Bioshock

 

 

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UNDISPUTED FACT:
BIOSHOCK will only install for a limited number of times (it was 3 but - after a deluge of eMails and bad reviews - it was upped to 5). So, if you install it you will be reluctant to uninstall once finished and will have to carry those 9GB on your HardDrive for a long time.
One has to ask: even after paying $60 for it, WHO ACTUALLY OWNS MY COPY?

UNDISPUTED FACT:
The game utilizes an overzealous version of SecuROM 7. They either activated all its available options or had a special version custom made. No other game company dared behaving in such heavy-handed way. This means that the game will not even install if you operate virtual drives and will block certain non-DRM certified Drives.

DISPUTED FACT :
It has been widely reported that BIOSHOCK installs a RootKit. Both MICROSOFT's ROOTKIT DETECTION TOOL and AVG ANTI-VIRUS detected either the RootKit or its actions. Since, AVG was made to release a special update (just for BIOSHOCK) to ignore this alert.
In hacker lingo, to "take someone's Root" means to insert a procedure that "will allow the intruders to maintain root access (highest privilege) on the system without the system administrator even seeing them" (Source: WIKIPEDIA).
Official BIOSHOCK announcements (and their "unofficial" reviewers here at AMAZON) will try to persuade everyone who would listen that there is nothing there, so stop looking and don't even mention it.
Understandable reaction since, the existence of a RootKit would be a solid basis for class-action litigation.
Weight the facts and judge for yourself.

UNDISPUTED FACT:
BIOSHOCK effectively revokes our Administrator rights on our own computers. Here is what happens: even after completely uninstalling the game there is a mystery folder that canNOT be removed, no matter what!
On WinXP it is located here:
"C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\SecuRom"
What this folder does and why should it get placed into OUR computers so that we cannot remove it even as Administrators, is beyond me. And I, for one, do NOT appreciate it one bit. (A quick internet search revealed a number of suggestions on how to get rid of it, ranging from clearly unsafe to catastrophic...)
True, almost every game leaves one or two folders behind after uninstalled - but this NEVER REVOKES OUR ADMINISTRATOR RIGHTS to delete them!

I do understand that there are production and publishing costs to get recovered as well as profit projections to be reached. Companies that wish to protect their investment will always try to fight piracy. This is only reasonable and expected.
However, with BIOSHOCK, as it is currently available by 2K GAMES, it gets WAY OUT OF HAND & WELL BEYOND RIDICULOUS!!

No one in the game-publishing industry seems to learn from past mistakes: every security system eventually gets cracked and every "OnLine activation requirement" eventually gets bypassed. So, utilizing an overly intrusive, inconvenient and possibly dangerous security kit only serves in penalizing the people who actually paid good money for their product - and manage to shoot their sales in the foot at the same time.
Look what happened with HALF-LIFE 2: legitimate buyers still have to put up with activating the game every time we want to play - and of course VALVE paid the price: unprotected HL1 had sold TWICE as many units as STEAM-"secured" HL2 ever did (8million and 4million respectively, Source: THE WASHINGHTON POST)

Since I would NEVER install a contraption such as BIOSHOCK onto my computer and wished to have hands-on experience before I reviewed the game, I asked around and a colleague of mine had already made the mistake of purchasing it and installing on his laptop.
THIS IS NOT A BAD GAME.
The environments are well designed and have a pleasant retro patina; the graphics are very nice, even though they do not meet the hype. They are subpar even to older games such as HL2 (not to mention STALKER).
You see, dark is not always moody, and blurry cannot always be mistaken for dreamy.
I did love the music though! Both the collection of happy-go-lucky and romantic 1940's songs (contrasting with the bleak environment) as well as their smart timing, added to the overall experience.

It was the gameplay I was the least impressed.
Totally linear - as it is has come to be expected from any FPS today I am afraid. To be fair, I cannot imagine a Single Player holding a storyline without being more or less linear (even "free"-roaming FAR CRY did not escape this curse) - but then again, that is why I am not a game designer. And unless the publishers release their creative suffocation of the true game artists, there is no hope for a worthy successor to SYSTEM SHOCK 2.

The controls are not hard to get used to; if not, they are remapable; nevertheless, I would love to have an inventory: cycling between which plasmid and which ammo for which gun can get pretty frustrating. Fast.
And, finally: dying. Regeneration chambers turn the game into a check-point one - and I hate checkpoint-games. Most often than not, they are chosen in order to artificially augment the gameplay duration (having us replay the same segments over and over - instead of saving wherever we feel like it). Moreover, when progressing, you usually end up getting killed just before the next regeneration chamber (and having to repeat quite a distance from the previous one) whereas, when facing a Boss, regeneration takes away all the suspense. Keep respawning, you will eventually get him, his health does not increase if you do.

So, all in all, BIOSHOCK IS NOT WORTH ITS TROUBLE.
It is only a slightly above-average game; and if 2K GAMES did not have the guts to publish it for PCs (and is hiding it within an intrusive security Kit) it should have stuck with X-BOX.

Even BIOSHOCK designers acknowledge there is a serious issue with the security measures forced upon them by the publisher. These measures are hurting their game and, so, THERE IS AN UPDATED VERSION COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO FIX THIS!
Don't take my word for it. Google for "Ken Levin-Interview" and "BIOSHOCK-Fixed-Version" and see for yourself. (I tried to add links but Amazon, apparently, does not allow them)

BIOSHOCK has it all: temperamental and Limited number of Installations, overzealous Drive-Blockers, possible cloaked RootKits, irremovable folders...NONE of which is Clearly marked on the product description!!

