Bioshock: The Collection...Is it Worth it?
This month saw the release of Bioshock: The Collection. If you’re not sure of the differences, then read on. The games now all play in 60 frames per second, making the earlier games a lot smoother to play. The graphics have been remastered and enhanced, meaning it’s even nicer to look at, and they were already gorgeous. The collection also includes ALL single player DLC and if you haven’t played it, then you’ve missed out. Minerva’s Den might be even more enjoyable than Bioshock 2 itself and Burial at Sea is some of the most important DLC in a game series. Directors commentary is also added, a new collectible in Bioshock that assembles into a very interesting and honest documentary involving my man and creative director of Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite: Ken Levine and Shawn Robertson, the animation director.
The first thing you will probably notice about the first Bioshock (If you remember it well enough) is how much brighter it is. The loading screens and such things in particular. The game certainly looks less grimy and you can really see the detail in the splicers faces…ew. Rapture really shines through in this collection, I’d say they did a good job. It’s not remarkably different but I don’t think I’d want the game changed too much considering how important it is.
As soon as I started Bioshock 2, I noticed how much deeper and richer it is. It looks a lot more alluring and it really brings out the style. There’s almost a neon glow to the lights. This is certainly an improvement on the original.
Bioshock Infinite is going to be gorgeous anyway and if you’re a high-end PC player then you’re just getting the same game really, but there’s a lot here if you’re an Xbox player. Bioshock had a lot of extras added to the PS3 version of the original game that the Xbox 360 did not. Three tricky challenge rooms, a museum full of concept art and unused models and a new game plus and an even higher difficulty setting. These are all on the Xbox version of The Collection and if you’re a big player of Bioshock, then you’ll get plenty more playtime out of this.
The price differs from £30 to £40 which is pretty steep if you think about it this way: If you wanted the original copies of these games, you could go to any second hand store and get them for under £10 collectively. But to be fair, that would be without the DLC and they really do look nice. So…is it worth it?
If you haven’t played them in a while and are not strapped for cash, I’d say go for it.
If you don’t have much spending money then hold on, wait for a price drop. You don’t need it right now. But certainly go back for it.
If you’ve an Xbox player, then this is something you need in your collection.
If you have never played a Bioshock game, you urgently need to buy this collection and experience Rapture and Columbia for yourself.
