BioShock

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2694 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,326 out of 2694
  2. Mixed: 163 out of 2694
  3. Negative: 205 out of 2694
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  1. 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 thinka 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
  2. 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 addBioshock 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
  3. whizzm
    Nov 3, 2008
    7
    dont see what all the fuss is about. i mean it is a good game, but there is no way it is one of the best games ever. i played it for about a week and got bored of it. i love fps and have been playing them for nearly 20 years and i can safely say there are better ones out there. its a game worth buying but it is very overhyped
  4. 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 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
  5. 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.
  6. AndyK.
    Sep 26, 2007
    6
    Great graphics at all, but the enemies look somehow poor,no other enemies except the splicers and the game gets boring after 2 hours gameplay.
  7. VilleH.
    Sep 9, 2007
    5
    It's an OK shooter. But in the end, the plot is preachy and overwrought with a ridiculous twist false ending, and the game mechanics quickly become stale and dull. Constant 'inventory' juggling is awkward, there are about four types of enemy in total, and unending repetition of a watered-down version of Pipe Dreams (the 'hacking' subgame) drives you up a wall. It's an OK shooter. But in the end, the plot is preachy and overwrought with a ridiculous twist false ending, and the game mechanics quickly become stale and dull. Constant 'inventory' juggling is awkward, there are about four types of enemy in total, and unending repetition of a watered-down version of Pipe Dreams (the 'hacking' subgame) drives you up a wall. It's pretty good. But it's not that great.… Expand
  8. BenD.
    Aug 30, 2007
    7
    Superb graphics...and that's it. Shallow repetitive gameplay with too many pointless tasks getting in the way of the overall flow - does anyone really enjoy repeatedly hacking the machines? It's another Doom 3 - dark and dull.
  9. spiderpig
    Aug 27, 2007
    6
    good solid fpsactionadventure title
    not 100100 as many reviewer have given it doesnt bring anything new to the table
    feels like an updated version of system shock which i much prefer to bioshock graphics an art 1010 gameplay 55 no multiplayer hurts it bigtime in this day an age to not include any multiplayer or co-op is criminal buy on xbox 360 pc avoid at all costs    good solid fpsactionadventure title
    not 100100 as many reviewer have given it doesnt bring anything new to the table
    feels like an updated version of system shock which i much prefer to bioshock
    graphics an art 1010 gameplay 55 no multiplayer hurts it bigtime in this day an age to not include any multiplayer or co-op is criminal
    buy on xbox 360 pc avoid at all costs securerom aint getting on my pc ty very much 2K !    … Expand
  10. Daniel
    Jan 16, 2008
    7
    Satisfying, but not spectacular. I'm not an experienced gamer -- I casually play the games that my brother buys for his XBox if they interest me -- but I was surprised, given the reviews, how little this wowed me. Rapture is visually spectacular, but limited; looking through windows and portholes made me want to explore this underwater world with greater variety than wandering Satisfying, but not spectacular. I'm not an experienced gamer -- I casually play the games that my brother buys for his XBox if they interest me -- but I was surprised, given the reviews, how little this wowed me. Rapture is visually spectacular, but limited; looking through windows and portholes made me want to explore this underwater world with greater variety than wandering through variations of the same darkened corridors and spooky rooms. The story is impressive, with twists that surprised me and an emotional element that moved me, but the final battle is too simple and the ending felt abrupt. (Maybe there's a better cutscene if I play on a higher difficulty?) It doesn't help that I played this after "Mass Effect"; the depth and replayability of that game put this one to shame.… Expand
  11. dominikj
    Feb 9, 2009
    7
    This game has great story, great atmosphere, and cool enemies. But for guns this is not that good as they are severely underpowered and the aiming is shit. I found myself only using the wrench and telekinesis and incinerate in conclusion gameplay sucks ( at least for guns) melee and plasmids pass and are clever and its not open as some reviews say (they might as well be saying that COD 4 This game has great story, great atmosphere, and cool enemies. But for guns this is not that good as they are severely underpowered and the aiming is shit. I found myself only using the wrench and telekinesis and incinerate in conclusion gameplay sucks ( at least for guns) melee and plasmids pass and are clever and its not open as some reviews say (they might as well be saying that COD 4 is open) but everything else it did well.… Expand
  12. ZachU.
    Feb 3, 2010
    7
    This game was good,but it wasnt on my top ten xbox 360 games of all time!?? REALLY CRITCS!!?? After awile in the first playthrough I got bored and stopped playing it because you were doing the same things over and over.But it was a good game for me, there is no chance in hell that this is better than mass effect 2 CRITCS, plus you think the graphics are somehow better than mass effect This game was good,but it wasnt on my top ten xbox 360 games of all time!?? REALLY CRITCS!!?? After awile in the first playthrough I got bored and stopped playing it because you were doing the same things over and over.But it was a good game for me, there is no chance in hell that this is better than mass effect 2 CRITCS, plus you think the graphics are somehow better than mass effect 2,GET REAL.Plus the storyline is more interesting in my opinion, and I certainly played mass effect 1 and 2 alot more tan bioshock.… Expand
  13. SasukeU.
    Oct 26, 2007
    7
    It's a good game, but only if you like to spend the whole game indoors, i find Bioshock very boring, i would prefer Half-life 2 or Halo 3. However the graphics are excellent, the plot is decent, but the game is quite difficult, simplyu put don't buy this game if you just want a relaxing good fun first person shooter. I would give the graphics a 9/10 but i would only give it a It's a good game, but only if you like to spend the whole game indoors, i find Bioshock very boring, i would prefer Half-life 2 or Halo 3. However the graphics are excellent, the plot is decent, but the game is quite difficult, simplyu put don't buy this game if you just want a relaxing good fun first person shooter. I would give the graphics a 9/10 but i would only give it a 5/10 for its funess.… Expand
