BioShock: Rapture

This blog has been very difficult to write. I would find it so easy to go into great detail about why I love BioShock so much but I won’t. The game was spoilered for me. The main ‘thing’ was spoilered for me. If you’ve played it you know the ‘thing’ I mean and probably let out a sympathetic ‘Awww’. Thank you. I feel slightly better. If you haven’t played it then I’m going to presume that there is a damn good reason that you have missed out on one hell of a gaming experience and that you intend to stop being rubbish and get it completed as soon as possible. If you didn’t like it, then don’t speak to me anymore.

Remember when the bathysphere first clunked to a stop and you peered out into the darkness wondering what the hell was going on? And while guided through the perilous, leaking, splicer-infested city by a stranger over the radio, the answers you received only provoked more questions. If, like me, you explored every inch of Rapture, opened every safe, every trash can, listened to every radio log, and still wanted to know more then you’d be pretty excited to hear about a prequel book that tells the story of the city as it changes from an idea into a reality, and even more excited about the fact that this book is being released today.

Andrew Ryan. One of the most memorable video game characters of recent years. Superbly scripted and voice-acted, his words can send shivers down the spine of anyone that cares enough to truly listen to them. Barely seen in person on screen, he manages to be a continuous presence throughout Rapture. A man with an empowering resolve and commitment to his ideals. So dedicated to his belief in a free-thinking, unrestricted, yet hard-working way of life that he creates his own city at the bottom of the ocean. Villain or hero. Crackpot or genius. You decide. BioShock: Rapture gives details on Ryan’s childhood, the moment the decision to build Rapture was made, and how it all went terribly wrong.

Written by Bram Stoker award winner, John Shirley, the book is not too heavy and not too simple. Definitely one of the better videogame novels I have read. BioShock: Rapture is a must read for anyone that was left intrigued by the game and curious about the story behind the story of BioShock.