Dhruin
SasqWatch
I'll collect the Bioshock newsbits together so the site doesn't become BioWatch, especially since it will probably be quiet before we hit the GC storm in a few days.
ActionTrip has a review, with a score of 92%:
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ActionTrip has a review, with a score of 92%:
...and a site called Game Talk scores 5/5:Plasmids as such add great variety to the nitty-gritty of the gameplay. Taking a somewhat old-school approach (similar to what we saw in games like System Shock *wink, wink*, and Deus Ex), players can decide which type of fighter they want to be. Whether they want to be good at hacking the security systems (hacking handled through mini-games), and generally using plasmids which utilize the environment or the enemies themselves as tools, or if they want to take a more straightforward shooter approach, mod their weapons and go into every fight all-guns-blazing.
The truth is most players will likely take a mixed approach, thus keeping the action as diverse as it can be in BioShock. Even so, diversity is something that BioShock lacks in certain aspects. Going back to my little overture about high profile releases in this day and age, it is important to realize that for all that is good about BioShock, this is not a perfect game, nor is this the best first-person shooter I have ever played. It ranks high up there, but once the media frenzy has settled, people will begin to approach this title in a more objective manner. During their stay in Rapture, players will spend 99% of their time indoors, often in pretty tight spaces in Rapture. This inevitably makes the game feel claustrophobic at times. Concept-wise, one could argue that this is perfectly justifiable; nonetheless, shooters like Half-Life 2 have another dimension to them, simply by being able to take the players out of confined and gloomy spaces and into the sprawling outdoor environments.
From Cult of the Rapture comes news that the demo is/was held over for new drivers:And that's where the real draw of Bioshock lies. The combat is endlessly customizable. You get the standard assortment of first-person shooter weapons, and you will certainly use them, but here they're more of a backup than your first line of attack. Why shoot someone when you can freeze them and shatter them into a thousand pieces? When you can light them on fire and when they run to water to put themselves out, you shoot them with electricity? Throwing someone into the air with a whirlwind may not be the most efficient way to kill someone, but the satisfaction level is much, much higher. A creative player with a full assortment of plasmids at his disposal can come up with literally hundreds of different ways to maim, kill, and obliterate enemies as the game progresses.
...Ken recommends you avoid spoilers:While there are versions of the BioShock demo available now on the web for download, I recommend you waiting until 7 PM tonight to download yours. The official release is timed so that you can optimize your system with the latest drivers that will make the game run as smoothly as possible. Running BioShock with outdated drivers may impact your performance, so if you do happen to play the demo before the 7 PM launch time, please be sure to check your system again after grabbing the latest and greatest drivers as a true measure of performance and quality.
...and finally, there is a note for those who get damaged figurines ion their Limited Editions.If you're going to buy the game this week, I highly recommend you stay away from any forums that might have spoilers until you play the game through. Our goal in making the game was to thrill and, often, surprise you.
Please don't ruin other people's experience by revealing secrets in unmarked threads, and if you want to enjoy the game to its fullest, stay away from any threads that might ruin the fun for you. With a game like BioShock, it will really make a difference.
Best,
Ken
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