As it is, it will come NOWHERE NEAR MY SYSTEM!
No problem: I will wait for 12-16 months, they will release a ClassicGames version.
LET'S **ALL** WAIT FOR THE CLASSIC RELEASE IN A YEAR!
Believe me, they will have cleaned it up by then...
- -- --- ----- -------- ------------- --------------------- ----------------------------------

UPDATE:
The title pertains to my amazon.com review which, during the past weeks, has became the target of vicious and underhanded attacks by...suspicious characters.
Their methods included the addition of an...avalanche of negative votes that appeared in overnight bursts, insulting comments (under ever-changing aliases) - but they were not exhausted there.
By then I had 140 Reviews posted at AMAZON: in order to intimidate me (and make me change or delete my BIOSHOCK review - as prompted in their rude comments) almost every single one got pounded with negative votes; at the same time, every single new review I would post, would get attacked THE MOMENT IT WAS POSTED. When my BIOSHOCK review eventually got weighted down by AMAZON (disappearing from the first page) all attacks "mysteriously" ceased. Their mission, obviously, had been accomplished.
In the end, over 750-800 negative votes had been compounded on my reviews cumulatively - substantially dropping my reviewer ranking (compared to reviewers with far fewer positive votes).
However, if THAT is the price of telling the Truth, I will gladly pay it again tomorrow.
Amazon (US) finally decided to split the baby in half by allowing the review to appear but made sure to keep it from the first page by weighting it down by some factor. That is why, although honored with the larger number of positive votes ( as well as the highest ratio of positive/negative votes) it has been buried as far away from the first page as possible.

I can only guess what affiliation these shady individuals have with the game...
Do not hesitate to let them know what you think of these methods.

First off, aside from technical complaints that reviews elsewhere will make, I will start off by saying that this is one of the most beautiful games produced to date. The art direction is superb, the ingenuity behind the game engine to bring the world to life are great, and the characters aren't too bad, albeit a bit drab and repetitive over the course of the game.

Sadly, the game falls short in every other area that should, in essence, make a game of it. I admit, I had high hopes for this one as it'd been built up with so many previews. Heck, it maintains an average of 96 on metacritic.com, but how? I can't explain it. Perhaps for console kiddies, it's new and pretty and shiny, and that is enough. But for everyone else, there is no excuse for this much fanfare.

The story starts out interesting enough, but slowly falls into the old run-around-and-shoot-things to progress to the next level style. While some might like this, it doesn't hold my attention. If I'm going to invest my time, I'd at least like a story to prompt me to do so.

And that was the biggest disappointment here. I couldn't even finish my game; I lived vicariously through my roommate and quit my own game a third in. Watching him play, and progressively become let down by the storyline was enough for me. He predicted the ending and lo and behold, upon finishing it, we literally threw the game in the garbage.

Harsh, you might ask? Sure. But this will go back to those technical reviews: because the game has some ridiculous security measures included with it, it's not resellable as it registers itself and is useless after a time.

With the right hardware, this is an amazing game; without it, I can imagine the frustration some people are feeling.

This game is my favorite type, that being a 1st person shooter with multiple upgrades to weapons, skills and abilities. (reminiscent of 'Deus ex' & 'System Shock')

There were many positives about the game (and a couple negatives as well)...for instance

1.)Wonderful graphics, audio and game play; probably the best I've ever seen. For me, the game ran without a hitch using 'Vista' with a Dual Core Processor, 2 GBs of RAM and a 8800 series nVidia video card.

2.)There is a map; indicating where you are and sometimes showing where your present goal is located.

3.)Three levels of difficulty that are changeable at ANYTIME (very useful if your taking a continual beating); The degrees of difficulty could be described as...easy (very much so), medium (a definite challenge) and hard (brutal) It was difficult to stay alive on 'hard'.

4.)Movement and firing are handled with the mouse, while weapon/ammo changes are done effectively with the keyboard (this is a useful blend of controls when the action gets hectic).

5.)Anytime, anywhere saves and loads with F8 and F9 respectively.

6.)A helpful guidance arrow to help you travel at certain times.(travel can be confusing at times) [see Cons: 3.) below]

7.)An emotional storyline and plot; the little girls will tug at your heartstrings.

8.)Some degree of replayability...you could try a 'different' attitude in your handling of the little girls and also you could focus on different weapons and 'skills'.

9.)Non-linear game play; although you have to complete specific goals on each level, you are able to move about unrestricted and explore anywhere.

The Cons:

1.)The game must be activated via an internet link; I'm not sure if this means you can sell your game or not after your through with it.

2.)Very high end hardware is needed to get this game to run smoothly.

3.)I found the mapping system a little confusing, at times, e.g. when I changed rooms or went up or down stairs. (really a minor complaint, but you'll understand what I mean once you start playing)

And finally...this is the new standard for computer gaming. You will need a powerful system to appreciate this game (and others to come) in the way the developers had intended. Simply a joy to play. 5 Stars.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Hit'em Mr. B!
I love this game and that doesn't happen often because I'm very picky about parting with my hard earned cash for games that aren't worth a second play. Read more

Published on Oct 27 2007 by Spudgun

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
That's the best FPS,I never seen before ! You must buy it if you want more info go on gamespot.com

Published on Aug 26 2007 by Vlad

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