BioShock™ Remastered

I got BioShock Remastered during the holiday sales for $5, which is a fair price. $20 is way overpriced! Back in 2007, it was a trendsetting game with awesome graphics, surround sound and a story worthy of a movie. Now, a decade later, with improved graphics and playing it in UW-UHD (3440x1440), it can still stand up to the competition. In many review I read that the game crashes a lot, but I only had one crash on eight hours of playing. And now, on to BS 2, which I also got for $5 :)

The game will start but then crash after the cinematic completes at the beginning. Sometimes it will start and run but crash while saving. Other times it will just randomly crash. I went to the Gog support page and tried all the things listed there for solving issues. I also tried suggestions listed in the forums. No luck. I see that some people have had success with it on Windows 10 but I don't want to reinstall an older version of Windows just to run the game. I like the game. I played it when released. However, it simply isn't working for me in it's current state on Windows 11.

Although ostensibly a first-person shooter BioShock is better understood as a narrative with shooting elements. The majority of the game is spent navigating the lushly decorated and labyrinthine underwater city of Rapture with its beautiful modified Gilded-Age aesthetic while the story is explained through found audio reels (a method much since abused). Hostiles can be avoided but are easily dealt with using a combination of exotic firearms and Plasmids, injections that bestow near-magical powers. Plasmids also offer a variety of ways of dealing with obstacles so you can play your way. There are choices to be made during the game which impact both the ending and in-game rewards. The game moves at a good pace, offering new and interesting places at a regular clip and interesting characters, although the end boss fight does feel trite. The remaster has improved models, better lighting, and high-resolution textures; it won’t be mistaken for a modern release but it still excellently portrays a vivid, interesting world that benefits from exploring and multiple replays.

BioShock 1 is a game that transcends the boundaries of the first-person shooter genre and delivers a rich, immersive, and unforgettable experience. Set in the underwater city of Rapture, a utopian vision gone horribly wrong, the game invites you to explore a mysterious and dangerous world, where you will encounter twisted enemies, powerful weapons, and mind-bending abilities. The game's story is one of its strongest aspects, as it unfolds through audio logs, radio transmissions, and environmental clues, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue that keeps you hooked until the end. The game also features a memorable cast of characters, each with their own motivations and agendas, and some of the most memorable villains in gaming history, such as the megalomaniacal Andrew Ryan and the terrifying Big Daddies. The game's gameplay is equally impressive, as it offers a variety of options and strategies for combat and exploration. You can use conventional weapons, such as pistols, shotguns, and machine guns, or you can use plasmids, genetic enhancements that grant you supernatural powers, such as shooting lightning, fire, or bees from your hands. You can also hack security devices, such as cameras, turrets, and robots, to turn them against your enemies, or use environmental objects, such as water, oil, and gas, to create traps and diversions. The game's graphics and sound are also outstanding, as they create a stunning and immersive atmosphere that draws you into the game's world. The game's art direction is superb, as it captures the retro-futuristic aesthetic of the 1960s, with a mix of art deco, steampunk, and horror elements. The game's sound design is also excellent, the soundtrack is beautiful! BioShock 1 is a game that deserves all the praise and acclaim it has received, as it is a masterpiece of storytelling, gameplay, and art design. It is a game that will challenge you, surprise you, and move you, and a game that you will never forget. Final Rating: 10/10

I started the game - it had some enjoyable parts as well as some annoying ones... but at the end none of that mattered. The games crashes on loading saved games. I looked for some community solutions online - none of them worked. I uninstalled the game 2 days after purchase.