The Bioshock Series
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There are situations where you don't know where enemies are, and just hear their voices, which make for scary situations. That being said, it's really not a horror game. Have some fun with it, because it's well worth it.
- Feb 7, 2011
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The first Bioshock starts out like it's trying to be a survival horror game, and has a very tense and often scary atmosphere, but it completely drops that after the first level, and you very quickly become powerful enough that there isn't much that can scare you. You'll probably be fine, just play the first level with the lights on if you're easily scared.
Oh man, this brings me back. My first ever post on the Escapist was on a topic identical to this.
*ahem*
No, not particularly. There's a few moments made to make you jump and the atmosphere isn't exactly warm and cuddly, but it's not a horror game.
*ahem*
No, not particularly. There's a few moments made to make you jump and the atmosphere isn't exactly warm and cuddly, but it's not a horror game.
The second one isn't, because the player feels far too empowered even though the enemies are typically more dangerous or in greater numbers than the first game.
The first Bioshock, while not technically a horror game per se, absolutely thrives on the atmosphere that it builds, and it does cast Rapture as a very haunting, forbidding place. It's creepy, quiet (except for the groans and creaks of the fallen city and the insane ramblings of Splicers), dark, and lonely, and so depending on just how easily you're scared in video games, it could very easily become a "scary" game for you. It's not even that the player is particularly all that much weaker than Bioshock 2 (though the weapon/enemy/plasmid balancing was significantly improved in the sequel), it just has good enough world-building to make up for it in my opinion.
The first Bioshock, while not technically a horror game per se, absolutely thrives on the atmosphere that it builds, and it does cast Rapture as a very haunting, forbidding place. It's creepy, quiet (except for the groans and creaks of the fallen city and the insane ramblings of Splicers), dark, and lonely, and so depending on just how easily you're scared in video games, it could very easily become a "scary" game for you. It's not even that the player is particularly all that much weaker than Bioshock 2 (though the weapon/enemy/plasmid balancing was significantly improved in the sequel), it just has good enough world-building to make up for it in my opinion.
There are quite a bit of jump scares. But what a well written story for video game. (at least for the good ending path)
I would highly recommend playing Bioshock 2. A lot of people poo-poo on it for being too like the first, But I personally think it's the best of the series. Being able to wield plasmids and a gun at the same time and the "setting up traps to defend while little sister harvests adam" make for really fun gameplay.
The first bioshock pretends to be dark and scary for the first level, but after that it's reasonably tame.
The second bioshock doesn't have much in it that's scary. (Big sister scream maybe? I was kinda nervous the first few times I heard it.)
Bioshock has a lot of "creepy, insane, and monstrous things" but again they're not really "scary" more of an intellectual "well that's rather disturbing" level.
^ That.Dirty Hipsters said:
The first bioshock pretends to be dark and scary for the first level, but after that it's reasonably tame.
The second bioshock doesn't have much in it that's scary. (Big sister scream maybe? I was kinda nervous the first few times I heard it.)
Bioshock has a lot of "creepy, insane, and monstrous things" but again they're not really "scary" more of an intellectual "well that's rather disturbing" level.
Well you must be the most informed buyer I've ever heard of, you already bought the entire series and even now have no clue what it's about...
To echo pretty much every poster in this thread, the Bioshock series isn't so much a horror game, but there are parts that can get under your skin. It's essentially a "stranger in a strange land" sort of idea - you arrive in a place that seems familiar to a point, but enough of it is "off" to create a sense of unease in the player. You are arriving at the end of a story - that being Rapture - and while you're playing out your own story, you're unraveling just what the hell happened to this place.
One thing though - the one jump scare that scared the hell out of me though- the dentist office. Won't tell you what happens... but you've been warned.
One thing though - the one jump scare that scared the hell out of me though- the dentist office. Won't tell you what happens... but you've been warned.
As disappointing as I found it when I first played Bioshock, The Horror-esque environment is only pushed through 1/3 of the game, followed by silly, followed by straight up action.
There are a number of scary moments in it. Scenes specifically set up to frighten you. It's also creepy and atmospheric. If you're easily scared then it will probably scare you.