  14. ShinP.
    Aug 16, 2007
    6
    It is a decent game but nothing really sticks out from the swampy FPS genre. The graphics are top notch but the game just gets boring as it goes on. Sure it has its differences from some traditional FPS but it still didnt break the mold of the FPS genre.
  15. MarcusR.
    Aug 21, 2007
    7
    Alright,I just finished Bioshock.My biggest complaint with the game is it is too easy,I literally had to stop playing at one point to raise the difficulty level.This is a big problem for me,as I thought the game would be quite challenging. Another problem I encountered was a glitch of some sort,whenever I inject a plasmid when battling more than one splicer,the game freezes for about 5 Alright,I just finished Bioshock.My biggest complaint with the game is it is too easy,I literally had to stop playing at one point to raise the difficulty level.This is a big problem for me,as I thought the game would be quite challenging. Another problem I encountered was a glitch of some sort,whenever I inject a plasmid when battling more than one splicer,the game freezes for about 5 seconds,then continues.Not a very big issue,but not a good one as well. Other than that,the game is solid,definitely a good one.The animations are good,the graphics are good(there's a widescreen issue,but it's not worth a whole paragraph),the storyline is a bit cliche,but it is rewarding. Overall,7/10,good,but not amazing.… Expand
  16. ChaseB.
    Aug 23, 2007
    7
    Its easily the best thing available on 360 right now (but ofcourse there realy isn't any competition when it comes to actual good titles). Its a fun game and it tells a highly entertaining story that falls just short of half life 2 proportions (though the style of story telling is suprisingly similar). The game uses great idealistic imagery and has a deffinate sense of style. It is Its easily the best thing available on 360 right now (but ofcourse there realy isn't any competition when it comes to actual good titles). Its a fun game and it tells a highly entertaining story that falls just short of half life 2 proportions (though the style of story telling is suprisingly similar). The game uses great idealistic imagery and has a deffinate sense of style. It is also a game plauged with tiny problems (makes me wonder of Microsoft paid them money to rush it like they oh so love to do). You will notice alot of spazzing corpses and items (not as bad as Perfect dark but still bad) and a good many floating bodies aswell, but these are ofcourse minor asthetic problems. As gamespot said while compelling the gameplay is basic and easily mastered and so while there are some great and thuroughly enjoyable ways of killing people, you realy hafto want to use them because its oftin easier to just shoot an enemy in the face with your pistol and kill him than to use some elaborate method that may or may not work. There are some great features like capturing enemy turrets and using them for yourself that may or may not end up being usefull depending on the situation. If the gameplay here had a little more depth I would jump at the chance to give this game a higher score, but as things are I think gameplay wise its little more than a servicable job of keeping the story (this game is all about story) going. The combat here is no halo but it does function. The reason I am stressing so much the weak gameplay dispite the great story is that its a little upsetting after all the hype for this game, and all the potential it certainly has to see it fall short because the developer didn't spend the time necisary polishing the final product. One thing I will say though is that the best part by far is the voice acting, truly some of the best in any game out there. I got it on both 360 and PC and so far just as an FYI PC is both superior visualy and in terms of gameplay (but ofcourse mouse always trumps controller).… Expand
  17. Liam
    Aug 26, 2007
    6
    Firstly, dont believe all the hype this game is getting. Yeah sure its got a high average meta score, and raving reviews from most game magazines, but seriously...
    With my favourite games been half-life (both 1 and 2) i was sure i was going to enjoy bioshock. I did for the most part, but its simply more of the same. The graphics i grant are good but nothing breathtaking, the story at    Firstly, dont believe all the hype this game is getting. Yeah sure its got a high average meta score, and raving reviews from most game magazines, but seriously...
    With my favourite games been half-life (both 1 and 2) i was sure i was going to enjoy bioshock. I did for the most part, but its simply more of the same. The graphics i grant are good but nothing breathtaking, the story at times can get a little predictable and for me the gameplay was lacking that real substance. I have given it a lower score of 6 mainly because i dont believe the game deserves the major reviews its been getting. Realisticley the game deserves an 8.8 - 9.0 (or 85-90 using the meta score)    … Expand
  18. PaulM.
    Sep 12, 2007
    6
    This game starts brilliantly! The atmosphere and visuals are impressive and the gameplay is good. Unforunately the beginning of the game is the best part about it. The more you play, the more repetative it gets. Shoot this, hack that, go here, go there... it gets very old, very quickly. Your human enemies are very limited (4 variations i think) and then you get 2 variations of the big This game starts brilliantly! The atmosphere and visuals are impressive and the gameplay is good. Unforunately the beginning of the game is the best part about it. The more you play, the more repetative it gets. Shoot this, hack that, go here, go there... it gets very old, very quickly. Your human enemies are very limited (4 variations i think) and then you get 2 variations of the big daddies. Once you work out a tactic for them (which wont take long) the gameplay is boring! I found this frustating as the game started so well. Even the environments later in the game don't have anywhere near the imagination of the earlier stages. Still a solid title but it has to many flaws to be a real classic in my eyes. Disappointing!… Expand
  19. SteveM.
    Sep 13, 2007
    7
    Good effort but not the awesome experience every reviewer is claiming and definitely not a patch on System Shock! Very imaginative interior design but maiming splicers quickly gets dull. The game does start very well but quickly becomes quite ho-hum in terms of gameplay and puzzles. Plasmids are not innovative - they're just weapons!! Narrative techniques are ok but we saw all of Good effort but not the awesome experience every reviewer is claiming and definitely not a patch on System Shock! Very imaginative interior design but maiming splicers quickly gets dull. The game does start very well but quickly becomes quite ho-hum in terms of gameplay and puzzles. Plasmids are not innovative - they're just weapons!! Narrative techniques are ok but we saw all of this in HL years ago. To quote Public Enemy - Don't Believe the Hype.… Expand
