The visuals are accompanied by both licensed and orchestrated pieces that will have you searching for a soundtrack before the games end. The licensed tracks walk hand in hand with the visuals and overall feel of the game. The designers did well in placing appropriate songs in the parts were they would have the most impact. Nothing has ever felt better then exchanging sprays of bullets with mobsters across a bar while the T.V. busted out into a jazzy crescendo. The orchestrated pieces serve only to form a bridge from one track to another and they do just that, but you'll often find yourself wishing for Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" in their place on more then one occasion. Voice acting is also superb. Each of the story character is alive with feeling and emotion and the quirky and often humorous lines of crazed inhabitants will give you a hearty chuckle. Though by the time you are about a third of the way through the game, they do tend to start repeating themselves.

Progression in Bioshock is linear to the story, which at first may sound stale, but this mechanic of getting to point A and completing objective three of four works unbelievably well. The game implements the use of exploration and backtracking, to ensure you fully experience everything Rapture has to offer, and this never at all feels redundant. Rapture has its own history, and its own culture, which leaks from the walls that surround you. Everything about the in game scenery helps to hammer home the story, which ultimately fuels your motive for exploration and completing your objectives. The setting also vary enough to keep you interested, but fit together so that you're never left wondering why you’re there.

In terms of gameplay, Bioshock feels like a favorite pair of shoes. It just fits. The gameplay can be broken down into combat and exploration, both of which flow seamlessly. When exploring you will satisfy your objectives to progress the story, find supplies, genetic upgrades, audio diaries, -which serve to further expand Rapture's history and personality- and materials for inventing new types of ammunition for collected weapons.

Combat occurs all the time; you are constantly at war with the very city itself. Combat only truly announces itself when you are forced into scripted battles; which are often hefty in scale; otherwise, combat presents itself a second nature as breathing, an adapted survival mechanism. Combat can be broken down into genetic upgrades called plasmids & tonics, and into weapons. The game is based in the 1960's and does a good job of mimicking the type of weaponry you would typical expect. Apart from your wrench for close quarters, you will find a revolver, a Tommy gun and shotgun among other weapons, all of which can be upgraded twice, and fitted with custom ammunition that you can buy or invent. Having exploding shotgun shells come in handy when the Big Daddies start running your way.