Bioshock demo is out

[Slith]

Only on xboxlive, from the looks of it. Anyways, I played it through, and well... it was 'meh'. It most certainly is not anything even remotely close to an RPG. Actually, it's pretty much just a straight up horror/FPS. I haven't played system shock [My computer is too new. ] but I imagine it might be similar to that, except without any inventory or skills.

As far as linearity is concerned, you basically go from point A to point B, watching scripted sequences and killing things along the way. Combat mostly consisted of shooting splicers with your gun, or shooting splicers with your plasmids. Sometimes you get to hack turrets and those flying security robots by playing Tubes or Plumber or whatever this is called. Which then makes them friendly towards you.

The atmosphere and mood in the game are done quite well, graphics look nice overall, except for the cityscape which looked like it wasn't fully detailed, but other than that, pretty good. As far as FPS's go, it's alright. Nothing really novel except the setting though.

 

[Fat Dragon]

I tired the demo out earlier. The game isn't half bad, I enjoyed it.

 

[Volrath]

No pc demo? Gay.

 

[hiciacit]

Never understood what all the fuss was about anyway. This had 'meh' written all over it right from the beginning.

 

[Volrath]

What exactly makes Bioshock stand out in reference to other FPS/horror shooters who combined it with a magic system? Like Clive Barker's Undying or Requiem: Avenging Angel?

Apart from teh shiny grafix and the setting I mean.

 

[Woetohice]

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[Ladonna]

If anyone has played system shock 2 before and has played the demo for this game, give a rundown on the differences between the two please (Besides the visuals of course).

 

[JrK]

I was interested in this game but after seeing the last two gameplay videos I'm not expecting much. It didn't look to be much more than Quake4, running around in corridors killing stuff. Which got really boring really fast. There's something about those video's that makes it seem wooden, like you are detached from the whole world, floating along with a gun in your hand. It didn't even look remotely scary.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

Yeah I was thinking the same when looking the videos, couldn't put my finger on it but I think you nailed it.

I dunno if it feels different when youre playing yourself maybe, but my expectations are really low.

 

[Jasede]

They killed System Shock 2++. I feel sad.

I feel happy again!

 

[Kingston]

I hope its shit since it won't run on my comp. Co-op is probably shitty in it aswell.

 

[Sovard]

It was never supposed to be an RPG.

All in all, it's a script-heavy action adventure game.

So far I've heard good reviews (95%, 4 out of 4, etc.) and they seem on target.

It's been said to be the exact opposite of an open-ended game, since you're sealed in a city of "interrelation and interdependence."

Amazing art direction and a powerful storyline filled with choices and consequences.

"Bioshock is a landmark achievement in interactive art." - Scott Alexander, 4 out of 4


I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Oarfish]

I played SS2 to death, and have a 360. I'll fire up the demo this evening and post my impressions.

 

[Bradylama]

I remember the first PC Gamer spread made the setting seem very interesting.

Ever since then, it's like they've slowly eroded everything that had promise into some derivative played out bullcrap.

They've dehumanized the little sisters so much that they really expect us to see them as children with ghoulish faces, orange glow-in-the-dark eyes, and metabolisms that digest dead people goo. They worked so hard to make them things, yet they still treat them like children.

 

[kingcomrade]

Was this posted here? I forgot where I found this, but if you haven't seen it I suppose its sorta related to this game:

 

[bylam]

If anyone has played system shock 2 before and has played the demo for this game, give a rundown on the differences between the two please (Besides the visuals of course).

Alright, just finished the demo.

