BioShock Preview

Of all the games lined up at E3 2007, one of the most anticipated titles is BioShock. The science-fiction shooter, developed by Irrational Games, was previewed at show, and I was lucky enough to get a tour of the game from the folks at 2K Games and Ken Levine, founder of Irrational Games. I had been looking forward to seeing BioShock in action, and the game did not disappoint.

In fact, after spending a half hour with BioShock on the Xbox 360, I came away with a single thought: this game is simply amazing. Let's start with the look of the game. I cannot adequately describe how insanely gorgeous BioShock's design is. Irrational has crafted an amazing underwater dystopian city, known as Rapture, and decorated it with exquisite details and an eerie retro-futuristic style that evokes post-World War II America (the game takes place in 1960). Even the water is brilliantly designed. I could watch this game for hours and enjoy it without actually playing it.

View BioShock slide show (12 images)

The game begins with a stunning plane crash in the ocean; the sequence is quite similar to the incredible plane crash in the Tom Hanks' film "Castaway." Players are hurled from the watery wreckage into a mysterious underwater city that was created as a utopian society by wealthy industrialist Andrew Ryan. Unfortunately, you soon discover that Rapture has been torn apart by civil war and that genetically mutated people are roaming the dark corridors of the city.

While BioShock has been touted as a first-person shooter, the game also has plenty of survival horror elements and scary moments that begin the minute your bathysphere arrives in Rapture. Freakishly disfigured mutants or "splicers" jump out of the shadows without warning. But don't worry - players will have plenty of range and melee weapons at their disposal, from shotguns to wrenches. But there's so much more to the game than just shooting.

For example, early on in BioShock players are injected with a mysterious substance known that biologically modifies and enhances the body, giving players remarkable powers, including telekinesis. Players will be able to shock enemies with lightning bolts, hurl them in to the air with vortexes, and create sonic booms. The environments within Rapture are full of items that players can turn into weapons, from barrels to dead bodies, using their newfound powers. Given the amount of options and powers available to players, the gameplay is highly exhilarating and entertaining.

I've never seen a game quite like BioShock. The fascinating world of Rapture, the eerie survival horror atmosphere, a perfectly matched soundtrack and captivating graphics create a truly immersive experience. I can't wait for this game to arrive on the PC and Xbox 360 on Aug. 21.

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