BioShock
A spiritual sequel to the cult classic SystemShock, BioShock elevated the horror first-person shooter genre and is considered one of its greatest titles. Now BioShock has come to iOS.
Pros
A timeless tale: BioShock's story is a classic piece of video game narration. Rapture is an underwater city that has forsaken government and religion to create a (failed) utopia for society's elites. Combined with environmental clues, audio journals that provide indirect narrators, and cool character interactions, the fall of Rapture weaves a believable tale of human greed and arrogance running amok.
Surroundings with sound: Great acoustics are one of the highlights of the game. With the help of headphones, you'll feel like you're actually in Rapture: You'll hear the creaking of metal under thousands of pounds of pressure, the dripping of distant pipes, and the maniacal laughter of unseen Splicers waiting to ambush you for your ADAM.
Cons
Wetter is not better: Emulating a game that was released for PC and console on iOS meant cutting some corners. The graphics are passable for the gameplay experience but prove detrimental to the title's artistic style. Jagged polygons and a short draw distance fail to capture how big and stunning Rapture is. The visual downgrade is worse than that of the console version, with frequent performance lags.
Terrify to touch: First-person shooters frequently run into control problems with iOS's touch interface. BioShock is no different, and its dual-weapon system (spells and conventional firearms) adds extra frustration. With no option to customize layout, combined with clumsy movement and inaccurate aiming, the game is not meant for those short on patience or thumb dexterity. Without the help of a third-party controller, BioShock can be a trial -- good luck trying to play on an iPhone.
Bottom Line
The original BioShock was an amazing game that spawned multiple acclaimed sequels and a cult following. The iOS port, however, can be a tough sell. On one hand, fans who have never played deserve to experience the original storytelling. On the other hand, imprecise controls and graphical stuttering can ruin the experience. Veterans may be better off going back to the PC/console version for their nostalgia fix. For tablet newcomers who are interested in an immersive story and who do not place high value on visuals, this may be a worthy port to pick up.
