Looks like the rumors can finally be put to rest: BioShock is coming to the PS3 this holiday season, courtesy of Irrational Games and 2K Games.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167898

This is fantastic news for a non-360 owner like myself - and one who doesn't have the system requirements to run the PC version adequately.  We'll have to wait for more details, but the PS3 port is apparently going to be receiving a graphical upgrade in some capacity, along with the DLC already included in the main package.

Since we've never had an official thread on the game, why not make it this one?  Those who've played the original BioShock, what are your opinions on it?  I note that it earned quite a few of your picks for 2007 Game of The Year.  Do you think the game will adapt well to the PS3?

Also, are any of you excited at the prospect of the upcoming movie adaptation?  Having Verbinski on board as director has already piqued my interest to a relatively elevated level; the POTC movies have at least proven that he can do water visuals really, really well.

We sure did!

http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=2713

To quote someone from around these parts, "Was an entirely new thread for this bit of news really necessary, when a topic already exists?"

Well, shut my mouth wide open.  But hey, to be fair, I also stated "..... just a few rows down?"  So I can plead a bit of blissful ignorance, seeing as how avatar's thread was dated back in August while Indy was, what, just a couple of days?  You'll simply have to deem me a hypocrite by half.

Anyways, apologies for that.  But that's why I always make a concerted effort to put the actual topic name in the Subject header for a new topic..... especially for a quote-unquote official one.  It just makes searching the archives later so much easier, instead of having to second guess an obscure title like "So, maybe it's better than expected!"

.....aaaanyways, back on topic...

I'll certainly be picking this one up provided they don't mar the experience like every other port from the 360 has been.

Maybe it's just these types of games that come out, but I didn't really feel the need to get the Orange Box for the PS3 either, but I did.  Finished Portal (good, but not great) but never finished Half Life 2 or the subsequent episodes.  Traded it on goozex. 

I'm hoping against hope that this one will put behind me that feeling of "finally joining the party."  I mean, the game can only get so much hype:  2007 GOTY, Internet luvs, etc...  It's like if I don't find myself absolutely engrossed by the game then I feel like I've missed the point entirely. 

That, and I have a hard time spending $60.00 on a game that isn't Japanese in some form or another (what's wrong with me?!).

Thoughts on the game?

Darkly imaginative, beautifully haunting, with a game mechanic that demands the player to make unsettling decisions, the game in the context of atmosphere seemingly has no equal.

While the actual gameplay is slightly above average for the shooter genre (knocked a point up for plasmid powers, in my book), the atmosphere, setting, environment and architecture all add to the experience immensely.

So yeah. I would heartily recommend a jaunt through Rapture if you haven't already.

Sometimes Penny Arcade just does it right.

Sweet, I've been waiting for this port. I hope who ever ports it does a good job.

The game really doesn't do anything new for the shooter/RPG genre but it does a TERRIFIC job on creating and sustaining atmosphere. It's actually one of the scariest games I've ever played (so much so that I couldn't get more than 2 hours into it. I was also playing the PC version and was straddling the system requirements).

I should pick it up for the 360 so I can actually play it.

... or for the PS3 as the topic states...

Don't think Wanderer owns a PS3, though.

Anyway, 2K Games had their press release a few days ago, and it looks like the game is slated for an October 2008 release:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/b … in-october

Nope. However, with MGS4 coming out soon and other tempting games in the future, it's only a matter of time before I get one.

Looks like BioShock is slated for an October 21st release in North America, October 24th for the rest of the world:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site … ewsLang=en

~I'm a-packin' my bags for Ra-ap-ture, doo-dah doo-dah~

Coincidentally, I just started playing this yesterday for the 360 (after struggling with the PC version). It's really creepy (and astonishingly enough, there's no downturn in quality from the last game I finished, Uncharted).

So I'm playing BioShock for the very time via the PSN demo, and it's been quite the impressive experience.  The core gameplay is pretty standard as far as first-person shooters go, but the addition of plasmids makes for a fresh formula.  The few guns and plasmids that they provide in the demo already allows for a pretty flexible game, and I can only imagine how much more varied it's going to be in the final version.  I have noticed that the effectiveness of conventional weapons when compared to the plasmids are surprisingly low; guns don't seem to do nearly as much damage, but the wrench has been pretty handy.  I'm a tad ambivalent toward the hacking, though.  It's interesting, but sort of flow-breaking - and it happens quite frequently, from what I've heard.  Still, I quickly found that it's better to have those hacked security bots on your side than the alternative.