  20. RicardoC.
    Sep 2, 2007
    7
    Not so hot as they say. Story is a kind of a LSD bad trip. The places are extremely annoying and have repetitive compositions. Not scary at all. Predictive actions. DOOM 3 graphics and textures abuse from bump mapping and loss detail when you came near. The avatar's hand is extremely artificial and removes immersion form the game. A nice game for a weekend, but overhyped at it most. Not so hot as they say. Story is a kind of a LSD bad trip. The places are extremely annoying and have repetitive compositions. Not scary at all. Predictive actions. DOOM 3 graphics and textures abuse from bump mapping and loss detail when you came near. The avatar's hand is extremely artificial and removes immersion form the game. A nice game for a weekend, but overhyped at it most. Definetly a videogame game on a PC. Shoot, shoot, shoot, kill, kill, kill, blood, blood, blood, adam. Shoot, shoot, shoot, kill, kill, kill, blood, blood, blood, more adam.… Expand
  21. TopherG.
    Sep 5, 2007
    7
    No doubt the graphics and music are stunning. The story, while predictable, is one of the best in video games right now as well. Unfortunately, the gameplay is not as diverse as the artwork or atmosphere. Due to a limited amount of enemies, puzzles involving your abilities, the game's linear level progression and the monotony of the hacking system, the game becomes repetitive very No doubt the graphics and music are stunning. The story, while predictable, is one of the best in video games right now as well. Unfortunately, the gameplay is not as diverse as the artwork or atmosphere. Due to a limited amount of enemies, puzzles involving your abilities, the game's linear level progression and the monotony of the hacking system, the game becomes repetitive very quickly. Additionally, this game is very easy, even on the hardest difficulty, due to you respawning with no reprocussions. Several times you can just fight off enemies with your wrench because when you die everything stays the same. This game's only true boss battle (the end boss) was such a let down. He was so uninspired and easy, just a real let down. More boss battles that were immersive (and if you die you have to start over with the boss at full health) could have made this game great. A decent installment, however, this may be the most overrated game of all time.… Expand
  22. Wutung
    Jan 19, 2008
    7
    A good game but didn't really live up the hype.The graphics are great and so is the art design, the atmosphere and inhabitants are also top notch, but its all a very linear corridor affair, there aren't any outdoor or wideopen areas. I really expected an "anything goes" experience, but the use of plasmids and the havok engine driven environments turned out to be a bit shallow. A good game but didn't really live up the hype.The graphics are great and so is the art design, the atmosphere and inhabitants are also top notch, but its all a very linear corridor affair, there aren't any outdoor or wideopen areas. I really expected an "anything goes" experience, but the use of plasmids and the havok engine driven environments turned out to be a bit shallow. The morality angle in the game isn't very sophisticated or thought provoking, and the plot loses its tension mid way through. The end boss is a dissappointment too. A fun ride with an artistic twist, but nothing really new or innovative.… Expand
  23. NicholasH.
    Dec 12, 2008
    5
    This game was mediocre, not good and especially not great. Problem is, the hype machine made the game to be much more than it is. If you expect a lot of this game, prepare for disappointment. If you expect little, you will have a "decent" experience.
  24. LegendiusM.
    Mar 5, 2008
    5
    Ok, my friend hated this game, I read the reviews here and thought he must be an idiot so I bought it. AND IT SUCKS! I don't get it, I really don't. The shooting is average at best, the enemies are boring, those stupid hacking puzzles are just plain retarded, and the story? Nothing great in my opinion. I will admit that I only played about 5 hours but how can a game that's Ok, my friend hated this game, I read the reviews here and thought he must be an idiot so I bought it. AND IT SUCKS! I don't get it, I really don't. The shooting is average at best, the enemies are boring, those stupid hacking puzzles are just plain retarded, and the story? Nothing great in my opinion. I will admit that I only played about 5 hours but how can a game that's so fundamentally flawed get such universal praise??? I cannot find a bad review for this game anywhere. Please flame me, please tell me I'm a retard, please tell me WHAT IS SO DAMN GOOD ABOUT THIS GAME!… Expand
  25. PeterArmstrong
    Oct 5, 2009
    6
    cant understand the hype behind this game and found it disgraceful that it was given a 96. havent finished yet cos i find it very boring the action is not great. Gene tonic system isnt designed well. the idea of plasmids is very cool. With some tweaks this game could be much more enjoyable think.
  26. IleM
    Oct 9, 2009
    7
    Good visuals, nice story but .. it's boring and repetitive. The combats become boring. Your abilities do change, but the opposition is just so repetitive. A shame really when you consider the effort otherwise.
  27. CoreyN
    Jul 31, 2009
    5
    Gameplay was over complicated and repetitive. AI was very weak, they just rushed at me. Story was predictable, contrived, poorly delivered, and unsatisfying. The world was unbelievable. I could not get immersed in it because there was no way to understand it at all. Hacking was fun the first 3 times. Then it became a miserable grind. It was full of bugs, including at least 4 crashes. I Gameplay was over complicated and repetitive. AI was very weak, they just rushed at me. Story was predictable, contrived, poorly delivered, and unsatisfying. The world was unbelievable. I could not get immersed in it because there was no way to understand it at all. Hacking was fun the first 3 times. Then it became a miserable grind. It was full of bugs, including at least 4 crashes. I was really excited to play this game, given all the great reviews it got. Too bad it was a run of the mill FPS with nothing new to offer. Why is it considered so great? Is it just because its not "Aliens in Space" or WWII? A 96 game should offer more than just a different setting.… Expand
