The moment BioShock stops being a horror game - FiendZone
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Date: 2023-12-10
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Comments and reviews: 30
-b1g_m00n
I just finished Bioshock for the first time and for me it was horror to the bitter end because __that god damned sound design__.
Playing this game with headphones had my nerves thoroughly frayed. Including the sound of steps, gunfire and moaning people even when there were no boogies around was a stroke of genius. I always felt like there was an enemy right outside my line of sight. It made empty rooms feel threatening, and when there were actually enemies, it felt like the place was positively populated with things that wanted my sweet sweet adam.
I still have no clue how the splicers work, are you kidding me? Whenever the menacing sounds actually solidified into them I unleashed whatever ammo I had on main (except for those precious armor piercers, which were saved for BDs. Most I'd do was stun them with the shock plasmid.
I also didn't use Hypnotize Big Daddies.
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I just finished Bioshock for the first time and for me it was horror to the bitter end because __that god damned sound design__.
Playing this game with headphones had my nerves thoroughly frayed. Including the sound of steps, gunfire and moaning people even when there were no boogies around was a stroke of genius. I always felt like there was an enemy right outside my line of sight. It made empty rooms feel threatening, and when there were actually enemies, it felt like the place was positively populated with things that wanted my sweet sweet adam.
I still have no clue how the splicers work, are you kidding me? Whenever the menacing sounds actually solidified into them I unleashed whatever ammo I had on main (except for those precious armor piercers, which were saved for BDs. Most I'd do was stun them with the shock plasmid.
I also didn't use Hypnotize Big Daddies.
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-MidoriGa95
To me, it was vice versa. I thought it was an action game first so when I got into rapture entrance I was like uh okay. I kept continue until I got into the deep sea my brother opened his bedroom door (I play games on his comp) and I asked him why the game was dark. Reminded me of scary thriller game and he said I heard people said this game is spooky so yeah. I did get scare playing bioshock -. The environment! Especially listening to the records of dead people on what happened to them. Omg
(Of course bioshock infinite didnt scare me due to how bright the game is)
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To me, it was vice versa. I thought it was an action game first so when I got into rapture entrance I was like uh okay. I kept continue until I got into the deep sea my brother opened his bedroom door (I play games on his comp) and I asked him why the game was dark. Reminded me of scary thriller game and he said I heard people said this game is spooky so yeah. I did get scare playing bioshock -. The environment! Especially listening to the records of dead people on what happened to them. Omg
(Of course bioshock infinite didnt scare me due to how bright the game is)
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-dommoore6180
well bioshock is still in the horror genre. In the same way Castlevania (was originally) in the horror genre, it's not scary but neither are the Halloween movies. It might not be a scary game and it might not use so many tropes that make it a horror game in the gameplay sense but it absolutely is still part of the horror genre as it's theme visuals plot elements etc. all build up something that if it were a film for example would be without question considered horror, it is part of the horror genre just not specifically a horror 'game'.
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well bioshock is still in the horror genre. In the same way Castlevania (was originally) in the horror genre, it's not scary but neither are the Halloween movies. It might not be a scary game and it might not use so many tropes that make it a horror game in the gameplay sense but it absolutely is still part of the horror genre as it's theme visuals plot elements etc. all build up something that if it were a film for example would be without question considered horror, it is part of the horror genre just not specifically a horror 'game'.
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-HyenaFox
I can't handle horror at all, I've never been able to. The anxiety and fear is just too much for me. I hate when I feel it in real life, and it's just as bad when it's artificial. I bought the Bioshock Collection knowing Bioshock Infinite was great. I looked through the tags on Bioshock 1 and 2 and -horror- wasn't there. I started up Bioshock 1 remastered and instantly regretted everything. Then I played for about 20 minutes and realized -no wait this is actually not that scary- and went on playing it.
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I can't handle horror at all, I've never been able to. The anxiety and fear is just too much for me. I hate when I feel it in real life, and it's just as bad when it's artificial. I bought the Bioshock Collection knowing Bioshock Infinite was great. I looked through the tags on Bioshock 1 and 2 and -horror- wasn't there. I started up Bioshock 1 remastered and instantly regretted everything. Then I played for about 20 minutes and realized -no wait this is actually not that scary- and went on playing it.