What you'll find from System Shock 2 in Bioshock:
- Audio logs that describe the situation. The first one I encountered in Bioshock was disappointingly cliche "Here I am, everything is normal. Oh my god. I'm bleeding. What's happening? e.t.c."
- Variety of Plasmids (read Psi powers) that have different effects. Unlike in System Shock however, none in the demo had any affect on you, they were more like generic fire or ice spells.
- Hacking - It has been replaced by a mini-game aka connect the pipes but it is there.
- Security Cameras with countdown alarms. Instead of calling out monsters as in System Shock 2, they call out generic flying turrets.
- A guide - like Shodan in the first few levels of System Shock 2, somebody has contact with you via radio and guides you through the first few areas, hacking around obstacles e.t.c.
- Great Audio - reminds me of shock 2 in terms of the freaky lines the monsters scream as they attack or die.
- Limited Ammo, limited effectiveness of guns e.t.c. no weapon degradation though.
- Semi-interesting storyline (though I wonder why a guy from a plane crash would jump in a Bathysphere that he found in a lighthouse?)
- Respawn points - in Bioshock they are much more common.
- The ability to set environmental traps - i.e. lure enemies into water and then electrocute it.

What System Shock 2 has that Bioshock doesn't:
- A character development system. Sorry, it just doesn't exist here. Your character who starts the game will be the same character who finishes, give or take a few plasmids.
- An inventory. Yep, you can run around with a bunch of syringes and weapons, but you can never look at them unless you use them.
- A crazy AI. Bioshock has a crazy scientist instead.

What Bioshock has that System Shock 2 didn't:
- Teh Graphics
- A certain sense of linearity.
- Little Sisters and Big Daddies.

Overall, it seemed like a step forward for the story-driven FPS genre and a step back for the RPG genre.
No real suprises for me.

 

[Krafter]

No pc demo? Gay.

Yeah, pretty much. To come out and announce the demo on TV, after hyping up the announcement, and then waive the PC crowd is amazingly weak. Good to see the PC gamers that kept Irrational around for years aren't getting the shaft, and that the PC will still be getting full attention from Irrational. Oh wait!

 

[Woetohice]

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[Krafter]

I whine because I care. :D

Seriously though, if the PC were truly getting equal treatment, they'd have both demos done at the same time, wouldn't they? Considering Irrational was a PC only developer until the Take 2 buyout, this does not sound unreasonable.

Sure it's more effort than usual, but now that Irrational is going to be primarily a console developer, that's worth a fair amount of bitching, I'd say.

 

[Woetohice]

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[Krafter]

Cool. I'm a (former?) Irrational fanatic, and now I feel like I've been sold up the river, you know?

Right now, some 12 year old ADD kid is playing a Bioshock demo on his couch, while I can't get in the door. I've bought and played all the Irrational games, little kid here dosen't know Irrational from Take 2 from Zelda. It just would have been nice to get a bone, or at least equal billing, especially considering the rhetoric from Levine and Elizabeth and company.

Still getting the game and looking forward to it, though.

 

[HanoverF]

SS2 vs Bioshock review

Strip all RPG elements from SS2 and add "better graphics", retro future visuals, and Ayn Rand extremism plot and you get Bioshock.

 

[Vault Dweller]

What System Shock 2 has that Bioshock doesn't:
- A character development system.
- An inventory. Yep, you can run around with a bunch of syringes and weapons, but you can never look at them unless you use them.
- A crazy AI. Bioshock has a crazy scientist instead.

What Bioshock has that System Shock 2 didn't:
- Teh Graphics
- A certain sense of linearity.
- Little Sisters and Big Daddies.

Awesome. *reinstalls System Shock 2 and moves BioShock into a bargain bin purchase category.

 

[Krafter]

Honestly, it's sounding closer to System Shock than System Shock 2 at this time. This is fine and all, but even System Shock had an inventory, and an expansive one at that. Seems like they are trimming down for no real reason.

Atmospheric shooters are fine, but I had wanted something more. It's been 7 years since Deus Ex and eight years since System Shock 2. Oh well, still waiting.

 

[pkt-zer0]

What Bioshock has that System Shock 2 didn't:- A certain sense of linearity.

Wouldn't a demo be pretty linear, anyway? I can't remember what SS2's demo was like in this respect, though.