10 Masterpiece Video Games You Can't Deny

7. BioShock

BioShock Big Daddy
2K Games

As I was preparing this list and already BioShock on it, I noticed the official 2K Games account just tweet the word ‘BioShock’ and for almost any other game that would be cocky and weird but BioShock really is just that good that it gets away with it. That’s the tweet and that’s this entry.

BioShock was one of those games that came out right when the weird ‘are games really art’ conversation was at its peak and it's a large part of why we put that one to bed. BioShock’s worldbuilding, lore, and characters are just about without parallel. There’s something so enchanting and terrifying about the city of Rapture, it’s easily one of the best locations ever realised in a video game.

On the same level, the creepiness of the Splicers, Big Daddies, and Little Sisters, the twisting narrative, and clever combat mechanics ensured BioShock not only left an impact in the year it came out, but on the industry as a whole. The series would go on to interesting places in later instalments but the way that the original BioShock rocked the industry in 2007 was an event that hasn’t really been replicated. By the series itself or by many other games in the medium as a whole.

Spending time in Rapture is an unforgettable experience and BioShock’s massive twist will go down in history as one of the coolest stories ever told for good reason.

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Contributor
Contributor

Jess has been a journalist and content creator in the games industry for over 15 years and has been WhatCulture's resident Australian import and sorry cop since 2020, upping the quotient of swearing and apologising in WhatCulture Gaming's annual blooper videos considerably. She previously worked at GameSpot for 10 years, most notably hosting GameSpot News in addition to E3 live shows, and PAX panels. She regularly livestreams a variety of games on her 'jessmcdonell' YouTube and Twitch channels and hosts the 'Do It On The Day' podcast. She has won awards for her news and feature work in gaming as well as an accolade for her comedic writing (likely an admin error). She can be found on X at @jessmcdonell and Instagram at @jessicamcdonell sharing her current videogame fixations, industry insights, and videos of her cat, Karma.