  28. JoshQ.
    Nov 22, 2007
    5
    Note that I love both RPG and FPS genres very much and that i was awaiting bioshock months before release. Bioshock is extremely overrated. There's too many false prelease features to even name. Overall, the game has little if any RPG aspect, its completely linear, the environment is static (which is completely what it was meant not to be), theres only 6 guns and 2 upgrades per which Note that I love both RPG and FPS genres very much and that i was awaiting bioshock months before release. Bioshock is extremely overrated. There's too many false prelease features to even name. Overall, the game has little if any RPG aspect, its completely linear, the environment is static (which is completely what it was meant not to be), theres only 6 guns and 2 upgrades per which dont rlly add much to the game, wen i was goin thru it i didnt really say much to myself but wen i completeled i realized i had no fun and beat it just to satisfy myself rather than leaving a purchased game incomplete, tehre's just too much I could say to make a small comment on it.… Expand
  29. FPSMaster
    Aug 24, 2007
    7
    I'm not gonna jump on the bandwagon of gamers that claim this the best game ever made, although I started to just before release. But after playing, what comes to mind is a phrase like "if only they had done this a little differently or a little better". Don't get me wrong, it's a great game and all, but not the best game I've ever played. The game gives you tons of I'm not gonna jump on the bandwagon of gamers that claim this the best game ever made, although I started to just before release. But after playing, what comes to mind is a phrase like "if only they had done this a little differently or a little better". Don't get me wrong, it's a great game and all, but not the best game I've ever played. The game gives you tons of ways to kill enemies, but each one works about as well or the same as another. You can use your plasmids to mix things up just to see what happens, but just playing it like a shooter with just guns works just as well if not sometimes better and even easier. But the shooting sort of sucks and feels generic to be honest as the weapons don't feel that great to use anyway, but still easier than getting ridiculous with plasmids. The graphics are great other than the jaggies everywhere, especially the water, but not seeing your character model and not seeing your own shadow on a wall across from you when you're standing directly in front of a light with your back turned to it feels like going back to Doom 3 on Xbox. At the same time the enemies are chasting their own shadows down the hall from you making it look half finsihed since they do it but you don't. Character models of everything other than Big Daddies look generic and cartoony like Timesplitters character models though. Great looking game otherwise with easy controls, great story (although confusing sometimes since there are never any cutscenes), tons of weapons and great atmosphere with an upgrading system like an RPG. It just needs a few more graphical tweaks as talked about above to look as amazing as everyone claims. The story could have been fleshed out better too, as only listening to radios to know about the story doesn't always work as intended because half the time while you're trying to listen you have to fight making you not hear anything and having to stop and go back and listen again. It just feels like the biggest part of the game, the part that makes this game different, the combat, was hamstringed when they decided to give so many ways for you to deal with enemies but not making any of them seem to take skill or none of them really working better than another and none of them are that memorable. Makes it feel kinda pointless to upgrade your weapons and plasmids in that regard other than to see what they look like. And having to do the whole combo thing with plasmids then shoot gets old fast. It's like the GTA sydrome here. Instead of doing a couple of things really well like past games they did like Rockstar does with the GTA games and give you a ton of different things to do but all of them executed average or poorly. Rent.… Expand
  30. BDub
    Aug 27, 2007
    7
    I have to say this game is WAY over hyped. I like FPS's, but no so much this one. Trying to take others into consideration I really think this game is probably a solid 8. Personally i'm giving it a 7. The game has amazing graphics. But from what i read before hand i was expecting what supposed to be amazing game play and story. The story is pretty good but the game play as a FPSI have to say this game is WAY over hyped. I like FPS's, but no so much this one. Trying to take others into consideration I really think this game is probably a solid 8. Personally i'm giving it a 7. The game has amazing graphics. But from what i read before hand i was expecting what supposed to be amazing game play and story. The story is pretty good but the game play as a FPS kind of sucks. It is different from most FPS's for sure but not "best game of the year different." There is no way this game is going to be game of the year with H2, and Assassins Creed due out.… Expand
  31. biohater
    Sep 28, 2007
    6
    I liked bioshock a lot when i played it first but after a while it got too old real fast. the water effects are breathtaking! but the gameplay is just too plain. (very over-rated!)
  32. Codename47
    Sep 30, 2007
    5
    I felt that this was quite an average game to be honest. After the ridiculously high scores its been getting i've failed to see what the game's innovations are. Going from room to room killing the same looking monsters this is little more than an overhyped version of Doom. Bioshock's aving saving grace comes in the form of the Big Daddy, Arguble the best feature of the game I felt that this was quite an average game to be honest. After the ridiculously high scores its been getting i've failed to see what the game's innovations are. Going from room to room killing the same looking monsters this is little more than an overhyped version of Doom. Bioshock's aving saving grace comes in the form of the Big Daddy, Arguble the best feature of the game after another letdown of the so called morale decision involving the Little Sister.… Expand
  33. EB
    Sep 7, 2007
    7
    Awesome graphics and sound, but the gameplay is gets old. The "hacking" mini-game is fun--once.
  34. KenanK.
    Feb 5, 2008
    6
