BioShock was a fresh and innovative take on the first-person-shooter genre, combining a gripping narrative with some unique game play elements. This was bolstered by the moral choices presented through the game, as you were forced to decide between harvesting the Little Sisters or rescuing them. The genre of the FPS had been getting stale before BioShock came around, having been flooded with WW2-themed shooters and space marines trying to defend the galaxy, but BioShock was an introduction to the world of shooters that we didn't even know existed, placing the player into a dark, twisted narrative that had a world that felt frighteningly real. The art-deco, Ayn Rand-inspired world created by Ken Levine was so very real, despite the fantastic things going on right in front of you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeNtHY8Igf0 BioShock's use of strong, focused narrative inspired so many games that came later. The organic flow of the story and how its characters were effortlessly weaved into the story was nothing short of brilliant, due in large part to Levine's excellent writing. BioShock also began a new trend of gritty, contemporary thrillers that did a lot more than ask the player to participate in a shooting gallery. Its largely cerebral story, filled with plot twists and shocking revelations, has been an obvious influence on the games that followed it even to this day.
