BioShock Xbox 360
User Score
8.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1691 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,511 out of 1691
  2. Mixed: 53 out of 1691
  3. Negative: 127 out of 1691

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  1. pasifik
    Jun 1, 2011
    10
    Original and refreshing, has an amazing storyline aswell as an amazing atmosphere and setting. Enjoyable combat, maybe a little bit repetitive for some, the game paces well too.
  2. Bio
    Oct 1, 2007
    10
    Intense, breathtaking, and original. If you don't like this game, take a break and detox from the Halo hype, and try again later. Ahh, isn't that better? I thought so.
  3. Kevin
    Aug 15, 2007
    10
    While this review is only on the Xbox Live demo, This game is flawless. The action is intense and it really is a thinking mans FPS. If you think you are Rambo this game will soon prove you wrong. Use your head stay alive and if you don't have this game you are missing out on the greatest game of 2007! Hands down Game of the Year.
  4. GPRatcliffe
    Jul 8, 2011
    10
    Absolutely amazing game for those looking for a more ethical and idealistic challenge, This game has so many different intensity levels, for example walking around in awe at the architecture to fighting a Big Daddy, this game has it all!
  5. C0YS
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    The most political game you will play on an Xbox, a great art direction, and simply brilliant. If you haven't played this yet its a must. Its not a game you can play for a couple of minutes then leave. Its a game that requires the user to be warped into its world
  6. CoDFather
    Aug 14, 2010
    9
    Damn, if only you could rate w/ decimals! This game is almost perfect, a game to be remembered for all eternity, rather than Bioshock 2- 5/10, damn! The storyline; Outstanding, yes, the plane crash is a little lazy, but once you enter the bathysphere, you're entering a world beyond your dreams, the mystery of who you are and who is really to trust, leaves you at the end of your game chair. The perfect combination of horror, violence, and mystery makes this game deserve all ratings between 9 and 10. Why not 10? Well, I'm hurt to say this, but some of the graphics aren't the best, like when you kill a splicer and they, sort of do that twitch on their way to the floor, and how the graphics and subtitles are supposed to meet with the sound, that isn't the best, nor the worst. In all other categories of what makes a game, a game, 10/10.… Collapse
  7. Sh0dan
    Jul 6, 2011
    10
    One of the best games of all time. It was touted as the spiritual successor to System Shock 2, and while it never quite achieved that, it did manage to become a fantastic game in its own right. I have to say Irrational Games have become my favourite developer due to the care and attention they put into their games. Every moment in BioShock has been polished to a high sheen, the graphics are awesome, the style is unique, the game-play is extremely well balanced and paced between shooting, narrative and other activities like exploration and growing your character. The A.I is some of the best I have ever seen. But most importantly of all for me, is the way you can play the game however you want to. If you like to get in people faces with the shotgun and melee weapon you can do that, or you can stick with rapid fire weapons and high explosives, set traps, go stealthy, use the myriad of plasmids etc. Its just a fantastic and game and so spooky to boot. Without a doubt it is one of my favourite all time video games. If you like intelligent shooters then this is a must play video game.… Expand
  8. Badsniper
    Jul 20, 2011
    10
    Well. Bioshock is the one game that pushes the others out of the way and declares "Look at me, I'm only storyline." Damn straight. Bioshock is that rare game that you play and go "That was AMAZING." And then the game company's milk the series dry. Hopefully it will not end like Halo.
  9. SuperVincent
    May 21, 2011
    10
    Without a doubt my favorite game of all time. I knew it was one of the greats when I played it back in 2007 but reserved judgment for my favorite game of all time until it was a couple years old to make sure I wasn't just being blinded by the shiny new thing. Now I am certain. As much a philosophical journey as it is an entertainment ride, this does a better job at conveying its ideas than any novel I've ever read and its the only video game I quote in intellectual conversation regularly. What more can I say? It just has the feeling of something big for the video game industry. It reminds me of Citizen Kane in many aspects. And thats one of the highest compliments I can award.… Expand
  10. MightyMole
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    The shooting mechanics and controls may not be anything special, but this game has one of the most unique settings in video games. Throw in the eerie atmosphere, quirky characters and one of the most memorable plot twists in video game history, and you have what makes BioShock one of the greatest games this generation, if not of all time.
  11. FrostAiden
    Mar 18, 2012
    8
    The originality in the game is truly spectacular. The plot written remarkably well, as it makes the character feel the exact emotions the character should be feeling. Also the way villainy and the antagonist was perceived as, made the game very compelling and truly unique in it's time. It's graphics are good, and they add well to the atmosphere, it also adds well to the plot, making you understand how bad things actually are. The game relies heavily on emotional fear, rather than jump scares, which succeeds in actually giving the player a scare. It also makes the player wonder, how evil and maniac like a human can become. However, there are some down sides, the RPG part of the game is put simply horrible, you pretty much know what your choices will lead to, and compared to the rest of the game, it does not really leave much of an impact. The gameplay could be a tad smoother, but it does not in anyway change the experience. The major reason this game is not getting anything higher, is the endings, after an emotional roller-coaster, and a generally fun awesome experience, the ending seems a but flat and does not live up to the actual plot of the game at all... I does not give the nice heart warming ending that a good person should feel, nor the sinister and twisted ending a bad player should feel. It just falls short compared to the rest of the game.… Expand
  12. DanG.
    Nov 30, 2007
    4
    I just couldnt bring myself to finish it. It wasnt that bad, it just wasnt anything special and I had better games to play (Halo 3). Although the story was interesting and the atmosphere was incedibly deep, the gameplay was meh. Killing the splicers and Big Daddies just felt like a chore and the . I dont understand why the reviewers cant stop raving about it; its just not that special.
