User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 3152 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. GazFlint
    Sep 1, 2009
    4
    I don't get why so many people like this game, its really repetitive, the crontrols are clunky and at times it's so stupidly hard, I died about five times in a minute once. It was just weird, it didn't know whether it wanted to be an RPG or a shooter, and didn't have the finesse of either. Most over rated game ever.
  2. DylanB
    Aug 24, 2009
    8
    When I first played Bioshock, I thought "Okay pretty good but I probably won't play it again soon". I did though and I enjoyed it more and more ever time I played it. Big Daddy's needed to be harder at the end of the game but thats alright. I thought the story was pretty cool too... I hope Bioshock 2 isn't just a rip-off of this one with multiplayer.
  3. JohnS.
    Aug 22, 2009
    10
    This was the best game i have ever played! the amazing art the great atmosphere, and the best story in videogame history makes this a 20 out of 10!!! but i was limited to 10 out of 10!! You owe it to yourself to buy this game NOW!!!
  4. PaulD.
    Aug 20, 2009
    10
    This game was great in all aspects. The story, setting, mood, and characters were all top notch. I hope part 2 can live up to the first's reputation.
  5. CitizenWolf
    Aug 18, 2009
    4
    This game bored the pants off me. I really don't see what all the hype was about. So it was set underwater. So what. The only aspect that amused me were the accents. They reminded me of home. Other than that I thought it was dull.
  6. JacobM
    Aug 17, 2009
    9
    Bioshock is an amazing game that I enjoyed immensely. The dark and eerie atmosphere was so well created that I found it almost overwhelming at points. The plot is much different from any other game that I have ever played or heard of. You are essentially all on your own to escape from Rapture. The plasmids are great, useful, and very creative. However, I did have some problems with thisBioshock is an amazing game that I enjoyed immensely. The dark and eerie atmosphere was so well created that I found it almost overwhelming at points. The plot is much different from any other game that I have ever played or heard of. You are essentially all on your own to escape from Rapture. The plasmids are great, useful, and very creative. However, I did have some problems with this game. Some of the levels were a little too complex, and trying to find certain items was very difficult, because the levels were so big. In addition, the combat is pretty simple and repetitive, except when you run out of EVE and ammo for all your weapons. All in all, Bioshock is a classic game that I would highly recommend to anyone who doesn't want to play keep playing war games with uninteresting plots (CoD WaW) or games that just have you killing one person after another after another (GTA IV). Expand
  7. Benjyx
    Aug 9, 2009
    8
    Ok - Very good game - VERY GOOD. I cannot understand the criticism of the game as boring i found it really enthralling and very immersive . This is the sort of FPS i enjoy it made you feel part of the game. However it was far from perfect and i am not sure it deserves 96 - Multiplayer is no issue (i hate it anyway) But missions were sometimes repetitive and overused, the gunplay Ok - Very good game - VERY GOOD. I cannot understand the criticism of the game as boring i found it really enthralling and very immersive . This is the sort of FPS i enjoy it made you feel part of the game. However it was far from perfect and i am not sure it deserves 96 - Multiplayer is no issue (i hate it anyway) But missions were sometimes repetitive and overused, the gunplay wasn't as exciting as in other games and it just wasn't as good as system shock 2 though that game is of a rather high standard. It certainly deserves plaudits however and is incredibly good compared to Halo, Call Of Duty etc. Two games i found dreadfully dull and tedius. Expand
  8. JosephP.
    Aug 7, 2009
    10
    To everyone who rated this game lower than a 7, shame on you. This game is not overrated and deserves to be Game of the Year. And for all you people afraid of genocide and evil procedures, do not buy/rent this game due to your low self-esteem. The idea is to barricade these actions between the game and reality, so please do so literally or mentally. Thanks. This is the best game I have To everyone who rated this game lower than a 7, shame on you. This game is not overrated and deserves to be Game of the Year. And for all you people afraid of genocide and evil procedures, do not buy/rent this game due to your low self-esteem. The idea is to barricade these actions between the game and reality, so please do so literally or mentally. Thanks. This is the best game I have ever played on the Xbox 360 and PC. The graphics are phenomenal, the storyline is pretty straightforward, the gameplay was addicting, especially whacking Splicers with the wrench. Hacking wasn't really necessary, but it made me feel better to buy food, items, and ammunition whenever I was low on cash. The Big Daddies were quite a challenge in the beginning. I also came across an extra Little Sister in Neptune's Bounty when I first played it on the Xbox 360, so I got some extra ADAM for myself. The choice whether to harvest or rescue the Little Sisters is very keen. Just to tell you guys, rescuing them will make you choke a little at the ending. The Plasmids are also very useful, especially when you need to upgrade them. The suspenseful sequences keep you on your toes, as well during abrupt occurrences. The game is basically an adventure game with FPS and RPG mixed right in. Big props to @K Boston/Australia for creating such a perfect game! Expand
  9. LaurenP
    Aug 5, 2009
    8
    Very good!
