BioShock
Platform: Xbox 360
Not only is "BioShock" a step above other games currently on the market, but it's also one of the greatest games ever created.
Review by Dack

BioShock was expected to be a phenomenal game just from seeing its early trailers and concept art, even ignoring the fact that it's developers Irrational Games (Now 2K Boston/Australia) have a near perfect track record. Within your first two hours in the beautiful decaying city of Rapture, it's obvious that not only is this game a step above other games currently on the market, but it's also one of the greatest games ever created.

You take the role as Jack in 1960. Not sure of who you are or where you came from, you awake in the middle of the ocean with plane wreckage all around you. Off in the distance is a building, inside of which you find and use a bathysphere terminus. As you descend in the bathysphere, a man named Ryan comes on the radio and tells you about where you are descending towards, the city he has built, Rapture. Rapture is an enormous underwater city built in 1946 on the seabed in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Rapture is entirely self-supporting, providing its own electricity, food, and water -- all of which are powered by undersea volcanic openings. As the bathysphere docks you are contacted on radio by a man named "Atlas". Atlas provides information about the mutated insane humans called Splicers. To have a chance against the many splicers and defense systems Ryan is using against you (as he suspects you are a CIA or KGB spy), Atlas informs you that you must inject yourself with plasmids -- super power like abilities. Walking around Rapture, you'll soon find Little Sisters who are girls embedded with sea slugs so they are able to extract ADAM and turn it into a usable form. Always protecting the Little Sisters are "Big Daddies". Big Daddies are some of the coolest characters I've ever seen in a game, looking like old fashioned diving suits with weapons equipped. Atlas sends you on a quest to kill Ryan -- along the way you will learn the highly interesting story of what happened to Rapture through audio tapes scavenged all over the halls of Rapture.

All gameplay in BioShock is from a first-person perspective. You'll never see yourself, just your hands and the weapon or plasmid equipped. The First-Person perspective makes the game much more realistic and immersive than if it were played from a third-person view. The character controls perfectly and realistically, making killing splicers and hacking a breeze. Getting to a hackable defense weapon or camera, however, is the least of the challenge, as you'll be thrown into a tough yet fun mini game where you will have to connect pipes from point A to point B to let a flow of fluid pass through without being blocked, or trigging an alarm. Once you successfully hack the object, it will be yours to control. One of the first things I hacked was a homemade flying turret that, like all turrets, followed me around. I literally bonded with the turret, thinking it was my friend and even a bit cute, which was interesting showing that I felt so alone and afraid in Rapture, that something as simple as a turret could become my friend.

Killing splicers is one of the main things you will be doing while exploring Rapture. What could have been a nuisance while you are solving the mystery of rapture, is instead a massive amount of fun. Splicers will often jump out and surprise you -- it is very rewarding to the player to put them out of their misery with a wide selection of weapons. Weapons in the game range from a simple wrench and pistol, to a chemical thrower that can spit out a number of painful substances. Finding ammo is not a problem, with hackable vending machines not rare to find. If you are out of money, you still will be able to find ammo from searching objects in Rapture. Nearly every object that could possibly be searched can be searched. When you aren't killing enemies with your weapons, you will be ravaging them with Plasmids -- the superpower like ability Atlas told you that you must harness. It was good advice seeing that you'll be glad you have it numerous times. You'll find many different varieties of plasmids that range from the ability to set things on fire, to the ability to lure Big Daddies to your side.

BioShock is the best looking Xbox 360 game to date, making the atmosphere and art deco look of Rapture come alive. The music is beautifully arranged, playing at the perfect time to add to the experince. Besides arranged pieces, you'll hear familiar 1940's and 50's tunes that can make the part you are in creepier, or depressing. BioShock is the perfect example of everything coming together beautifully. Many hours were spent making this game, and many hours will be spent playing one of the greatest games of all time.

Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Story: 9.5/10
Lasting Appeal: 9/10 (20-35 Hours)

Final Score: 10/10