BioShock

BioShock is a video game created by 2K Boston (now Irrational Games) and released on August 21, 2007. It is a first person shooter that follows the survivor of a plane crash, Jack, as he battles his way through an underwater dystopian city called Rapture. Set in an alternate version of 1960, Jack must use genetic upgrades earned throughout the story, similar to a role playing game’s gameplay, to fight against enemies such as genetically mutated humans and militarized droids. ‘’BioShock’’ was very well received by both the media and consumers, garnering a 96/100 average on Metacritic, a 9.7/10 on IGN, and a 95% on Game Rankings, while also selling over 4 million copies to date across numerous platforms.

Gameplay

BioShock was created using a modified version of the game engine Unreal 2.5. It featured excellent graphics for the time and had some of the most advanced water effects and physics seen to date.

Ethical Concerns

Video Game Violence

‘’BioShock’’ encountered a few ethical concerns with its intense, violent gameplay. It is a first person shooter that puts the game player in the mind of a desperate man, Jack, fighting for his survival in the dystopian city called Rapture. Jack uses numerous realistic weapons such as a variety of pistols, machine guns, and even a crowbar to take down enemies in any way possible. Many of the enemies were humans or mutated humanoids that died with realistic “rag-doll” phyiscs and splattering blood. Adding to the violent foray were genetic additions that Jack could buy that ranged from freezing and then shattering enemies to electrocuting them in pools of water. These unique powers given to the player offered many opportunities to creatively dispatch enemies which brought slightly more public clamor than usual to the violence in video games debate.

“Little Sister” Debate

Another ethical concern with ‘’Bioshock’’ was its use of possessed young girls, known as Little Sisters in the game, to bring about tough choices for the player which could impact the remainder of the story. As the player progressed through the levels, there would be numerous encounters with Little Sisters and their superhuman protectors, Big Daddies. The Big Daddies would defend the small girl it was tasked with protecting to its death, at which point the player had a decision to make: either save the Little Sister’s life by curing her of her disease or kill her on the spot.

The twist on this seemingly simple dilemma is that Little Sisters offered a powerful serum upon their capture which allowed the player to advance much more quickly and powerfully by purchasing special powers with the serum. If a player chose to save the girl and set her free, he would get only half the serum that would be earned if the Little Sister was killed.