Bioshock - Review Roundup

Let's get straight into this bunch of Bioshock reviews, mostly based on the Xbox 360 version.
GameSpy scored Bioshock at 5/5 and here's their intro:

There is a definite reason that BioShock has earned GameSpy's Game of the Show for the last two years at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. While some have called developer Irrational's magnum opus "the spiritual successor to System Shock 2" (the PC title widely hailed as one of, if not the, greatest games ever realized), we are more inclined to label it as the spiritual superior. That's not a statement that we take lightly, mind you, but when confronted by a masterpiece of this magnitude — a game that is almost more of a quest of self-discovery than a mere plaything — it's impossible to not recognize the brilliance flooding your senses.

…IGN awarded 9.7/10:

As you continue through Rapture, you'll discover it speaks to the nature of what a single-player game is—why do we choose to play a game that isn't online, where you can't interact with others? Like reading a novel, it's to form your own impressions, to see the same events, hear the same words, and come away with a unique viewpoint. The thematic blending and twining of BioShock's personalities is so powerful, it acts like any good book or movie, assaulting you with its ideas, popping into your thoughts when you least expect it, and broadening your understanding of what a game can achieve. Instead of painting Good and Evil across the foreheads of Rapture's denizens with a neon brush, Irrational gave everyone murky motives, much like the shadowed, soaking environments you're constantly plodding through, or the blurred vision you get after walking under one of Rapture's ubiquitous waterfalls.

1Up says 10/10:

Sure, weapons and magic are nothing new. But it's the combat scenarios that extract the real beauty of this two-pronged approach: the enemies you fight and the environments in which you fight them. The most common foe in BioShock is the "splicer," the street name given to the city's residents who overindulged in genetic self-modification and subsequently lost their minds. They come in several variations, and even the weaker ones pose a considerable threat to the unprepared. Battling splicers, especially when they're in a group, has this air of chaotic unpredictability — they have no noticeable "routines," actively track you down or run for cover depending on the tide of the fight, and can use the environment as much as you can (set a splicer on fire and he'll run to the nearest pool of water for relief). Factor in a camera/turret security system whose only allegiance is to the one who hacked it last, and you'll absolutely need to either be comfortable with the plasmid/weapon combination you've chosen or be prepared to use everything at your disposal to make it out alive.
So as a first-person shooter, BioShock is mechanically solid. The control over your abilities is complex without being complicated, and the interaction between the player, the environment, and the threats contained within is seamless. You begin to feel powerful.

…and TeamXbox goes for 9.5/10 but let's take a snip of minor criticism:

I can’t stop raving about BioShock, but I will be honest that it’s not the perfect video game either. First off, it’s an extremely linear game that much of the time channels you from spot to spot along the path you need to follow. While there’s immense variety in the gameplay, as described, at some points it seems too well spelled out, which might irritate those who like more sleuthing in their adventure.

More information.

buying that one now …
i just cannot decide whether i want to play it on PC or Xbox 360
anyone having any reports about the graphical quality the game offers on 360? any differences?
thx in advance for any info

@darghan — two points to consider:

(1) How good is your PC? It'll take a pretty solid one to beat the 360 for prettiness, but if you have one, it will look better.
(2) Consider the user interface. FPS's play better with a mouse than with a gamepad. Also, the PC version has features the 360 one doesn't — for example, the possibility to switch off the quest compass and "golden glow" around mission-critical artifacts.

Personally, I'd pick the PC version even if my machine was sliiiightly below the 360 in spec. If it's equal or better, it's a bit of a no-brainer really. (Also, the PC version is cheaper.)

Heh. It aggregates at 98/100 right now, beating out Gears of War and Oblivion (94/100, both).

Talk about having something to prove.

Originally Posted by Brother None
Heh. It aggregates at 98/100 right now, beating out Gears of War and Oblivion (94/100, both).

Talk about having something to prove.

Yeah, that will fall after release … but I wonder how much.

PS3 players have different opinnions:

http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/?p=83 Score: 5/10

Originally Posted by zakhal
PS3 players have different opinnions:

http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/?p=83 Score: 5/10

Yeah, but look at the comments at the site:

This site hosts the largest collection of retarded fanboys, regardless of camp, ever. You’re doing a disservice to PS fans and product.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Yeah, that will fall after release … but I wonder how much.

