Xbox 360 Bioshock demo now available on Xbox Live

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by CapTVK
Any ex-SS2'ers tried it out yet? How does it compare? Some parts of Bioshock seems very similar to SS2.

I'll play it this weekend - patience.

[thesilentone]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia


I have an A64 3000+ with 1½ GB RAM and a GeForce 6600GT. It meets the bare minimum specs, doesn't that count for anything?

So I'm looking at either a 500-700 euro PC upgrade or a 350 euro Xbox 360... You'd get the exclusives with the latter, and I could buy games with the money I save and put some into the "Help Kassi Get a HDTV" fund. (Anyone willing to donate, by the way?)

I had exactly the same system until 6 months ago and I just bought an x2 3800+ (are you on socket 939? i'm guessing so) and a 512mb 1950 pro for £180 total and everything runs great. Even oblivion runs on max settings with hdr 16x AF and 4x AA at 1280x1024 (max for my flat screen) so i'm sure bioshock will run near max (i don't mind losing aa, but i'm still hopeful there).

Others might tell you to save your money and get the big total upgrade later but you can get up to date for quite cheap. You could maybe even skip the processor upgrade and just do the graphics card and still do well, the a64's can't be anywhere near unplayable on modern games just yet. Upgrading to the x2 made things smoother and more responsive, less loading pauses etc but was nowhere near the upgrade in graphics.

[Agathon]

I downloaded it today and played the demo.

Seems pretty good. The water effects are amazing. The demo is pretty limited though. Looks like I'll be buying it, especially now that GTA IV has been delayed (although I still haven't finished Saint's Row).

[mactbone]

You're actually playing Saint's Row? I got the demo and thought it was a poor imitation of GTA. Also, I hate Rappaport and will not listen to him.

Bioshock is good. It's not as open as promised. The world isn't as interactive as they hyped (sure objects move but it's just a bunch of trash). It's definitely got good art direction but it's still a fairly basic shooter with a completely unnecessary and awful hacking minigame.

[DrSpike]

Downloading right now.

[DrSpike]

I played it through earlier - it's a very pretty game. In terms of SS2 (for Cap ) it does appear to be going for the same creepy opening, and manages to pull of a decent atmosphere early on. You have that same apprehension that a zombie (or now a splicer) is going to creep up behind you. And the sound really helps.

You also have diaries which are like the data pads you picked up in SS2, and as wtih SS2 it doesn't look like it's going to be a twitch shooter or an all out action shooter.

So it does seem at first glance to be a decent spiritual successor. IGN estimates 20 hours worth of game as well, which isn't bad these days.

I found a decent online offer so I've pre-ordered. Should get it for next weekend.

[CapTVK]

This sounds good, but one of the things I also liked about SS2 was its skill-based RPG-element. That started with choosing a career track as a cadet until you got stationed on the von Braun. Furthermore in SS2 you could earn/collect points for upgrading your skills with heavy weapons, firearms, hacking etc. From what i've heard until now Bioshock doesn't seem to have that unless there's some hidden system based on the long term use of various plasmids?

[DrSpike]

No, that element does not seem to be in.

[CapTVK]

Pity, but who knows...maybe if Bioshock apart from getting rave reviews becomes a hit we might see a sequel.

[Sandman]

It's bound to be a hit, it's been well hyped and it's in a popular genre, unlike, say, Okami or Psychonauts.

[Main_Brain]

I wait till the Hype ceases before i look into it.
Once bitten..

[CapTVK]

Sandman,

I hope your right, but early experiences with these type of games is that a good press alone doesn't cut it. SS2 deserved to be a good seller but it didn't for various reasons.

[DrSpike]

I think Bioshock will sell well, but not as well as Halo3.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by mactbone
You're actually playing Saint's Row? I got the demo and thought it was a poor imitation of GTA. Also, I hate Rappaport and will not listen to him.

It's better in many ways than GTA, but of course GTA IV is likely to blow it out of the water. Saint's Row really picks up once you get into the storyline.

Saint's Row is played for laughs, if you have a particularly sick sense of humour, like I do, it can be quite funny. GTA has a more serious tone IMHO. Somehow it is amusing to have a near naked whore with an AK-47 as a sidekick. A particular favourite mission of mine is where you try to avoid the cops while your homie is interrogating the Eurotrash fashion designer by hanging him out the car door.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Nah, not worth it. Either upgrade your PC or get an Xbox.

Blasphemy!!!