  10. calmc
    Aug 2, 2009
    8
    Fun and addictive, despite being somewhat overhyped. It's as if some major reviewers need some sort of spiritual significance or validation in their lives, so they seriously look to friggin video games for deeper experiences. Bioshock has been propped up like that, so consequently gamers are expecting some Godlike experience. It's a great and interesting gaming experience.
  11. CoreyN
    Jul 31, 2009
    5
    Gameplay was over complicated and repetitive. AI was very weak, they just rushed at me. Story was predictable, contrived, poorly delivered, and unsatisfying. The world was unbelievable. I could not get immersed in it because there was no way to understand it at all. Hacking was fun the first 3 times. Then it became a miserable grind. It was full of bugs, including at least 4 crashes. I Gameplay was over complicated and repetitive. AI was very weak, they just rushed at me. Story was predictable, contrived, poorly delivered, and unsatisfying. The world was unbelievable. I could not get immersed in it because there was no way to understand it at all. Hacking was fun the first 3 times. Then it became a miserable grind. It was full of bugs, including at least 4 crashes. I was really excited to play this game, given all the great reviews it got. Too bad it was a run of the mill FPS with nothing new to offer. Why is it considered so great? Is it just because its not "Aliens in Space" or WWII? A 96 game should offer more than just a different setting. Expand
  12. SanzeeBoy
    Jul 29, 2009
    10
    Superior in every way possible. You can seperate the gamers from the fools by reading the various user scores. If you see any negative user scores it's only because the user didn't understand the brillance of this game. It may not be their style, but as a game itself, it succeeds. Even if I didn't enjoy this type of title, I'd still know that it was a great game. Superior in every way possible. You can seperate the gamers from the fools by reading the various user scores. If you see any negative user scores it's only because the user didn't understand the brillance of this game. It may not be their style, but as a game itself, it succeeds. Even if I didn't enjoy this type of title, I'd still know that it was a great game. Ignore the false gamers who can't recognize a great title from the back of their a**. Expand
  13. AlexanderD.
    Jul 22, 2009
    10
    This game was simply an amazing experience to say the least. Everything about it was unique from the weapon upgrades to the underwater utopia that the game takes place in. You can hack turrets, set traps, or go in head on to fight the Big Daddy in order to collect the ADAM from the Little Sister. Watch out for those Splicers as you make your way through the city or Rapture!
  14. DanielB
    Jul 15, 2009
    6
    I can tell from the majority of other reviews that this game ranks highly on other people's list. Let me be clear, in no way do I feel this is a bad game. On the other hand I do not see how it achieved such a loyal fan base, insistent on giving it a ten out of ten. I rented the game due to a personal doctrine of only renting games that are single player only. Soon after, I found my I can tell from the majority of other reviews that this game ranks highly on other people's list. Let me be clear, in no way do I feel this is a bad game. On the other hand I do not see how it achieved such a loyal fan base, insistent on giving it a ten out of ten. I rented the game due to a personal doctrine of only renting games that are single player only. Soon after, I found my rental period expired and I had only played approximately a fifth of the game. It frankly did not appeal to me as much as thought it would. The graphics and the art direction were good. The story is at best a weak tribute, or at worst a rip off, of Ayn Rand's book "Atlas Shrugged". The game play is a repetitive mashing of FPS elements with "cabinet-opening", tied together with hacking minigames and collecting recording of various charters to move the story along. The game is a high note in art direction and fidelity, but falls flat in game play and story telling. Expand