    Bioshock was simply a disappointment after hearing about how perfect it is. The game is not open world at all, the plasmids aren't that innovative. The story is great and the city is breath-taking, but I wanted to explore the city, not view it through a window. I also didn't like how it is impossible to die. If your health reaches zero, there is no consequence, you go back to Bioshock was simply a disappointment after hearing about how perfect it is. The game is not open world at all, the plasmids aren't that innovative. The story is great and the city is breath-taking, but I wanted to explore the city, not view it through a window. I also didn't like how it is impossible to die. If your health reaches zero, there is no consequence, you go back to the revival chamber and everything is exactly how you left it, same health and everything. This removes the challenge from the game and ruined any tension, because I knew I could just zerg my enemies to victory. The "moral decisions" were also a bit of a letdown.… Expand
  35. Wrathbone
    Mar 19, 2008
    6
    Overhyped? Absolutely. While this game sports some of the best graphics capable on the 360 or PC, it's ultimately a very pretty coating over an otherwise mediocre game. It's pretty much everything that's ever been done in a game from Doom to Half Life to Prey. There's really nothing new or fresh here.
  36. DominicM.
    Jul 5, 2008
    6
    I simply cannot believe the amount of praise this game receives. After I read all the reviews, I figured this was an AAA title. I bought it, and completed it in two days. First playthrough was good, the second time I realized just how boring the game was. It was short, the powers were lacking, and ammo runs out so fast you use the wrench most of the time. Story was alright I guess. Overrated.
  37. StevenR
    Dec 1, 2009
    6
    The game had me sold in the first 20min. I was real into it. Then I came across "WELCOME TO THE CIRUS OF VALUE!! HAHAHA" and all of the immersion went right out the window. Enemies yelling crazed things such as "WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE" seemed like it should feel creepy, but it just wasn't. Insanity doesn't work that way. Then I got an upclose look to a character The game had me sold in the first 20min. I was real into it. Then I came across "WELCOME TO THE CIRUS OF VALUE!! HAHAHA" and all of the immersion went right out the window. Enemies yelling crazed things such as "WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE" seemed like it should feel creepy, but it just wasn't. Insanity doesn't work that way. Then I got an upclose look to a character model after "splicing up" for the first time. They put a mask on the character to draw attention, but I noticed it clearly -- none of the models in the game have mouth anitmations unless its in a video. From a visual standpoint the game is far and below expectations. If a character wasn't an invisible voice, then it was cut off by walls, windows, or fences, like it's an event on a stage. Model physics were terrible, they failed to add in the part where models stop calculating where they should be, and as a result you get twitching limbs and at times bodies like in Oblivion. Adding bloom effects to everything did not cover up the weak visuals. Half Life 1, played today, paints a more immersive and real-felling environment. When will companys learn that putting graphics through a presto-machine doesn't make them good? It's like trying to have a computer generate a painting--has no soul and feels like crap. Leave FPS's with immersive story up to Valve. For this game to get reviews better than Half Life 2 is a sin.… Expand
  38. AceM
    Jun 28, 2009
    7
    This game was heavily lauded by every website and magazine and friend I
  39. KyleR
    Sep 26, 2009
    7
    It was enthralling. The story was brilliant. The characters were great, and the little sisters and big daddy's are the best "villains" (for lack of a better word), I have ever seen in a video game. But, what threw me off was the ending. And I got the good ending, which is apparently better than the bad one...
  40. Ray
    Nov 10, 2007
    6
    Bioshock, at first, was full of so much hope.. we consumers lead to believe from the previews a few months back. Then came one of those familiar days when a game is released on a Friday, in which many people rush out from Work or School to buy 'the most anticipated game of the year'. I have done this with many games, including Bioshock on release day. I payed £40 for this Bioshock, at first, was full of so much hope.. we consumers lead to believe from the previews a few months back. Then came one of those familiar days when a game is released on a Friday, in which many people rush out from Work or School to buy 'the most anticipated game of the year'. I have done this with many games, including Bioshock on release day. I payed £40 for this game and i kept telling myself it's going to be an amazing game based on final reviews of top end magazines and websites.. i didn't find one bad review out there. I played the game for 2 hours straight, and i thought to myself 'yeah, i'm slowly getting into this..it's great!'. Yet as i progressed further into the game i realised it's the same thing over and over. There's only 2 types of enemies really.. the pathetic, annoying, running splicers and the big daddy's. There is a limited choice of weapons and ammo throughout the game and you will find yourself on 90% of occasions just using your wrench and plasmids. You will neally always be lacking ammo for your selection of nice looking weapons. The environment always looks similar to where you just left no matter where you go, and the compass arrow is painfully sensitive to your movement that it can be easy to go around in circles in some places. Overall this could have been a great title had 2K added a handfull of more gameplay features such as loads more ammo, a bigger variety of AI to encounter, and a less linear envionment leaving the user with a feeling of DeJavu. The only thing that is near brilliant is the storyline. Also, where on earth is the multiplayer? It is essential these days to have a multiplayer mode packed with a 'big FPS game' like this (could have been). If you want to play a great FPS that has multiplayer get Gears of War, Call Of Duty 4, or perhaps Halo 3 (the 3 biggest titles on the 360 thus far).… Expand
  41. davewinston
    Nov 13, 2007
    7
    When I first played the game i thought it was brilliant and completely compelling the atmosphere was imense and some parts scared me s***less. But after about an hour of playing time, the gameplay became a bit repetetive and the shocks and excitement had gone. It had turned from an atmospheric horror FPS to just a FPS. And then all it did was change enviornments, from a dock to a forestWhen I first played the game i thought it was brilliant and completely compelling the atmosphere was imense and some parts scared me s***less. But after about an hour of playing time, the gameplay became a bit repetetive and the shocks and excitement had gone. It had turned from an atmospheric horror FPS to just a FPS. And then all it did was change enviornments, from a dock to a forest etc. and you had to do something to get somewhere but before you did that you had to do this. The plot began to fade and i just started from the begginning because it was so good.
