The 2007 first-person shooter BioShock is known for its replayability, so it’s fair to say that plenty of gamers often revisit it. BioShock’s gripping story follows Jack, a lone survivor of a plane crash who needs to uncover the mysteries behind the terrifying inhabitants of an underwater city called Rapture.
The game’s compelling narrative that masterfully deals with themes of choice and power was partnered with innovative RPG shooter gameplay and immersive world-building. Although the game was able to captivate critics and gamers, it was also riddled with a handful of issues. Gamers who decide to replay BioShock won’t be shocked to uncover various harsh realities that may affect its entertaining value.
The Linear Level Design Is Limiting
BioShock has received a lot of criticism for its linear-level design. This is because the world of BioShock is incredibly well-designed and well-thought-out. So, gamers feel that the linear aspect of the game takes away from its potential.
Apart from not allowing exploration or giving players the choice to roam around in the game, BioShock’s levels are also designed in a way that prevents gamers from experimenting. The limited number of paths in missions can also prevent gamers from approaching the game’s missions like Fort Frolic or Siren Alley in their unique way.
BioShock Doesn’t Have A Lot Of Weapons
In first-person shooter games like BioShock, weapons play a very important role in helping gamers fight different enemies and get themselves out of sticky situations. However, the very limited number of weapons in BioShock can restrict player choice and make the gameplay feel predictable.
It’s also weird that Rapture, a dystopian society with advanced technology, doesn’t have a wide selection of experimental weapons for gamers. This makes some players feel that the developers did not fully utilize BioShock’s unique setting.
BioShock Isn’t Loaded With Content
Despite having two DLCs, the steampunk video game BioShock is still lacking in content. Upon the release of BioShock, gamers were in awe of its vast environment and incredible world-building of an underwater dystopian city. However, players soon learned that the game’s locations, characters, and storyline options are wildly limited.
The game’s limited content makes it feel incomplete and rushed, which is something that’s out of character for most triple-A games released at the time. BioShock fails to deliver when it comes to content, making it not feel rewarding to finish and demotivating gamers.
The Fights Are Uninteresting
While playing BioShock, some might feel that the enemy fights in the game are not as engaging compared to other narrative-based first-person shooters. This is due largely to the game’s predictable enemy AI, which has resulted in repetitive and boring gameplay.
Some enemies in the game that are considered to be uninteresting include the iconic Big Daddies. They have limited attack options and are slow-moving, as well as the security bots, which can be easily killed by certain plasmids. Enemy fights are also prone to specific bugs that take from the gamer’s enjoyment, which include poor hit detection and clunky animation.
Its Moral Choice System Is Predictable
BioShock is a game that gives players the option to make their own decisions. However, its moral choice system has been called out for being predictable and not offering meaningful player agency. This results in players having to choose choices that fall into binary categories.
Because choices often fall between good and evil, gamers can easily outcome the results of the choices they make in the game. It also doesn’t help that the narrative of the game emphasizes that the main character is following a predetermined path, which can make the player feel that their agency is greatly reduced.
BioShock Is Riddled With Bugs
BioShock is an excellent steampunk game, but just like other games, it also has several bugs that can affect the experience of gamers. For one, the AI of the game has been said to be defective at times, with some enemy characters getting stuck in walls or not responding to players.
Bugs in quests have also been reported as some important quests have not been triggered correctly or not properly completed, which can make some gamers feel stuck. Other than that, low frame rate issues and stuttering are also common, although this is more common with gamers using Windows PCs that don’t have the best hardware.
Its Bosses Are Poorly Designed
BioShock is a game that has been praised for its incredible world-building but has received flack for having bosses that are poorly designed. Dr. Steinman, who is an evil plastic surgeon obsessed with perfection has been called out by some players for the fast and unpredictable movements that make it hard to defeat him.
Other bosses in the game that are disappointing are Sander Cohen, due to the lack of variety in his attack patterns, and Ryan, for not living up to the expectations set by previous bosses in the game. Defeating the bosses in the gamer is not at all satisfying due to their poor design.
BioShock Leaves Players With Unanswered Questions
Despite having a solid narrative that sees Jack either get rescued from Rapture or be affected by ADAM, BioShock leaves some loose threads for the gamers. A glaring question left unanswered by the end of the game is the fate of the other characters in Rapture, including the antagonists Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine.
Other questions characters may have included the true reason for the downfall of Rapture as well as the true purpose of the trials faced by the main character. While the unresolved questions add more mystery to the game, they can also be a source of uncertainty and annoyance to other gamers.
The Plasmids Are Barely Useful
An innovative and unique aspect of BioShock is Plasmids, which are genetic modifications that allow the player to exhibit powerful skills such as setting enemies on fire or shooting lightning bolts. However, some gamers feel that the Plasmids are not as effective as the developers want them to be.
For one, it is limited by EVE, which is a finite resource. This means that players can only use Plasmids a limited number of times before they run out of EVE. Furthermore, the weapons in the game are more effective and efficient to use, so players would rather use those than Plasmids. Despite its negative reception, Plasmids need to make an appearance in the Netflix adaptation.
Jack Is Badly Written
Gamers who revisit BioShock will realize that the protagonist of BioShock, Jack, lacks character development and motivation. Although some critics say that he serves to be a vehicle for the gamer to experience the game’s story, many players argue that he’s not a good protagonist.
To add to that, the available decisions that Jack can make feel contrived and forced, which is primarily due to his lack of organic motivations. In that regard, Jack fails to fully engage players as a compelling character.