system shock 2 made by same people that made bioshock

In 'Bioshock', it is a refreshing turn of pace to see that Irish people are the ones calling the shots, and are able to lead a revolution with strong ideals. The depiction of the Irish in 'Bioshock' reflects how the Irish people were perceived to Americans in the 20th century, and as we see in the likes of 'Gangs Of New York' and 'Titanic', Irish people are treated as hoodlums or thugs in the eyes of Americans. The 'Bioshock' games work incredibly well as rip-roaring first-person shooters, but our perception of real-world history feeding into the world of 'Bioshock' makes the games that much richer.Ģ013's 'Bioshock Infinite' touches upon themes of American Exceptionalism, and the original 'Bioshock' explores how the American identity became redefined in the Eisenhower era. Indeed, Atlas is more akin to a Che Guevara type than a foolish Darby O'Gill style character, which makes the late game reveal surrounding Atlas' true identity that much more shocking. Rapture was built on the principles of objectivism, and the game offers a look at a society that was built on Ayn Rand's philosophy. The hook for 'Bioshock' is a strong one - you take control of someone who survives a deadly plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean and seeks refuge in a lighthouse that happens to be home to an elaborate and vast underwater city called Rapture. The 2010s saw a wave of games tackle complex subjects, but it was 'Bioshock' that showed there was a mainstream audience that wanted some smarts to accompany their shooting.Īs the game turns 15 years old, we look back at just how extraordinary and fresh 'Bioshock' was to the world of gaming. Tackling themes of objectivism, hubris, corruption within establishments, and free will, 'Bioshock' is the game that defined the 2000's just as much as 'Halo' or 'Grand Theft Auto'. 'Bioshock' shows that gaming could tackle heady, philosophical subjects while also providing exciting action sequences.

Gaming as an artform has been a major debate among journalists and players since the 1990s, and people who believe gaming should be treated with the same reverence as other media artforms such as music or television could do a lot worse than use 'Bioshock' to reinforce their argument.

System shock 2 made by same people that made bioshock