BioShock
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ESRB:
Blood and Gore,Drug Reference,Intense Violence,Sexual Themes,Strong Language
Publisher: 2K Games Genre(s): Shooting Home Page: http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/
The end never looked more beautiful
It's a dangerous world, but the visuals are top-notch. Staring at reflections can be mesmerizing.
Of course, no game earns the pre-release accolades that BioShock did without stunning visuals. With the Unreal Engine 3.0 driving the graphics, there's no reason to expect anything less than high-caliber eye-candy. The game doesn't disappoint in this regard. Though the environments are mostly static, they're brought to life by detailed textures and full dynamic lighting. Art direction is top-notch throughout; no detail was overlooked when outfitting Rapture in post-WWII Art Deco styling. From floor tiles to door frames to the color palette, the environments have an authentic look and feel. Rapture is under water, and it's in disrepair, with leaks everywhere and full-on breaches in some sections. Rarely is there a frame without some view of water. Much has been made of the game's water rendering; it's not groundbreaking, but the ripples and reflections are mesmerizing.
BioShock Gameplay Footage
Total immersion in the underwater city comes at a price, though: expect to have better-than-average hardware to push post-processing effects, real-time reflections and distortion. Lighting effects play a vital role in creating a believable and thrilling experience in Rapture. With complete dynamic lighting – even on character models – the well-crafted sense of fear is impossible to ignore.
Character models are what you'd expect from a contemporary top-tier shooter: detailed creatures with believable and varied animations. Splicers move fast, but cornering one (or gazing at a corpse) reveals accessories such as hats and handbags. Big Daddies are the real visual treats, though. Observe one as it steadfastly and slowly shadows a Little Sister, and you'll note the intricate details and fluid animation. Without speaking, these creatures communicate more through movement alone than the most loose-lipped of characters in other games. When provoked, however, all subtleness is cast aside; when on the offensive, a Big Daddy is a fast-moving and lethal killing machine.
Audio in BioShock deserves all the accolades of the graphics, only without the technical caveats that mar the visuals. The voice acting which accompanies the in-game cinematics is excellent, as is the voice-over work which follows your character through the game. You won't find any stock-sounding effects audio either; every explosion, muzzle blast and Splicer wail has depth. Hardware-accelerated audio is fully supported through Creative's EAX API, as is the complete range of speaker configurations, from headphones to 7.1 surround setups. Of special note is the game's soundtrack, which is available separately as a free download (minus the licensed period music) from Irrational Games' community site. Composer Garry Schyman's orchestral score is both haunting and compelling.
Related Stuff Games: BioShock
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