  15. AceM
    Jun 28, 2009
    7
    This game was heavily lauded by every website and magazine and friend I
  16. DanL
    Jun 17, 2009
    10
    Sigh...everyone just wants another Halo. This game was fantastic. The environment was tense, the enemies were creepy and on normal and hard, NOT EASY, are very difficult to overcome. The healing stations can be used by enemies, not just the player which also makes them difficult. As the difficulty goes up, the more energy your plasmids consume, and the less damage your weapons do. There Sigh...everyone just wants another Halo. This game was fantastic. The environment was tense, the enemies were creepy and on normal and hard, NOT EASY, are very difficult to overcome. The healing stations can be used by enemies, not just the player which also makes them difficult. As the difficulty goes up, the more energy your plasmids consume, and the less damage your weapons do. There were times in the game I was fighting off 3 or 4 enemies with a wrench. The plasmids are an interesting way to deal with enemies such as freezing them and shattering them, stunning turrets and spy cameras with electricity, distracting them with a decoy of yourself, slowing them down with a swarm of hornets, or bursting them into flames and shooting them in the face, they are all options you may take. The tonics you get to upgrade your character range from gaining health everytime you hack to having the ability to find more items. They also provide a different style of combat and playing for every person's preference. The story is very gripping because you have no idea where you are, what happened to the place, or how to get out and as you play, more and more things are learned, but some are from your own assumptions. If you want a shooter where all you gotta do is blast things, this isn't for you. This game and CoD 4 that people keep mentioning are undeniably and completely incomparable. Expand
  17. RickS
    Jun 12, 2009
    3
    96 my @ss, this game was boring, simple as that, why do we play countless hours of Cod 4 death match over and over? Cuz it's fun. BioShock was just tedious, do you like stupid mini games,searching in cabinets, or reloading your gun?. If yes this game is for you. For those who claim to love Bioshock, play it for an hour lets see how far you get, in that hour you would have walked 96 my @ss, this game was boring, simple as that, why do we play countless hours of Cod 4 death match over and over? Cuz it's fun. BioShock was just tedious, do you like stupid mini games,searching in cabinets, or reloading your gun?. If yes this game is for you. For those who claim to love Bioshock, play it for an hour lets see how far you get, in that hour you would have walked around and prob killed 4 enemies while hacking vending machines, AGAIN NOT FUN. What about the guns, ok why freeze a guy when i can just shoot him, the powers in this game is use less, because your guns do the exact amount of damage or more, switching from powers to guns was terrible, all while getting shot in your face over and over. After a while i just stopped dodging. Thats right you walk up to an enemy and just shoot, go to a vending machine and buy health. Repeat over and over. I believe the downfall of this game was the enemies, there just not engaging to kill, when i'm fighting locust(GOW) or gunning down marines(cod 4) its way more thrilling. By the time i finished the game i really didn't care, i just wanted to be done with it, this game was a huge let down. I'M NOT GONNA PLAY BIOSHOCK 2 LET ALONE BUY IT. Keiko C is moron, write a review idot, all you did was bash. Expand
  18. KeikoC
    Mar 29, 2009
    10
    Awesome game, a bit late on the review, but better late than never. So many random down-voters for this game. Especially this one: "Eric B. gave it a0: Me no understand to complicated me want smash in halo no multiplayer to me want kill people for no reason.To many character and plot is hard me cant understand." i mean cmon.