Controls are good, but after extensive playtime with both COD4 and MGS4, I wished they had mapped the main attack triggers to the PS3's L1 and R1 buttons instead of L2 and R2 - a seemingly common complaint amongst fans that will hopefully be addressed by way of customizable configurations for the final release.  Can't compare the graphics to the 360 version, but folks have mentioned that textures are looking a bit more blurry and lower-res, and that the framerate isn't quite as consistent.  I've noticed a few rate drops from an otherwise solid 30, but nothing that's deterring me from the game.  That aside, the graphics and rendered environments are drop-dead gorgeous, and it's easy to immerse yourself in the frightful sound scape.  Rapture looks like it's going to be a wondrously creepy place to explore indeed.

So I got a little bit of playtime on the 360 BioShock under my belt, and it's been wonderful so far.  I love that it's such a streamlined experience; being able to switch difficulty levels on the fly, save anywhere, and quick load from the pause menu make this an extremely inviting game.  The adventuring/collecting is a real blast; you just want to allow your eyes to soak up every beautifully rendered environment, and search every nook and cranny for items and weaponry.  Already this is a game that I want to start over and play again from the beginning. 

Right now, I'm at the Medical Pavilion.  .... Defeated Dr. Steinman, and took down my first Big Daddy.  What a rush!  It's funny, though; I'm still grappling with the 360's controller layout - my mind is so affixed on the Y/X button layout of the SNES that I'm just not used to the way they reciprocated them on the 360.  So when I meant to Rescue my first Little Sister, I actually Harvested her.  Ack!

The weapon/plasmid firing feels more natural on the 360's controller because of the positioning of the trigger buttons.  I really don't care for the hacking portions AT ALL, so I pretty much pay them out whenever I can; the rest of the time I just destroy the various security bots and turrets. 

I guess if there's one flaw in the game, it's that, yeah, it's a tad too easy.   Even on Medium it's been a bit of a cakewalk; I'm thinking of just going Hard all the way from this point on.  Maybe stick with the Vita-Chambers on.

I guess you wouldn't like this game, then.

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product … t_id=72616

I got hooked on them once I figured to save right before hacking. Hooray for unlimited tries!

Well, I could enjoy a game like Pipe Mania, within context.  Its puzzle elements just feels out of place for a genre like BioShock.

Funny you shold bring that up since I recently played the demo of it just after playing the Bioshock PS3 demo with the same type of puzzles.  In all honesty, I think the execution is far better in BioShock.  I enjoyed the puzzle I played in the BioShock demo and hated every minute of the Pipe Mania demo.

Yeah, I think what makes the hacking game in Bioshock so great is its simplicity. I'm just judging from the pics but Pipe Mania looks like a port of an ugly flash game. The gameplay looks a bit deeper than Bioshock's hacking portion but I don't know if it's enough to work as a standalone game.

So apparently, after beating the PS3 version of BioShock, a teaser video opens up for the sequel.  A better quality video is bound to crop up any day now, but check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzf18bZCPCI

Subtitled "Sea of Dreams", it's intriguing to see what looks like a grown-up Little Sister clutching a Big Daddy doll.  The growing barnacles and butterfly sprouting on the title logo are an interesting touch that's bound to spark several theories on the story.

EDIT: The direct feed HD version is now available:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41897.html

Just completed Fort Frolic.  Sander Cohen is one magnificent bastard.

Cohen's Masterpiece, in its full 15 minutes of musical glory.  Waltz of the Flowers FTMFW:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zztn2zigtg2

Dammit, Angie, why do you rock so much?
I may have to slap you for that some time.

Also, out of curiousity, did you kill Cohen or did you let him live?

The "artist temperament" incident aside, I just couldn't bring myself to do the guy in.  And yeah, I know I forfeited the Irony Achievement in the process.  Ah well.

I won't spoil things, but keeping him alive will give you access to a different Achievement, so you did the right thing

I tried out the PSN demo yesterday and enjoyed the heck out of it.

