable. Fighting the bosses and Big Daddies make for some fun encounters, but otherwise, on its own terms, the gameplay is pretty mediocre and it does pretty much rely on immersion to make up for it. Good thing it's something that's easy to get immersed into, eh?

By the way, *bleep* Bioshock 2. Talk about missing the point of what made this one even worth a damn! At least it sort of improves the gameplay, but not enough to be anywhere near as good as this game.

Summary - An immersing experience with an interesting setting and gameplay that works.
Rating - 9/10

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