  19. ColinC
    Mar 29, 2009
    10
    Simply incredible. I'm late playing this game (Mar. 2009), but it's still one of the top three games I've played on any of the current systems (and I own all three.) Although if you're playing the game now and you consider yourself any kind of gamer, make sure you download the update and disable the vitachambers so you can actually die. If you don't, any and all Simply incredible. I'm late playing this game (Mar. 2009), but it's still one of the top three games I've played on any of the current systems (and I own all three.) Although if you're playing the game now and you consider yourself any kind of gamer, make sure you download the update and disable the vitachambers so you can actually die. If you don't, any and all challenge is removed from the game because you can never really die. The good news is if you disable the vitachambers, you can still save at any time. So while I died a lot while I figured out how to take down some baddie or group of baddies, I always had a recent save to fall back on so I could try again. Back to the game. Atmosphere. Story. Gameplay. THis game has it all. I so love the crossbow with the bolt trap arrows.. Brilliant! And to Chris R. comment below, yes, you use the wrench a fair bit early on, but as you get the better weapons, the grenade launcher and crossbow, and especially once you find the terminals to upgrade them, I put my wrench away pretty much for good. And the plasmids are great fun too. And the camera, so shooting pictures of your enemies which allows you to learn more about them and kill them better, brilliant. If you haven't played this game, you owe it to yourself to try. I don't truthfully expect the sequel to be this good, especially since it's a different studio doing it, but you never know. Here's hoping. Expand
  20. DmitriLightsey
    Mar 28, 2009
    10
    this game is anything short of amazing. take a look at it, i mean really play the game n look around you. the graphics are jus spectacular and the decisions of the game makes the outcome of your ending. anybody who says this game is weird or boring, ur living on another planet. i mean when i first picked it up n put it in my xbox 360 console, i was amazed over the lighting and thethis game is anything short of amazing. take a look at it, i mean really play the game n look around you. the graphics are jus spectacular and the decisions of the game makes the outcome of your ending. anybody who says this game is weird or boring, ur living on another planet. i mean when i first picked it up n put it in my xbox 360 console, i was amazed over the lighting and the storyline was great. i also loved the political aspect of it n the way it shaped the world around you. Expand
  21. KentL
    Feb 14, 2009
    5
    BioShock is a first person shooter that doesn't offer the excitement of other games in the genre. Beyond that, it has uninteresting settings and boring enemies. The only good thing that the game offers is the story, but it is dragged down by the rest of the game.
  22. dominikj
    Feb 9, 2009
    7
    This game has great story, great atmosphere, and cool enemies. But for guns this is not that good as they are severely underpowered and the aiming is shit. I found myself only using the wrench and telekinesis and incinerate in conclusion gameplay sucks ( at least for guns) melee and plasmids pass and are clever and its not open as some reviews say (they might as well be saying that COD 4 This game has great story, great atmosphere, and cool enemies. But for guns this is not that good as they are severely underpowered and the aiming is shit. I found myself only using the wrench and telekinesis and incinerate in conclusion gameplay sucks ( at least for guns) melee and plasmids pass and are clever and its not open as some reviews say (they might as well be saying that COD 4 is open) but everything else it did well. Expand
  23. ChrisR.
    Jan 5, 2009
    10
    Ill sum up for starters, this game is my favourate game of all time. Sooooo much atmosphere, so much effort and so much variety in how you can handle a combat scenario. The story I absolutly love! and the characters and immersive and sympathetic. Call me biased but FPS are by far the most superior of camera modeling when it comes to atmosphere, the limit of vision immerses you into the Ill sum up for starters, this game is my favourate game of all time. Sooooo much atmosphere, so much effort and so much variety in how you can handle a combat scenario. The story I absolutly love! and the characters and immersive and sympathetic. Call me biased but FPS are by far the most superior of camera modeling when it comes to atmosphere, the limit of vision immerses you into the feeling that your actually there. The upgrades are cool and the weapons themselves.....actually this is the only downfall, he 1st set of weapons i.e. Pistol and Machine Gun are quite frankly nonsence for the start of the game, if your playing it for the 1st time you realise your actually better off with the wrench, or if your me, you realise the wrench is THE best weapon in the game. It feels unbalanced in other ways. All I hope is the next one is equally as good, even if its not I will still appretiate it. Expand
  24. DomS
    Jan 2, 2009
    10
    this game is easily one of the best games on the 360. The story line is epic keeping you hooked right to the end aswell as the actuall gameplay and twisted characters. Although the actual horror element of the game wears off after a while it is still a fantastic game to play even if you are a hardcore horror fan who wants the scariest game possible.
  25. NicholasH.
    Dec 12, 2008
    5
    This game was mediocre, not good and especially not great. Problem is, the hype machine made the game to be much more than it is. If you expect a lot of this game, prepare for disappointment. If you expect little, you will have a "decent" experience.
