Bioshock

I could start with Halo 3, since I very recently "finished the fight", but I'm not quite done internalizing how I feel about how the story played out. Bioshock however was a game with shades of gray in the game play but left a definite and strong emotional response behind.

Bioshock was a game I almost didn't play. I'm not usually into the survival horror genre, tending more towards sci-fi or fantasy type games. I just don't typically go for the scary and creepy. On top of the vibe of the game, the little sister mechanic that was getting all the hype had me completely turned off to the game.

There was still something interesting about it. All the pre-release hype and materials hinted at a game where the world felt old, felt like it had a real history to it. All of the games I've enjoyed the most have had things scattered through them that made it feel like there was more to the world than what you had seen and experienced. Things that give a feeling of age and persistence.

When the marketing engine behind Bioshock brought to light the ability to save the little sisters, after going on about the history behind the game I was sold. Tell me that you need to harvest the little sisters and I honestly couldn't stomach playing the game. I'm the proud father of an active (almost) 2 year old daughter. So that level of brutality, even implied brutality against a little girl ... well makes me want to rage like a big daddy and lay down some hurt. But saving them, letting them be little girls instead of dead harvesting Adam factories, now that is appealing.

****WARNING****
This is where the spoilers start to come in. If you haven't played the game yet I strongly suggest you stop here, go play the game through to the end and come back. Usually I wouldn't think a spoiler would really ruin the experience of playing the game, but in this case it really will spoil the experience for you.
****/WARNING****

The same parental perspective that had me excited about the prospect of finding and saving little sisters is what really set the hook in me from the first radio messages from Atlas. First starting as a quest to help the man rescue his family from Andrew Ryan was a noble enough goal. The most precious parts of my life are my wife and child, so presented with an opportunity to help rescue a man's wife and child from a failed utopia and it's insane ruler was very alluring.

As the story played out and as I found more of the audio diaries, there was little to redeem Andrew Ryan. Insomniac did a great job of really planting the seeds of hate for Andrew Ryan while simultaneously painting Atlas as almost innocent and simply trying to escape himself. In fact the only two times something didn't feel right were when Atlas tries to get you to harvest the first little sister and when you start finding diaries about how plasmids work.

The plasmid issue stuck with me first and early on. As a gamer I wrote it off in my head as a design flaw. If the protagonist is new to Rapture then he couldn't have any Adam in his system. Yet within the first few minutes of the first level you're already splicing up. It didn't make any sense and had to be a design mistake. Right?

Atlas' advise on the little sisters was less, anomalous to me. A little out of character for someone that had a child of their own but not so far as to break the illusion. After all the little sisters didn't really look all that innocent and people in the real world have been less compassionate and still been good people. I need to go back and replay that level and see if he really did forget to ask "would you kindly...".

Still those were small distractions from the goal of saving Atlas' family. The seeds of hate for Ryan bloomed masterfully when Ryan destroyed the sub with Atlas' family in it while I watched, trapped and helpless to do anything. That scene really did make me hate Ryan and made me really look forward to getting to fight and kill him.

****WARNING****
Seriously, are you still reading instead of playing the game? All the liquor in the world can't unlearn the story so you can enjoy it for yourself. Those that have already finished the game are welcome to continue. The rest of you heathens better go play the game first
****/WARNING****

All the fighting and struggling through the levels to get through to Ryan. All the hints and diaries of how he abandoned or killed his lovers. All the evidence that his closest business associates all chose to defy or attempt to kill him to save Rapture and I finally find the man playing put put in his office.

A man chooses a slave obeys.

Losing control and watching the character I had come to hate commit suicide using the protagonist, using my hands as the weapon robbed me of the pleasure I was convinced I would enjoy by exacting revenge against him. That mingled with Atlas really being Fontaine, who was even more detestable than Ryan because he instigated the creation of the little sisters was a real mind job.

I can't say I didn't enjoy the remainder of the chase. Hunting down Fontaine and eventually defeating him. I did enjoy it quite thoroughly. It just felt different than the hunt for Ryan. It was less about hate and revenge and more about breaking free and escape than actual conquest.

In the end I could have done without killing Fontaine I think and still been satisfied with the outcome. Guiding the little sister and protecting her felt more important than the goal of reaching Fontaine. I lost one in the process and almost reloaded from a save point to go back and prevent it. Having the little sisters be the ones to finally finish off Fontaine was great to see though.

The ending cut scene was an incredible emotional payoff though. It didn't go into incredible detail, but it didn't have to. It's honestly the first time I can remember getting legitimately choked up about a video game. Going from the gritty ultra-violent world of rapture to the surface where the girls grew, studied, married and had children of their own then came back to hold the hand of their 'big daddy', the protagonist and by extension hold your hand on your death bed was extremely touching. Heck I still get choked up thinking about it.

Not all stories have or need happy endings. The ending for Bioshock was such a contrast to the game itself that it made the whole experience that much more satisfying. Easily worth every penny paid for it and every hour spent on it.

Long post I know, but like all really good stories the game makes you think both about it and about yourself long after you are done with it.