Can you name a game series that is simultaneously a shooter, a horror, a political commentary, and a work of art? BioShock — the trilogy created by Ken Levine and Irrational Games — has set the standard for narrative FPS since 2007. Metacritic 96, over 40 million copies sold, and quotes that have entered pop culture. Here is why Rapture and Columbia still take your breath away.
What Makes BioShock Special?
BioShock proves that games can be more than gameplay. Each entry is a philosophical essay in FPS form. The first game deconstructs Ayn Rand's objectivism — Rapture, an underwater city built by industrialist Andrew Ryan, is a paradise for "great men" that turns into a bloody hell. Infinite attacks American nationalism and racism in the floating city of Columbia. And BioShock 2 asks: is sacrificing the individual for the community moral?
Add to that the unmatched atmosphere — art deco versus underwater horror, splicers muttering in the darkness, Big Daddies marching with a Little Sister on their shoulder. And plasmids — powers that let you throw lightning, swarms of bees, or telekinesis.
BioShock Games Ranked
1. BioShock — Welcome to Rapture
A masterpiece. Year 1960, a plane crash, a lighthouse in the middle of the Atlantic, and a bathysphere that takes you to an underwater city. "No gods or kings. Only man." — Andrew Ryan's words are forever etched into players' memories. Are you a man, or a slave? The choice between rescuing and harvesting Little Sisters defines the ending. The game that proved FPS can be literature.
2. BioShock Infinite — Ascent to Columbia
Ken Levine takes us from an underwater city to one in the sky. Year 1912, you are Booker DeWitt — a debt-ridden detective sent to Columbia to retrieve a girl named Elizabeth. A city in the clouds — beautiful, racist, and on the brink of civil war. Elizabeth is one of the best companions in gaming history — her ability to open tears into alternate realities offers incredible narrative and tactical possibilities.
3. BioShock 2 — Return to Rapture
An unfairly underrated sequel. You play as a Big Daddy — the first of the series, the prototype Delta — trying to reclaim your Little Sister, Eleanor. Minerva's Den — the DLC adding a new story — is widely regarded as one of the best expansions in gaming history. Mechanically superior to the original (dual-wielding plasmids and weapons), but narratively a hair weaker.
Buy BioShock: The Collection (all 3 games) cheap →
Where to Buy BioShock Games Cheapest?
The BioShock trilogy is available on CDKeysIsland from under 5 EUR per game — you can complete the entire collection for less than 15 EUR:
- BioShock Remastered — from 4.88 EUR
- BioShock 2 Remastered — from around 4.50 EUR
- BioShock Infinite — from 3.65 EUR
- BioShock: The Collection (all 3 + DLC) — from 6.89 EUR
Verdict — Which to Play First?
The release order is ideal: BioShock → BioShock 2 → Infinite. Each game tells a standalone story, but the finale of Infinite (and the Burial at Sea DLC) brilliantly ties the whole trilogy together. If you are only going to play one — choose the original BioShock. It is a masterpiece that after nearly 20 years is still fresh, terrifying, and thought-provoking. And if you want everything — The Collection at under 7 EUR is one of the best deals in gaming. Would you kindly?
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a Comment