5 HUGE Holiday Hits reviewed by me(robb)

QUICK NOTE:[/i] The following review was written by both myself and a friend of mine over at another forum.




RC > The first that anyone notices, exspecially if you played the Demo is that after the plane crashes and you get to see the water. 5 Seconds into the game and your mouth is already open at the shear beauty of the Water effects, and that is only a taste of the gorgeous graphics of the game. This might be the best looking game on the 360 giving Gears of War and Oblivion a run for their money.



RC > Then moving on once you enter the creepy atmosphere that is "Rapture" The fictional environment that Bioshock takes place in. You then get these "Plasmids" which give you special abilities like Electricity, Fire, telekinesis and much more. The effects on those are amazing. It's seriously just a straight out beautiful game with a creep atmosphere and great effects.

Merobb > Wether people like to admit it or not graphic CAN, at times, make or break a game. And no matter who you are the first thing you notice in any game is how it looks. And to tell you the truth words can't do justice to the beauty of BioShock.



Merobb > As R.C. mentioned, within five minutes of starting the game you will be astonished to how amazing the the water is. The reflection of the flames off the water. The towering building just ahead of you shining in the moonlight. It's not as "beefed up" as Gears, but it very much so artistically superior to it.




RC > The orchestial score is amazing, you hear everyone talking even if you cant see them, The Voice acting in this game is by far one of the best that I have ever heard.. period. If I was to rate the Sound category I'd give it a 10. Cause it's just amazing and with the VO, they dont repeat themselves.. They did a great job with the Sound and it shows. This game cant be touched and probably wont in the sound department.

Merobb > The sound here will make your skin crawl because it's so eerily good. You hear every drip of water. Every whisper. Every footstep. Even the silence. And it will scare the living piss out of you. The voice acting is top notch as expected. The atmospheric 40's-50's music that you'll hear as so well placed almost in a comical irony sort of way. Definately one of the best features of the game.



RC > A Top notch story is what fuelds you to keep playing this game. I love it when a videogame tells and unbelievable story that you get hooked and you want to keep playing. The upgradable weapons and powers give the game an RPG Feel, but it doesnt focus intirely on it so it's good for non RPG gamers like me.



RC > The game takes place over 40 years ago, and everything in the game makes you think that its that old, hell even The little videos that play when you get something new feel like an old cheesy cartoon. THe music and everything are throw back. But anyways, they did a great job with the powers and also once again the atmosphere of the game. Hell when you first go into the bathosphere at the beginning of the game I had a hard time looking out of the window thinking something was going to scare the crap out of me.

Merobb > Without the way this game is presented I would say that it would be pretty damn close to 90% of the other shooters out there. I cannot state it enough that the greatest things about this game are the story and the atmosphere. Of course if you care anything about story you're going to be thoroughly intrigued as to why this place is here in the middle of the ocean. Who you are. And why you are you there...is it mere coincidence?



Merobb > Now onto the atmosphere. I have never really jumped or been scared by many games and the few times that I have it's usually random things that will jump out at you. What's different about this game is that it's not just the jump out moments that scare you. It's the fact that it contains this eerie atmosphere and maintains it through the whole game that makes the moments that much more piss-your-pants scary. It's all because every aspect of the game (sound, graphics, story, atmosphere) work together and support each other and makes the way this game is presented so strong.





RC > The gameplay is some of the best you'll ever play, from the easy controls to the easily navigated halls of Rapture, the gameplay will keep you moving along at a fast pace and never let go for atleast 20 or so hours. Strategizing on which powers to use, which weapons you want to upgrade first. Whether or not if you want to Harvest the Little Sisters. (I say dont cause if you dont then you get 100pts for the achievement).

RC > I forgot to mention anything about the A.I., who are sickinly smart. You set them on fire they'll attempt to put themselves out. You injure them and then they go the health station that you use. Thye will unload gun shots on you and you have to be quick enough to beat with guns or beat them with the surrounding, electricute them if they are standing in water, lighting them on fire if they are standing in flamable liquids. Hacking is also a huge part of the game, you get this lovely little mini game and you only have a few seconds to figure it out. The gameplay is simply amazing.


Merobb > Everything here is very easy and accessable for anyone to play. The simplistic nature of the control scheme is very welcoming for a game where you would expect complexity. Switching between plasmids and guns is done in the same fashion of the Rachet & Clank games which is great.

Merobb > Of course I can't go without telling how magnificently this is all executed in action. Killing splicers in this game is so satisfying because there are so many ways you can go about it. Don't want to kill them yourself? Take control of a Big Daddy and let them take care of it. Or throw a plasmid at them that makes the turrets blow them into fine little pieces. Or do it yourself and freeze them with a plasmid and shatter them to pieces with your wrench. Or hell, nothing is more satisfying than a good ole' blast to the head with your shotgun.

Merobb > The RPG elements of BioShock are a great addition to the game. Almost everything about you is upgradable as well. You can upgade your guns, plasmids, hacking skills, health, and eve. Most of which you will to purchase with the use of Adam, that is only obtainable by defeating the Big Daddys then getting to the Little Sisters. It's no easy task but you will have a helluva time doing it.




RC > This is the best 360 game of the year so far, to me atleast. There's nothing wrong with this game. People might say that because there is no Multiplayer that the game has no lasting value. You dont need Multilplayer for a game to be a great game, Bioshock proves that. Merobb I know for a fact has beaten the game and has starting going through it again. I am going to go and play it as soon as I am done here cause I have yet to beat the game.


Merobb > There is so much more I could go on about, things I didn't even touch. The enemy AI which RC touched on. The camara you use to research. The craziest characters that you come across with their own personalities. The decision of harvesting or saving the Little Sisters. There are so many tiny things that may seem insignificant when alone, but put together with all the other things that make Bioshock great it becomes so appearent how much those little things really make Bioshock the work of art that it is. As RC said this is the best 360 game of the year thus far. It's a game of the year contender in my book, and I'd go as far as to say that it is my favorite game for the 360.