GamePro BioShock Roundtable (Page 2 of 4)
- August 21, 2007 16:17 PM PST
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Ahoy_and_Avast, reviews editor
"I would play more but stupid chores like eating kept getting in the way."
How many hours of Bioshock have you played so far?
About 5. I would have played more but stupid chores like eating kept getting in the way.
What has been your initial impression of the game?
Awesome. Has the potential to be one of the best FPS games ever. It reminded me a lot of System Shock 2, which was just plain brilliant in its own right. Atmosphere is awesome, the lighting, the audio effects, the character designs, the narrative -- it's all top notch stuff.
Name the one thing that stands out to you the most about the game's design.
The story. The way it's told, the subject matter, the people involved. Excellent stuff.
What three adjectives would you use to describe the game to a fellow gamer?
Your. New. Religion.
What is your favorite weapon so far? Have you upgraded it in any way?
The pistol. It's useless against the Big Daddies but for Splicers, it's perfect. Headshot FTW! I haven't upgraded it yet but I'm hoping some sort of scope is going to be made available.
Which plasmid power have you relied on the most?
Electro Bolt, but Winter Frost looks promising. Telekinesis is fun to play around with.
How have you been defeating the Big Daddies? Name your favorite strategy(s).
Electro Bolt to stun them (for like one second) then a million machine gun bullets. Then I get killed and have to come back. Rinse and repeat a few times. I've had to brute force them thus far but eventually, I'm hoping to unlock some of the more devious ways to kill them off. The cool thing is, they are just as tough as advertised.
You can choose to Harvest a Little Sister (for maximum Adam, which kills her) or Rescue them (for less Adam). Which have you been doing, and why?
I've been rescuing them. It nets you less ADAM but I'm not a monster. Besides, there's a compelling reason to rescue them (I won't spoil any secrets) and it's paid off so far.
If you had to vote right now (yes, we know the year isn't over), would you award BioShock as Game of the Year? Why or why not?
Definitely Game of the Year material. Right now, having played everything so far, BioShock would get it. But who knows? In a few months, Halo 3 will be out, Rock Band, Mass Effect...it's going to be a tough race. But BioShock definitely has the goods to bring home the gold.
Bro Buzz, editor
"Is dying and then respawning considered a strategy?"
How many hours of Bioshock have you played so far?
Maybe 7.
What has been your initial impression of the game?
It's a good shooter but much more fun as an action/adventure game. That is, the FPS action is capable and tight but you wouldn't call it fresh. The story, however, is an intriguing, science fiction mystery that compels you to advance through the game.
Name the one thing that stands out to you the most about the game's design.
The design of the underwater city is imaginative and the environment (visuals and sounds) sets an eerie mood that keeps you on edge as you wonder what's lurking around the next corner. One time I was doing something and when I turned around there was a Splicer standing right behind me! That was unnerving and therefore cool. Also, the strategy behind selecting which Plasmids and skills to use in limited slots becomes more engaging and critical as the game goes on.
What three adjectives would you use to describe the game to a fellow gamer?
Eye-catching, mesmerizing, and creepy.
What is your favorite weapon so far? Have you upgraded it in any way?
So far, it's the standard Shotgun. Haven't upgraded, yet, but it drops Splicers at close range with a single shot and electric buck shells can make it formidable against all enemies so far. Next would be the wrench, now that I have a strength upgrade that again makes it a one-hit weapon at close range.
Which plasmid power have you relied on the most?
The Electro Bolt power -- I would like to have this ability in real-life.
How have you been defeating the Big Daddies? Name your favorite strategy(s).
Is dying and then respawning to wear the Big Daddy down by attrition considered a strategy? If not, hit and run. Use the Electro Bolt then shoot it with the Shotgun and the electric-buck shells, if you have them. Pepper away from medium distance with the machine gun and the grenade launcher, again if you have it. When Big Daddy attacks, run away.
You can choose to Harvest a Little Sister (for maximum Adam, which kills her) or Rescue them (for less Adam). Which have you been doing, and why?
I rescue the Little Sisters. It's still early in the game for me, and even though I think they are not really human anymore I can't bring myself to harvest them and I don't need to right now either.
If you had to vote right now (yes, we know the year isn't over), would you award BioShock as Game of the Year? Why or why not?
The audacity! Okay, I'll play. In the alternative reality where 1 year = 7.5 months, I vote BioShock as Game of the Year. It's easily the best FPS out this year. It possesses a nice balance of imaginative and compelling story line with nicely crafted gameplay and the strategy aspects of the game are intimately woven into the fiction of the story as well. Well done. In this voting, however, it's to BioShock's advantage that it came out this year rather than next year.