  13. WarEagle
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    I started this game twice and couldn't really get into it. So I put it aside for about a year. Then I came back to it, and in the course of about 5 days I finished it to both game and achievement completion. I'm quite glad that I did - as BioShock turned out to be a truly fun game to play. While fairly linear there is just enough variation in the decision making tree for various items (weapons, plasmids, & tonics) to allow for some player creativity. And the story (mainly told by completing missions and finding a multitude of audio diaries) was above par for a video game plot line. The finale was a bit of a letdown, but it still didn't dispel my belief that this was a truly excellent game.… Expand
  14. TJH
    Sep 27, 2007
    4
    I thought this game was extremely wierd and couldnt get along with it. Although i thought the visuals were very nice indeed the game was just too odd for me.
  15. RichardW.
    Jan 13, 2008
    0
    It amounts to a technical demo of the U3 engine in essence. In gameplay, it's repetitive and easy. I don't care what anyone says, if you've played shooters before you can play this on the hardest setting with no challenge, and there's nothing unique enough to provide a motivation for moving forward. Really, plasmids are nothing new, we've seen similar things in Jedi Knight II, System Shock,etc. Graphically it's impressive. But what everyone praises it for- storytelling- it seems subpar. Am I the only person who sees the blatant Atlas Shrugged ripoff as a ripoff, not an "influence"? It isn't influenced at all by the philosophy as a few reviewers claimed, no doubt too enthralled by the bandwagon to read the book in question before jumping on it. It seemed like every reviewer had a hardon for the games-as-art idea and wanted to talk about it as much as possible instead of the lackluster gameplay, but fine, where's the meat of the plot? We have this: "Ryan believes in this thing completely, and Fontaine believes in nothing. At the end of the day, they're almost equally dangerous. [Fontaine] is a nihilist, all he cares about is himself. He has something missing in him that makes us human." I missed how this is any more interesting than the time honored concept Nintendo uses of light-world/dark-world.… Expand
  16. BillyE.
    Oct 1, 2007
    2
    Bioshock has a lot of potential. Starting off with the good, the storyline is one of the best ever, and the audio tapes are a very nice touch. THE BAD. As promised, there are many ways of killing your enemies. Unfortunately, the game's difficulty is too easy. The developer told people that ammo would be scarce and it ISN'T. A brief search through the trash cans and tables of rapture will yield more than enough ammo. Also, the one-two punch introduced in the beginning of the game (shock+wrench) is useful throughout the entire game. Why use telekinesis on your enemies when you can just shock and whack them. Why use advanced tactics when you can just shock and whack your way to victory. Hacking? Its useful but too easy. Big daddys can be taken down by using a shotgun with electric bullets. Simple. Bioshock has many innovative features but it does not PROVIDE enough circumstances of which they can be utilized. Translation: Its too easy… Expand
  17. JamminJ
    Oct 31, 2009
    6
    This game was not my cup of tea. I bought it used and traded back in after the first play through, which took 2 days. The environment, which is touted more than anything else, can be summed up as such: Gotham City under water. I will not likely play the sequel but I can understand how others really enjoyed the game.
  18. DanielB
    Jul 15, 2009
    6
    I can tell from the majority of other reviews that this game ranks highly on other people's list. Let me be clear, in no way do I feel this is a bad game. On the other hand I do not see how it achieved such a loyal fan base, insistent on giving it a ten out of ten. I rented the game due to a personal doctrine of only renting games that are single player only. Soon after, I found my rental period expired and I had only played approximately a fifth of the game. It frankly did not appeal to me as much as thought it would. The graphics and the art direction were good. The story is at best a weak tribute, or at worst a rip off, of Ayn Rand's book "Atlas Shrugged". The game play is a repetitive mashing of FPS elements with "cabinet-opening", tied together with hacking minigames and collecting recording of various charters to move the story along. The game is a high note in art direction and fidelity, but falls flat in game play and story telling.… Expand
  19. CitizenWolf
    Aug 18, 2009
    4
    This game bored the pants off me. I really don't see what all the hype was about. So it was set underwater. So what. The only aspect that amused me were the accents. They reminded me of home. Other than that I thought it was dull.
  20. MarkS
    Oct 17, 2007
    3
    Certainly not worth the scores it has received. The graphics and storytelling are about all that's good - or rather, medicre - in this water-clogged interactive story. Gameplay (shoot once, run out of ammo, then pull out the wrench) and fun (have I been here yet? Where am I? What am I doing? Is that thing good or bad? This is boring.. ) were clearly sacraficed in place of graphics.