  26. PaulW.
    Dec 9, 2008
    10
    There are relatively few games (3D ones anyway- 2D games should be judged separately) that have proved as brilliant as Bioshock. Two of them are Gamecube games- the Resident Evil remake and Metroid Prime. Bioshock shares some similarities, a main one being that in those 3 games you piece together a lot of the story from objects left behind- notebooks and diaries. In each case, you are There are relatively few games (3D ones anyway- 2D games should be judged separately) that have proved as brilliant as Bioshock. Two of them are Gamecube games- the Resident Evil remake and Metroid Prime. Bioshock shares some similarities, a main one being that in those 3 games you piece together a lot of the story from objects left behind- notebooks and diaries. In each case, you are essentially entering an intriguing environment ruined by monsters of sorts in some way. Combine that with great set pieces and Bioshock lives up to the mystery that it promised. Even if you're not a FPS fan (and I'm not that much) this game, which is sometimes a bit like being in an interactive ghost train, will make you love just being in its dark hallways and rooms looking out on the depths of the ocean. There's a great bit where you see a Big Daddy slowly walking on the seabed outside. A brilliant aspect of this game to me is not whether to harvest or save (an easy decision for the moral) but the way that a Big Daddy is all or nothing- either a protector who bears you no harm or a fierce opponent. It is content to wear some of its influences very easily on its sleeve (the wrench is very Expand
  27. ThatGuy
    Nov 20, 2008
    4
    This was a terrible game for me, boring, repetative, difficult, strange, but not that normal for a game like this strange. This is over the top stupid and creepy strange. This is like, you expect a nice underwater land populated by at least ghosts or something, but no. Its disgusting rotten zombie people who can run and jump and shoot at the speed of light. Then these unexpected twistsThis was a terrible game for me, boring, repetative, difficult, strange, but not that normal for a game like this strange. This is over the top stupid and creepy strange. This is like, you expect a nice underwater land populated by at least ghosts or something, but no. Its disgusting rotten zombie people who can run and jump and shoot at the speed of light. Then these unexpected twists that just annoy you like big daddies and little sisters. This game was a failure, im going back to Nintendo 64 because of this. (The graphics are the same) Expand
  28. BenI.
    Nov 5, 2008
    8
    When you first play the game, it seems amazing because its scary and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But after about the third lvl,when you get to the tree part, the whole game just seems like a choir. The background story is very good and the grahics are amazing but after a while the game just gets boring. In my opinion it is a good game but does not deserve the aclaim it is getting. When you first play the game, it seems amazing because its scary and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But after about the third lvl,when you get to the tree part, the whole game just seems like a choir. The background story is very good and the grahics are amazing but after a while the game just gets boring. In my opinion it is a good game but does not deserve the aclaim it is getting. I also think it has no replay value because once I beat it, i was completely bored of it and ive never really played it again. Expand
  29. whizzm
    Nov 3, 2008
    7
    dont see what all the fuss is about. i mean it is a good game, but there is no way it is one of the best games ever. i played it for about a week and got bored of it. i love fps and have been playing them for nearly 20 years and i can safely say there are better ones out there. its a game worth buying but it is very overhyped
  30. JoshuaB
    Oct 29, 2008
    10
    When I first played the demo for this game, I was unsure when to start playing because the transfer from video to game was seamless. I was amazed and the graphics at first. Then I continued playing and by the end of the demo was so scared that half-way through, i turned my lights on, and so pissed that the demo ended, that i went out and bought it not even 20 minutes later. This is the When I first played the demo for this game, I was unsure when to start playing because the transfer from video to game was seamless. I was amazed and the graphics at first. Then I continued playing and by the end of the demo was so scared that half-way through, i turned my lights on, and so pissed that the demo ended, that i went out and bought it not even 20 minutes later. This is the only game to come close to my I-Know-It's-Cliche Favorite game ever, Final Fantasy VII. This game is by far going to be recognized in the future for its story, and for its overall creepy theme. Can't wait for Bioshock 2 and the Movie! Expand
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 88 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 88
  3. Negative: 0 out of 88
  1. In a nutshell, beyond any shadow of doubt, BioShock is an excellent single-player shooter experience. The undeniable quality of this title and its emphasis on true and not pseudo-mature storytelling and character development make it a must-have for every self-respecting gamer.
  2. Its weak link is its unsatisfying no-skill-required combat, which might aim this one just over the head of the average Halo fan. But if you want to get a little fancy, there's a lot of fun to be had with some of the game's more indirect fighting methods. It builds an amazing atmosphere by using terrific graphics and sound to set a creepy mood. But BioShock's real strengths are as a compelling work of interactive fiction, and as a unique ride through a warped world with some great payoff built into its mysterious plot. If that description has you even the least bit interested, you won't be disappointed one bit.
  3. 100
    The first-person shooter's great looking, has an engrossing storyline, a perfect balance of action and exploration and a totally customizable combat system that can be described as nothing less than video game rapture.