BioShock [X360]

Incineration and telekinesis were two other plasmid types we got to toy around with, both with interesting implications. Incineration immediately set enemies aflame, causing some to run around frantically looking for water sources to douse themselves. The best part about the skill was the flames it ignited were extremely contagious, passing off to other enemies on contact and even some environmental objects. In a room of huddled enemies, it can have a devastating effect. Setting objects on fire isn't just for aesthetic purposes, since through telekinesis you can pick it up and fling it at another enemy, setting them on fire and continuing the chain of pyromania.

The Big Daddy proved to be an excellent target for all our offensive combos, but Dr. Steinman was another. A traditional mad scientist type, this guy kept broadcasting twisted announcements over Rapture's PA system. He apparently considered himself to be an artist, a type of Picasso, except with human flesh as a medium. We eventually met up with him in his lab. The fight was pretty standard, he just ran around with a machine gun trying to drill us with bullets, at least until he was low on health. Instead of charging us, he ran straight towards a health restore unit on the wall to recharge. Interesting, we thought. Then we blasted him in the back of the head with a shotgun, killing him. The fight was probably a tad easier for us because we'd brought along a few hacked security bots and kept taking cover behind a hacked security turret.

Though we've seen it in trailers, the one thing we didn't get to try out was weapon modding. Shotguns and other armaments can eventually be tricked out with all kinds of unwieldy devices like pulleys and awkward bits of metal, presumably something governed by the engineering tonics. We'll have to wait to see exactly how that works and what kind of benefits modding bestows.

As has been said in just about every preview ever written about this game, it's extremely atmospheric. Splicer enemies jumped around, sprayed sparks from dragging metal hooks across the ground, and donned a variety of festive masks. Moving through the game looks like you just crashed a 1920s New Year's party, as some areas are even littered with conical hats and multicolored streamers. So far it doesn't seem as frightening as System Shock 2, mostly because the contrast of festive costumes and decorations with twisted monstrosities evoked, at least in us, a sense of the bizarre. But not frighteningly bizarre like something from Dario Argento or H.P. Lovecraft, bizarre of a more endearing quality, like if all the characters in Bram Stoker's Dracula wore party hats.

At our session's end, we checked out some of the Achievements built into the game. You get some for hacking a turret, hacking a security bot, fully upgrading weapons, completing sections of the game, and specializing in plasmid use. Then there are some peculiar entries, such as the Wrench King achievement which requires you finish the entire game using the only the wrench and plasmids. There's another that only unlocks after you finish the game without triggering security systems. That sounds really hard, to say the least, especially considering how much firepower you have to throw at Big Daddies, and makes us curious how long the game actually is. Regardless, BioShock is very impressive so far. We can't wait for more.

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