  21. ArkonBlade
    Oct 22, 2010
    7
    a good shooter game that was abit over hyped . i liked the funky graphics sytle they did for this game . the story is intresting and keeps you motivated to want to know what will happen next with a good plot twist . every one calling this game open ended is exagerating ALOT! there is no open endedness to this game you are stuck on a path killing things and thats about it . when i think open ended i think morrowind , oblivion , or fallout 3 ... not this game. the wepons selection is pretty much the same old stuff nothing new . you can make different types of ammo which is cool and upgrade your guns . the powers are a mixed bag some are useful most are crap . which is where this game fails abit the powers are really most usful when playing on casual if you play on mediem or higher they are kinda usless a few will have there uses but guns will work better . which make this a typical shooting game but still a good one . this game will take you 8 hours to complete which makes me wished i just rented it instead of buy it . because after i beat it i had no disire to want to play it again . going good or evil was really no point as it really didnt have much effect out side of you get more adam or less and a differnt ending.this game getting GOTY ... i just dont see why.… Expand
  22. Ravenous
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    Very good game. The story is clever and unique, and the gameplay is "riveting", so to speak. While I am not typically into straight-up shooters, this game keeps you on your toes the entire time, and you never get bored. I found it odd that some reviewers found this game to be too hard... it isn't really that hard at all, and you can easily beat the entire game without dying.
  23. chenocorp
    May 9, 2011
    10
    A really new generation game: use of the graphics in an inmersive way, great sound, great graphics and quite good playability. I really recommend it! Don't miss this jewel!!
  24. Fuz_Munkey
    Jul 13, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing, no other word for it, the graphics are amazing and have something I like to call style, the plot is extremely amazing and the gameplay is also extremely awesome. It covers all it's bases and is extremely creative and original. This game is a must have.
  25. herpidtyderpity
    Jul 16, 2011
    10
    This game is definitely THE BEST GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED Everything about it is perfect or near perfect . I can't stress enough how good this game is!
  26. zombiebird
    Jul 24, 2011
    10
    I imagine it's the CoD and Halo fans that give this game a bad review. I'm currently on my 7th(yes, 7th) playthrough of this game, and it's still breathtaking. The story isn't new now that I've experienced it but the experience of playing this is unlike anything I've ever played before. Neither Call of Duty, Halo, or any other first person shooter, including Half Life 2, can match up to the power this game exudes. If you haven't played this, shame on you. Go get it now. It's readily available and quite cheap nowadays. Perfect 10/10… Expand
  27. xXRenTyrellXx
    Sep 16, 2011
    10
    A highly original title. "Bioshock" brings us a new world, with rememberable sights, characters, music, moments, and true beauty. There is no site quite like the beautiful, dead city of "Rapture".
  28. SpunkyMonkey
    Nov 14, 2011
    5
    Bioshock certainly isn't a terrible game by any means, I played it all the way through to the finish and certainly had some fun in the process, however two fundemental design choices kill any real excitement that the game has to offer - Firstly you can only carry a certain amount of ammo - now this wouldn't be so bad but you can go from full to empty in no time at all, which doesn't add anything to the tension, it just means that you spend ages searching every nook and cranny for additional ammo, which you then despense with in seconds again, on so on, and so on; it really does turn sections of the game into nothing but a chore. Secondly, if you die you just re-spawn a few steps away, there's no real bad side to dying in the game and once you realise this the whole excercise feels pointless. There's a few nice bits in there, but it's just a very average shooter for me that won't live very long in the memory.… Expand
  29. JakeV.
    Oct 10, 2007
    9
    As close to perfect as technology allows. Makes Halo III look like Wolfenstein.
  30. Brandon
    Aug 21, 2007
    10
    The only way to describe this game is brilliant. Simply brilliant, vibrant world that just goes so smoothly. I absolutely love the Art direction of this game along as the music and theme of this game. Above it all, it's fun to play. It's a nice mix of FPS, and RPG. I really hope people pay attention to all the reviews about this game, because nothing below a 9/10 or 90% just proves how well made and brilliant this peice of art that we call a game is. They just raised the bars for every game.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 88 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 88
  3. Negative: 0 out of 88
  1. ActionTrip
    92
    In a nutshell, beyond any shadow of doubt, BioShock is an excellent single-player shooter experience. The undeniable quality of this title and its emphasis on true and not pseudo-mature storytelling and character development make it a must-have for every self-respecting gamer.
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  2. GameSpot
    90
    Its weak link is its unsatisfying no-skill-required combat, which might aim this one just over the head of the average Halo fan. But if you want to get a little fancy, there's a lot of fun to be had with some of the game's more indirect fighting methods. It builds an amazing atmosphere by using terrific graphics and sound to set a creepy mood. But BioShock's real strengths are as a compelling work of interactive fiction, and as a unique ride through a warped world with some great payoff built into its mysterious plot. If that description has you even the least bit interested, you won't be disappointed one bit.
    Read full review
  3. GameDaily
    100
    The first-person shooter's great looking, has an engrossing storyline, a perfect balance of action and exploration and a totally customizable combat system that can be described as nothing less than video game rapture.
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