    There is not a great range of enemies, the big daddies are great but there are too many to make them fun, the alarms are extremely irritating and the rest of the enemies are amazing until later in the game where there are dozens running at you. Overall it leaves you feeling like your playing the very first DOOM game.
    On the other hand the weapons are a bonus even though you never have any ammo for them.. and the powers are quite nifty even though you always use weapons instead anyway. The graphics are amazing and the storyline is great and very original aswell as the well developed subplots. The game has strived to achieve amazing detail and realism but most especially atmosphere, of which there is plenty.
    Personnaly i believe that the game starts of brilliantly but it is then stretched out way too far.    … Expand
  42. Mrfairratex
    Nov 16, 2007
    6
    This game is over-rated. It was pretty fun but it took me five days to beat and when you play the story, you don't encounter any problems with flooding. OK so the city is underwater.... SO WHAT. The fact that the city is underwater has no effect in the game.
  43. Imawesomes
    Nov 16, 2007
    6
    The game was went by too fast and battling the last boss made me feel like I was playing some crappy Nintendo game. This game is worth a rent but definitely not worth a buy no matter how pretty the cover looks.
  44. RayM.
    Aug 31, 2007
    6
    Beautiful game but it gets as dull as hell! The game play is just boring and repetitive. The final boss must have taken about 5 minutes to design! The most over rated game I've ever played. Story? What story about as deep as Doom 3.
  45. giancarlobellino
    Feb 16, 2008
    6
    deff not the best game ever.......... deff not the best game for the 360....... story line is not original if ur a hardcore gamer its one of thos plot twist good guy is bad guy kinda game.... it really isnt anything special the whole idia for the game was amazying but everyone has hyped up this game WAAAAAAAAAAAAY MORE then its cut out to be
  46. EstebanF.
    Mar 16, 2008
    7
    BioShock is a very good game. However, it doesn't live up to its hype. Yes, the story is GREAT, its quite a realistic game (in terms of gaming physics, of course) and it has an outstanding graphical quality. However, all places look similar, the use of plasmids could have been much, much better and interesting, the life chambers take out a lot of challenge making you able to kill any BioShock is a very good game. However, it doesn't live up to its hype. Yes, the story is GREAT, its quite a realistic game (in terms of gaming physics, of course) and it has an outstanding graphical quality. However, all places look similar, the use of plasmids could have been much, much better and interesting, the life chambers take out a lot of challenge making you able to kill any enemy only by being persistant and the gameplay overall isn't anything as good as its believed to be. A good game, but nothing as great as it's told.… Expand
  47. KentL
    Feb 14, 2009
    5
    BioShock is a first person shooter that doesn't offer the excitement of other games in the genre. Beyond that, it has uninteresting settings and boring enemies. The only good thing that the game offers is the story, but it is dragged down by the rest of the game.
  48. claychastain
    Nov 25, 2010
    7
    This is a good game, but it's not one of the best games I've played. The atmosphere is pretty intense and the game looks great, but I just felt bored because there was so much repetition by the first hour. I struggled through it to see the story, which is compelling, but after I beat it, I haven't touched it since. It's good if you're looking for a quick single player game to play on aThis is a good game, but it's not one of the best games I've played. The atmosphere is pretty intense and the game looks great, but I just felt bored because there was so much repetition by the first hour. I struggled through it to see the story, which is compelling, but after I beat it, I haven't touched it since. It's good if you're looking for a quick single player game to play on a rainy weekend, and it's dirt cheap now, so I feel that it's a good purchase.… Expand
  49. Nosidda89
    Mar 12, 2011
    6
    I have been meaning to do this review for a long time, to express my thoughts on what is being called the best video game of all time. I very strongly dsiagree, because we all know that title belongs to Zelda Ocarina of Time. As proof, take a look at their meat scores. You think Bioshocks 96 is really high? How about Ocarina of Time's 99? Last I checked, 99 is 3 points higher, BOOM! lol! II have been meaning to do this review for a long time, to express my thoughts on what is being called the best video game of all time. I very strongly dsiagree, because we all know that title belongs to Zelda Ocarina of Time. As proof, take a look at their meat scores. You think Bioshocks 96 is really high? How about Ocarina of Time's 99? Last I checked, 99 is 3 points higher, BOOM! lol! I will say this though, I don't think Bioshock is a bad game at all, in fact I think it's an OK game. But the best game of all time?? That is why Bioshock is the 3rd most overrated game of all time, followed by WOW at #2, and Black Ops at #1. I played Bioshock all the way through the main story, andf the story is pretty dull actually. The problem with the story is that it has been done to death. You get stuck in an underwater city, and the whole story is trying to get out, and trying to kill all the zombies that are coming after you. I bet the whole reason this story is so popular is because of the zombies. Well they're not technically zombies, but I call them that because there really is no difference between the enemies in this game, and actual zombies. But everyone seems to think that it doesn't matter what the story is, if it involves killing zombies with a shotgun, it's an automatic 10/10. Sorry guys, that's not how it works. I grow very tired of all these zombie killing games being the most popular games, zombie killing has been done, and done, and done, and done, AND DONE! How about something different, like what Resident Evil 4 did. They weren't zombies at all, they were parasites that actually had enough brains to pick up weapons instead of just randomly coming at you trying to eat your brains. In Bioshock, they are people changed from experiments, but they still act like zombies, so it's the same thing as zombie killing, again, done to death. So believe me when I say tat the story is nowhere near special and different, cause