Is the game worth $60? That price point is hard to swallow when the 360 version is a lot cheaper.  I'm thinking about just renting it if it doesn't offer much replay value.

I could use that savings to buy a 360...

A rental would probably be the most feasible option.  If you're thinking of picking up the PS3 port, though, the final word is that, yes, there are a couple of technical hitches that are prevalent in the game.  Framerate drops and degraded texture-pop ins are the biggest offenders.  I could probably live with the texture problems, but personally, I've gotten so used to how smooth and rock-solid the framerate is on the 360, that any tearing or drops would completely jolt me out of the experience. 

As for replay value, it's a very linear adventure at its core, so once you've beaten the game, you've likely seen it all.  But for me, the world is so damned detailed, immersive and memorable that I think it's going to be worth a couple more playthroughs to absorb it all.  Already I'm thinking of new plasmid and power-up combinations to tackle the next game.  And then, of course, I'll want to do a "save all the Little Sisters" run.  (Yes, I've been harvesting like a madwoman.  I'm awful, I know.)

Here is an interesting read about the purported aspects of free will in the gameplay (or the lack thereof).

In lieu of spoilers, I'll have to give this a read after I've finished the game.  And I think I'm pretty close now; just got through the "big twist."  (I should've seen it coming a mile away, but it still made me go, "Oh, shhhit......")

The first DLC pack for the PS3 is set for release on November 20th.  Priced at $10, the descriptions of the Challenge Rooms are as follows:

- A Shocking Turn of Events – A Little Sister is trapped atop a Ferris wheel in an undisclosed location in Rapture. Using only the tools and environment around them, players must use their wits to create electricity to power the Ferris wheel and bring the Little Sister to safety.

- The I in Team – Using limited resources, and an even more limited arsenal, players must negotiate traps and find a way to defeat a Big Daddy using their wits instead of raw firepower.

- Worlds of Hurt – Step up and take on the most grueling challenge offered in the world of Rapture. Players must battle through eight rooms of Big Daddies, Splicers and the worst that Rapture has to offer. Accumulate Adam, build an arsenal of Plasmids, Tonics and Weaponry, and fight through to rescue the Little Sister.

And here's the trailer showcasing the new Challenges:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/42336.html

Cool beans. I'll be playing the game this weekend, courtesy of GameFly.

How long is the game?

It's tough to quantify the game in hours, since there's no in-game timer - but I'm gonna say it FELT like fifteen hours.  It's a satisfying length for a game of this caliber. 

And I know a lot of people have beef with the last third of the game, but to me, it remained consistently enjoyable till the very end.  With the exception of the event just before the final battle, the game really didn't deviate from its tried and true gameplay formula - which baffles me when people say otherwise.

I finished it last week. Great game, especially the beginning. The game sorta fella flat towards the end. The fetch quests felt like such a chore. The ending was a huge disappointment, too. For game bustling with so unique ideas, the last boss was...a lame run and gun shoot em up. I didn't have to use my plasmids to win. It just felt very tacked on and generic.

Despite that the weak ending, the story was still damn good and the setting was amazing. I wish I had exploited the other plasmids more...I mostly used electricity, telekinesis, and fire. I also had fun researching/snapping pictures of all the splicers.

Oh yeah, I wound up saving all the Little Sisters to get the Trophy. Yay.

Nice.  I found the game to be substantially more difficult my second time around when aiming for the Little Sister Savior Achievement on the 360 version - even on the same Medium setting.  I guess the game really does self-adjust the difficulty flow depending on your actions.

I also ended up with a shit-ton of Adam by the end.  Like thousands more.  Far more than when I was harvesting the first time, but then, I was really only buying up the the most essential plasmids.

So I just started this last night (PS3 version) and I was quite impressed with the game overall.  Besides SCARING ME SH*TLESS, the frame rate never dropped and the plasmids are a nice addition to gameplay.  I'm dreading my first fight with the Big Daddies but I did just defeat Steiner, which was awesome because I had a hacked attack droid with me and he (Steiner) never really attacked me.  There was a real sense of urgency as he was heading towards a health station but I was able to finish him off before that.

My eyes were open wide the entire time playing last night and I don't think I've been this scared/freaked out in a long time!    Rapture just claimed its next victim