BioShock

I remember diving into BioShock just a few days after its release back in 2007. In my mind, I figured it would be just another classic shooter, even though the trailers at the time and that gorgeous, atmospheric music were already preparing you for something much greater.

The game features a magical Art Deco aesthetic, packed with jazz music (which brilliantly plays from broken, rusty gramophones) and an atmosphere that heavily evokes the 1930s-1950s. For context, the story takes us back to 1960. The protagonist, Jack, survives a plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean and discovers Rapture—an underwater metropolis built in the late '40s by the visionary (and tycoon) Andrew Ryan.

Ryan wanted to create a society free from religion, governments, and moral constraints, where top scientists and artists could achieve true greatness without any obstacles. This was clearly based on the philosophy of Objectivism by Ayn Rand. However, when ADAM was discovered—a substance that grants superpowers but causes extreme addiction and physical deformation—the utopia collapsed, turning the city into a watery grave filled with insane "Splicers."

What truly blew me away back then was the core gameplay. It wasn't just about aiming a gun and shooting; it was about the incredible synergy between traditional firearms and "Plasmids" (those genetic mutations that allowed you to shoot lightning, fire, or use telekinesis from your left hand). You could shock a Splicer standing in a puddle of water or set them on fire and watch them panic. For 2007 standards, the graphics were absolutely mind-blowing. The water physics and rendering were the most "next-gen" thing we had ever seen, with the ocean leaking through the cracked glass corridors of Rapture, creating a unique, claustrophobic feeling.

At its core, BioShock is a fundamentally linear game. You have a specific path to follow and levels to clear. Yet, it manages to hide this linearity so masterfully through its brilliant environment. It constantly gives you the illusion of choice, making you feel like an explorer uncovering a living world rather than a player moving down a corridor. Especially when deciding the fate of the Little Sisters, you felt like you possessed absolute free will, even though the game was subtly pulling the strings in the background.

And then, of course, come the mind-bending plot twists that completely shatter your expectations. Without spoiling the exact details for anyone who hasn't experienced it yet, the narrative does an incredible job of deconstructing the relationship between the player and the game itself. Stunning turns, a captivating atmosphere, and non-stop action leave you absolutely no room to breathe until the final seconds.

If BioShock proved anything, it's that video games are a true form of art! As I mentioned above, the visuals were beautiful, but its most crucial elements were the script, the atmosphere, and everything Ken Levine wanted us to experience... (read more about his profile in our info tab)