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polygon
Amazing analysis! I played Bioshock when I was new to horror games and shooter mechanics, and I did find that the scare-factor was there for me for longer than some of my friends, though it certainly did wear off near the end of the game! I'd be interested in playing the sequels now (as I am familiar with the first one I dont' think it would have the same effect as re-playing) and seeing if it becomes less scary for me sooner, as I have more experience with this type of game under my belt.
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Amazing analysis! I played Bioshock when I was new to horror games and shooter mechanics, and I did find that the scare-factor was there for me for longer than some of my friends, though it certainly did wear off near the end of the game! I'd be interested in playing the sequels now (as I am familiar with the first one I dont' think it would have the same effect as re-playing) and seeing if it becomes less scary for me sooner, as I have more experience with this type of game under my belt.
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-AcidicGumdrops
Honestly the big daddies are pretty harmless if you don't attack them and give them a wide berth. I ironically began to feel comforted by their presence after a while of playing the game, because they're the only enemy that won't immediately attack you on sight. I'd see one walking around with out a little sister and just go on my merry way (though be careful using attacks that target more than one enemy at once, I died often from an unexpected big daddy attack that way.
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Honestly the big daddies are pretty harmless if you don't attack them and give them a wide berth. I ironically began to feel comforted by their presence after a while of playing the game, because they're the only enemy that won't immediately attack you on sight. I'd see one walking around with out a little sister and just go on my merry way (though be careful using attacks that target more than one enemy at once, I died often from an unexpected big daddy attack that way.
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-ilnoediavolon
It stops being horror as soon as you get one or two plasmids: with electricity, the water around you becomes an advantage, and you can stun any splicers with fire. Suddently, you're aware that your environement is an advantage. I think the closest moment Bioshock came to a horror game, was when you have to protect little sisters. You're still overpowered ( even moreso if you hack security, but the little sister is fragile, and her health is limited.
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It stops being horror as soon as you get one or two plasmids: with electricity, the water around you becomes an advantage, and you can stun any splicers with fire. Suddently, you're aware that your environement is an advantage. I think the closest moment Bioshock came to a horror game, was when you have to protect little sisters. You're still overpowered ( even moreso if you hack security, but the little sister is fragile, and her health is limited.
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polygon
Surprised there was no mention of Fort Frolic or Apollo Square, the two levels where BioShock switches back to focus on horror. In Fort Frolic the enemies are extremely disorienting as you only hear Spider Splicers crawling in the shadows and encounter the Plastered Splicer. Apollo Square takes power away from the player with Lot 192, making them lose control of their plasmids. It also provides a super creepy, dark atmosphere once again.
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Surprised there was no mention of Fort Frolic or Apollo Square, the two levels where BioShock switches back to focus on horror. In Fort Frolic the enemies are extremely disorienting as you only hear Spider Splicers crawling in the shadows and encounter the Plastered Splicer. Apollo Square takes power away from the player with Lot 192, making them lose control of their plasmids. It also provides a super creepy, dark atmosphere once again.
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-SniP3rHavOk
Legit. Played Bioshock Infinite before the other games (people said it didn-t really matter and it attracted me the most) loved it. I always had Elizabeth by my side so it wasn-t scary just fun. Started the first game and stopped and am going back to it but haven-t yet, was more like a horror game lmao, I liked the colourful infinite, but the trilogy is amazing and I-m still working thru the first bioshock rn
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Legit. Played Bioshock Infinite before the other games (people said it didn-t really matter and it attracted me the most) loved it. I always had Elizabeth by my side so it wasn-t scary just fun. Started the first game and stopped and am going back to it but haven-t yet, was more like a horror game lmao, I liked the colourful infinite, but the trilogy is amazing and I-m still working thru the first bioshock rn
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-IskandarTheWack
That's like saying resident evil isn't a horror game because it has a natural progression from beginning of game being powerless, to end of game being overpowered. That's not really how anything works, bioshock is objectively a horror game.
