Cynical's Bioshock Demo Thoughts

It is no big secret that Bioshock is one of my most anticipated game releases of this year. As with all anticipated games it becomes difficult to maintain some form of objectivity about the game in order to critically analyze the game's release. Of course, a demo which is designed to promote the release of a game is not the best medium in which to critique a game. However, it does give us a feel for what we will experience when the complete package is released for retail.

Bioshock deals with the concept of dystopia. A dystopia is a civilization which is considered to be oppressive and is often represented as a form of authoritarian or totalitarian control over its citizens. Recently, Half Life 2 has taken gamer's to Gabe Newell's alien dystopia. Half Life 2 had basically torn a page out of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and presented the player with a regime which they wanted to hate. An oppressive form of government which made players emotionally involved with through the nature of their repression. Bioshock, on the other hand, is a vision of a utilitarian utopia which has taken its citizens to a place where they can live in one man's vision of what a free society should be. However, as seems to be the way with utopia's there is not a silver lining to the cloud of Andrew Ryan's vision. There is a more sinister side to the reality of breaking away from conventional society. A world which is not meant to have any limits ultimately is destroyed by the very ideals which it stands to uphold. That is where the gamer is placed in Bioshock.

The gamer finds themselves treading water after surviving a plane crash. The scene is not like Lost where you are a part of a number of survivors who are desperately trying to pick up the pieces after an accident. It appears that you are the sole survivor. You tread water surrounded by burning wreckage. The flames are excellent and provide fantastic contrast against the blackness of the night sky and the water. As you move through the floating wreck and debris you see a light house standing out of the middle of nowhere which will offer you some salvation from the horror that you have just experienced.

Stylistically the game looks fantastic. The art deco style is also obviously influenced by some communist art as Andrew Ryan is portrayed in massive sculpture sporting his utilitarian slogans. The graphics are excellent, however, while Irrational may have had a dedicated coder to work on just the water in the game. The depiction of running water still highlights the limitations of the hardware and the skills of those people attempting to create them.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of demo to be had. It is possible to get a feel for the game, but the area which is available to the gamer is limited, narrow and scripted. This is quite the opposite of what we are led to believe the game will be which is a "relatively" open world. It may be that some gamers play this demo and are somewhat misled as to what the game is actually about. Those parts of the game which are available are definitely moody and atmospheric. The lighting is effective and the use of shadow as a means to create atmosphere is (as should be expected) becoming a standard part of the gaming landscape.

After the release of the demo this game is still on my list of most anticipated games. Considering it is due out on the 24th of this month it seems the anticipation doesn't have long to wait. Hopefully, this game will provide us with a dystopia worth hating. A vision which, while being idealistic, has deteriorated and created the basest form of human settlement. These are the things which Half Life 2 attempted to create but failed miserably in their application.