While certain gameplay aspects may have left a lot to be desired, Bioshock's narrative and plot helped cement it as one of the finest games of the previous console generation. Rapture, as a setting, is unlike anything seen in gaming (or any other entertainment property, to be honest) and exploring the hollow remains of a utopia-gone-wrong leaves you on the edge of your seat as you discover the darker side of humanity that Rapture seemed to inspire. Throughout the game, Andrew Ryan is mentioned frequently but very rarely in a positive light. After all, he did create Rapture and is pretty directly responsible for its troubles. Atlas implores the player to progress through Rapture and take Ryan down, all while the man himself throws cryptic clues and phrases at you. It's a little bizarre but it makes you eager to get face-to-face with the tyrant himself. The scene in Andrew Ryan's office is arguably the greatest scene in gaming. Ever. Ryan's driven, intense monologue is powerfully written and well performed but it's the meaning behind the words that will send shivers down your spine. While calmly practicing his putting, he explains that the player character (Jack) is nothing more than a slave - Ryan's own brainwashed son who has been led to Rapture by Atlas to seize control of the city. In order to emphasise this point, Ryan commands the player like a dog before handing him his putter and ordering Jack to kill him. Ryan's final words berate and mock Jack, even as the beatings rain down - "A man chooses! A slave obeys! OBEY!" The phrase underlines the theme of choice that runs throughout Bioshock and it leaves the player questioning every 'choice' they had made since arriving in Rapture. Powerfully moving stuff from an expertly crafted scene.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