Literally the linchpin of your entire video is wrong.
Or do you not consider resident evil 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, the evil within 1, 2, etc etc for other games horror?
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That's like saying resident evil isn't a horror game because it has a natural progression from beginning of game being powerless, to end of game being overpowered. That's not really how anything works, bioshock is objectively a horror game.
Literally the linchpin of your entire video is wrong.
Or do you not consider resident evil 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, the evil within 1, 2, etc etc for other games horror?
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-varsoonhks3211
What makes Prey so great is that you become the horror--the aliens that once stalked you are now your Prey as you've learned how to hunt them and navigated (and even transformed) enough of the space station that it has become your hunting ground. That critical shift from hiding and exploring to hunting and knowing is a part of the narrative as much as it is the gameplay experience.
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What makes Prey so great is that you become the horror--the aliens that once stalked you are now your Prey as you've learned how to hunt them and navigated (and even transformed) enough of the space station that it has become your hunting ground. That critical shift from hiding and exploring to hunting and knowing is a part of the narrative as much as it is the gameplay experience.
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-ForeverMasterless
Bioshock, twelve hours? Maybe if you rush through it without killing all the big daddies, doing all the research, and getting all the weapon upgrades. Even then it seems like a stretch. I just played it for the first time ever being pretty thorough but by no means 100% (I missed two weapon upgrades somehow) and clocked in at 18. 5 hours.
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Bioshock, twelve hours? Maybe if you rush through it without killing all the big daddies, doing all the research, and getting all the weapon upgrades. Even then it seems like a stretch. I just played it for the first time ever being pretty thorough but by no means 100% (I missed two weapon upgrades somehow) and clocked in at 18. 5 hours.
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-mzhang654
Tbh the big daddy is never really scary because they are completely neutral toward you until you attack first. That means you never have to fight them if you-re not ready for it. To me that takes away some of the scare factor because they-ll never surprise you or sneak up on you. You can decide where how and when you want to take them on.
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Tbh the big daddy is never really scary because they are completely neutral toward you until you attack first. That means you never have to fight them if you-re not ready for it. To me that takes away some of the scare factor because they-ll never surprise you or sneak up on you. You can decide where how and when you want to take them on.
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-slippinjimmy97
It was never a -horror game-, if that was the case then BioShock Infinite would have followed with those horror elements which it only touched. Having horror elements in a game or movie doesn-t put it into the horror genre, it simply adds depth to the story and environment.
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It was never a -horror game-, if that was the case then BioShock Infinite would have followed with those horror elements which it only touched. Having horror elements in a game or movie doesn-t put it into the horror genre, it simply adds depth to the story and environment.
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-jason-kk2nr
the scariest horror survival game, to me, is alien isolation. you are completely helpless. all you can do is hide, and pray the alien doesn-t find you. the evil within does a pretty good job at this genre of horror. with such limited resources you feel helpless
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the scariest horror survival game, to me, is alien isolation. you are completely helpless. all you can do is hide, and pray the alien doesn-t find you. the evil within does a pretty good job at this genre of horror. with such limited resources you feel helpless
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-sloanegirard4683
I always considered Bioshock to not be scary once I'm way too armed. A shotgun, machine gun and the iconic wrench seemed like a good place to stop, but they kept on with a rocket launcher, grenade launcher, and a flamethrower that doubles as a freezer.
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I always considered Bioshock to not be scary once I'm way too armed. A shotgun, machine gun and the iconic wrench seemed like a good place to stop, but they kept on with a rocket launcher, grenade launcher, and a flamethrower that doubles as a freezer.
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-OldBeau
can you expand on gender in horror games? or maybe people being afraid of physical bodily change in horror? (i always connect this to abelism or transphobia) and also how mechanics about getting more powerful and how that changes/doesnt change your appearance?
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can you expand on gender in horror games? or maybe people being afraid of physical bodily change in horror? (i always connect this to abelism or transphobia) and also how mechanics about getting more powerful and how that changes/doesnt change your appearance?
