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This is going to sound like lofty statement, but BioShock may be the best First Person Shooter (FPS) I have ever played, and I’ve played most FPS games that have ever been released. Something about BioShock stands out, sets it apart from all the other games. But even though BioShock excels above most games, it must be held to the same standards: one is graphics. If the game is not visually exciting or interesting, it will not be as enjoyable as it can be. Another aspect that is important to any game is sound. Most games now support surround sound, so the inclusion of that feature is not of much consequence anymore, but whether or not a game sounds realistic or believable can have a major effect on the experience. Lastly, the game must be fun. Although this sounds like a simple or shallow categorization, it encompasses many factors: story, length of the game, whether or not there are bugs in the software, and what unique elements the game adds to the genre. It is on these factors that I will grade BioShock.

The visuals in BioShock are nothing short of spectacular. The game begins with a short cinematic sequence of the character’s plane crashing into the ocean. When the character surfaces in the water, the player is immediately hit with some of the nicest looking graphics shown to date. The opening playable shot of the burning wreckage of the plane on top of the water blows the player’s mind. When I first saw it, I couldn’t help but utter a few words of amazement at what I was seeing. The way the fire reflects off of the rippling water shows the true technological power of the Unreal Engine (the framework on which BioShock is run). Luckily, the visual beauty and elegance does not end with the opening shot. As you travel through the Art Deco world of Rapture, a city built under the water, the surrounding world is detailed and visually stunning. In fact, the attention to minute details is what makes BioShock so great. From a visual standpoint, it is very evident that the level and item designers paid extremely close attention to details. The wood is grained uniquely, so that it gives the feeling that it is real, not a lined texture that is repeated over and over. Metal handles, doorknobs, and shell casings shimmer and shine in the dynamic lights around them. The water reflects objects and scenery around it, and ripples or splashes as characters and items move through or on top of it. The lighting is also very realistic. Objects cast realistic shadows, and fire flickers, making shadows move and shift as the fire does. Similarly, the flash of guns and the plasmid attacks (more on these later) also affect the surroundings. BioShock has really captured all the advantages and strengths of dynamic lighting, and the attention to detail has created a truly immersive and exciting visual experience.

This immersive experience created by the attention to detail and sheer excitement of the visuals is only perpetuated and accentuated by the developers’ choices for the sounds in the game. Being a gamer who uses a surround sound system while playing, it is very important to me that a game sound good. Audiophiles who hold games to a higher standard of sound will not be disappointed by BioShock’s immersive audio experience. The radios, speeches, gunshots, explosions, and all other sounds move fluidly throughout plane of sound available, and therefore sound very realistic. Sounds echo differently in a room made of wood than they do in a room made of metal, and the thud of the wrench (a pivotal weapon in the game) is different depending on the material it is hitting, whether it is metal, glass, or human flesh.

The individual sounds chosen for the game are also very conducive to an enjoyable experience. Again, the developers’ attention to detail shines through. The player must believe, not just accept as fact, that the events of the game are taking place in 1960. This is accomplished much by the Art Deco interior of levels and clothing of the characters, but there are subtle audible implications throughout the game that further convince the player. For instance, as you travel through destroyed and nearly abandoned apartments, the radio on the table plays “The Moon Belongs to Everyone” or “Danny Boy.” Regardless of your musical taste, there is no denying that the choice to add period-specific music made to sound as if it is being transmitted from an AM radio station makes you believe that you have traveled back in time.

It is true that the visuals and sound in BioShock are exceptional and stunning, and that they make the game immersive, exciting, and fun, but the true beauty of the game comes from its playability and unique gameplay elements. Without these elements, the game would not be much more than a playable technology demo used to show everyone “what computers can do these days.”

The first of these elements is the story. Unlike many before it, the story of BioShock thrusts the player into a new and exciting, yet thought-provoking and terrifying utopia. (I must warn you as a side note, the following will spoil the story. If that bothers you, I would recommend that you skip it.) The main character, Jack, travels on a plane that crashes in the middle of the ocean. When he swims ashore, he discovers that you are on a small island. On this island is a large building, inside of which is a bathysphere. Given only one choice, he travels down into the ocean in the bathysphere, where he is introduced to the world of Rapture, a utopia created by a man named Andrew Ryan, who sought to free humanity from the bonds of modern civilizations who, according to him, only wanted to take the money earned by workers. Moreover, Ryan introduced genetic enhancements to the citizens of Rapture that give them special abilities or powers. These enhancements, called plasmids, allow people to acquire certain abilities, such as the ability to ignite fires with one’s hands, or the ability to enrage someone around you, among others. At some point, however, things went somewhat wrong in Rapture. Ryan acquired an enemy, Frank Fontaine, who sought to bring down Ryan’s empire. The player is tricked into helping Fontaine kill Ryan, but Jack becomes angry at being used and manipulated by Fontaine, which causes him to seek out Fontaine and kill him.

In Rapture, small girls were taken and transformed in “Little Sisters.” These Little Sisters harvest Adam, the genetic material used to power plasmids, from the dead. They are followed by Big Daddies, who protect them. The player is given the choice to either rescue the Little Sisters or harvest the Adam they carry (there are advantages to both choices), but he must first defeat their Big Daddy in order to do so. The player’s choice to either harvest or rescue the Little Sisters affects the ending of the game.

What makes the story of BioShock so interesting, however, is neither its interesting elements nor its excitability. Rather, it is the fact that the story never seems to end. At many points the player is led to believe that he has finally succeeded and can leave Rapture, but a twist in the story appears that lengthens the game. The story is similar in this respect to a mystery novel, except that the end cannot be seen or determined. Though this element may sound frustrating, it is in fact positive and exciting, as it makes the game one of the longest First Person Shooters ever released (which, when you are paying fifty dollars for the game, is a relief).

Apart from the story, there are several in-game devices that are used to make BioShock as good a game as it is. First is the plasmid system. You acquire as you travel through Rapture more and more plasmids, which give you new and exciting ways to defeat your enemies. The idea of a powers system is rare to First Person Shooters, but is effectively used in BioShock. Just as you find new weapons, you find new powers. These powers are also integrated well into the environment. For instance, if an enemy is standing in a puddle of water, shocking the water with electricity will electrocute the enemy, possibly killing him. Ice melts when flame touches it, and oil spills ignite. The plasmids offer a cool way to defeat enemies that is unlike most others.

Another device that BioShock utilizes is the hacking system. Throughout the world there are turrets, security bots, health stations, and safes that can be hacked in order to be useful to you. Hacked turrets and security bots will attack enemies instead of you, hacked health stations will hurt enemies when they attempt to heal, and safes will open to give you the items they hold inside. In order to hack something, you must complete a level of the popular game “Pipe Dream”.

Lastly, there is the technical side of BioShock. BioShock is not light on computers; it requires very high end hardware to truly experience the full breadth of what it has to offer. This is a minor limitation, as most serious gamers have systems powerful enough to run the software efficiently. Nevertheless, it is important to make sure your computer meets the required specifications. If it does not, BioShock is also available for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. BioShock has been, for the most part, bug-free, except for one problem of crashing that was quickly solved.

BioShock is a game with many positive qualities and few flaws. The attention put into detail by the developers and designers creates an experience unlike many others. I enjoyed playing BioShock more than I have enjoyed playing any other game this year, and would not be surprised if BioShock is remembered as the greatest game of 2007. I would recommend BioShock to anyone who is interested in playing a fun, challenging, and all-around great game, whether you are a gamer or not. If you are not a gamer, and are considering getting into video games, BioShock is a good game to pick up, but be warned: there will be few games as good to play when you finish.