Bioshock The Collection Review

Bioshock was the critically acclaimed first-person shooter which was released in August of 2007 and spawned two sequels. Nine years later we are writing a Bioshock the Collection review, which includes all the DLC from the franchise as well as all three games in one remastered package. While this console generation has been oversaturated with remasters, Bioshock The Collection is a nice surprise, as these games are some of the best of last generation. Do they still hold up though compared to today’s shooters? Nine years have passed and games have evolved dramatically, but if there’s anything to be said about that it shows that Bioshock is even more unique than before. The gameplay, story, the incredible music; everything makes Bioshock The Collection worth playing, especially if you haven’t experienced the trilogy before.

Bioshock The Collection Review — A Masterpiece

It has to be said. The Bioshock series is a video game masterpiece. The first title is dark and dreary, taking place in an underwater city called ‘Rapture.’ The gameplay is superb and sets itself apart from traditional first-person shooters. Ammo is scarce and there are RPG elements in the game. There are also powers that the main character can use, named Jack, called Plasmid use, although this is limited unless more serum is found by the player. The real question posed here though is that, after nine years, does the game still stand up to today’s standards? I would say yes. It still differentiates itself from current shooters, but does it hold up gameplay-wise comparably? This was a challenge to assess while writing our Bioshock The Collection review.

Bioshock The Collection Review — How it Looks

Bioshock has never looked better in high definition splendor. We were utterly impressed while preparing for our Bioshock The Collection review. The atmospheres are stunning in each game, especially the underwater nature of the first title. The particle effects are top-notch, including the ones from the plasmid attacks which vary in accordance to the elements. The buildings and locations are bursting with color and it is a serious step up from the original three games. All in all, 2K did an amazing job remastering Bioshock, a game just about everyone wanted to see remastered and play again.

Bioshock The Collection Review — Gameplay

Bioshock is an FPS with RPG elements. You can level up plasmids, weapons, and even bullets. The system is very intricate, including a number of different abilities you can gain throughout your adventure. The question is, does it stand up to today’s FPS/RPG shooters? The answer is yes and no. You can aim down the sights, but you have to press the L3 button in order to do so, which is very counterintuitive. In fact, I prefer to just shoot from the hip without using the sights; it makes it feel more old school and it differentiates it from other shooters, as the accuracy is still there. Plasmids are very unique and set Bioshock apart from any other FPS on the market. They are so much fun to use and are necessary, as ammo is very scarce and enemies swarm at you. So yes, in a way, Bioshock is a little outdated in its shooting mechanics (at least 1), but that’s OK. With the plasmids, upgrades, and the unique environments found throughout the games and unique concepts, our Bioshock The Collection review doesn’t take that away from the title. The gameplay simply works, masterfully, and the stories are full of twists and turns which we will not spoil here for those (like myself before this sans Infinite) who haven’t played them.

Bioshock The Collection Review — A Remaster Done Right

Bioshock The Collection is a remaster done right. With all the DLC from all three games, which adds on hours of gameplay to the Bioshock experience, a director’s commentary, and the series remastered in 1080p, there’s nothing more to ask in terms of quality. Sure, parts of the series are a little outdated because of the fact that the first game is nine-years-old, but, it more than makes up for it with stellar gameplay and a series of narratives with twists and turns that you would never see coming. Bioshock The Collection is an incredible value for its cost and it is one of the most incredibly unique experiences in all of gaming. While we didn’t mention much of the story in our Bioshock The Collection review, there are simply too many plot twists that would get into philosophical discussions and ruin it for you, the reader. So play the games for yourselves and enjoy because it is well worth it.