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-frostyblade8842
I love Prey even though I hate horror games but I did play it on mute so it wasn't scary at all so I'm very torn about whether or not I should play BioShock as I cannot stand scary games but I love Prey
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I love Prey even though I hate horror games but I did play it on mute so it wasn't scary at all so I'm very torn about whether or not I should play BioShock as I cannot stand scary games but I love Prey
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-1Silent60Joker4
10 years later, finally I see someone using the same strategy as I always did: Hypnotizes a Big Daddy; Insect Swarm; Security Bullseye; Natural Camouflage. I was practically a God walking in a park.
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10 years later, finally I see someone using the same strategy as I always did: Hypnotizes a Big Daddy; Insect Swarm; Security Bullseye; Natural Camouflage. I was practically a God walking in a park.
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-SusanMiles
. you know there's more to horror than tough enemies, right? i guess if you're only looking at bioshock as gameplay, then the horror passes pretty quickly. that was never the real horror for me.
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. you know there's more to horror than tough enemies, right? i guess if you're only looking at bioshock as gameplay, then the horror passes pretty quickly. that was never the real horror for me.
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-aidanmagill6769
Written by someone who's never played it. You don't need to fight a Big Daddy until you're ready to. Most importantly, it's NOT a horror game. Yes it's bloody creepy but it's not horror.
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Written by someone who's never played it. You don't need to fight a Big Daddy until you're ready to. Most importantly, it's NOT a horror game. Yes it's bloody creepy but it's not horror.
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polygon
Bioshock is not a horror game. It has horror elements sure, but it's not a fully fledged horror game. Also prey didn't give the ability to scan for mimics until you found the chipset.
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Bioshock is not a horror game. It has horror elements sure, but it's not a fully fledged horror game. Also prey didn't give the ability to scan for mimics until you found the chipset.
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-aaronbrown8377
The scariest thing about this video is that you're using anti-personel rounds against a Big Daddy. You should be using either armor-piercing or regular ammo. Such a waste.
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The scariest thing about this video is that you're using anti-personel rounds against a Big Daddy. You should be using either armor-piercing or regular ammo. Such a waste.
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-alexkay6676
To be fair, Irrational games has stated that it wasn't supposed to be a horror game. The setting wasn't supposed to be scary, it just happened to work out that way.
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To be fair, Irrational games has stated that it wasn't supposed to be a horror game. The setting wasn't supposed to be scary, it just happened to work out that way.
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-TrickyTalon23
Same thing with Resident Evil 4 and their regenerators. At first they-re the scariest monsters in the series and then you find the infrared scope.
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Same thing with Resident Evil 4 and their regenerators. At first they-re the scariest monsters in the series and then you find the infrared scope.
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-musicsaves71590
I have to agree. I still love BioShock though and now I'm thinking I may have to check out Prey. Bioshock still had one of the best twists ever
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I have to agree. I still love BioShock though and now I'm thinking I may have to check out Prey. Bioshock still had one of the best twists ever
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-davidninja20
at 0: 45 shes talking about how a big daddy drains hp and ammo, however the gameplay shows someone shooting the big daddy with anti-personnel ammo
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at 0: 45 shes talking about how a big daddy drains hp and ammo, however the gameplay shows someone shooting the big daddy with anti-personnel ammo
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-rantional8180
seriously, she looks like her name should be Janice in HR but got attacked by a rouge lawnmower. it's distracting. maybe just narrate in future.
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seriously, she looks like her name should be Janice in HR but got attacked by a rouge lawnmower. it's distracting. maybe just narrate in future.
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-TrayCaddyyy
For me It stopped being scary once I unlocked invisibility. At that point I could just wait and melee all enemies because I was never ambushed.
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For me It stopped being scary once I unlocked invisibility. At that point I could just wait and melee all enemies because I was never ambushed.
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-torquetheprisoner
the only thing that let the first game down for me was the pipe dream sections on the haking system but apart from that it is a good gamr
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the only thing that let the first game down for me was the pipe dream sections on the haking system but apart from that it is a good gamr
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