It's Cold, Wet, Exhausting, and still AWESOME!
Page: 1/2
Supplier: 2K Games
Reviewed By: Rogue5
Price: $59.99 (MSRP)
Untitled Document
I’d imagine that being a scientist during the first half of the 20th
century was a considerably difficult task. The tools of technological advancement
– electricity, the microchip, PCB, etc. -- were just beginning to open
up doors that were never thought passable. On top of that, these advances brought
about a whole slew of regulations, which would have undoubtedly restricted progress.
But what if there was a place without moral restrictions? A place where obtaining
your goals, regardless of the methods used, was not only accepted and nurtured,
but also of the utmost importance? A place where imagination was your only limitation:
A place of Rapture!
That was billionaire and gifted electrical engineer, Andrew Ryan’s vision
when he created his city under the sea, Rapture. That’s right; Ryan built
Rapture on the ocean floor in order to escape the restrictions of governments
and legal systems. However, gene-splicing, cosmetic surgery-addicted, schizophrenics
probably weren’t on Ryan’s agenda and unfortunately, through a series
of mishaps they eventually became the city’s primary residents. Through
pure chance you’ve ended up stranded in this industrialist nightmare and,
well, as the saying goes, ‘if you’re going through hell, keep going.’
Rapture is a classic example of a Dystopia, even so far as being birthed from
utopian intentions, and its 40s-era setting and atmosphere are rendered with
impactful details. The place is as eerie as it is gorgeous. Every creek and
crack that you hear will have the hairs on your neck at full attention while
you whirl about on screen looking for the source. There’s a certain tension
and claustrophobia inherent with being trapped in a submerged, maniac-filled,
dilapidated city. That sense of foreboding -- that feeling that something will
most definitely go wrong – is prevalent throughout your stay. It’s
wet, cold, and exhausting; a brutal combination even in virtual form.
While BioShock looks and feels beautiful, arguably the game’s strongest
point is its evocative audio design and soundtrack. Not only does it feature
an impressive original score (which can be downloaded for free from The Cult
of Rapture website), but also over twenty period pieces including Bobby Darin’s,
‘Beyond the Sea’, the Andrews Sisters’, ‘Bei Mir Bist
Du Schon’, along with more obscure titles like Cole Porter’s, ‘You’re
the Top.’