it's not. My main complaint about Bioshock, however, is that it's a shooter, WITH NO MULTIPLAYER! Really?! A shooter, without multiplayer?! That makes no sense. I mean, think about it. Why do people enjoy shooters so much? Simple, they love the multiplayer. Talk to anyone who likes playing shooters, they will always tell you that the main element required in any great shooter is fun multiplayer. Bioshock has non, NON, NADA, NO JACK. It's just the main story, that's it. The game deducted alot of points from me for not having multiplayer. I'm sure if it had multiplayer, I would give it like maybe an 8, but it's a 6 because it has no multiplayer, and the story is very unoriginal. Now I'm not saying the game isn't fun, it's good for one play through, but only one. The game literally has no replay value, so you probably do what I did, complete the main story, then trade it in. It is fun to fight the big daddies though, whenever I saw a big daddy ahead, I thougt "OH CRAP!" If a game makes you think that alot like this game, it's doing something good. Because it puts fear into playing the game, you never know when you'll come across a big daddy, and lemee tell you those things are a b**ch. They can also be pretty scary. The gameplay mechanics are well put together, mixing up using powers and a gun is very nice and fun. As far as the graphics go, they look very epic and realistic, graphics whores will really enjoy the graphics alot, lol. Of course the zombie killing can be fun too, but it's like I said, it's been done alot. One thing Bioshock failed to do is add some spice to make zombie killing different, and special. Using powers like lightening and flame is a nice add on for sure, but it needs more than that. The game is in desperate need of multiplayer, maybe a horde mode where you and your friends can fight these creatures together like you did in Gears of War 2, and end a round with a big daddy fight, that would've been awesome. I think one thing Bioshock was trying to do was trail back to the days of DOOM, where you didn't play shooters for multiplayer, but for killing monsters for fun. While this may apply to some people, multiplayer is a necessity in shooters of our generation. So if you're going to make a shooter, make sure it has multiplayer. I realize that Bioshock 2 has multiplayer now, but Bioshock 2 is said to be nowhere near as good as the first game. So although the game fixed itself by adding multiplayer to the sequal, the point is you should've had multiplayer to start with, instead of adding it to the inferior sequal. Overall, Bioshock is pretty decent, and is probably worth one playthrough. However, the game is too highly hyped, and so Bioshock, as good as it is, is still the 3rd most overrated game of all time. A 6/10.… Expand
  50. Stfu_Noobs
    Nov 20, 2011
    5
    I don't even know. The stroy was kinda dumb, the gameplay was weird but cool and the graphics were sick. it wasn't main stream then now it is. People were like bro you've never play bioshock you gotta play it. So i beat it and was like that game was just whatever.
  51. TimC.
    Dec 22, 2007
    7
    I do not understand what all the fuss is about this game. I was expecting so much more from reading all these reviews. Graphics were good, story was good with excellent voice acting, but the gameplay was same ole same ole FPS. While the story and voice acting were good it was not the incredible life changing-never look at videogames the same- be all end all experience that has been I do not understand what all the fuss is about this game. I was expecting so much more from reading all these reviews. Graphics were good, story was good with excellent voice acting, but the gameplay was same ole same ole FPS. While the story and voice acting were good it was not the incredible life changing-never look at videogames the same- be all end all experience that has been described by so many reviews.… Expand
  52. modifiedbear
    Aug 26, 2007
    7
    If this game didn't have such a brilliant art style and great graphics to match, then this game would have a metacrtic score in the 70s. Another factor in the hype surrounding Bioshock is that this is one of the first AAA titles to be released before the fall rush. One of the biggest problems I have with Bioshock is that it is just too easy because you see no death penalty until the If this game didn't have such a brilliant art style and great graphics to match, then this game would have a metacrtic score in the 70s. Another factor in the hype surrounding Bioshock is that this is one of the first AAA titles to be released before the fall rush. One of the biggest problems I have with Bioshock is that it is just too easy because you see no death penalty until the final battle. You also collect small items through out the game in order to "invent" ammo and tools. The problem is you really aren't inventing anything. You're just getting the necessary amount of items for the objects you want. The most annoying thing during the game is the hacking mini-game you play when you manually hack an object. The alternatives to manual hacking are using an auto-hack tool or paying. There are so many different things to hack though that you'll end up doing a lot of it manually. The AI does do some smart things like seek water when on fire or find a health station when injured severly. Overall the game can be enjoyable because of the various tools at your disposal that let you play the way you see fit. I just wish it had put up more of a challenge.… Expand
  53. NickT.
    Sep 24, 2007
    7
    Great to look at and starts off as a potential fire cracker of a game, unfortunately apart from a couple of events, gamepley is quite repetitive and the choices are not as controversial as originally hyped. I think one play through will be enough for a majority of gamers. I see lots of second hand copies hitting the streets already to back this statement up. Still, a master class in how Great to look at and starts off as a potential fire cracker of a game, unfortunately apart from a couple of events, gamepley is quite repetitive and the choices are not as controversial as originally hyped. I think one play through will be enough for a majority of gamers. I see lots of second hand copies hitting the streets already to back this statement up. Still, a master class in how to make a game atmospheric so I'd give it an award for artistic design, shame the gameplay was lacking.… Expand
  54. harryjc
    Jul 18, 2015
    7
    I've played the Bioshock series in reverse order. I started with Infinite, which I thought was an astounding game, and then Bioshock 2, which was decent, and now Bioshock. It sounds awfully weird, but I believe it's allowed me to play this Bioshock without any hype, and with realistic expectations of what a game really can be.

