The Bioshock franchise is one of the best franchises that has ever been developed. The cool gameplay mechanics with the slightly horrific atmosphere under water, killing ADAM junkies with your plasmids or even the fanatic weirdos you had to face in the castle of the skies… all of these bring good memories back to the surface and if you haven’t played one of them, this is the perfect time to start! All 3 games in one box with some extras and an amazing graphical overhaul to make these good-looking games even better seems like a perfect deal for me!
Veteran Bioshock players won’t be thinking twice as the original games have been overhauled with a graphical performance boost: improved textures, added lighting effects, better shadows… The original Bioshock games were launched on the Xbox 360 and PS3, even then these games looked great but now they look even better. Bioshock 1 & 2 have been remastered to run at 1080p and a stable fram rate of up to 60fps. It all looks goof, these games are finally reaching a bit more of their potential. Just don’t expect anything too new from Bioshock Infinite, the last one in the series. It already looked great on a PC and now console owners will benefit from years of technology. However, the game does have some flaws when it comes to performance. Most of the time, the game runs smoothly but it tends to lose some framerates along the way of some high intense action sequences.
Let’s talk a bit more about the original (evolutionary) game that influenced a lot of other games to this day. This game combined different elements of 2 popular genres and put them together. They really made it feel/ look special. In the beginning, people weren’t really convinced about its debut because of the weird setting and core mechanics but in the end, it became one of the most popular franchises in the world thanks to a lot of things. First of all, there was this great weaponry system where weapons looked like they were handmade and they felt like it as well. These weapons were unique and could be upgraded in the way you wanted them to. Alongside this magnificent arsenal, there were these useful and lethal plasmids the player could use. These 2 main mechanics, pushed the game towards “a personal” experience. People could play the way they wanted to.
Second of all, there were these RPG elements that kept people interested and it motivated the players to explore different areas or handle situations differently. Defeated mobs carried money or other useful items with them. With the money, you could stock up different health/mana potions or buy different weapons. All the items that you found, were being used to craft certain tools that’ll help you overcome certain obstacles.
These 2 main mechanics, pushed the game towards “a personal” experience.
Last but not least, was the mysterious environment and unique atmosphere. A Utopian world that offered broken promises and turned the people into maniacs. This city had a story of its own, you were intrigued by its nature even though the story itself left a few key components out of the picture. The developers tried to fill these holes with audio stories. People were actually interested in how this Rapture evolved into something so dark. All of these combinations made the game worth playing and it still is. The game looked gorgeous that time and it was all thanks to the beautiful graphical interpretation of the game that made the story and the environment into this “living breathing” thing.
Rapture was also filled with some interesting characters like the Little Sisters and their Big Daddys. Facing one was terrifying but being one in Bioshock 2, was amazing and the same world played out differently. Maniacs and Splicers, formed alliances to bring you down and try to take away your Little Sister. Rapture is a good presentation of how the world could end when everybody’s addicted to one thing: power.
The game had so much epic moments that you were hooked from the first battle to your last.
Not only was the game keen for the eyes but the combat system felt rich, due to all these customization options and playing the way you want it to play. Each enemy had so much energy in them… If you combine this with some great voice acting, it made up for some very believable and scary maniacs. The game itself also had some interesting use of the environment. Plasmids offers the player different ways of hurting these enemies. You could freeze, burn, shock and hypnotize them to give yourself some advantage. These Plasmids stimulate creative thinking within this rich environment. The environment could be used to boost your damage. For example: there’s a puddle of water that can help you electrocute a group of maniacs with one shot or using your telekinesis to re-arrange snares from traps could surprise your enemy. Players could use their Plasmids and items in a way that suited them best. The game had so much epic moments that you were hooked from the first battle to your last. Even though, some things can be forgotten like gathering missions and the final boss event. Overall, the game scores great.
Bioshock Infinite was a great ending to the franchise. It took the same concept but instead of an underwater city, they’ve built a big city up in the skies. The game had an amazing setting, the rollercoaster rails that could be used by the player to his/her advantage with the help of their Skyhook were pretty awesome. There were a couple of great bosses and the help of Elizabeth during the fights was very well thought out. New weapons and abilities were added to the Booker DeWitt’s arsenal.
The game’s graphical presentation was mind blowing but the narrative twist the game had to offer was a step further. There was also a very good interaction between the 2 main characters: Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth. It’s very fun to hear them react to everything that’s happening around them, they even react to each other’s actions. Eventually, the main story lacks a bit explaining but it’s the small puzzle pieces that help the game’s story build up to a big climax that won’t disappoint.
Don’t forget that the collection also comes with the different DLC packs such as Return to Rapture or Burial at Sea, so if you haven’t tried them yet, now’s the time to pick them up and play. Fill up the last pieces of the puzzle to see the bigger picture and enjoy while doing so. Now these 3 big games offer a lot of gameplay but It’s just another remaster with nothing “new” enough to feel different. It’s a bit sad that the developers weren’t going for that “little extra”. Buying this collection gets you 3 great games with a graphical update, DLC packs and some other extras really not worth mentioning. It’s actually a pack for returning or new players with the next big console. PC gamers have been left out a bit because they can’t buy or download the collection through steam or another provider but they do have the opportunity to download the “graphical update” patch and they’re good to go. The greatest fans won’t be satisfied if they’re expecting something big.
Conclusion:
Bioshock had its fair share of fans and haters but whatever your opinion might be, this is a good deal to retry this game or even enjoy it all over again. The Bioshock franchise offers you a good story with an amazing setting and a super fun playground. This action game will get you hooked from the first time you set foot in Rapture, the underwater Utopian city where there’s only man, no Gods or Kings. The game looked great in the beginning but now’s the time to enjoy it even more thanks to the 60 framerate at 1080p. The game offers a lot of epic moments that keeps you coming back for more. The collection is probably aiming for new players that haven’t really tried the game out but if you think it’s about time to re-experience the madness, the game won’t disappoint.
9/10