I'd estimate it'd fall to 9.5, but that's just a random guess.

It looks to me like some key important opinion leader-types (Game Informer, IGN, XOM) have it at 95% or more, I don't expect many except the marginals to deviate.

Originally Posted by zakhal
PS3 players have different opinnions:
http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/?p=83 Score: 5/10

That website does not appear serious at all.

this game isn't being released on a playstation so how and why are they reviewing it in the first place.

Originally Posted by curiously undead
this game isn't being released on a playstation so how and why are they reviewing it in the first place.

He notes it is a 360 game at the top of the review.

Here's my analysis based on a quick glance; the place is called Sony Defense Force, focused only one PlayStation games. The users are angry that BioShock is not a PS3 release, and that grudge produced this childish review. Note these quotes "the animation seemed stiff and you could tell the 360 was being pushed too hard" and "I also wonder how much better the graphics would’ve been had they not been compressed to fit on a DVD" and "they only had so much system power to work with so maybe this will all be addressed with the PS3 version."

Just an off-shoot of the always-juvenile console wars. Hardly something to take serious.

Originally Posted by zakhal
PS3 players have different opinnions:

http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/?p=83 Score: 5/10

What did you expect. They feel cheated because it isn't being released for the PS3.

But thanks for the link anyway. It was a good laugh. It's quite impressive how much the author managed to criticise the X360 and praise the PS3 in such a short review. Some great quotes:

While the animation seemed stiff and you could tell the 360 was being pushed too hard it still looked like it had a lot of potential.

also wonder how much better the graphics would’ve been had they not been compressed to fit on a DVD.

Now I do not fault the developers for this, they only had so much system power to work with so maybe this will all be addressed with the PS3 version when it comes out.

To conclude, let this game cook in the oven just a little bit longer and wait for the superior PS3 version. Cleaned up textures, animations, AI, extra weapons, Home space, standard HDD and Blu-ray will make this flawed game into a perfect gem.

I pretty much quoted the entire review. It is clear that the game got a low score only because it was a X360 version that was reviewed.

It is kind of sad actually.

EDIT: ah, you beat me to it, Brother None.

That link was good for a laugh. It was also interesting to see this list of scores so far:

GameInformer US - [10/10]
EGM - [10/10]
GamePro - [10/10]
1UP - [10/10]
UK EuroGamer - [10/10]
OXM - [10/10]
X360 Gamer - [10/10]
X360 - [10/10]
OXMA - [10/10]
PC Powerplay - [10/10]
Game Arena - [10/10]
Meristation - [10/10]
Gamer.tv - [10/10]
GamesRadar - [10/10]
GameWorld - [10/10]
Console - [10/10]
GameTap - [10/10]
Console Game World - [10/10]
Alemania 360 Live - [9.8/10]
Hyper - [9.7/10]
IGN - [9.7/10]
PC Zone - [9.6/10]
PC Gamer - [9.5/10]
UnderGround Online - [9.5/10]
TXB - [9.5/10]
Xbox World - [9.4/10

This has to be totally unprecedented.

OMG!!! I'm like so excited I peed my pants. Hello bioshock/oblivion games, good bye rpgs!!!

Um… what, other than the camera angle, do Bioshock and Oblivion have in common?

anything that sells good which is not a troo RPG is the enemy

More hype pls…

Originally Posted by 1111
I peed my pants.

So did I!!! I mean, is it even possible to make a better game than Gears of War??? It's like… man, it's like I have to poo too.

Originally Posted by Asbjoern
So did I. I mean, is it even possible to make a better game than Gears of War??? It's like… man, it's like I have to poo too.

You people need to consult your physicians about your incontinence issues …

Why is it that every time when a game gets positive criticism and high ratings, it's suddenly "hype"? Maybe Oblivion made you bitter, but I do believe that the high scores it received were deserved. It was a solid, polished game. Maybe not the type of game you hoped for, but it broke new ground, was varied and had great gameplay. It might not have been the most creative work ever, but still.

Now, you may well dislike Bioshock when it comes out. I do still believe that the game getting these high ratings is not the work of industry shills and PR hype. The things I've seen in common in these reviews is the great way that the story is told, the atmosphere and the eye for details, not to mention the graphics. So, I'm sure this will be a good game in its own right, whether it's an RPG, an FPS or an action game.