    So what do I think? First, Bioshock is, 8 years after,    I've played the Bioshock series in reverse order. I started with Infinite, which I thought was an astounding game, and then Bioshock 2, which was decent, and now Bioshock. It sounds awfully weird, but I believe it's allowed me to play this Bioshock without any hype, and with realistic expectations of what a game really can be.

    So what do I think? First, Bioshock is, 8 years after, still a beautiful game. It turns interesting. once you give it enough time, and you get submersised into this steampunk-style universe, and you genuinely want to keep going. But the game is not what I would call a masterpiece. It is mired in many problems. Some horrendous, and some that you can ignore.

    #1 - It is buggy - And yes, even with the updates it is still buggy. There are missions (like collecting chlorophyll) where you cannot proceed to the next level. The game just doesn't register what you've done, and you have to reset your game, go back to a previous save, or find another work around. Had this game had no bugs like this it would've been pretty good. But sadly it's still there, and this was what frustrated me the most. I wanted to throw my controller. I almost didn't continue on. A game studio like 2K G ames should have been on top of this. I am very disappointed in them. I suppose it's all in the past now.

    Boring missions - Not every mission is boring in Bioshock, obviously, but some of them are. In particular, the fetch quests were awful. If you do a fetch quest there a couple of rules. Don't make the player get several of one items. Don't make the player fetch too many items (three at most). Don't harrass the player with a constant flood of enemies, and challenges. There should be some, but not many, because a fetch quest should not be a game stopper. It shouldn't be given a lot of importance. It should be secondary.

    Repetitive - There are very few enemies in this game (in terms of variety), but they will bother the sh*t out of you. You constantly have to do the same thing over, and over again, trying to get these guys off your back. Sure, that's okay once in a while, but it gets tiresome, constantly having to shoot off the baddies. The deluge of enemies, non-stop, makes the game lose some of its charms. It's a beautiful game. Sometimes you want to just stop and look at things, but you can't really do that with enemies always following you, or popping up. The robots and cameras were annoying as hell. They put them in way too much. Security camers should have been placed sparingly, because they have an inclination to change the tone of the game, and how you play it.

    Enemy AI - These enemies are pretty dumb. They just keep attacking, and attacking. They don' t hide. They don't try to preserve their own life. They never stand still. There are no opportunities to make use of your zoom button.

    Hacking - This was a huge pain in the ass. It just sucked you out of the game, and made you pull your hair. Luckily, they did away with it in Bioshock 2.

    Somewhat Weak Story - The story wasn't that bad, but it was a little weak. There was very little depth to it. There lacked a strong motivation to carry forward, although ultimately you did carry forward, because other parts of the game made up for the story.

    Controls - As far as I know there was only once control scheme, and I didn't like the layout of the buttons. But this is not a deal breaker.

    Clunky Combat - Every time you switch weapons your character has to do a whole show of what is happening. Although it might seem realistic to do that it slows down the game. It's a pain to switch from your 'magic' to your weapons.

    Navigation - It wasn't bad, but was a little confusing. You had to constantly look at your map, which was not really my preference. That takes you out of the game. But gamers would be delighted, they fixed this in Bioshock Infinite.

    Monetary System is Confusing - Just use dollars and be done with it. Why are there so many methods of acquiring what you need?

    Conclusion: Worth playing, but there are some drawbacks. The worst is the bugs in game. The sequels are better.    … Expand
  55. Justareviewer21
    Jul 19, 2020
    7
    Really good and atmospheric game, but the gunplay is mediocre, and infinite is better
  56. Anatoliy_DeVile
    Dec 23, 2020
    7
    Страшно себе представить, казалось бы, еще вчера исследовал удивительный мрачный подводный город Восторг, рубился с большими папочками и с прочими неадекватными его обитателями. И это было действительно увлекательно, круто и атмосферно. Но как ни крути 13 лет уже отбрасывают густую тень морального устаревания. И если сюжет, как и прежде держит в напряжении, то механика боя, стрельбы,Страшно себе представить, казалось бы, еще вчера исследовал удивительный мрачный подводный город Восторг, рубился с большими папочками и с прочими неадекватными его обитателями. И это было действительно увлекательно, круто и атмосферно. Но как ни крути 13 лет уже отбрасывают густую тень морального устаревания. И если сюжет, как и прежде держит в напряжении, то механика боя, стрельбы, поведение вражеских неписей и прочее сопутствующее уже не выдерживает никакой критики. Хотя графоний в недавно отремастерированной версии вполне еще сносный. После Doom Eternal, конечно, сложновато воспринимать Bioshock серьезно. Но в общем и целом, фантазия разработчиков подкупает, ибо не каждая игра сегодня способна похвастаться таким разнообразным арсеналом не только оружия, но и вспомогательных навыков будь то атака полчищами пчел, заморозка, гипноз большого папочки и прочие интересности с удовольствием в той или иной степени растасканные со временем конкурентами по цеху. А взлом камер, роботов и сейфов мини-игрой в бодрого сантехника до сих пор вызывает бурю эмоций. Если резюмировать мой очередной заход в Восторг, скажу, что нынче Bioshock уже не способна безоговорочно захватить моё внимание и доставить неописуемое удовольствие от процесса как это было раньше, хотя я готов признать, что она до сих пор остается небанальной со своим характерным геймплеем и почерком. Вот бы замутить продолжение подводных приключений с прицелом на новые технологические возможности, то я вот такое дело бы ждал, ведь потенциал у франшизы огромный и он далеко еще не исчерпан.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
1
#1 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 88 Critic Reviews

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.
    Read full review
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