Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 51 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 468 Ratings

  • Summary: Going beyond "run and gun corridors," "monster-closet AIs" and static worlds, BioShock creates a living, unique and unpredictable FPS experience. After your plane crashes into icy uncharted waters, you discover a rusted bathysphere and descend into Rapture, a city hidden beneath the sea. Constructed as an idealistic society for a hand picked group of scientists, artists and industrialists, the idealism is no more. Now the city is littered with corpses, wildly powerful guardians roam the corridors as little girls loot the dead, and genetically mutated citizens ambush you at every turn. Take control of your world by hacking mechanical devices, commandeering security turrets and crafting unique items critical to your very survival. Upgrade your weapons with ionic gels, explosives and toxins to customize them to the enemy and environment. Genetically modify your body through dozens of Plasmid Stations scattered throughout the city, empowering you with fantastic and often grotesque abilities. Explore a living world powered by Ecological A.I., where the inhabitants have interesting and consequential relationships with one another that impact your gameplay experience. Experience truly next generation graphics that vividly illustrate the forlorn art deco city, highlighted by the most detailed and realistic water effects ever developed in a video game. Make meaningful choices and mature decisions, ultimately culminating in the grand question: do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture...or save them? [2K Games] Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. It's a triple lightning strike of character, freedom and sound. [Dec 2008, p.90]
  2. 100
    Is BioShock the greatest game of all time? I honestly don't know, but it's one of the most interesting and immersive experiences to grace our beloved medium.
  3. BioShock presents moral choices that haven’t been successfully achieved in gaming before. It takes risks, demolishes taboos, and is still one of the most impressive titles ever released. While the game is not perfect I cannot bring myself to give it any less than a perfect score. It is easily one of the best games ever made, and one of the most entertaining experiences ever created. The plot rivals great novels and the voice acting and animation trump some of the best movies.
  4. 85
    For those who haven't already been down to Rapture, Bioshock is an experience not to be missed.

See all 51 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 90 out of 99
  2. Negative: 3 out of 99
  1. Masterpiece is just the word too use, there has been so few with innovation, beauty and perfection. Bioshock is no doubt one of the greatest games of all time and other's should appreciate and be inspired by what it accomplished for gaming. Expand
  2. Bioshock es la muestra de los nuevos juegos de 1st Person Shooter de esta generacion, seguro que mas adelante veremos clones o secuelas de esta saga, Rapture una ciudad ambientada en los 50's bajo el agua por distintas razones entre politica y caos mental, con un personaje protagonico que interesa la forma en la que se deshace de sus enemigos a traves de plasmidos y balas, buena trama excelentes graficos, atmosfera como de clinica mental y una musica que hace que quieras estar con alaguien al lado por eso del suspenso in extremis, recomendado como un must de esta generacion Expand
  3. aspentitan
    7
    I enjoyed Bioshock but it is overrated at 94. When it first came out I think it may have deserved this score but since then many games have come out with lower ratings that are better than this game. Bioshock was just ahead of the curve so to speak and this game is fortunate to get high ratings just for being one of the first games out that was actually a good next generation console game/port. After browsing the PS3 lineup now, this game gets pushed way back. Bioshock had a real nice atmosphere and some great sound and cinematics but I was annoyed by many things in this game. The first is an outdated game called pipedream that is really (now in 2010) a cell phone application game which acts as a puzzle to various items to hack. I didn Expand
  4. andrewL
    4
    Honestly, its only rental worthy - first of all, i cant imagine wanting to play the story mode (not sure why i specified that there was a story mode, as theres no multiplayer mode for me to confuse anyone with.. whats with that?..) again without my items, of course you can but that involves paying $12.50 off the PSN store so 'F' that. the game has charm at first but once you find you felt you spent more time watching the game install than you have playing it its become an annoyance. its almost impossible to hit enemies without spraying your weapons at them wasting precious ammo. then when you need ammo you talk to that hideous clown machine to spend your life savings on 12 pistol bullets. it becomes horrendous saving the girls after youve seen the same bloody animation 30 times (you know.. "NO... NO... *harmonious music*) and the damn hacking puzzles are so tedious and insanely annoying. some start in an impossible direction leading you straight to a trap, sucking your entire life bar just for not being quick enough. not forgetting how amazing the graphics are it was actually a good game, great game actually... but its definitely not something i want to own anymore especially without any enticing replay value. Expand

See all 99 User Reviews

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