BioShock
Starting off with the original, BioShock took players to the dystopian underwater city of Rapture, inspired by Ayn Rand’s Atlus Shrugged novel. Taking place in 1960, players assume the role of Jack as they’re guided through the now-ruined city by a man named Atlas on the other end of a radio. As the story unfolded, we came face-to-face with the incredibly intimidating Big Daddy’s, Little Sisters, and all other manner of crazy inhabitants.
The original BioShock managed to create an air of atmosphere and tension that very few games can equal. While the sequel and Infinite both brought something new to the table, it was this unnerving quiet amidst the wreckage of Rapture that made exploring it an incredibly immersive experience. The way that Big Daddy’s would go about their business up until you got involved in their business, and the shadows of crazed civilians sprawled across the walls as we crept around corners.
With very moral-focused choices, additional lore of the world coming in the form of audio tapes, and a whole host of interesting weapons and plasmids at your disposal, BioShock is one of the best survival horror games out there, even when blending it with FPS mechanics.
