The plasmids are where Bioshock gets interesting. Plasmids can be equipped like any weapon and range in effects from target dummies, to your own swarm of lethal insects, all of which can be used in tandem with weapons for interesting combinations of combat approaches. Using plasmids cost EVE, which is displayed right under your traditional health meter. EVE can be regained with EVE Hypos, drinking coffee or having a cigarette; health is rejuvenated with food and med kits. All these supplies are things that you will buy or find. Tonics are equipped abilities that can help you with a wide variety of things. They come in three strings: Combat, Engineering and Physical. Combat tonics, obviously provide combat specific enhancements such as the ability to cloak or do more melee damage. Engineering tonics allow you to interact with your environment such as vending machines, security cameras and automated turrets more easily. Physical tonics can increase how fast you run, or reduce elemental damage. By playing with tonics, plasmids and your weapons Bioshock really becomes whatever game you see fit. My small complaint is that the game needs some work with balancing. More often then not, you will find yourself having to fall back on your more powerful plasmids in higher difficulties, which really takes away from the creativity the developers were trying to create in giving us so many choices.

Finally the AI and difficulty are both superb. Enemies are not afraid to come at you in groups, hack robots to aid them and even heal themselves at health stations. Though the enemy patterns become predictable closer to the end of the game, they are smart enough to keep you on your toes. Character and enemy models are top notch and have their own unique charm. The PS3 version of Bioshock has four difficulty settings ranging from casual to hardcore, so anyone can pick up and play without much worry of too much challenge, or lack there of . The inclusion of trophies as well as downloadable content gives the game enough replayability to make you come back three of four times; each play through ranging from fifteen to thirty hours depending on your pacing.

Bioshock has no major hiccups, as was stated before the pop in textures may distract you for an instant, if that. Minus a little repetition with the dialogue, a lack of an emotional original score, and a few minor glitches Bioshock definitely lives up to it is predecessor, and even offers some new content for the PS3 owners. This is game almost guaranteed to appeal to you, whether you’re into deep story, innovation, or just first person shooters, Bioshock will leave you with a smile. The only thing holding Bioshock from surpassing the 360 predecessor is a lack of hype. Oh well, there is always next time right?

9.1 Graphics – Noticeable texture pop-ins and some odd physics are minor visual deterrents. The game could use a little final polish and some of the fires are a bit low res, but still the overall look is superb. 9.2 Sound The licensed tracks are phenomenal and really carry the game along. Fires crackle, ammunition explodes from gun barrels and all other sound effects are perfect. The dialogue and voice acting are impressive and only fall short in the variety of comments cr 9.7 Gameplay Controls are solid and feel comfortable in your hands, the game mechanics are fun and easy to learn. Unbalanced plasmids may restrain some, but the game is loads of fun never the less. There a few minor glitches concerning item recognition, but nothing to 9.0 Replay Value Bioshock will give you fifteen to thirty hours of playtime depending on how much you explore and how what difficulty you play on. The game will easily charm you back an addition two or three times and the inclusion of trophies will give trophy hunters a r 9.4 Overall Bioshock delivers everything we could possibly expect in a re-release and that much more. The game feels like it could have been held back a little longer to make a few final touch ups, but still the game is still an incredible piece of work and is a must